Breathe in, men, and grab a girdle

LONDON — Guys clutching "man bags" are a common sight in hip urban centers. Even eyeliner for men — "guyliner" — has found a following.

And now popping up in men's clothing departments are body-sculpting, flab-corraling undergarments known as men's girdles, or even "mirdles."

Starting in January, Australia-based Equmen will sell a body-slimming Core Precision Undershirt designed to squeeze a few inches off a man's beer belly and improve his posture.

"Men these days are concerned about their appearance, and they also want to feel healthy and supported," said Corie Chung, one of the company's founders.

Atlanta-based Spanx, whose nylon-and-spandex undergarments for women are worn by the likes of Oprah Winfrey, plans a collection for men next year.

"We have had a ton of requests for Spanx for men," said spokeswoman Misty Elliott. "After seeing our success with firming women's butts, men are asking Spanx to help them flatten their guts."

Underworks.com sells a wide range of shapewear for men, including the Ultimate Chest Binder that sells for $36.99. A Male Support Vest from Enell.com, which also flattens the chest, costs $75. Compression shorts from Legluxe.com, designed to tone muscles, cost $39.95.

In general, retailers say that a younger generation of men is paying more attention to fashion necessities like underwear. Market researcher NPD Group reported that sales of men's underwear in the United States jumped 7.8 percent between 2005 and 2007 to reach 1.1 billion units, while sales of women's underwear climbed by just 2.3 percent to reach 1.5 billion units.

John Pearce, who set up Brazilian Shapewear to import the leading brands into the U.K., said he started selling slimming garments for men just in the past year.

"People were calling us and asking us for these. There's been a real buzz about men's corsets in particular."

Pearce said these products not only flatten the stomach but also help with posture and even improve one's golf swing by keeping a player in the right position.