Bottoms up! The big rear-end trend

Despite their penchant for skin-tight Herve Leger dresses that hug and accentuate every curve, I don't think Kim Kardashian, J.Lo, nor Beyonce are responsible for actually creating the big-rearend trend... although they are definitely helping with its perpetuation.

If you open up any celebrity magazine these days, you will see picture after picture of well-asseted female celebs flaunting what they've got. (The whole Kardashian clan is a perfect example.) And, there's nothing wrong with that-- all body types should be equally celebrated. It is just interesting to watch the trends;  just like clothing and hair styles, body ideals are also constantly evolving and revolving.

While big booties might be the must-have-figure of the new millennium, it wasn't long ago when the opposite-- no rear-end and big breasts (i.e. female BayWatch cast circa the 90's)-- was the craze. Body trends come and go, always fluctuating, with popularity surging between plump, curvy, skinny, big-chested, flat-chested, big rear-ends, no rear-ends, and any combination of them all.

While a curvier rump can certainly help balance out curves in the skin-tight designs of Herve Leger, some people are taking today's trends quite seriously and permanently enhancing their back-sides. In 2009, over 5,000 American women had surgical butt implants. 

Luckily, other industries are noticing the current interest in bubbilicious tushes, and creating temporary tuchus  boosters. Frederick's of Hollywood and Victoria's Secret both are currently selling butt padding, and a product called "Booty Pop" (pictured below) is now being sold in such mass retailers as Walgreens, Target, and Bad Bath & Beyond. And, there is definitely interest in this genre; to date Booty Pop reports one million orders so far this year. 

Just like a padded bra, this is a good way to experiment with your appearance without incurring any risk to your body, nor spending a fortune. 

But, you are probably asking yourself, do these push-up bras for butts actually work?? Does it look natural?! 

It appears the answer is a resounding, Yes! 

After trying the Booty Pop ($20), morning show TV host Kelly Ripa admitted she "may never take [them] off!" The Victoria's Secret "Bum Booster" ($34) is akin to a pair of biker-short Spanx with strategically placed padding, and Frederick's of Hollywood's "Booty Boy Short" ($28) is a pair of boy-shorts with padding. All three products feature life-like, temporary bottom boosting, with minimal financial investment needed. 

This product category is ingenious in light of the insane success that bust-enhancing lingerie companies have experienced... and I can stand behind it too, because this is a way to have fun with the aesthetic ideals of today, and still be OK in ten years when pancake bums come back in style...

Bottoms up!