Celebrities are known to be trend-setters, but one of the more annoying – and potentially dangerous – trends they’ve been pushing in recent years is wearing a waist “trainer.”
We put “trainer” in quotes because it’s a total misnomer. Absolutely no training is taking place by wearing these corsets. Those who wear them are just temporarily cinching their midsections into a slimmer shape with a constrictive, way-too-tight garment.
But while your waist might appear smaller while wearing the trainer, it provides no lasting results. Your feet won’t shrink if you wear tight shoes, and your belly fat ain’t melting away by rocking one of these things, either.
In fact, doctors have warned against the dangers of wearing corsets, explaining that it can impair your breathing and crush your ribs, lungs and internal organs.
Nevertheless, companies are paying celebs top dollar to post an Instagram photo wearing one of these death belts in hopes that fans will follow suit and purchase one for themselves.
Sadly, some stars will do anything for a buck.
Kim Kardashian
This is no shock. Kim may have been one of the first to shill for these products on Instagram. Sadly, she wasn’t the last.
Blac Chyna
Blac Chyna advertises a LOT of products on Instagram, including “vaginal detox pearls.” Those don’t work, and neither does this waist trainer.
Kim Zolciak & daughter Brielle
Ugh. This Real Housewife of Atlanta star actually wrote “family that #waisttrains together stays together” when posting this mother-daughter corset photo with her daughter Brielle.
Kylie Jenner
Well, of course. Kylie does everything her big sis Kim does, so why wouldn’t she waist train on Insta and get paid for it?
Farrah Abraham
When the Teen Mom OG star isn’t picking fights with celebrities for attention, she gets paid by promoting products on Instagram. Not a surprise that she jumped on the waist trainer bandwagon, too.
Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba hasn’t promoted waist trainers on Instagram, but she admits to wearing a double corset “day and night” for three months after giving birth. “Imagine taking a big breath and never fully exhaling,” she said on how it felt to wear. “That’s basically the feeling the person has for hours.” Sounds lovely as a panic attack.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj is famous for being “little in the middle” (or is it just her enormous ass that makes it look tiny?), so it’s no surprise a corset company would ask her to be their spokeperson.
Jenelle Evans
Farrah Abraham isn’t the only Teen Mom who waist trains for cash. Here’s Jenelle Evans showing off hers.
Kailyn Lowry
It’s a Teen Mom trend! Disturbingly, Kailyn Lowry posted this photo just two weeks after she got a tummy tuck and liposuction. Her surgeon informed her that wearing a corset so soon after these procedures was dangerous, but she insisted she was being careful. (Like, she just snapped the pic, collected her check and threw the thing in the closet.)
Amber Rose
Amber Rose claims to have achieved her tiny waist with the help of a corset. She’s lying.
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan was once an in-demand film actress, but her erratic behavior and fall from grace has now reduced her to plugging waist trainers. Sigh.
Khloe Kardashian
Khloe Kardashian has got into amazing shape by working out like a beast over the past couple years. We have no idea why she’d have to wear one of these contraptions. Oh yeah. Money, money, money.
Kourtney Kardashian
The Kardashians could single-handedly keep these trainers in business by posting these pics. Kourtney makes the fourth of the Kardashian-Jenner clan to plug these organ crushers.
Coco
Oh, Coco. Here she brags that she can take care of her baby and waist train simultaneously. Which basically means she’s able to wear a garment while she rears her kid. Impressive!
Snooki
Snooki waist trains on Instagram and we’re not surprised.
JWoww
Like her BFF Snooki, JWoww pretended to waist train for a paycheck.
Ciara
We kind of expected more from Ciara, but looks like money talks.
Sarah Stage
The model and Instagram personality known for her svelte figure decided to cash in by wearing a waist cincher.