Tummy Tuck Jeans: Trunks for your Junk

For many women, becoming a mother means giving up those form-fitting jeans that hugged every curve just so. Sure, some women magically snap back into their pre-pregnancy shape (hate them) and others - the ones for whom disposable income isn't an issue - get there by taking the surgery route, but for the rest, slipping into some denim now means the dreaded "mom jeans," thanks to that other bundle of joy: the tummy pooch.

Simply put, not a single woman on the Maxim Hot 100 would look good in Mom jeans, the full-cut, high-waisted anti-fashion statement satirized wickedly on Saturday Night Live. But now, enter tummy tuck jeans, designed specifically for women carrying a little extra in the stomach, hips or backside. These jeans make some bold claims, among them, that they'll flatten the tummy, lift the butt and even allow you to wear a smaller size.

While tummy control jeans aren't new, they've certainly become more high tech, taking advantage of advances in fabric technology. To help a woman achieve a more slimming look, the jeans feature a crisscross panel in the front to pull in the lower abdomen, and an extra compliment of stretch material (usually lycra) for help give the jeans their form-fitting look and to add comfort.

So far, the category leader is Not Your Daughter's Jeans, a brand created by Lisa Rudes-Sandel. She got the idea for her jeans after one day struggling to find a pair that would accommodate her curves. Now one of the largest domestic manufacturers of women's jeans, Not Your Daughter's Jeans ship to stores thousands of stores worldwide. Sandel developed the company's patented tummy tuck technology, part of which is a jean that is is 4 percent lycra, rather than the standard 2 percent. According to Sandel, that gives the appearance of a lifted derriere and allows women to wear a smaller size.

As the saying goes, timing is everything and, with the popularity of low-rise jeans, the arrival of Sandel's innovation couldn't have been more, um, timely. Celebrities from Rachel Ray to Oprah were singing the praises of their tummy tuck jeans. With endorsements like those, it wasn't long before the product took off, first in America before spreading to Europe and elsewhere, and if Not Your Daughter's Jeans aren't available in their own country, women have resorted to eBay in the hopes of landing a pair.

Indications are that the jeans indeed live up to the hype. In one tummy tuck jeans review, a woman noted that she is a converted skeptic, noting that she was able to drop down two sizes compared to the other jeans in her closet. She noted that the jeans are comfortable and definitely provide the slimming look they promise, although she felt they lost a little of their tummy tuck ability near the end of the day. However, after a wash and dry, they were as good as new. Other reviews are similar, with women claiming that Not Your Daughter's Jeans are the best they've ever owned.

If there is a knock against Not Your Daughter's Jeans, it's cost. Available in wide range of styles including straight legs, boot cut, capri, corduroys, leggings and even a pencil skirt, much of the line retails for $100 or more. Like other premium brands, Not Your Daughter's Jeans can sometimes be found in discount stores or websites, but those are most likely to be remainders from previous seasons.

A victim of its own success, Not Your Daughter's Jeans now has an array of competitors. Some are found in the mall's more upscale stores, carrying a premium price to match, while copycats can also be found in stores that cater to a more budget-conscious shopper, such as Target or JC Penny. Some of the discount jeans have been around for years, and are simply being rebranded to cash in on the success of tummy tuck jeans.

While they do appear to work as advertised, the tummy tuck jeans do have their limitations. Namely, they will slim the area from the crotch to the waist, but that's where their ability to work their magic ends. For a woman whose problem area is larger than that covered by the jeans, she's likely to end up with what's known as a muffin top. It doesn't take much imagination to see why. The resulting bulge is enough to defeat the purpose of wearing those fancy new high-tech jeans in the first place. This is where control undergarments come in. If you're thinking of a girdle, you're not far off. However, like jeans, this garment too has come a long way, in terms of both looks and comfort. So if you're looking to add a pair of tummy tuck jeans to your wardrobe, it may be worth investing in a little something to wear underneath.