For celebrities wanting to make a splash on the red carpet, it seems a pretty designer frock will no longer suffice.
The latest head-turning trend is for eye-wateringly tight latex clothing that hugs every single curve and leaves little to the imagination.
Nicki Minaj channelled Barbie in a bright pink bralet and matching trousers at the VMAs this weekend, setting Twitter into meltdown as they commented on the rap star’s ‘camel toe’ and questioned how she was able to use the toilets throughout the evening.
Now a health expert has warned that wearing non-breathable, skintight clothing can lead to a range of serious health problems – from vaginal infections to indigestion.
Rap star Nicki Minaj wore a tight pink trousers and top combination at this week’s Video Music Awards in Los Angeles – with fans baffled by the skintight look
Consultant Gynecologist Miss Tania Adib, at women’s health clinic 25harleystreet.co.uk, told FEMAIL: ‘That tight clothing especially non-breathable fabrics can cause sweating.
‘We all naturally have discharge, and if that builds up in the clothing then that can encourage bacteria and fungi to cause vaginal and bladder infections.
‘In addition, tight clothing can affect the blood flow in the legs and worsen varicose veins, hasten the appearance of cellulite.’
She added: ‘Tight clothing can cause pain after you eat, as the abdomen cannot distend, and so this causes abdominal distension, pain, indigestion, and heartburn.’
Former Spice Girl Mel B pours her curves into a skintight latex dress in candyfloss pink, at the America’s Got Talent photo call in Los Angeles earlier this year
Reality starlet Khloe Kardashian took a leaf out of sister Kim’s book when she wore this rubber number to Scott Disick’s birthday party in Las Vegas last year
Strictly star Ola Jordan queezed into a vibrant pink rubber dress during an appearance on Loose Women earlier this year. Fashion fans warn it’s tricky to get on without talcum powder
Crystal heiress Victoria Svarovski (left) and reality star Olivia Buckland (right) have both dabbled with the eye-popping trend in recent months
‘Tight clothing prevents abdominal breathing (the most healthy way of breathing) and can worsen anxiety.’
Minaj she isn’t the only one embracing the trend, with stars including Beyoncé, Khloe Kardashian and Mel B also stepping out in skintight rubber creations in recent months.
According to fashion devotees, not only is this look difficult to pull off – as it shows off all your lumps and bumps – but it can be difficult to squeeze on and take off without copious amounts of talcum powder.
Kim Kardashian has helped catapult London label Atsuko Kudo into the spotlight in recent years (pictured in one of their designs at her Fleur Fatale perfume launch in Melbourne)
Red alert! Hollyoaks star Jennifer Metcalfe also embraced the rubber trend in this form-fitting crimson dress at the Inside Soap Awards in London
It can also become sweaty and uncomfortable in warmer months.
Couture label Atsuko Kudo’s latex skirts and dresses have attracted hoards of celebrity fans from Kim Kardashian to Bella Hadid, as stars pour their curves into the trendy dresses.
But even the brand’s director Simon Hoare has admitted the designs are ‘not practical or sensible at all’ but something to be saved for special occasions rather than everyday life.