More and more Jamaican women are seemingly buying into the 'big bumpa' phenomenon, and are flocking stores to purchase 'butt lifters' and other body shaping apparel, THE WEEKEND STAR has learnt.

The craze for the appearance of a bigger bottom has left several store owners who sell the merchandise smiling.

THE WEEKEND STAR understands that from as low as $1,100, the butt lifters, which have been on the local market for over two years, can be purchased for women of all different shapes and sizes.

Several checks earlier this week with a few of the stores that sell them revealed that they are so in demand that some customers are purchasing them in bulk.

One store representative, who declined to give her name, said that butt lifter is one of the store's best-sellers, "We sell them everyday and for each week we sell like a dozen. Sometimes you will find that a customer will even purchase them in multiples," she said.

A representative from Babas in 7th Avenue Plaza, St Andrew, said yesterday that the women are not only buying butt enhancers, but they are also purchasing 'hip-shapers' and padded bras at an increasing rate.

"These items are very popular among women of East-Indian descent who tend to have flat bottoms or even fat women who have flat bottoms. However, generally speaking, younger women are the ones who are buying them, I guess to make them look fuller and more voluptuous," she said. "Our prices start from $3,000, depends on what you want."

Interestingly, THE WEEKEND STAR also understands that women who wear these items are normally reluctant to speak about it, and would prefer to keep it a secret.

When we spoke to Sandy James* from Kingston who had initially denied wearing the 'fake butt', she later said that it was introduced to her by a friend a few years ago and she is in love with it. "If your bottom is flat it makes your bottom look big, but I wear it because it makes me look good in jeans and tight fitting clothes, not necessarily to attract men."

*Name change