Remember the days when women with large bums covered up in sarongs and oversized shirts to hide their supposed genetic misfortune? We donâ€t know if it started with Sir Mix-A lotâ€s obsession with Oakland booties, JLoâ€s most infamous asset, Venus Williams†pension for showcasing her backside with itty bitty lingerie-like tennis gear, Kim Kardashian’s derriere or Beyonceâ€s gloriously fierce curves, but somehow it is now officially trendy to have a big butt. So trendy, in fact, that New York Daily News dedicated an entire feature to the phenomenon.

New York Magazine suggests that fuller bottoms are back (pun intended) since many Spring 2010 runway collections featured short shorts. Following that logic, this might be something Lady Gaga, a.k.a. she who never wears pants, is responsible for.

Regardless of the cause for the trend (Itâ€s probably a combination of all these reasons), a slew of new products have hit the market to help women with flatter rears fill out as a result.

The Ass Bra is our favorite, especially because of its name. A few variations of it are available, and it works by squeezing the thigh area under your bottom and resting under the cheeks to give them a boost. Padded panties like Pure Style Girlfriends Bump-A-Booty Padded Panties look like the most comfortable option, and the $30 underwear is apparently quite popular. You can also get Bali Comfort Shape Hi-Waist Thigh Slimmer, which looks and works basically like a Spanx but squeezes the thighs tight to make the butt appear larger. {SheFinds}

Our initial reaction is to bust out laughing at the ridiculousness of it all, but if you think about it, padded panties or ass bras are really no more insane than the push up bra, Spanx or chicken cutlets. Actually, weâ€re surprised no one thought of this sooner, and the padded panties might prove really comfortable to sit on at work all day despite the extra baggageâ€s potential to be too warm in the summer months. We also prefer deceiving undergarments to plastic surgery like the Brazilian Butt Lift and other augmentation procedures. Padded panties are less permanent.

Our No. 1 recommended way to get in on the “It” body part of the moment is to work for it. The backside is one area of the body that can really change in appearance from consistent exercise to target the area, and firmed muscles are an ideal way to give your rear a boost. Check out Shape Magazineâ€s ultimate butt workout here to get started!

Wardrobe malfunction? Don't worry, it's only an illusion

Roger Federer and Serena Williams in turquoise Nike outfits

The brighter the better seems to be the mantra for the top seeds at the Paris-based tournament this year: both Roger Federer and Serena Williams have turquoise-based outfits that are sponsored by Nike. Looks like Pantone was on the money about turquoise as this year’s ‘”it” color. Rafael Nadal has the same look, but with lime green and an even brighter shade of blue in there, too, creating an irregular geometric pattern. And why not be bold? He owns Roland Garros, having won four years in a row – he can wear whatever he wants!

Venus Williams however, is for once receiving the bulk of headlines for her Grand Slam outfit rather than her little sister (who has previously stolen style headlines in a catsuit-esque outfit). Her French Open outfit, designed by her own EleVen label, looked like something from the Moulin Rouge with corset styling in a black lace fabric with red detailing. She said she wanted to create a sense of illusion with her outfit. “It’s about kind of having that illusion of wearing lace and not having anything take away under it. These days I have a lot of fun with my designs,” she said. {Down the Line!} The illusion was definitely one that required a double take, as her flesh colored shorts probably left many viewers thinking they’d gotten more than an eyeful as the underwear inspired ensemble drew attention for more than her game winning serves.

There’s no correlation between winning and being the more stylish opponent in a match, but it is worth noting that Venus, Serena and Roger have won each of their respective opening tournaments so it can’t hurt.

After Roland Garros comes Wimbledon for these players, where only white is allowed to be worn. We can’t blame them for serving up those crazy colors before the more conservative style requirements come into play!

Images via GoToTennis