Launched in 1971, Wonder Sauna Hot Pants were an inflatable product designed to be worn to produce a “sauna” effect, with the aim of melting fat while the wearer simply sat. Instead of cutting calories or hitting the gym – just “wear these hot pants, sit around, maybe walk a bit, and the fat disappears.” That convenience-over-effort pitch was central to the appeal of the product. However, the product only causing sweating (i.e. water loss), not fat loss. On top of that, the pants were ugly, awkward, and uncomfortable.
