DEEP POCKETS

Spanx Inventor a Billionaire

Sara Blakely is youngest woman on “Forbes” list.

A chance once-over in the mirror has made Sara Blakely one of the richest people on the planet. After she didn’t like the way she looked in some pants, Blakely invented Spanx, a body-shaping undergarment. Now she’s joined the ranks of Carlos Slim and Bill Gates, with Forbes installing her on its list of the world’s wealthiest. “I think my story says that, when women are given the chance and the opportunity, that we can achieve a lot,” Blakely said on CBS Thursday morning. “We can make the world a better place, one butt at a time.” Spanx took off when celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Oprah Winfrey gave them a thumbs-up. Blakely is valued at $1 billion, placing her at No. 1,153 on the Forbes list.