Hip Dips Are Latest Body Positive Trend to Sweep the Internet

Instagram can sometimes be a slippery slope of insecurity, especially when picture-perfect, retouched images flood your feed. But every once in a while, a trend sweeps the web that’s actually incredibly empowering to women (like #mermaidthighs). Hip dips are the latest body positive movement to pop up on the social media site.

What are hip dips, you ask? Put simply, it’s the spot where your femur (that long bone in your thigh) connects to your pelvis. Instagram user @jenneydoll sums up her struggle and appreciation for her hip dips quite succinctly, “In recent years, proportionate hour glass bodies have been glamorized in the media heavily.. but I have realized that I will never have a perfect hour-glass shape because I have very prominent hip dips (even though I do carry more fat in my lower body). There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it, but it is one of those things I don’t absolutely love about my body. However, I accept it and i’m learning to love all my imperfections because that’s what makes us human.”

So, no, perfectly rounded, hourglass-type hips aren’t the only kinds of beautiful hips. Just check out the #hipdip hashtag for proof.

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I've seen a lot more posts about hip dips (or violin hips) recently. This is something I've posted about before and think its really important to bring awareness to; especially in our current society where we're told the 'body ideal' is big hips/ bum, tiny waist and hourglass figure. 🎻 My hips dip in like this and always have done. As you can see from this video my hips actually pop out. This doesn't cause me any physical discomfort or problems but it does mean I have and will always have hips that significantly dip in. 🎻 This has been a huge source of self-consciousness for me. I was taught to believe my hips were "unnatural and wrong". My hip dips highlight my 'love handles' and minimise my hips meaning the current 'body ideal' isn't a possibility for my body. As women we are told we need big hips/bums to be 'womanly' or attractive. BUT THIS IS CRAZY! 🎻 There is nothing wrong with hip dips! The only reason we believe there is is because of what society tells us. But I'm not buying it! Beauty isn't just one thing and hips do not define an individual's beauty. I appreciate the #beautyinthebend that hip dips bring. 🎻Seeing my hip dips in this video was actually really therapeutic. As a source of insecurity my mind had completely transformed how I saw my hips into a completely different shape. So seeing a video where I'm actually highlighting my hips rather than hiding them allowed me to finally see their true form. 🎻 Hip dips effect the majority of people in varying levels. They occur because of the shape of your hip bones and vary in prominence. Hip dips are often caused by having 'high hips' leaving a dip between your hip bone and where your femur starts. 🎻 Hip dips are natural and beautiful and we should be celebrating them, not shaming them! So I would like to start the hashtag #hipdipsarebeautiful as a way to spread awareness and hopefully inspire acceptance and even pride. 🎻 So get sharing your own beautiful hip dips and let's change how we look at ourselves and our amazing hips! Be sure to tag me so I can see and share your wonderful posts.

A post shared by Sarah (@discovering_sarah) on Jul 4, 2017 at 3:22pm PDT

@discovering_sarah captioned her pic, “Hip dips are natural and beautiful and we should be celebrating them, not shaming them!” Preach, sister.

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Lately on my dash I’ve seen lots of posts about hip dips. I just want to let you know that they're normal! It’s part of our anatomy, and on some is more noticeable than others. It all depends on your body type, muscle, and fat distribution. 
In case you didn't know, the femurs connect to the pelvis. Wow! Reference the 2nd picture if this is confusing!
That is exactly what a “hip dip” is. The space on the sides between the top of your pelvis and your femurs. You get a hip dip from being born with a skeleton. Incredible. Everyone has one, but sometimes it’s not as noticeable. Men and women have it, but it’s more noticable on women because our hips are usually more pronounced. Like I said earlier, it’s about fat and muscle distribution, as well as your own unique skeletal structure and shape. It's often more visible on those with wide, high-set hips. Some women have it more noticeable, some don’t, but it doesn’t mean it's not there. Everyone 👏 has 👏 them 👏 Seriously, you'll have one as long as you keep your skeleton. Can they be decreased in appearance by losing excess fat? Sure, to an extent. But guess what? I had quite pronounced ones even at my leanest, when I carried so little fat that I stopped getting my period (this was unhealthy, I know). Hip dips are NOT the same as a muffin top. Sometimes they can create a similar appearance in clothing, but it's not!!! The same!! Thing!!! I've also seen people saying that hip dips can be filled out by working on your gluteus medius. That could be true for some people to a certain extent, but unless your hip dips are already barely visible, it's absolutely fucking ridiculous to think they'll be significantly filled out by growing a part of your glute. I know mine sure won't. They're too big, and that's okay! But go throw your money at whatever booty builder program you want and see if I care. Honestly, the visibility of mine is my biggest insecurity. I don't know why or at what point I was taught to hate them, but I was, and I'm working on unlearning it. It's really helped me seeing other girls on here post about theirs and NORMALIZING it. So here are mine!

A post shared by @ oatsnsquats on Jul 2, 2017 at 10:40pm PDT

International powerlifter Sophia Van Leeuwen, who goes by the user handle @oatsandsquats, explains that everyone has hip dips, but whether they’re visible “all depends on your body type, muscle, and fat distribution.” Basically, if you have a skeleton, you have hip dips.

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HIP DIPS⁉️‼️⁉️‼️ -------- This is something I've seen a lot of posts about on Instagram, and not something I realised was a 'thing' until recently ! - LADIES DO NOT FEEL SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT HIP HIPS! So many people have this, including me clearly!!! As far as I'm aware from research, it is to do with a combination of the shape of your body (mainly pelvis) and your gluteus medius...pls correct me if I'm wrong! My glute med need a lot of work because they are weak, which may in time help the appearance of my hip dips but it's not something I waste time worrying about☺️ - Please don't start to dislike parts of your body because someone else feels that way about theirs💞 chances are no one notices anyway, particularly if its a 'problem' like hip dips! - Wearing @forever21 and @armatura_clothing - #positivity #motivation #fitness #hipdips #glutes #workout #fitfam #fitnessblogger

A post shared by Liv🌸| Fitness🇬🇧 (@livjadefit) on Jul 1, 2017 at 11:52am PDT

Fitness Instagrammer @livjadefit urged others, “LADIES DO NOT FEEL SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT HIP HIPS! [sic]”

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HIP DIPS--- 😱 OH MY GOSH! I have them.. Media creating insecurities we didn't know we had 😜. If this is something you've been self conscious of for a while I am SO not knocking that! Please don't think I'm being insensitive. I completely get insecurities, I DO. I've struggled with my image my entire life. It took SO long for me to be comfortable with ME. Self-love doesn't come easy.. and in a world where the media is constantly pushing a certain image of "perfect" it does NOT help ✋🏻. However this is COMPLETELY and entirely NORMAL and natural. Some people's hip dips are more prominent than others.. why? BONE STRUCTURE! Yes, you may be able to build up muscle to make them slightly less noticeable, why though? You will be working hard AF for minimal change because that's the way you were MADE. Love yo' self baby, you're beautiful 💕. #selflove #hipdips #fitnessjourney #bodypositive #fitspiration #fitfam #healthymind #weightlossjourney #fitness #mombod ##girlswhosquat #curves #loveyourself #fitmums

A post shared by Kelsey Crosson (@kcrossonfitness) on Jul 5, 2017 at 12:15pm PDT

Photographer and fitness lover @kcrossonfitness made a super apt point about the internet “creating insecurities we didn’t know we had.”

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I posted this image to my fashion Instagram. A couple of weeks ago a read an article that changed the way I looked at my body for the better. I've *always* hated my hips, the shape was not what I was told was attractive or fit. I learned the other day that #hipdips or #violinhips are *structural*, not fat or muscle. And many many women have them. I. Can finally stop trying to change them.

A post shared by TimTam (@sounds.borderline) on Jul 5, 2017 at 5:51pm PDT

User @girl.gets.sane captioned her photo: “I posted this image to my fashion Instagram. A couple of weeks ago a read an article that changed the way I looked at my body for the better. I’ve *always* hated my hips, the shape was not what I was told was attractive or fit. I learned the other day that #hipdips or #violinhips are *structural*, not fat or muscle. And many many women have them. I. Can finally stop trying to change them.”

And others just embraced and celebrated their dips.

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Baewatch #whereszacefron #beachdance #boomerang #swimsuitseason #swimsuit #baewatch #baywatchbabe #praia #beach #sand #sun #waves #sea #summer#algarve #portugal #hipdips

A post shared by Thea Babington-Stitt (@theabryanna) on Jul 6, 2017 at 6:53am PDT

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No struggle ➡️ no progress.

A post shared by Jeny (@mzhyde5) on Jul 2, 2017 at 10:04pm PDT

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En dippen maar! Loving our hipdips 😎 #hipdips #gothipdips #hipdipsfordays #hipdipsarebeautiful #hipsterdipper #hipperdipper #dipitlow

A post shared by Charlie Magazine (@charliemagazine) on Jul 6, 2017 at 4:37am PDT

And this ‘grammer used her hip dips for literally dipping. #Goals.

What do you think of the #hipdips trend? Tweet us @BritandCo!

(h/t Refinery29; photos via @jenneydoll/Instagram)