Getting hippy with it

In recent times, the question that guys fear most coming out of a girl's mouth is 'Does my bum look big in this?'.  We lasses have had to grapple the subtle differences between a big bum and a curvaceous one and we have had to note the peaks and troughs of the popularity of a pronounced tush.  Connected with this is the rise of the hips.    Alexander McQueen's spring summer 2007 collection was all about accentuating early 20th century-style hippage.  Now, coming from someone who is not exacty well-endowed hip area, the look is not entirely there for comic value. 

Exaggerated hips like these depicted in Purple's Spring Summer 2007 issue may make people giggle and get dismissed as 'ridiculous' but I'm strangely attracted to the surreal quality of it.  So much so, I'm tempted to buy some vintage girdles and experiment.  Afterall, it is only one level up on wearing breeches which also add extra hippage. 

I know the ones who are lucky enough to have hips will be groaning and moaning but I don't see this as any different to adding volume via smocks, blousy sleeves, puffball skirts.  Yes, perhaps it is more literally pronounced but it's a play on volume nonetheless.  This is however all an initial 'Hmm... I wonder...' so we shall see where some vintage girdles, some padding and a lot of Dutch courage takes me.....   

(Pics from editorial 'Chelsea Hotel', photographed by Richard Bush from Purple Spring Summer 2007 taken from here)

Comments

[Blue Floppy Hat]

As a girl with a generous about of hip (and thigh, and butt- the grass really IS greener on the other side) I'm prepared to welcome the trend for hippage, but I'd still take it with a generous pinch of salt. As far as I can see, the silhouette works on exaggerating hip proportion and then playing it up next to really slim legs...it'd still take courage- a LOT of it- to wear this. And seeing it on young models who are clearly none too well endowed in that direction hardly serves to convince me of the rightness of it, aaaaaaaaaagh.

[WITHNAIL]

wow, what a surprise - now we're meant to have boobs AND hips AND arse and yet still have stick thin legs and stomachs....

makes you wonder who really controls fashion....

[DJM]

I think the models in those middle pictures look like they have some form of Elephantiasis of the hips! This is akin to padding your bra with tissue paper - destined to end in disaster...

[Ecko]

Damn these girls look like they got monster hips. Dont Fake and also these ?breeches? look wack! show me what u really got lady

[ULLA]

I've always been on the hipper side of fashion, so these are really a wonderful surprise! Now I will finally be 'in' fashion without even trying... Very fun!

[Saskia]

"...but I'm strangely attracted to the surreal quality of it."
So am I!
I don't know, I look at it and feel so inspired. I like the way feminity is expressed in this style.
Please tell us of your experiments, I think about where I could buy something like it in the meanwhile.

[hoyan]

those photos look great, but i don't suppose i'd try it. i also love breeches but they really look quite different on those with hips than on those without! it will be great to see how you interpret this, susie.

[Chloe]

Well - runway fashion seems to be the most extreme (other than couture of course :-) version out there, I'm sure that there will be more easily-worn versions coming out too... It's good to know that my hips are in fashion - I just wish my thighs were too LOL

[Eli]

"I'm not fat. I'm wearing strategically placed stuffing inside my clothes to accentuate my womanly parts. You know, like a bustle."

oh man, Im going to start practicing now.But if we arent going to be shy about padding our bra's then this really shouldnt be such a far stretch no?

[Isabelle]

It's funny how just when power dressing seems to be coming back it's hips not shoulders that are being accentuated. Does this mean something radical for feminism? I'm probably reading too much into this but I'm sure I'm onto something here!

[lindha]

i am IN LOVE with purple magazine and A. McQueen.

xx
alicelindha

[moon_custafer]

I had a minor debate with somebody the other night about skirts that flare out/are padded at the hips, which she insisted were unflattering to those who already had large hips; while I maintained that if no one knew whether you had big hips or whether it was the cut of the skirt, you would get the benefit of the doubt (I based this on a quasi-18th c. dress I once threw together for an actress in a play.)

[the coveted]

is this sir mix a lot's impact on fashion? ; ) vivienne westwood also used a modernized bustle in the 90's. i'm always fascinated how us humans always want what we don't have... i'm saying that while trying to get the frizz out of my hair...

[megan]

what's appealing visually about the hips in that photoshoot is that (in the blue dress for ex.) it is a really theoretical hip shape- obviously not the way a wide hip looks on a normal body- it jumps out from the waist and then drops straight down the line of the leg. makes the waist look small. that's why westwood-style peplums are attractive. i agree with isabelle that there is something significant about padding the hips in the new power-dressing. to me it feels very emotional to emphasize the hips, as opposed to the agression of padding a shoulder. maybe this points to a power gathering around female intuition and nurturing qualities. it's a nice thought.

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[buttonsandstars]

Hehe, what a coincidence!
For my textiles project, we have to make corsets with the theme of contours. I decided that my corset was going to have very accentuated hips, similar to the blue dress on the right. It's rather cool actually, though I must say, people tend to laugh at it..
I don't know, I guess it's all a matter of style. Personally, I *love* it!