When Cara Delevingne stepped out on the catwalk, she became an inspiration for the ‘thigh gap’ trend, in which legs are so thin that they do not touch above the knees.
Fans of this look even created social media accounts dedicated to the ‘thigh gap’, with more than 700,000 followers sharing photos of their ‘thigh gap’.
But a new year makes way for a new social media trend and this time, it’s the ‘bikini bridge’. As Urban Dictionary puts it, the ‘bikini bridge’ is described as “when bikini bottoms are suspended between the two hip bones, causing a space between the bikini and the lower abdomen”.
Like the ‘thigh gap’, many enthusiasts of this obsession have been uploading their own photos onto various social media sites and image-sharing sites. Even the hashtag #bikinibridge is circulating on Twitter.
Amongst the facetious comments posted to promote the ‘advantages’ of having a ‘bikini bridge’ include fitting an iPod into the ‘bikini bridge’ and getting a smoother tan line.
Jumping onto the bandwagon, Buzzfeed has also put up an article entitled, ‘12 Perks of Having a Bikini Bridge’, listing reasons such as “it is the ultimate beach accessory” and “you and your girls will become the talk of the town”.
Consequently, within 24 hours, the hashtag #bikinibridge and #bikinibridge2014 was tweeted more than 2,400 times.
Dove Spokesperson, Lucy Attley, who works on their self-esteem campaign says, “The bikini bridge is yet another example of piling pressure on women to feel increasingly anxious about their bodies.
“Our ambition at Dove is for beauty to be a source of confidence, not anxiety. We want to inspire women everywhere to feel good about the bodies they have, and not experience the constant pressure that drives beauty anxieties, portraying an ideal of beauty that is not real or reflective of women in the UK.”
“The New Year should be a time when women everywhere are inspiring each other to redefine and embrace a more positive relationship with beauty,” she also added.
Similar to what we think about the ‘thigh gap’, the ‘bikini bridge’ is nothing but an unhealthy trend and it should not, ever, define what’s beautiful about your body or your self-esteem. Instead, it disturbs the minds of the younger generation and distorts what they perceive as an ideal body image. This is dangerous for their health and well-being as it encourages eating disorders and the body shaming culture, which can easily affect young girls. Remember, we need to strive to love our bodies, no matter the shape or size.
What are your thoughts on the ‘bikini bridge’? Does it bother you at all?
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