Topic summary

Hips

Extracted from the Wikipedia article Hip.

Sexual dimorphism and cultural significance

The female hips have long been associated with both fertility and general expression of sexuality. Since broad hips facilitate childbirth and also serve as an anatomical cue of sexual maturity, they have been seen as an attractive trait for women for thousands of years. Many of the classical poses women take when sculpted, painted or photographed, such as the Grande Odalisque, serve to emphasize the prominence of their hips. Similarly, women's fashion through the ages has often drawn attention to the girth of the wearer's hips.