hip-huggers: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal (fashion, historical reference, cultural commentary)
Quick answer
What does “hip-huggers” mean?
A style of trousers (especially jeans) designed to sit very low on the hips, rather than at the natural waist.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A style of trousers (especially jeans) designed to sit very low on the hips, rather than at the natural waist.
Fashionable trousers from the late 1960s and early 1970s, characterised by their extremely low waistline, often flared or bell-bottomed.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is understood in both varieties but is more culturally embedded in American English due to the origin of the trend. UK speakers might generically refer to 'low-rise' trousers.
Connotations
Both varieties associate it with 60s/70s fashion. In American English, it may have stronger associations with youth culture and rebellion of that era.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English, especially in historical and pop culture contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “hip-huggers” in a Sentence
She wore [hip-huggers].A pair of [hip-huggers] was popular.The [hip-huggers] flared at the bottom.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hip-huggers” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- She had a hip-huggers style.
- The hip-huggers look is back.
American English
- That's a hip-huggers jean jacket combo.
- He wore a hip-huggers belt.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Only in fashion retail or marketing discussing retro collections.
Academic
Used in historical or cultural studies of fashion, sociology of the 1960s/70s.
Everyday
Used when discussing vintage fashion, personal style from the past, or describing old photos.
Technical
A specific term in fashion history and costume design.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hip-huggers”
- Using it as a singular noun (e.g., 'a hip-hugger'). It is almost always plural. Confusing with 'hipsters', which is a British term for similar trousers.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. 'Hip-huggers' refers to the low waistline. They often were bell-bottoms (flared at the bottom), but not all bell-bottoms were hip-huggers.
Almost never. The term is a plural noun referring to the trousers as a single item, similar to 'jeans' or 'trousers'.
It is used mainly as a historical or retro reference. Modern low-rise trousers might be called 'low-riders' or simply 'low-rise jeans'.
'Hip-huggers' is a period-specific term from the 60s/70s. 'Low-riders' is a more general, modern term, often associated with casual or streetwear styles from the 1990s onwards.
A style of trousers (especially jeans) designed to sit very low on the hips, rather than at the natural waist.
Hip-huggers is usually informal (fashion, historical reference, cultural commentary) in register.
Hip-huggers: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɪp ˌhʌɡəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɪp ˌhʌɡɚz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not applicable.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
HIP-HUGGERS HUG your HIPS, sitting very low.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLOTHING IS A TIME MACHINE (evokes a specific era).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary defining feature of hip-huggers?