hiphugger: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, fashion/consumer journalism
Quick answer
What does “hiphugger” mean?
A style of trousers, jeans, or underwear that fits and sits low on or below the wearer's hips, rather than at the natural waist.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A style of trousers, jeans, or underwear that fits and sits low on or below the wearer's hips, rather than at the natural waist.
By extension, can refer to any item of clothing (like a belt, skirt, or top) designed to sit low on the hips. Informally, it can describe the person wearing such garments.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is understood and used identically in both varieties. The spelling is consistently one word or hyphenated ('hip-hugger').
Connotations
Primarily evokes fashion history or specific style choices. In the US, slightly stronger association with 1970s disco fashion; in the UK, perhaps with 1960s mod culture.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both. More common in historical or retrospective fashion discourse than in current retail descriptions, where 'low-rise' is now standard.
Grammar
How to Use “hiphugger” in a Sentence
Noun + 'in' + hiphuggers (She arrived in hiphuggers.)Adjective + hiphuggers (Those flared hiphuggers.)'wear' + hiphuggersVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hiphugger” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The hiphugger style made a brief comeback.
American English
- She prefers a hiphugger cut for her jeans.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in fashion retail, marketing, and product description contexts to denote a specific cut.
Academic
Rare. Might appear in cultural studies, fashion history, or sociology papers analysing trends.
Everyday
Used when discussing personal clothing, shopping, or referring to past fashion trends.
Technical
In fashion design and pattern-making, specifies a trouser cut where the top of the garment sits on the hip bones.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hiphugger”
- Spelling as two words ('hip hugger') or hyphenated inconsistently. Using it as a verb (e.g., 'to hiphugger'). Confusing with 'hipster', which can refer to a subculture or a similar pant style.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is most commonly found as one word ('hiphugger') or hyphenated ('hip-hugger'). Both are accepted, with the one-word form being increasingly standard.
'Low-rise' is the more modern, general term. 'Hiphugger' is a slightly older, more specific term often associated with particular fashion eras (1960s/70s, early 2000s) and may imply a tighter fit around the hips.
Yes, though less common. It can describe belts, skirts, or underwear designed to sit on the hips. The core idea is the placement on the body.
It is informal and belongs to the register of fashion and everyday clothing description. It would not typically be used in highly formal writing.
A style of trousers, jeans, or underwear that fits and sits low on or below the wearer's hips, rather than at the natural waist.
Hiphugger: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɪpˌhʌɡ.ə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɪpˌhʌɡ.ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine someone whose HIPS are being HUGGED by their trousers – the trousers hug the hips, not the waist.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLOTHING IS A SECOND SKIN (hugging the body).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary defining feature of 'hiphugger' trousers?