Buttock cleavage
Buttock cleavage is minor exposure of the buttocks and the intergluteal cleft between them, often because of low-rise trousers.
History
[edit]When faced with indecency issues in the 1930s, W. G. Cassidy explained in an 1974 essay titled "Private Parts: A judicial view" that exposure of a buttock cleavage may come under "other private parts" in Australian law, though indecency generally involves exposure of the genitals.[1]
In the early 2000s, it became fashionable for young women and men to expose buttock cleavage, often while wearing low-rise jeans.[2][3] The Cincinnati Enquirer called it the "new cleavage", and expressed views that "It's virtually impossible to find jeans to cover your hipbone".[4] In August 2001, The Sun had a week dedicated to buttock cleavage called "bum cleavage week".[5]
In 2005, author Sheila Jeffreys identified British designer Alexander McQueen as the originator of buttock cleavage-revealing jeans, known as the "bumster".[6]
In 2013, Cosmopolitan noted that ultra-short miniskirts and shorts exposing the lower buttocks had gained popularity among women, influenced by celebrities such as Lady Gaga.[7]
In the 2020s, buttcrack cleaveage gained a massive resurgence in popularity among society especially towards Gen Z women.[8]
Terms used
[edit]
The terms plumber butt or plumber's crack (Canadian, Australian, and American English) and builder's bum (English) refer to the exposure of the buttock cleavage. The expression "builder's bum" was first recorded in 1988. The terms are based on an impression that work in these professions frequently involves bending over in locations where bystanders are observing from the rear.[9]
The terms used in foreign countries, such as bouwvakkersdecolleté in the Netherlands, Maurerdekolleté in Germany, and dekolt hydraulika in Poland, are translated as "builder's/mason's/plumber's cleavage". In France, it is usually referred to as le sourire du plombier, which is translated to "the plumber's smile".[10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Cassidy, W.G. (September 1974). "Private parts: A judicial view". Southerly (law essay). Vol. 34, no. 3. Sydney, Australia. pp. 315–319 – via informit.com.au.
- ↑ Brown, Janelle (28 May 2002). "Booty call: Here come the buns". Salon.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2006. Retrieved 12 March 2006.
- ↑ D'Angelo, Jennifer (5 December 2001). "Cleavage fashion flips upside down". Fox News. Archived from the original on 5 February 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2006.
- ↑ Daugherty, Gina (29 May 2003). "Thong spotting gets easier". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 19 February 2008 – via enquirer.com.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ Davies, Anna (August 26, 2001). "Bum deal: Suddenly, women's bottoms are everywhere. It might seem like jolly, harmless fun, but actually there's nothing innocent about it". The Guardian. Retrieved February 19, 2008 – via theguardian.com.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ Jeffreys, Sheila (2005). Beauty and Misogyny: Harmful cultural practices in the West. Routledge. p. 98. ISBN 0-415-35183-9 – via Google books.
- ↑ "High alert: We're all helpless onlookers to 'the Summer of butt cleavage'". Cosmopolitan. 17 July 2013 [16 July 2013]. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
- ↑ "Gen Z's latest 'cheeky' fashion trend is raising eyebrows: 'Cracks are back'". New York Post. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
- ↑ Brewer's Dictionary of Modern Phrase & Fable, by John Ayto, Ian Crofton (2006), ISBN 0-304-36809-1, p. 121
- ↑ "French Expression of the Day". The Local. 10 September 2019.
External links
[edit]- Thesaurus:plumber's crack from Wiktionary
Media related to Buttock cleavage at Wikimedia Commons
