Fashion in 2022 can occasionally be a minefield. With creative cut-outs, artful rips, 'underwear as outerwear' and figure-hugging fabrics, there are so many ways to express yourself and amplify one's assets - but make one wrong move and your entire arse is exposed to the world.
Instagram's elite do a fantastic job at making sheer, slinky and very small ensembles appear effortless, but in reality - when actual moving is involved - these fashionable 'fits can be incredibly hazardous. It's all well and good to artfully arrange a dress for a static, 2D and heavily filtered photo, but one brisk breeze and that fabric is entering uncharted territory.
One such dress making the rounds on social media is a skintight orange creation, designed by the popular fast-fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing. In a photo shared to her Instagram audience, Brisbane-based influencer Sarah Louise modelled the dress to a highly divided response, with many taken aback by the outfit's unique design.
The derrière-enhancing ensemble, which retails for AU$48, features long sleeves, figure-hugging fabric and a backless design. There's no doubt the influencer looks incredible - but where there's business in the front, there's a party in the back.
Posing to illustrate the intricate detailing, Sarah Louise shows off a dramatic cut-out on the lower half of the dress, with a series of ties holding the two sides of the fabric together. The cut-out means the backs of the legs are exposed, with the top of the cut-out beginning just above where the butt meets the thighs - leaving very little to the imagination.
The design exposes the underside of the wearer's bum, creating what is often referred to as "under-butt cleavage" - typically exhibited in tiny shorts or hot-pants.
The risqué detailing has stirred quite a response on social media, with many branding the design "insane" - an adjective that can have both positive and negative connotations.
While underboob is now commonplace and G-string pants, skirts and dresses have squirmed their way into the mainstream, the dress has some questioning whether the trend is now pushing too far past the bounds of what constitutes 'socially acceptable'.
Although the Queensland influencer has since privated her personal platform, many of her fans have been celebrating her confidence and applauding the attention-grabbing design, with several claiming they are "obsessed" with the outfit.
However, the 'butt cleavage' trend is clearly not to everyone's taste. Last year, pop phenomenon Rihanna pushed the boundaries with her lingerie line Savage X Fenty, incorporating daring cut-outs into her sleepwear and underwear designs.
Modelling several looks on her Instagram Story in November, the 'Diamonds' hitmaker posed in a three-piece blue plaid ensemble, featuring shorts, a bralette and shirt. Upon turning, however, the singer debuted a cheeky cut-out across her backside.
Earlier that year, a pair of Savage X Fenty pants went viral on TikTok when shoppers realised the lilac leggings featured a criss-cross cut-out on the butt, exposing a little more than some were comfortable with - the best way it can be described is as an intentional plumber's crack.
The concept quickly prompted a war of words online. While many declared that the trend shouldn't be seen as so taboo, others branded 'butt cleavage' as "idiotic" and "unpractical", arguing that a line needs to be drawn somewhere - preferably over the butt crack.
