The Day I Measured My High Hip Size (and Why It Surprised Me)

I’ll admit it — I didn’t even know “high hip size” was a thing until a few months ago. I was getting fitted for a custom dress, and the tailor casually wrapped the tape measure just below my waist. “That’s your high hip,” she said, like it was common knowledge. Turns out, it’s not just about fashion — it’s also about health, posture, and even how our bodies tell our life stories.

I went down a rabbit hole reading up on it, and one of the most useful breakdowns I found was here: https://askdocdoc.com/articles/825-high-hip-size--causes-impact-and-measurement-guide. It’s from AskDocDoc, and it covers causes, health links, and measurement tips in detail.

When you think about it, the high hip is right in that in-between zone — above the widest part of the hips, but below the waist. For some, it’s a natural curve shaped by bone structure. For others, lifestyle, posture, or even recovery from surgery can make a difference. I liked how an Instagram post I saw put it: “Your hips might be telling the story of your strength, not just your size.” (https://www.instagram.com/p/DNTN8w7Iw67/)

Health experts connect it to the waist-to-hip ratio, which can say more about heart health than BMI ever could. There’s a good discussion on this in a LinkedIn thread: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/askdocdoc_high-hip-circumference-isnt-automatically-activity-7361418914158772224-hzYj.

Measuring it isn’t complicated — stand straight, find the top of your pelvic bone, and wrap the tape measure parallel to the floor. Tailors use it for garment precision (Pinterest has a nice visual: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/928445279437147152/), but doctors might use it for health screening. The key is accuracy — leaning or twisting throws the number off.

I was surprised to learn how posture plays a role too. Wearing heels a lot can tilt your pelvis, making your hips look fuller even if your actual measurement hasn’t changed. There’s a great conversation about this in a Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/122099392514743210/posts/122136867446743210. And if you’ve had hip surgery, your shape might change temporarily — recovery and physiotherapy matter, as people discuss here: https://www.threads.com/@askdocdoc/post/DNTN802s6JT and here: https://x.com/1881713393369030656/status/1955653124804194482.

It’s funny how a single measurement can connect so many dots — from genetics to posture to health risk. For me, learning my high hip size was a reminder that our bodies hold more data than we realize.

What about you? Have you ever measured your high hip size, or noticed how it changes over time? Do you see it as just a clothing detail, or something more?