A new beauty trend is taking over Chinese social media – fake belly buttons. Young women are using the fake navels to give the illusion of longer legs, showcasing the continued pressure to attain idealized body standards online.
The temporary belly button tattoos can be purchased cheaply on sites like Pinduoduo. Videos on Douyin and Xiaohongshu then demonstrate how to stick them on several centimeters above your real belly button and pair them with a cropped top. This optical illusion apparently makes it look like pants or skirts can be worn higher, subsequently appearing to lengthen the legs.
Captions praise the fake belly button hack, with users claiming “it’s not a fake patch, it’s a tool to lengthen short legs!” and “every beauty has two belly buttons!” Some add makeup for a more seamless effect.
While harmless physically, the phenomenon highlights persisting social pressures and beauty ideals equating long legs with attractiveness. It echoes the popularity of other “enhancements” like fake freckles, breasts, and more.
Some experts liken such trends to potentially harmful social media filters, which can negatively impact mental health and body image, particularly for younger users. Despite body positivity movements, the desire for a perceived “perfect body” persists on social platforms.
As one user noted, “I wonder how these women can still face their true body figures after removing the fake belly buttons.” Ongoing action is needed to address the risks of unrealistic beauty pressures online.