Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Jessica Biel are among the stars known for particularly striking assets.In the words of that great 20th century poet Sir Mix-A-Lot: "Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake that healthy butt. Baby got back."
Forget that wasted waif look; curves are in. What Pamela Anderson did (with a little help) for breasts, celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce Knowles and Kim Kardashian have done (naturally) for the behind.
And these days when a woman asks, "Does my butt look big in these pants?" she just may want to hear you say yes.
Booty is the new cleavage - and that's not a crack about plumbers. The posterior has, intentionally or not, become the focal point of the female form - at least for generations X and Y.
"There's certainly a sense that part of the body is getting privileged treatment as opposed to other body parts," says Robert Thompson, professor of media and culture at Syracuse University.
"One of the most refreshing things is that it's allowed us to consider attractive a much wider range of body types," Thompson says. "Anything that allows more body types into an arena we find attractive is always a good thing."
