Tuesday 7 July 2009

Cankle Awareness Month

Just when I'm about to throw in the towel and declare myself totally out of blogging material, along comes a gift. This times it's in the form of Gold's Gym, a chain of fitness centers/centres or gyms here in the States. Golds has declared July "Cankle Awareness Month".

Oh sorry, I'm ahead of myself - time for some definitions. Apparently a cankle, also known as "peasant ankle", refers to the seamless blend of calf and ankle - and that's not a good thing.

To quote ver batim:

“Cankles are the fastest growing ‘aesthetic affliction’ in the United States … even ahead of other bathing suit killers like Muffin Tops, Saddle Bags and Moobs,” says Gold’s new cankle Web site www.saynotocankles.com. “Millions of people across the country are currently affected by Cankles and millions more are ‘at risk.’ In fact, it is estimated that if current trends continue, by the year 2012 Cankles will surpass Love Handles as the number one aesthetic affliction in the world.”

Hmmm. I'm not sure I'd go as far as calling them the "number one aesthetic affliction", given how easy it is to cover them up. Even in the height of summer, if you're unhappy with the shape of your lower leg, you can still wear loose lightweight fabrics, much as we upper-arm challenged individuals can wear loose fitting sleeves. Sorry - I'm starting to sound like Trinny and Suze, but they've been right about these things for years now. Just look at what Gold's is suggesting as wardrobe options for the cankled among us:

- Look for pants in soft fabrics like cotton or poly blends that drape loosely around the ankle. Skinny jeans, which bunch at the ankle, are a no-no.

- Choose cropped or slightly tapered pants that cuff just past the fullest part of the ankle. These will draw the eye to the thinnest part of the ankle.
(if anyone's read the What Not to Wear books, T&S would damn you to hell for touching any kind of tapered pant.)

- Avoid shoes with ankle straps; these only make the ankle look bigger and the leg shorter. Opt instead for wedges and platform sandals that will create a long, lean silhouette. For fall, invest in dark-colored and tight-fitting boots.

As someone who inherited her father's disproportionately skinny ankles, I can't really relate to this problem. (Before anyone thinks I'm being smug here, I have about fifteen other dodgy body parts to contend with thank you.) If you don't believe me, here's the proof, but PUT YOUR SUNGLASSES ON NOW.



You were warned!

.

25 comments:

  1. Stop showing off woman. That looks like a very shapely leg to me, now put it away before I get jealous!

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  2. No. I'm sorry. Just a showing off post, definitely...

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  3. i remember what happened the last time i followed one of your links (cougars) so I wont even dare go there. i assume its not a joke???

    I like the word cankle, nice insult. I might start using it. I need to think about who could qualify as a CANKLE.

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  4. A finely turned leg, there - if I were a Victorian man we'd probably have to get married.

    However, you're wrong, wrong, wrong about Tranny and Slapper. They have never, ever been correct in any fashion advice, and anyone still in any doubt about this need only look at what T & S wear themselves. Sorry. It's been a long day.

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  5. You have perfect cankles! Mine are not so bad either, funnily enough!

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  6. Cankles are never going to be as unattractive as muffin tops. Full stop.

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  7. You know - with all the technology in that post (photos and a link - that's good for me), I should have added a sound track:
    "Blinded by the White", or perhaps "A Whiter Shade of Pale".

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  8. Oh jeez I'm off out to buy me a tent! Nice legs you lucky cow.

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  9. Trust a gym to get people all self-conscious and afraid to show their bits! Good to see you're showing your's off proudly though Expatmum! hahaha X

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  10. Part of my job is to get rid of cankles although I didn't know they had a name....you certainly don't have them and I think it was unfair of you to show off like that Lx

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  11. That's a gorgeous ankle. Hm.

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  12. I have to say, if I had flexed my foot (thereby making my calf look bigger) it wouldn't have been quite the same shot. More like one o' them legs of mutton!

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  13. Nothing wrong with your leg(s).

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  14. Gorgeous pins...now why on earth haven't they been exposed to some sunlight?!

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  15. Oh no, something else to worry about?!

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  16. you will be going topless next- this is how it all starts. now put your body away and behave!!
    Thanks for explaining what a cankle is- I saw them mentioned when we were on hols in US recently and I thought 'eh?'

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  17. Oh thanks! Now I can name that unshape at the bottom of my legs! Although in naming it I am still not convinced I can actually conquer it.

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  18. I've never yet heard of cankles, so thank you for that nugget of information. And not sure what saddle bags are either?Saw plenty of moobs and muffin tops on the local beach last weekend, though.....

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  19. Are not all these afflictions just a variety of the different ways one can be fat? And I say this as one with a definite muffin top!

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  20. Cankles run in my family :o(
    So I won't be posting a picture of my hairy sprouting soon to be cankle (give it another 5 years). So I look at your skinny ankle with longing...

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  21. HAHA. (Baby's been crying non-stop and I can't think of anything else to say.) But, really: HAHA. Cankle awareness month. HAHA.

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  22. You have footballers legs (English not American) and I wish I did.
    They are a bit Persil-blue but nice nevertheless :-)

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  23. Nice legs. Or, rather, leg. Do you have another one to match it?

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  24. Wow, what a great ankle - and I'm sure you've got another one to match. Very funny about Cankles - I've seen lots of those. M xx

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