Beyond Cleavage: The Golden Age of Innerboob, Sideboob, & Underboob

It’s basically impossible to keep up with the terminology used to exactly describe what part of a woman’s breasts are visible to the world. And if you don’t know what words to use, how can you properly describe exactly which part of that part of you looked so phenomenal the last time you rocked it? In order to right that wrong, we’ve laid them all out for you here.

cleavage

definition: “cleave” usually allows for just a hint of that nice stuff below, but sometimes, a cup can runneth over. The word refers to the literal line between the two breasts that can occur if the boob owner is particularly well-endowed. Also known as “decolletage” by classy bitches and old men or “frontboob.”

origin: Cleavage is the classic. Helped by a supportive and/or push-up bra, cleave was a big deal in the 1950s, when the so-called “hourglass” silhouette was popular. Corsets helped too.

popularized by: Everyone, but Jayne Mansfield helped.

innerboob

definition: When just the two inner sides of the breasts are visible, often with a peak at the bottom of the breasts. There is a clear separation between the two breasts – i.e. no cleave – and no bra is visible. Some on the Jezebel staff have decided innerboob should be called “throob” but this author does not condone the popularization of that word.

origin: The invention of double-stick tape.

popularized by: Kiera Knightley.

sideboob

definition: Quite literally when the side of one’s breast is revealed, but nothing more. The term and look became so popular that the Huffington Post devoted a well-curated tag to the word (as a joke!), multiple Jezebel staffers have been reprimanded for using “sideboob” to describe Katy Perry’s obvious cleavage. That will not happen again.

origin: DIYed t-shirts.

popularized by: Models who don’t wear bras. Before she did the innerboob, Miley also looooved the sideboob. And as she does, Lindsay Lohan helped.

underboob

definition: Described by the weary folks at CBS manning the censor bars during this years’ Grammys as the “under curvature of the breasts,” “underboob” is just the bottom part of the boob, with a little upper section revealed and no middle. Some call it “bottom cleavage.” They’d be wrong.

origin: A recent “invention of the glamour industry, desperate for new patches of flesh for women to reveal and excite gullible men.” Crop-tops helped.

popularized by: We should have known it’d be the hottest thing around when Beyoncé officially rocked it on the cover of GQ.

What is the next big boob trend? Topboob? Full-on nipple boob? We’re running out of breast space so the list might not get much longer. And what happens when you’ve got all angles uncovered like Lil’ Kim?