Excess fat at the side of the hips is an affliction common to millions of women. Like cellulite, it is a burden carried by the female sex alone. Unless a man is truly obese, they are saddlebag free. Saddlebags have the ability to make a skinny woman reach for the diet pills.

The 'Does my ass look big in this?' question will come into her head every time she gets dressed. 'Yes, it does,' comes our reply, 'because you insist on wearing clothes that act as a neon sign to your expanding rear.' If you are pear-shaped and carry your weight at the sides of your hips you'll doubtless find it hard to track down decent-fitting trousers and skirts that sit neatly on your waist and hips.

You can then blame the size of your arse on the clothing industry, but isn't it better to be responsible for making the problem disappear?