‘Social media is fake’: Influencer reveals how to FAKE thigh gap with sneaky pose

An influencer has revealed how to fake a thigh gap on Instagram posts claiming that what we see on social media “isn’t real”.

Danae Mercer Ricci has built up a following of 2.3 million followers on Instagram (@danaemercer), where she is an advocate for body positivity.

The mum, who welcomed her first child last month, recently shared an insight into how poses are key for achieving the classic influencer look – even creating a ‘thigh gap’ without altering the snaps.

In the post, she films herself at the gym wearing shorts while posing in the mirror, with a clear gap between her legs.

But then she relaxes and shows her far more natural stance, with her thighs touching at the top.

The post went viral with more than 10,000 likes and left fans stunned at the difference.

Danae explained how the unnatural look was achieved in the caption, writing: “Thigh gaps. Hip dips. Gosh darn bikini bridges. All of these things are so darn stupid.

“They’re dependent on either genetics, or just knowing how to work your angles. That’s it. That’s the whole of it.

“Not health. Not wellness. Not fitness. Just, ya know, having a wider pelvis (hello, thigh gap) than someone else, or knowing how to pop your hips out (yup, hip dips) in a photo.

“Let’s look at thigh gaps. Here, I tipped my pelvis back really far to elongate the legs, tighten the abs.

“I rotated my knees and quads inwards, did both at the same time while not breathing and bam. Magic thigh gap. Woah.

“You can do it while walking too. Just push one leg out to the side instead of actually in front of you. In a photo, it looks like a thigh gap. It’s that easy.

“So next time your thighs touch or rub or don’t gape apart in the mirror, please don’t panic. Don’t stress. Don’t let it get you down.

“Mine don’t either. And that’s so darn OK. Because health and fitness and wellness matter so much more than whether we can see some air between our limbs or not.”

The post clearly resonated with her followers, who lauded the influencer for sharing a dose of reality.

One user said: “I LOVE your posts! Thank you so much!”

“I had to Google bikini bridge. Literally so sad,” another user commented.

Someone else added: “I needed your page. Thanks for providing some balance to my feed!!”

“I cannot express how grateful I am for you on this platform. Instagram can be a pretty toxic place, but influencers like you are what make it redeemable!” another fan said.

Someone else wrote: “You looked better in your unedited photo for sure.”