Thanks to the whimsical sense of humour of Michelle Liu, a new selfie trend is taking hold on Instagram. The account, @chinventures, chronicles her travel adventures. However, instead of taking well-curated, high-angled selfies, she's taking low-angled photos of her chin. In each one of her images, Liu tilts her head back, opens her mouth as if saying “cheese” and sinks her chin into her neck, for a (gasp!) double-chin effect. We love this bit of lighthearted fun to break up the images avocado toast photos and sunsets on the beach — as well as the sea of "perfect" selfies.
In an interview with Mic, Liu explained her “chinning” is old hat. “My chinning entertained my friends all through middle school, high school and college, at which point I decided to share my chin with the world,” she said.
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Liu’s “chinned” in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, at New York’s Oculus, and several other destinations including Paris, and Prague. Have you ever seen anything so pure?
She is clearly a charmer, considering in one image she got a British Airways crew to join in the fun.
Liu’s joyous images, taken from that universally bad angle, is exactly we need on our well-curated timelines. That touch of imperfection is not only hilarious, but affirming. We love Instagram but let’s face it, many of us take ourselves (and our grids) a bit too seriously. Who hasn’t spent a bit too much time searching for the best angle and light for a selfie? Not to mention there are countless apps that help alter our faces and bodies into some idealised version of perfection.
For many an Instagram user, logging onto the app can feel like an emotional gamble: it’ll either make us feel great or feel like poo.
The best part about chinning is that Liu has inspired a number of fans, who are also chinning.