Every aspect of life, it seems, has been condensed into hashtags, including #Hashbrown, #Rehash and #Hashed. Anyway! One hashtag that’s as much reflective of the ‘#’ culture is “fit pic” as it is of fashion influencers trying to improve their game. Visit Instagram to find more than 144,000 posts that come with #fitpic, plus there are variations.

The idea

A ‘fit pic’ moment is not about showcasing abs, toned legs or the number of miles covered; it is an outfit photo — usually head to toe — while the post describes in details what the person is wearing. For some influencers, posting fit pic may even appear like a full-time job as they go to great lengths to take the coolest of snaps and then go into details about everything. Personalities like Caroline Daur (2.8m followers) and Bryan Yambao (590K followers) are inspiring Instagramers to fill in the social media space with fit pic snaps.

Taking the photo

Many fit-pic stars are using a self-timer and a tripod to make their photos standout, according to The Wall Street Journal. For others, friends, colleagues and family members are stepping in. According to a report, partners Justin Andrada and Melissa Yan, both of whom share a passion for good clothes, started a joint Instagram account — @whatyoudressingfor — last year

and they train their iPhones at each other to take photos. These are people who always look their best, perhaps carry extra clothes in their bags and wouldn’t mind changing now and then for the sake of photographs… and that too, polished photographs.

Not always hashtaged

Fit pic is not just a hashtag but also an expression of a pop culture moment. For example, take a look at Marc Jacob’s Instagram page. There’s always a dash of glamour and colour, plus description, which qualifies to be fit pics. He never fails to put across a thematic mood to go with what he wears.

Then there’s Chloe Bailey, a stylish act on the pop music scene. Sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey are constantly giving memorable fashion moments. If you scroll through Chloe’s Instagram feed, there are plenty of fit pics to inspire her followers.

Fit pic can be seen as a cultural moment as many like to be seen as individuals who wear interesting clothes, hangs around with interesting people and inhabits interesting spaces. Sure, there is a degree of narcissism involved as fit-pic enthusiasts may end up trying 30 wardrobe options in two days just to validate their presence. But at some level, it also shows how Instagram has become a curator of our times.