Hip dips are not actually called love handles, but they can be mistaken for them. Love handles are the pockets of excess fat that accumulate on the sides of the waist, whereas hip dips are a natural curve or dip that occurs where the thigh bone meets the pelvis. The confusion may arise because love handles can sometimes cause a bulge or dip to appear just above the hip bone, which is similar to the dip that occurs naturally at the hip.