From lush to thin: what a woman’s figure was considered beautiful in different eras

The parameters 90-60-90 are a representation of the ideal female figure of the 2000s. Many of them made them work hard, sweating in the gym. Few people managed to reach them. But the good news is that today these ideas are outdated.

That’s always the case. Some standards are replaced by others. This is due to changing social conditions. Let’s consider the work of the mechanism with examples from history.

Fashion researcher, author of the YouTube channel “Myths and confusions in fashion”.

Historically, a woman was regarded as an object that parents could sell to a groom at a profit. Remember the famous phrase “You have the goods – we have the merchant”.

An important parameter of evaluation was appearance – attractiveness of facial features and figure. The criteria depended on the realities of the time. Living conditions and values dictated trends, making this or that physique more preferable. Let’s look at how global trends changed.

Late Stone Age – 1920s

Women have been valued for centuries for their health and ability to carry on the family. This was indicated by lush hips and buttocks, large breasts. The proof is the figures of “Paleolithic Venus”. They depict obese women with large bellies, wide hips and massive breasts. It was this understanding of beauty that would accompany European cultures until the 1920s.

Paleolithic Venus figurine

In Russia, even in the post-Petrine era, it was believed that a healthy girl should have a good appetite and a massive figure. The reason was the need to have strength to do hard work and to bear children. Therefore, fragile, thin peasant women were dressed up in lush, multi-layered sundresses.

Image of a burly girl in Russia

Late XIX – early XX century

The standard of the modern figure – a slender, trim body – began to form in those times when society was divided into classes and estates. Allow yourself a wasp waist, thin arms and skinny ankles could only noble ladies. The elites have always sought to separate themselves from the commoners.

Fanny Kemble – English actress, XIX century

However, it was also important for aristocrats to show signs of fertility. They did it with the help of fashion: wide hips imitated at the expense of crinolines, breasts emphasized deep cleavage. At the end of the XIX century appeared tournures – dresses with the effect of large buttocks.

But still in the price (in all classes) remained in the smooth curves of the body, not thinness. A person with underweight was either sick or could not eat well. The canons of beauty were subordinated to the idea of a full and rich diet.

World War I to the early 2000s

Everything changed with the outbreak of the First World War. It overturned the perceptions of both the position of women in society and their appearance.

The fashionable silhouette of the 1920s

When men left en masse for the front, their wives and children went to work in factories. The grueling labor and poor nutrition made women look like teenage boys. In addition, dangerous work in factories forced the fair sex to cut their hair.

As a result, the 1920s fashion of the 1920s was characterized by a slim (on the verge of morbidity) physique and short hair. The low waistline created the effect of a masculine figure.

Neither the waist nor the hips were emphasized

This beauty standard was maintained until the 2010s. The trend was supported and reinforced by top models showing extreme thinness. This led to tragic consequences for teenage girls who sought to emulate them. We’re talking about anorexia.

What is it now?

In 2010, there was a revolution in the Islamic world. Refugees migrated en masse to Europe. Finding themselves without families and wives, many began having affairs with local women. The result was a wave of sexual violence. Women wanted to hide their charms to protect themselves. Baggy clothes became popular. The fight against sexualization and the development of body positivity was triggered.

Body positivity is a concept that is now widespread. It implies a tolerant attitude towards different figures. Girls no longer want to adjust to men’s tastes. And even the most conservative clothing brands invite plus-size models to their shows.

So, it seems that now is that wonderful time when a woman can make her own choice. To rely on men’s tastes or to take into account only the indicators of her own health and comfort? That’s your own business.