How Women's Figures Have Changed Over the Years

By Sarah J Jones

Be it a female fashion model or an ordinary woman, there have been significant changes in their figures over a period of time. From a few decades back to the present, there has been a trend towards slimness as far as women's figures are concerned.

Beauty standards have fluctuated greatly over time. In medieval Europe, overweight women were fancied. If one looks at the art created in those times, it is obvious that fullness was a preferred feature in a woman's figure. During the Victorian era, it was considered ideal for a woman to be plump and full-figured hence, corsets were a widely used clothing item.

At the beginning of the 1900s, slenderness started to be considered more fashionable, and women started showing interest in athletics. It was the time when body weight started to be of major concern to physicians. Women of this period were not ordinarily tall.

By the 1920s, the hourglass figure of the Victorian era gave way to the thin look and women achieved a washboard profile. During World War I, an entirely different dimension of women's figures evolved. This was mainly because of the active lifestyle of women during the war. Characteristics like energy and vitality were considered to be ideal and obesity meant inefficiency, and was considered as a sign of self-indulgence.

In the 1950s, voluptuous and thin women were considered as ideal. By the beginning of the 1960s, slenderness had started to be considered as the most important indicator of charisma. Women of this period weighed much less than a decade before. As the years passed, women started getting more conscious about their diet and weight, and they preferred slenderness to an full hourglass figure.

By 1975, while an ordinary woman had an average figure, models weighed much less. This was the time when women started getting introduced to modeling, and they became very conscious about their figures. With the passage of time, female models became much thinner than the average woman.

Between the 1960s and 1980s, there was a trend towards slimness, and it was considered attractive and promoted on a massive level. By the 1980s, women moved towards working out and exercising, to keep their bodies fit and toned. This was the time when a fit and toned yet, slim body was considered beautiful. Women, who were conscious about their diet, enough to maintain a fit look, now started exercising, which lead to an obvious change in their lifestyles from that of a few years ago.

As the years advanced, artificial methods of changing and maintaining body shape became popular. Celebrities and models started getting treatments to make their bodies look more beautiful and attractive. In the 1990s, women were back to being voluptuous. With the passage of time, the trend has again moved towards slenderness, and now, size zero is something that is most prevalent in the world of modeling. Even ordinary women want to remain slim, and consider the hourglass figure as more attractive.

Sarah J Jones is a fashion designer. Buy new and stylish Linen Trousers with good quality at half price now at http://www.saharalondon.com.

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