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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Pierre Cardin Biography - Designer of Men's Ties and Mens and Women's Fashion

By Jackie D.

Brief Biography

Pierre Cardin has been one of the most recognizable names in the world of fashion for over half a century. Though he made his name in France, the designer was born in a small town in Italy in 1922.

After World War II, Cardin moved to newly liberated Paris to study architecture and design. In time, however, Cardin turned his attention to fashion and found himself obsessed with the idea of becoming a top designer. After only a few years in the industry, Cardin secured a job at the head of one of Christian Dior's ateliers. This was a tremendous accomplishment for the budding designer who was only twenty-five at the time. Christian Dior was one of the most celebrated young designers in the world and he had chosen Cardin to run one of his studios.

Then at the ripe old age of twenty-eight, Cardin founded a fashion house of his own in 1950. A year latter the young designer became a fashion superstar when he designed elaborate costumes for "the party of the century" masquerade ball in Venice. All of the top fashion writers and designers were there and they were blown away by the original, experimental style of the young designer.

After that Cardin was seen as something of a fashion wunderkind. He was a young designer who liked to push the boundaries of what the fashion community deemed acceptable. He was one of the first European designers to be influenced by Japanese fashion and to incorporate it in his designs.

In fact, he rebuffed the mainstream fashion community several times during his storied career. For instance, he resigned from the Chambre Syndicale (a forum for designers to show their work) in 1966, and from then on would only show his collections at his own venues. In 1971 he opened his first venue, the Espace Cardin in Paris, which he uses to promote new designers, musicians and artists.

During this time Cardin gained fame for his avant-garde style and the innovative shapes and designs that paid little mind to the models who were wearing them. Later he even experimented with unisex fashions, which were not particularly popular. But setbacks never dissuaded Cardin from experimenting and trying out new looks and styles.

Men's Fashion

Though his impact on women's fashion is undeniable, Pierre Cardin had even more impact on men's fashion. In fact, he was one of the first popular designers to turn his attention the men's couture. He was particularly creative in his approach to men's neckties. Cardin believed that ties should be bold and colorful and that they should allow a man to express his personality. He is often cited as the inventor of the flowered tie, which was a far more intricate and involved design than men's fashion had ever seen.

Today the Cardin line sells hundreds of neckties from vintage to modern. They offer a large selection of floral silk ties that will last for many years if properly maintained. Most Pierre Cardin ties are also reasonably priced and can be purchased for little more than an average, nondescript necktie.

Jackie D. is the owner of Ties2Pillows, an online resource for Vintage Designer Ties with the largest selection of Pierre Cardin Ties for sale on the web.

Ties are separated by era (1920's through today's), by style (wide, extra long, square end, knit, silk) and by pattern. The site carries every novelty theme imaginable, including hard to find vintage unique novelty ties. Get 10% off your entire order today! Just type in the code TAKE10 on the order page and get and instant 10% savings!

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