The Ideal Female Body Type: How It’s Changed in the Last Century

Fashion changes all the time, making clothing a hot topic. Throughout the years, a woman’s ideal body type goes in and out of style, too. During the last century, certain looks were considered the most attractive, but those have changed dramatically. Sometimes, the shifts are more subtle, but they could be staggering when you check out the decades before.

It’s interesting to look at the ideal body type for a specific time period to determine how society views the woman. This also helps to see who becomes a celebrity and why. Let’s review the idealized female body type through the decades to see how things have changed.

The Gibson Girl (1910s)

During the early 1900s, companies used illustrators to advertise products because it was too expensive to publish photographs in magazines. Charles Dana Gibson was one of them, and he was well-known for his depiction of women in dresses and corsets.

Camille Clifford

Camille was a beautiful model and actress and was one of the Gibson Girl proteges. In fact, she had an 18-inch waist that people wanted to mimic. It meant wearing a corset under her long gown, and she did so for appearances’ sake.

Flappers (Roaring ’20s)

The Flapper style of the 1920s was a huge shift from that Gibson Girl image. These ladies had short hairdos, hats, and loose dresses that hid the waistline. During this period, the government ratified the 19th Amendment, allowing women to vote!

Margaret Gorman

Margaret became Miss America in 1921. People thought she had the ideal body type at the time. Seemingly boyish, she was long and lean, which was a big shift from that hourglass figure in the previous decade.

Soft Siren (1930s)

After the Roaring ’20s, the 1930s saw another fashion shift. The stock market crashed, meaning women went back to form-fitting dresses and a classic feminine style. Therefore, they moved away from boxier dresses.

Dolores Del Rio

Dolores was the most popular woman of the time because she had that ideal body type and held the old Hollywood glamour the women of the 1930s craved. Photoplay magazine described her as “warmly curved” and “roundly turned.” This Mexican star had the best figure!

Star-spangled Girl (1940s)

Things changed drastically again in the 1940s because of World War II. It affected everything in America, including women’s fashion. Now, long limbs and broad shoulders were the best choices, and torpedo/bullet bras became popular.

Betty Grable

Betty was at the forefront as the ideal woman in this time period. She was a highly popular pin-up girl because of her body style. Therefore, it was common to see her picture in footlockers of military men everywhere!

Hourglass Figure (1950s)

While curves were more popular in the 40s, the 1950s went back to that Gibson Girl waistline because the hourglass figure made a comeback. Strong shoulders and thinness were out again. Magazines went so far as to advertise weight gainers to help widen hips!

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn doesn’t need an introduction. She’s likely the most famous woman with an hourglass shape, and her beauty stands the test of time. In fact, she’s still the most well-known Hollywood star after all these decades.

The Twig (1960s)

The 1950s focused on the curvaceous and fuller body type, but the 1960s went in a totally different direction. That hourglass figure was gone, and very thin and long was the top choice. Narrow hips and small waists were all the rage!

Twiggy

Lesley Lawson (Twiggy) was a model at the time, and she brought the body type of rail-thin to the stage. At 16, she changed the entire fashion landscape because everyone wanted to be super thin like her!

The Disco Diva (1970s)

Rail-thin looks continued into the 1970s, but curves were again welcomed. While not as extreme as in the 1950s, the ’70s saw a balanced body type. Disco divas showed you how to do it and looked amazing in their getups.

Charlie’s Angels

The most famous faces in the 1970s were from the original Charlie’s Angels movie. Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith epitomized this decade’s ideal body type, which was curvy, lean, and long, all mixed together.

The Supermodel (1980s)

The 1980s saw the Supermodel look introduced. This was the title given to models with very long legs and a taller stature than normal. It was impossible to watch television, such as MTV, without seeing this style on the screen.

Rachel Hunter

Rachel was right under 6 feet tall and towered over everyone. Rod Stewart is only 5’10,” and she towered over him! Everyone remembers her body on Sports Illustrated and other magazines. Plus, she was in many music videos!

Elle Macpherson

Elle Macpherson is another ’80s Supermodel and embodied the body type. In fact, she was called “The Body” in Time magazine. Decades later, she was still active, appearing in Sports Illustrated in 2014.

The Waif (1990s)

In the 1990s, fashion took another sharp turn from curvy/tall to the waif-thin appearance (few or no curves). Many people have started calling it “heroin chic” because it looks like these women are on drugs. That’s completely opposite to the Supermodel style of the previous decade!

Kate Moss

Kate is the poster child for the waif-thin look of the ’90s. This fashion icon got her shot with Calvin Klein. In fact, people often blame her for the size-zero trend that began around that time. Still, she made about $9.2 million in 2012!

Winona Ryder

Winona is another example of the waif look. That might have even brought her to fame, though her acting sealed the deal. It’s interesting that both women were in relationships with Johnny Depp, a popular actor. Waif is definitely his type!

The Buff Beauty (2000s)

When the new millennium came around, fashionistas said goodbye to that waif-thin appearance and focused on an athletic body type. Women on magazine covers now had rock-hard abs. While they weren’t as curvy as in previous decades, they still were curvier than the waifs of the 90s.

Gisele Bundchen

Gisele brought a new supermodel look with her: athletic, long legs, and tall. This Brazilian model has been the highest-paid woman for many years. Some even think she’s the most beautiful woman in the world and has influenced fashion greatly.

The Booty Babe (2010s)

During the 2010 decade, curvaceous booties became the most popular body style. Beyonce made it the top choice, and Bootylicious came out. This popular song by Destiny’s Child sealed the deal, making the behind and hips all the rage.

Rihanna

Rihana is a Barbadian beauty and a popular artist. Her killer vocals wow the crowd, but she’s also stylish and has a great body. Now, she’s got a fashion line and showcases her skills as a businesswoman.

Kim Kardashian

Kim can also take credit for making that bodacious booty style popular with the mainstream media. While her behind is all that, women who weren’t graced with such a rump can have procedures to attain what they want. It’s quite common!

Jennifer Lopez

You might know her as “Jenny from the Block” or “JLo.” Regardless, she’s a beautiful woman and has a curvaceous and strong body. We can’t get enough of her behind, and her hit song, “Booty,” says it all.

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj is a very popular rapper. In fact, she’s become an iconic artist because of her amazing style and wonderful skills. Plus, she likes to show off her curves and knows what the people want!

Changing Ideals

Now, it’s not as common for women to conform to a single ideal body type. Many people think it’s because magazines have become outdated and the internet has risen to the top. Regardless, one body type isn’t dominant or supreme anymore.

Body Positivity

Recently, things have shifted to encompass body positivity at any level. The idea is to encourage women of any size or shape to feel beautiful. They don’t need to fit a specific body type that someone else determines!

In Marketing

Many companies focus on that, too. Aerie, a popular brand, uses diverse models with different sizes, body types, and shapes. Plus, the company doesn’t retouch photos, so these ladies are seen in their true form.

Photoshop vs. Reality

Most people were exposed to tons of photoshopping in the early 2000s. It was impossible to look like any of the models you saw. Magazines tried to sell unrealistic expectations, which is why the trend for natural and acceptance is here to stay.

Instagram vs. Reality

Instagram, along with other social media platforms, also offers countless filters to alter your appearance. Sometimes, people look so different that they’re unrecognizable. This often leads to body dysmorphia and creates another form of unrealistic expectation of beauty.

Subtle FaceTune

Along with dramatic filters, most people make subtle tweaks to photos with an app called FaceTune. They aren’t as drastic, but they can still make people feel that they aren’t good enough without physical changes.

Makeup or No Makeup

There’s a popular trend right now on social media where people post pictures without makeup. This helps everyone promote self-acceptance. Plus, you can see how much those products alter your appearance.

Cosmetic Procedures

Many people decide to go beyond traditional makeup to permanently alter their appearances. They choose cosmetic procedures to change themselves completely. Even younger people are getting injections and fillers!

Ancient Procedures

You might think that cosmetic procedures are new, but that’s not entirely true. China had an ancient tradition of binding children’s feet. It was a painful process that helped them look like dolls, changing the size and shape of their foot. Luckily, it’s banned now!

Double Eyelid Surgery

Asian women want to conform to the Western world’s beauty ideals, so they often need cosmetic surgery. Routine cosmetic surgery is quite common in South Korea. One of the most popular procedures is the double eyelid surgery, which changes the eye’s shape to look more Western.

French Beauty Ideals

French women focus on the “three white things” when it comes to beauty ideals. Therefore, they must have white hands, teeth, and skin. The three black things referred to eyelashes and eyebrows.

Skin Whitening

Women in non-Western countries often look to the West to determine what’s beautiful. Therefore, skin whitening is a popular procedure. You can find serums and creams that promise to lighten your skin.

Future Beauty Ideals

No one knows what the future could bring where beauty is concerned. Many things happen during a particular time period that influences the standards. Therefore, we aren’t sure what might be popular in the next decade. Which trends did you like most?