She Strengthens

The Ever-Changing Landscape of Beauty

A Century of Shifting Body Ideals

The concept of the ideal woman’s body has been put through a series of transformations over the past 100 years, reflecting the whims of pop culture. From the curvaceous Gibson Girl of the early 1900s to the booty-obsessed icons of today, each era has brought its own unique beauty standards.

The Gibson Girl: A Regal Bearing

In the early 1900s, illustrator Charles Gibson’s dream girl dominated the pages of Life magazine, Collier’s, and Harper’s. Women emulated her signature look, characterized by a showstopping feminine body with a super-cinched corset. However, the original Gibson Girl, Camille Clifford, was critical of the ideal, singing in her vaudeville show, “Wear a blank expression/and a monumental curl/And walk with a bend in your back/Then they will call you a Gibson Girl.”

The Flapper: A New Era of Freedom

The 1920s brought a radical shift in beauty standards. The flapper, with her small bust and hips, replaced the Gibson Girl’s curves. The focus shifted downward to the legs, where a shorter knee-length hemline exposed the flash of a garter while doing a “shimmy.” Margaret Gorman, crowned as the first Miss America in 1921, embodied the era’s ideal, with her 5-foot-1, 108-pound frame a far cry from the Gibson era.

The 1930s: A Return to Curves

Following the stock market crash, hemlines dropped, and dresses were draped on the bias, creating a less boxy, more fitted silhouette. The natural waist returned, and a hint of shoulder emerged. The flat-chested look of the 1920s gave way to a small bustline, likely due to the new bra-cup sizing invented in this era. Photoplay magazine declared actress Dolores del Rio to have the “best figure in Hollywood,” praising her “warmly curved” and “roundly turned” figure.

The 1940s: Military Chic

World War II brought a new era of angularity, with broad, boxy shoulders becoming the look du jour. Bras took on a pointed look, with names like “bullet” and “torpedo.” The ideal body type became taller, squarer, and more commanding, echoing women’s expanding role in the workforce.

The 1950s: The Hourglass Figure

The 1950s ushered in an era of voluptuousness, with the ideal body type reaching Jessica Rabbit proportions. Ads advised “skinny” women to take weight-gain supplements, and fashion showcased rounded shapes with sweetheart necklines and circle skirts.

The 1960s: The Rise of Thin

The swinging 60s brought a dramatic shift in beauty standards, with thin becoming the new ideal. Models like Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton represented a fresh-faced, girlish, and androgynously trim look. The clothing supported this look, with shrunken shift dresses removing the cinched waistline and demanding a smaller bust and slim hips.

The 1970s: Disco and Liberation

The 1970s were a time of liberation, with women embracing a less constricting wardrobe and going girdle-free. The trade-off was a slim, flat-stomached look, achieved through diet. Weight Watchers was founded in 1963, and synthetic fabrics like polyester and spandex became popular.

The 1980s: The Supermodel Era

The 1980s saw the rise of Amazonian supermodels, with tall, leggy women like Elle MacPherson, Naomi Campbell, and Linda Evangelista dominating the media and music videos. Fitness also became a major trend, thanks to pioneers like Jane Fonda.

The 1990s: The Waif

The 1990s ushered in the era of the waif, with Kate Moss leading the charge. Naysayers dubbed it “heroin chic” for the gaunt look associated with Seattle’s grunge music scene. Hollywood also embraced the look, with A-list actresses like Winona Ryder embodying the petite and androgynous waif ideal.

The 2000s: The Return of Curves

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen brought sexy back, ending the era of “heroin chic.” Visible abs and airbrushed tans became the new standard, with Bundchen crowned “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World” by Rolling Stone magazine.

The 2010s: Booty Bonanza

The 2010s saw the rise of the booty-obsessed culture, with Nicki Minaj and J.Lo releasing tributes to the almighty buttock. But is it empowering, or exhausting?

The Takeaway

Body ideals, like everything else in pop culture, are a trend. Rather than chasing an unattainable laundry list of attributes, embrace what your momma gave you! Remember, confidence is always in style.