1/29/2021 Beauty Standards: See How Body Types Change Through History

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Table of Contents

Perceptions surrounding beauty and body types not only vary by culture, buthave evolved significantly throughout history.

In a visually dynamic attempt to recreate this evolution, BuzzFeed Videoshowcased a diverse cast of models to depict more than 3,000 years of women’sideal body types by each society’s standard of beauty.

Women's Ideal Body Types Throughout HistWomen's Ideal Body Types Throughout Hist……

Beauty Standards: See HowBody Types Change Through

History

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1/29/2021 Beauty Standards: See How Body Types Change Through History

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Here are the ideal types broken down by place in time:

Ancient Egypt (c. 1292 – 1069B.C.)

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In this era, the ideal woman is described as:

Slender

Narrow Shoulders

High Waist

Symmetrical Face

In Ancient Egypt, women were encouraged in their independence and beauty.Ancient Egyptian society promoted a sex-positive environment wherepremarital sex was entirely acceptable and women could divorce their husbandswithout shame.

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Ancient Greece (c. 500 – 300B.C.)

During this time period, the ideal woman was:

Plump

Full-bodied

Light Skin

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Ancient Greece worshiped the male form, going so far as to proclaim thatwomen’s bodies were ‘disfigured’ versions of men’s. In this time period, menfaced a much higher standard of beauty and perfection than women.

Han Dynasty (c. 206 B.C. – 220A.D.)

In this time period, the ideal woman had:

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Slim Waist

Pale Skin

Large Eyes

Small Feet

Small feet is one aspect of Chinese beauty that has continued for hundreds ofyears. During the Han Dynasty, Chinese culture favored slim women with longblack hair, white teeth and red lips. Historically, the Chinese people havefavored women with ultra-femininity.

Italian Renaissance (c. 1400 –1700)

In this era, the ideal woman is described as having:

Ample Bosom

Rounded Stomach

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Full Hips

Fair Skin

During the Italian Renaissance, it was the wife’s duty to reflect her husband’sstatus, both in behavior and outward appearance. A full body, light hair andlight skin all were thought of as the superior indications of beauty.

Victorian England (c. 1837 – 1901)

This time period featured beautiful women as:

Desirably Plump

Full-�gured

Cinched-waist

Ahh, the era of the corset. In this time period, women cinched their waists withtight-fitting undergarments to give the perception of the desirable hourglassfigure. This time period lasted through the reign of Queen Victoria, consideredby many as one of the most influential figures of the time.

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Roaring Twenties (c. 1920s)

In this time period, the ideal woman had:

Flat Chest

Downplayed Waist

Short Bob Hairstyle

Boyish Figure

Beauty in the 1920s featured an androgynous look for women. They wore brasthat flattened their chest and wore clothing that gave them a curve-less look.Women even shortened their hair, leaving behind the long-held belief that longhair signified beauty and desirability.

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Golden Age Of Hollywood (c.1930s – 1950s)

In this era, the ideal woman is described as having:

Curves

Hourglass Figure

Large Breasts

Slim Waist

The boyish figure trend didn’t last for long. Fast-forward a decade and thehourglass figure is back. The classic example of this ideal woman’s body isMarilyn Monroe, the Golden Girl of Hollywood.

Swinging Sixties (c. 1960s) ×

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This time period adored this female look:

Willowy

Thin

Long, slim Legs

Adolescent Physique

Peace, love and thin seemed to be the motto of ideal beauty for women in the1960s. “Swinging London,” a term used to describe the flourishing fashion andcultural scene of London in the 1960s, influenced women’s dress and style inAmerica during the same period.

Supermodel Era (c. 1980s)

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This era celebrated this body type:

Athletic

Svelte, but Curvy

Tall

Toned Arms

This time period brought about an exercise-crazed phenomenon. Workoutvideos were all the rage, encouraging women to be thin, but also fit. This eraalso saw an upswing in anorexia, thought by some experts to be caused by anwidespread obsession with exercise.

Heroin Chic (c. 1990s)

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The ideal body type of this time period featured:

Wai�sh

Extremely Thin

Translucent Skin

Androgynous

Homeless chic, anyone? The celebrated body of this time period was a womanwho looked thin, frail and neglected. Model Kate Moss was the heroine of thisheroin decade–pale, withdrawn and thin.

Postmodern Beauty (c. 2000s –Today)

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Our current beauty standards for women include:

Flat Stomach

‘Healthy’ Skinny

Large Breasts + Butt

Thigh Gap

Kim Kardashian, as unfortunate as it may be, is the poster woman of idealbeauty standards for the modern woman. Women are expected to be skinny,but not too skinny, with large breasts and a big butt, all while maintaining a flatstomach. Women increasingly are seeking plastic surgery ‘fixes’ to achieve thislook.

*original post and all photos can be found here

Bonus: Women’s MakeupThroughout History

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So, what do you think? What causes these dramatic shifts in beauty standards?A leading female historical figure or a famous model? The fashion industry orHollywood?

ABOUT VANESSA VAN EDWARDS

Vanessa Van Edwards is a national best selling author & founder atScience of People. Her groundbreaking book, Captivate: The Science ofSucceeding with People has been translated into more than 16

Women's Makeup Throughout HistoryWomen's Makeup Throughout History

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languages. As a recovering awkward person, Vanessa helps millions findtheir inner charisma. She regularly leads innovative corporate workshopsand helps thousands of individual professionals in her online programPeople School. Vanessa works with entrepreneurs, growing businesses,and trillion dollar companies; and has been featured on CNN, BBC, CBS,Fast Company, Inc., Entrepreneur Magazine, USA Today, the Today Showand many more.

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