From the curvy, ultra-feminine silhouettes of the 1950s to today’s influencers with puffed lips and tiny waists, the “perfect” body type has changed decade after decade.
The changes appear to be dramatic, causing some to wonder what was the driving force behind the transformations.
One expert told DailyMail.com that beauty standards over time have been influenced by a complex mix of cultural, psychological and health issues.
Surgeon Mark Solomos MD explained that things like the post-World War II economic boom, the rise of diet culture in the ’60s, and today’s digital manipulation have shaped the perception of what is considered attractive.
The postwar era focused on curvy figures like Marilyn Monroe.
“Changes in the ‘perfect’ body reflect broader social changes, including changes in fashion, media representation, cultural values and advances in health awareness,” said Solomos, who is an international plastic surgeon. with top-tier clients and appeared on television shows. “10 Years Younger” and “The Price of Perfection.”
“Psychological factors such as the desire for social acceptance and the impact of the media on body image also play an important role.”
The 1950s: The post-World War II boom
The signature “look” of the 1950s was curvy, with an emphasis on the curvy figure, which symbolizes fertility and femininity, Solomos explained.
In part, this image is explained by the post-war economic boom (and the ‘Baby Boom’), in which women returned to traditional gender roles after a conflict in which many women took on traditionally ‘male’ jobs. .
In the United States, three million women quit their jobs and women’s magazines focused on domestic issues and the idea of the “housewife.”
“The perfect example of this was Marilyn Monroe, Bridgitte Bardot and Jayne Mansfield, all seen as the ultimate pin up,” Solomos said.
“Their bodies were soft, lacked the tone we see today, were curvy, and were stereotypically seen as the ideal in terms of feminine perfection.”
1960s: Rise of Diet Culture
Models like Twiggy personified the era.
Twiggy made it acceptable to be thin, have small breasts and became the ultimate ‘clotheshorse’.
The “ideal” woman became thinner and younger, almost androgynous.
Accompanied by a counterculture that rejected many of the ideas of previous generations, the 1960s also saw a boom in the diet industry.
Models like Twiggy epitomized the era, Solomos said, in which feminism fueled a growing rejection of the idea of the “housewife” and the post-war Baby Boom meant that a large number of the population were teenagers.
“This change was influenced by the rise of youth culture, the feminist movement and the introduction of the birth control pill,” Solomos said.
‘The vibrant ’60s were hedonistic, free love and rock n roll.
‘It was acceptable for women to wear tight pants and at the same time look sexy. Twiggy made it acceptable to be thin, have small breasts and became the ultimate ‘clotheshorse’; ’60s fashions were better suited to the youthful figure and pixie haircuts.’
1970s: Rise of body positivity
The ideal body has become more diverse, reflecting broader societal shifts towards body positivity and acceptance of different shapes and sizes.
The ideal body in the 1970s became more diverse, reflecting broader social changes towards body positivity and acceptance of different shapes and sizes. Farrah Fawcett personified the era
Time magazine proclaimed 1975 the “year of the women” and wrote: “They have arrived as a new wave of immigrants to male America.”
“They may be police officers, judges, military officers, telephone linemen, taxi drivers, pipe fitters, editors, business executives… or mothers and housewives, but they are no longer the same subordinate creatures they were before.”
“This era saw the rise of models like Lauren Hutton and Farrah Fawcett, who represented natural beauty and athleticism,” Solomos said.
“These women were starting to take on a lot of masculine roles and wore ‘power suits’ to reflect this, they combined motherhood with work, so they embraced their femininity and curves with bell bottoms and blouses.”
1980s: fitness boom
The 1980s saw a rise in fitness and a shift towards more “powerful” looks for women, epitomized by “big shoulders” in 1980s clothing.
Icons like Jane Fonda and Cindy Crawford popularized the idea of a fit, athletic physique.
Icons like Jane Fonda and Cindy Crawford popularized the idea of a fit, athletic physique.
‘This was influenced by the fitness craze of the time and the emphasis on health and wellness, Solomos explained.
“Healthy” was on most women’s lips and saw diet trends emerge. Women wanted to be slim and at the same time look feminine and feminine.
1990s: Models became role models
Ironically, when the World Health Organization began sounding the alarm about the global obesity epidemic, the “perfect” female body became increasingly thinner.
‘Waif’ bodies were in fashion, and the buzzword was ‘heroine chic’ as models championed a body image that was, for many women, unattainable.
“The ideal body was characterized by a combination of physical fitness and thinness, epitomized by models such as Kate Moss and Jodie Kidd,” Solomos said.
The look was epitomized by models such as Kate Moss and Jodie Kidd.
‘Boyish, flat-chested and sinewy limbs dominated the catwalk and this reflected the rise of the supermodel and the influence of the media which promoted thinness as fashion.
“No one wanted big breasts, or a big butt, the trend was for small, flat butts, small breasts and ultra-slick bodies with prominent hip bones and sharp cheekbones.”
The 2000s to Present: Digital Manipulation
Technology has begun to shape our idea of the “ideal” female body, with looks inspired by airbrushing, filters and an “almost AI” appearance.
The rise of influencers has seen society shift towards a more digital idea of beauty, and competing trends like body positivity and Ozempic are reshaping our ideas about the female body.
‘Social media and digital manipulation have played a major role in shaping beauty standards, with influencers and celebrities influencing perceptions of beauty. “If you think about reality stars today, there is a common appearance, almost AI,” Solomos said.
The choice of big, puffy lips, big eyes, strong eyebrows, tiny waist, full but not too big breasts, bigger buttocks seems to be a ‘look’ that many Generation Z aspires to have, which seems to be the look of Kim Kardashian.
“The choice of big and inflated lips, big eyes, marked eyebrows, small waist, full but not too big breasts, bigger butts seems to be a ‘look’ that many generation Z aspires to have, if filters, airbrushing are then added and Photoshop, so the look seems to be very similar.
“The ideal body has continued to evolve, with trends towards a more toned and shapely but lean physique; the ideal word is ‘strong’.”
‘It’s difficult to predict with certainty what will come next, but there is a growing movement towards body positivity, inclusivity and acceptance of diverse body types. There is also an increasing emphasis on health and well-being rather than achieving a specific aesthetic ideal.
“However, social trends and cultural influences will continue to shape perceptions of beauty in complex ways.”