But we’ve got some unfortunate (and also kind of fortunate) news for you: By the time you’ve finally buffed up those arms and behind, the popular body ideal is probably going to have shifted. Before you know it you’ll be doing minimal lifting to de-buff those biceps and wearing a corset for a smaller waist. Don’t believe us? Well then it’s a good thing the folks over at The Greatist have created this eye-opening infographic showing us just how drastically the ideal silhouette has changed over the last century.
They start just after the turn of the century, when Gibson Girls and corsets reigned supreme. A tiny waist and voluptuous hips were what every lady longed for. Skip along to ten years later and we’re all familiar with the curves desired for during the roaring ’20s – none at all! Narrow hips and flat chests were what flattered those flapper dresses best.
Perhaps the most voluptuous decade, the ’50s flaunted a woman’s curves and aimed to accentuate them almost to an extreme. Hip and booty padding was commonly sold, and who can forget about those hourglass-loving mid-century dresses?
However, when you fast forward just a decade later, it looks as though ladies bounced right back to that stick skinny, ’20s ideal. With the rise of Twiggy and amphetamines used for weight loss, an oft-unhealthy body ideal rose back to popularity.
So what’s the moral in all this madness? The Greatist sums it up best when they mention this crucial point, “Body ideals, like everything else in pop culture, are a trend.” They are but a trend, people. Rock the bod you’ve got. For all you know the next big fad could be staring right back at you in the mirror.
Info from Brit.co
