Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but that eye can see things very differently depending on where (and when) it is. Buzzfeed’s video staff explored this beauty trends idea by creating a video with live models showing us how the concept of an ideal woman’s figure has changed throughout history.
We all probably have some idea of how women from all of the different historical periods in the video dressed, but the idea that there were different ideal body types may not have occurred to many of us. The uniform white bathing suits that all of the beautiful women in the video are wearing help accentuate the differences between those beauty standards, doing away with other potential historical elements and fashion trends that we might have focused on otherwise like clothing or jewelry.
It all just goes to show that there’s no one right way to interpret feminine beauty and ideas of ideal body. Which historical period do you think “got it right?”
More info: Youtube
Ancient Egypt (c. 1292-1069 B.C.)
– Slender
– Narrow shoulders
– High waist
– Symmetrical face
Ancient Greece (c. 500-300 B.C.)
– Plump
– Full-bodied
– Light skin
– Women were considered “disfigured” versions of men
Han Dynasty (c. 206 B.C.-220 A.D.)
– Slim waist
– Pale skin
– Large eyes
– Small feet
Italian Renaissance (c. 1400-1700)
– Ample bosom
– Rounded stomach
– Full hips
– Fair skin
Victorian England (c. 1837-1901)
– Desirably plump
– Full-figured
– Cinched waist
– Women wore corsets to achieve the ideal body shape
Roaring Twenties (c. 1920s)
– Flat-chested
– Downplayed waist
– Short bob hairstyle
– Boyish figure
Golden Age Of Hollywood (c. 1930s – 1950s)
– Curvy
– Hourglass figure
– Large breasts
– Slim waist
Swinging Sixties (c. 1960s)
– Willowy
– Thin
– Long, slim legs
– Adolescent physique
Supermodel Era (c. 1980s)
– Athletic
– Svelte, but curvy
– Tall
– Toned arms
Heroin Chic (c. 1990s)
– Waifish
– Extremely thin
– Translucent skin
– Androgynous
Postmodern Beauty (c. 2000s-Today)
– Flat stomach
– “Healthy” skinny
– Large breasts and butt
– Thigh gap
– Women regularly get plastic surgery to achieve their desired look
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Share on FacebookI should have lived during Italian Renaissance era(of course in Italy). ;))
Why is the golden age of Hollywood girl so big? No celebs looked like that in the thirties. Name me one.
You are right. It is a false hood that marilyn was a size 12. She had a 23" waist. Also, a vintage 12 is about a modern 6 to 8. This video has a lot of mistakes, including the white type over a pale background and women in terrible white swimsuits
Load More Replies...Considering my natural body shape with no plastic surgery looks like kim Kardashian I love that I'm finally accepted. Im healthy and curvy.
Load More Replies...Except that picture is not accurate. Site me one starlet during that time that was that size. They were more of a size 8 and tall.
Load More Replies...Marilyn Monroe was NOT a size 14. She was a size 8. By 1960s sizing she was a size 14, a size 8 now. A 14 then is like a 20 now.
Thank you. So many people forget how much sizing has changed over the years.
Load More Replies...Yeah, today. Just put on some rimmed glasses, shave the side of your head, wear plaid, and grow a beard.
Load More Replies...Today's standard is ridiculous: "Large breasts & butt" followed by "thigh gap". Take it from someone who knows, if you have enough fat to have large breasts and a big butt, chances are that you'll have fat thighs to go along with it. A thigh gap will be impossible to attain.
Beauty standards have always been improbable. That's why for most eras women had to wear insanely confining undergarments in order to achieve the "in" look.
Load More Replies...Interesting but not very accurate, to get the effect for Victorian the model has to be in a corset, pulled to a wasp waist.
Elizabeth Taylor - "In 1951 her vital stats were being publicised as Bra Size 36 inches, Waist 21 inches, Hips 36 inches and her weight as "
Asian beauty is still very similar to the Han. Pale skin, thin, making eyes look bigger.
The greek era is not like that, search some ancient female statues, YES they do have some and curves and thats the natural beauty of females.. Also females didnt considered disfigured of the male body. Greeks separated totally the appearance and beauty of females from males and they respected them equally. Its like calling a goddess as disfigured. Luck of education in this video :)
complete & utter b******t-those who compiled this are NOT anatomical or evolution experts or doctors. & why the MASSIVE gaps in this history
NICE IDEA, BUT ANCIENT EGYPTIANS WERE NOT AFRICAN LIKE ... AND NOT EVEN CLOSE ... PS: I AM FROM EGYPT
My body type is closest to the 1980's one. Curvy and big hips/bust but toned arms. Don't quite have that thigh gap yet. Maybe if I lost another 10lbs or so.
A lot of these are dead wrong; mainly the ones that use a chunky model... Yes, Italian Renaissance liked plump women, but no, not obese like the model. Yes, Victorians liked plump women, but not overweight like the model, and their waist was cinched very tightly. And finally, first of all, the Golden Age is too broad; this women couldn't resemble the 30s any less. Women of the 30s still looked somewhat like the 20s--pencil slim, but weren't flat chested, and accented their waist. Basically slender, but neither Twiggy or too curvy. And even when the ideal got its "plumpest" in the 50s, waists were cinched small with girdles, and were definitely NOT borderline obese as the model is. And before you say "it represents average people, not Hollywood", remember that America is now the most overweight nation in the world, but it wasn't always. Looks at old photos of average people, and you'll find mostly only some elderly people are overweight. People are more healthy and were more active.
Funny how they had to mention plastic surgery for the current look. Just shows how unachievable it is
I like that for most of history, the ideal body had a big huge butt. Because butts.
The fact that it jumps several centuries doesn't portray a huge portion of history. That, and most of it is wrong. (1915 to 1950 - narrow hips and small bums were the thing. 1960-80's, same thing.) This whole video is c**p
Load More Replies...This is just all a bunch of b******t. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder no matter what size, shape, color, or imperfection you may have.
Women have used regular plastic surgery to alter their look for a LOT longer than that. We're not worse now.
Postmodern is wrong. I don't remember beauty standards looking like that back in '03!
I like the roaring twenties. I hate the 90s and the modern day. Nowadays girls have to have big fat butt and boobs to be pretty.
You really feel like being skinny is not appreciated nowadays? Really?
Load More Replies...There is no era that got it right, because there shouldn't be an ideal body type in the first place. www.yourbodyrelationship.com
Looking I thinked that allways I feel to large ; no I was into . But never Twiggy ! - Do it with womens over 60 years , please .
I am definetly a Golden Age Hollywood type. Blonde. And yes, nerdy pale is a style I love when it comes to guys. <3
The ideal always change and we should be proud over our own special body. If I could choose i would look like the 20' but with long hair
I hate the modern beauty standards. Fake looking makeup, big fat boobs and butt, plus fake looking makeup. Looks like an ugly pron star.
There is no historical period that got it right because there shouldn't be an ideal in the first place. www.yourbodyrelationship.com
I should have lived during Italian Renaissance era(of course in Italy). ;))
Why is the golden age of Hollywood girl so big? No celebs looked like that in the thirties. Name me one.
You are right. It is a false hood that marilyn was a size 12. She had a 23" waist. Also, a vintage 12 is about a modern 6 to 8. This video has a lot of mistakes, including the white type over a pale background and women in terrible white swimsuits
Load More Replies...Considering my natural body shape with no plastic surgery looks like kim Kardashian I love that I'm finally accepted. Im healthy and curvy.
Load More Replies...Except that picture is not accurate. Site me one starlet during that time that was that size. They were more of a size 8 and tall.
Load More Replies...Marilyn Monroe was NOT a size 14. She was a size 8. By 1960s sizing she was a size 14, a size 8 now. A 14 then is like a 20 now.
Thank you. So many people forget how much sizing has changed over the years.
Load More Replies...Yeah, today. Just put on some rimmed glasses, shave the side of your head, wear plaid, and grow a beard.
Load More Replies...Today's standard is ridiculous: "Large breasts & butt" followed by "thigh gap". Take it from someone who knows, if you have enough fat to have large breasts and a big butt, chances are that you'll have fat thighs to go along with it. A thigh gap will be impossible to attain.
Beauty standards have always been improbable. That's why for most eras women had to wear insanely confining undergarments in order to achieve the "in" look.
Load More Replies...Interesting but not very accurate, to get the effect for Victorian the model has to be in a corset, pulled to a wasp waist.
Elizabeth Taylor - "In 1951 her vital stats were being publicised as Bra Size 36 inches, Waist 21 inches, Hips 36 inches and her weight as "
Asian beauty is still very similar to the Han. Pale skin, thin, making eyes look bigger.
The greek era is not like that, search some ancient female statues, YES they do have some and curves and thats the natural beauty of females.. Also females didnt considered disfigured of the male body. Greeks separated totally the appearance and beauty of females from males and they respected them equally. Its like calling a goddess as disfigured. Luck of education in this video :)
complete & utter b******t-those who compiled this are NOT anatomical or evolution experts or doctors. & why the MASSIVE gaps in this history
NICE IDEA, BUT ANCIENT EGYPTIANS WERE NOT AFRICAN LIKE ... AND NOT EVEN CLOSE ... PS: I AM FROM EGYPT
My body type is closest to the 1980's one. Curvy and big hips/bust but toned arms. Don't quite have that thigh gap yet. Maybe if I lost another 10lbs or so.
A lot of these are dead wrong; mainly the ones that use a chunky model... Yes, Italian Renaissance liked plump women, but no, not obese like the model. Yes, Victorians liked plump women, but not overweight like the model, and their waist was cinched very tightly. And finally, first of all, the Golden Age is too broad; this women couldn't resemble the 30s any less. Women of the 30s still looked somewhat like the 20s--pencil slim, but weren't flat chested, and accented their waist. Basically slender, but neither Twiggy or too curvy. And even when the ideal got its "plumpest" in the 50s, waists were cinched small with girdles, and were definitely NOT borderline obese as the model is. And before you say "it represents average people, not Hollywood", remember that America is now the most overweight nation in the world, but it wasn't always. Looks at old photos of average people, and you'll find mostly only some elderly people are overweight. People are more healthy and were more active.
Funny how they had to mention plastic surgery for the current look. Just shows how unachievable it is
I like that for most of history, the ideal body had a big huge butt. Because butts.
The fact that it jumps several centuries doesn't portray a huge portion of history. That, and most of it is wrong. (1915 to 1950 - narrow hips and small bums were the thing. 1960-80's, same thing.) This whole video is c**p
Load More Replies...This is just all a bunch of b******t. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder no matter what size, shape, color, or imperfection you may have.
Women have used regular plastic surgery to alter their look for a LOT longer than that. We're not worse now.
Postmodern is wrong. I don't remember beauty standards looking like that back in '03!
I like the roaring twenties. I hate the 90s and the modern day. Nowadays girls have to have big fat butt and boobs to be pretty.
You really feel like being skinny is not appreciated nowadays? Really?
Load More Replies...There is no era that got it right, because there shouldn't be an ideal body type in the first place. www.yourbodyrelationship.com
Looking I thinked that allways I feel to large ; no I was into . But never Twiggy ! - Do it with womens over 60 years , please .
I am definetly a Golden Age Hollywood type. Blonde. And yes, nerdy pale is a style I love when it comes to guys. <3
The ideal always change and we should be proud over our own special body. If I could choose i would look like the 20' but with long hair
I hate the modern beauty standards. Fake looking makeup, big fat boobs and butt, plus fake looking makeup. Looks like an ugly pron star.
There is no historical period that got it right because there shouldn't be an ideal in the first place. www.yourbodyrelationship.com
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