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Jan 1, 1500
Elizabethan times
In the 16th century a female's fashion was to have a bell like body image. They would have a huge buttocks and a small waste and flat breats. -
The 17th Century
Corsets became recognised like corsets for the present. This gave the ladies a more natural body image for their lower half. -
The 18th Century
The skirt was used in the 18th century. The female's dress was tight so they have their shoulders pulled back and give a high round breats and a upright posture. -
The 19th Century
In the 19th century it was a more flowing look having a Greek-style silhouette was in fashion. But this didn't last because of the Victorian age persuading the use of the hour glass look. A thin look was seem to known as a unhealthy look. -
The turn of the 20th century
In the early 1900s Edwardian corsetry was less harsh and with the introduction. It was called ‘health corset’ ladies no longer restricted a woman’s movements and breathing but a small waist was still the ideal. That created a "S" hape body. -
1910’s
In the 1910's there was a massive change in the fashion of women. Women became more active through physical activity. this gave women a much more slender body shape. -
1920's
In the 1920s women were really active giving them a boyish body shape but thin with no curves. The flattened breast was the fashion so women flattened them. Dancing became popular. -
The 1930’s and early 40’s
In the 1930s the women's wanted a slightly curvier body image with a bigger bust but still wanted slim hips. Women of the 1930s brought the corset back, then called a ‘girdle’, which usually came with a bra and attached garters. -
After the War: the late 1940’s and the 1950’s
In the late 1940s with the return to a wealthier lifestyle after the war, curves were back in fashion. The return of the hourglass body image for women was influenced by a new girdle. Long Skirts where back in fashion. In the 50’s women's undergarments began to emphasise the breasts instead of the waist. they started to introduce the bra sizes in this era. Giving them a more comfortable fitting to all women. “Falsies” became a huge trend: extra padding in a bra to make your boobs look bigger. -
1960's
in the 1960s everything changed again. The mini-skirt took fashion world by storm which meant the end of full fifties petticoats and the curves that went them. Because the mini-skirt was so ‘mini’ stockings could no longer be worn and were replaced by tights or bare legs. And Barbie came in this time. which was a great influence in childhood. -
1970's
In the 70’s a slightly more natural shape came in and became completely outdated and the ‘hippy’ lifestyle came into fashion. And still having large breats were essential. Tanning started to come in where having toned skin was becoming fashionable. -
1980's
In the 80's it became popular for people to build their bodies through working out. This was the power decade when women were expected to diet and exercise to become thin and more muscular but still with curves in the right areas. -
1990's
Weight loss became a multi-million pound industry. The other ideal is for women to be tall and slim but also with large breasts, a very rare body shape to occur naturally and extremely difficult to achieve. -
2000+
For many women today, thinness is the ultimate body shape goal. Women resort to extreme and expensive measures including plastic surgery in their struggle to get skinny and looking beautiful.
