-
1910s
The ideal woman of the time was created by Charles Dana Gibson. This standard of beauty was known as the 'Gibson girl'. She had curves with a small waist, sloped shoulders and a long neck. -
1920s
In the 1920s, women were done with corsets. Dancing and being free was a new ideal and there became a new ideal for women. They were called 'Flappers' and they rebelled against the 'Gibson girl', they cut their hair short, they make they chests appear flatter and wore short, shapeless dresses. -
1930s
The 1930s became a time for practicality. Women started to wear pants and previous 'Flapper' ideals were discouraged in many workplaces. The return of long dresses also brought back curvier models. -
1940s
In the 1940s, fashion was heavily influenced by the military. With shoulder pads and torpedo bras. A lot of men's clothes could be altered into women clothes and women started to want a more angular and slender look. -
1950s
In the 1950s, a lifestyle for partying came back and so did the ideal of a fuller woman. Marilyn Monroe became the beauty standard at the time and weight gain supplements and shapewear started to become very popular. -
1960s
In the 1960s, women bodies began to be freed from the ideals of a perfect woman and how their figure should look. The look then began a less curvy and more straight body. In spite of the change of past standards for women, dieting was now relied on to achieve the new look. -
1970s
The same ideals of the 60s travelled into the 70s. Dance workouts started in the 70s and being very fit and toned rather than skinny was a new ideal. -
1980s
The 1980s was the time of home workouts of tapes and aerobics. With women making drastic changes to their body through exercise, the model industry created supermodels that were seen on ads and billboards not just on the runway or magazines. The ideal body was tall and athletic. -
1990s
The 1990s took a turn and brought us 'heroin chic'. Featuring skinny models with pale skin. Aside from the glamorization of drug use in fashion, there was a generally skinny look in the media and on tv. -
2000s
The 2000s brought a new look to fashion. Fitness was back in and the ideal was to be very tan with and flat, athletic stomach and boobs. -
2010s
The 2010s brought back curves. With the rise of the Kardashians, Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Lopez a curvy figure with a butt was the new ideal. Skinny supermodels were still in, in high fashion but the ideal of a butt and being curvy was represented more with the rise of social media.
