Our idea of the “perfect body” has evolved throughout the years. What our grandmothers thought was the perfect body is not the same as what our mothers thought was the perfect body. Over the years, it has evolved into various shapes and sizes, based on what is trending at that moment. The idea of a perfect body is to follow whatever size is “in” at the moment.
A fitness blogger called Cassey Ho decided to stir the pot by sharing pictures that she edited to reflect the ideal body type of every era. The reason that she decided to go through the trouble of editing her pictures is because, she feels that way too much importance and pressure is put on women to match up to the ideal body type.
Here are the perfect body types she discovered that trended over the years:
 During this period, the perfect body consisted of a rounded stomach, large hips and an ample bosom. That time, being thin was not in! In fact, looking like you had enough food to eat was a depiction of a person’s status. |
 This period was the time of looking boyish that was considered the perfect body type for the ladies. Back then, if you wanted the perfect body, you had to starve yourself to look androgynous and youthful by having small breasts and a straight stick-like figure. Clearly, it was the being thin is in phase! |
 This era was an example of the hourglass shape. With Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe serving as the perfect body type examples, women were led to believe that they needed to fill themselves out to look voluptuous and to be lusted after. |
 Being thin made a comeback in the early 90s, but this time it was being thin and still being able to look like a woman. This illusion was set up at a time when being a model was a thing. Thin girls became supermodels and their body size was used as an example of the perfect body type in the early 90s. Other than looking like you are starving yourself, this also helped make skinny jeans popular! |
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In the mid-90s, there are was a change in the modelling and fashion world that went on to be used as an example of the perfect body type. It ran until the 2000s era and this was also a time when Victoria’s Secret models were the IT women to look up to, as far as body size and type are concerned. This illusion also gave birth to an increase in breast augmentation surgery. |
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Image credit: The Perfect Body is an Illusion
How times have changed! Compared to the other eras where cosmetic surgery was not so available and affordable, more women nowadays have set up appointments with their cosmetic surgeons in a bid to join the trend of what is “in” at the moment when it came to the perfect body. These included procedures to get a big butt, full lips, wide hips and tiny waists. Of course, in South Korea, popular procedures also include double eyelid surgery to make one’s eyes look bigger.
All these different body types throughout these years just prove that despite women going forward around the world and advancing to a better life, there are still backward opinions in the forms of the illusions that society has created for women. The reasons that made the various ideal body types throughout the years prove that there is no such thing as “the perfect body”. Like fashion, the “perfect” body changes too!
It is high time society stops pressuring women to have a single body type and celebrate the fact that for every woman, the perfect body should be their actual bodies – the real them. As long as they are fit and healthy, women don’t have to starve or inject themselves to look like what society thinks they should look like! Women should be encouraged to treat their body with respect and love.
Photo Credit: Blogilates, Pixabay and Unsplash
Melissa Fann
