The shape of the female body considered ideal has changed radically over hundreds of years. From the generous "curves" that were fashionable in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, to the slim figure, preferred in our century, women have always strived to conform to the beauty standards of the time - no matter how strange they were.

So here is how the most beautiful women were seen, depending on the era in which they lived.

In the years 1600-1700, abundance was in high demand

Detail from "Maria de Medici arrives in Marseilles, November 3, 1600", approx. 1622-1625, by Peter Paul Rubens. Photo: Artsy

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the best way for a man to show his wealth was to go out into the world with a robust wife. Fleshy hips, generous breasts, and full shapes in general were in high demand at the time.

In the vision of society, the corpulent woman was healthier and enjoyed a privileged social status. At the same time, blonde hair became popular, and makeup had to be as light as possible.

The most beautiful women of the 19th century had a wasp waist

A German woman wearing a corset, 1898. Photo: Wikimedia

In nineteenth-century Europe, women endured terrible torment in an effort to shrink their waists. That's because a woman's most prized feature was her slender, wasp-like waist.

Obviously, such a waist does not exist naturally, so most women wore corsets. That's how some women managed to have waists of only 45-55 centimeters, but everything had a price.

Tightly fitted, the bodice was extremely uncomfortable and in time caused dangerous anatomical deformities. Corsets deformed the ribs, pushed the abdominal organs up and could even change the shape of the liver.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the standards relaxed

"Gibson Girls" (engraving after the original drawing entitled "Picturesque America, Anywhere Along the Coast") in beachwear (detail), illustration by Charles Dana Gibson. Photo: Wikimedia

In the early years of the twentieth century, beauty standards changed again. The most beautiful women of those years were those who managed to combine the fragile figure with the voluptuous one.

The slim waist was still in vogue, so women continued to wear corsets. But a special emphasis was placed on the generous bust and wide hips, but without the excesses characteristic of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Women who looked like this were usually members of the upper class, always dressed in fashion.

The boyish style of the '20s

1920s women wearing Charleston dresses. Photo: Gabiurda

After World War I , society was marked by protests against Victorian-era standards of Puritan beauty.

Women gave up the traditional notions of femininity, full shapes went out of fashion and began a massive popularization of the "boyish" style. Because it represented rebellion and freedom of expression, short hair was preferred.

Balanced body

Marilyn Monroe . Photo: Pinterest

Since the 1930s, femininity has returned in force. In 1938, the American magazine LIFE described the ideal female body at that time:

"The woman of 1938 must have shapes, but different than before. The ideal woman should have a round, firm chest, a slim waist but not a wasp shape, and slightly rounded hips. ”

This ideal of beauty lasted until after the first half of the century.

Return to boyish style

Twiggy (Dame Lesley Lawson), English model, in 1969. Photo: Getty

In the 1960s, androgynous silhouettes, such as that of model Lesley Lawson or actress Audrey Hepburn, were the ideal that many women longed for. Her thin, shapeless figure was doubled by bold make-up and clothing.

The obsession with bronze in the '70s and the athletic woman in the' 80s

Olympic athlete Florence Griffith-Joyner, or Flo Jo, as she was known in the USA. Photo: Conddedeporte

In the 1970s, the most beautiful women were considered to have tanned skin. White skin was no longer the standard, and the women of those years tried to look as athletic and independent as possible.

The concern for losing weight has grown, and women have resorted to all sorts of diets and methods to lose weight.

A decade later, the need to exert strength increased the concern for sports, as women tried their best to have a slim body.

The super-thin woman of the late twentieth century

Kate Moss. Photo: Calvin Klein

The British model Kate Moss was one of the women who brought to the forefront the very slim figure that continues to be coveted even today. The silphid body, without forms, with a prominent skeleton was and is difficult to obtain by many women.

Because of this, there are many voices condemning these exaggerated standards, which have not often caused serious health problems. However, in the early 2000s, women's magazines and some fashion designers chose to promote silhouettes closer to reality.