NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

Experts reveal how 'ideal' body shapes have changed over the decades

By Siofra Brennan
Daily Mail·
11 Mar, 2018 12:55 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

From Marilyn Monroe to Kim Kardashian, the curvy hourglass figure has gone full circle. Photo / Getty Images.

From Marilyn Monroe to Kim Kardashian, the curvy hourglass figure has gone full circle. Photo / Getty Images.

From Marilyn Monroe's curves to Kate Moss' waif-like figure in her supermodel heydey in the '90s, the 'ideal' female body shape has changed hugely over time.

Now research by cosmetic surgery experts MYA has revealed the biggest body and beauty trends since the 1950s, showing just how fluid the idea of the perfect look can be.

The research, carried out using Google trends data, shows that the female body ideal has come full circle from Marilyn Monroe in the 1950s to curvy Kim Kardashian today, reports The Daily Mail.

1950s

Body icon: Marilyn Monroe

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Following the poverty of WW2, an hourglass shape with bigger breasts, a cinched in waist and wider hips became highly desirable.

Shorter hairstyles with pin curls and stylish up-dos were popular, while skin was kept matte and finished with a cat-eye flick and striking red lips.

An hourglass shape like Marilyn Monroe's was coveted in the 1950s. Photo / Getty Images.
An hourglass shape like Marilyn Monroe's was coveted in the 1950s. Photo / Getty Images.

1960s

Body icon: Twiggy

The London-born model defined the look of a decade with her androgynous style, super-slim build and gamine cropped hairdo and pioneered the trend for slender bodies and long, slim legs.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Flicked up bouffant and back-combed beehives were the hairstyles of the moment.

False lashes gained popularity in the 60s, as thick and full eyelashes became a must. Blue grey and white eyeshadow looks were popular, with matte skin and pale pinks and res on the lips.

London-born model Twiggy defined the 60s look. Photo / Getty Images.
London-born model Twiggy defined the 60s look. Photo / Getty Images.

1970s

Body Icon: Farrah Fawcett

Women in the '70s wanted to be slimmer than ever and the ideal figure was seen as toned and athletic like Charlie's Angels star Farrah Fawcett.

Discover more

New Zealand

American activist and writer Rebecca Walker on redefining beauty

07 Mar 10:05 PM
Retail

Mecca opens two new Auckland stores

08 Mar 09:00 PM
Lifestyle

What this porn star wants you to know

10 Mar 09:18 PM
Lifestyle

Beck Vass: One of the worst things about parenting

12 Mar 09:36 PM

Long, feathered hair and flicked out locks were the defining hairstyle, while the natural look for make-up became more popular.

Light foundation teamed with a lot of bronzer to give a sunkissed glow matched with natural brows and shimmering eyeshadows dominated.

An athletic shape like Farrah Fawcett's was what women wanted in the '70s. Photo / Getty Images
An athletic shape like Farrah Fawcett's was what women wanted in the '70s. Photo / Getty Images

1980s

Body icon: Cindy Crawford

As supermodels took to the runways for the first time and Jane Fonda became the face of a legwarmer clad fitness phase, the desired body shape became toned and strong.

Cindy Crawford was the icon of the time, and perms and backcombing were the rage.

The make-up of the time called for a face of bright colours; heavy bright pink blush, bold purple eyes and fuchsia lips were popular.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Cindy Crawford was the icon of the '80s with a strong and toned body. Photo / Getty Images
Cindy Crawford was the icon of the '80s with a strong and toned body. Photo / Getty Images

1990s

Body icon: Kate Moss

The so-called heroin chic trend idolised a very thin body shape, angular bone structure and pale skin, while adrogynous style was in.

Hair turned experimental with updos involving plaits, butterfly clips and scrunchies.

Kate Moss also inspired the 90s grunge look with pale, matte skin, dark berry or nude lips, and smoky smudged eyes.

The so-called heroin chic trend idolised a very thin body shape like Kate Moss' in the '90s. Photo / Getty Images.
The so-called heroin chic trend idolised a very thin body shape like Kate Moss' in the '90s. Photo / Getty Images.

2000s

Body icon: Britney Spears

The rise of the Victoria's Secret model heralded a tall thin body shape with tanned skin, while Britny Spears ultra toned figure was much in demand.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Popular hairstyles included crimped strands or straight hair with haphazard curls.

Nude, glossy lips were all the rage, teamed with purple eyeshadow, skinny eyebrows and rosy cheeks

Britney Spears ultra toned figure was much sought after in the noughties. Photo / Getty Images
Britney Spears ultra toned figure was much sought after in the noughties. Photo / Getty Images

2010s

Body Icon: Kim Kardashian

The ideal body shape is seen as 'healthy skinny' with a toned body, slim legs and large breasts and buttocks.

Hair colour has been a popular trend in the 2010s, with styles such as ombré and balayage taking centre stage.

Instagram has had a noticeable influence on make-up trends, with many opting for bold eyebrows, and Kardashian-inspired contoured cheekbones with plenty of highlighter to accentuate the high points of the face.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
The current ideal body shape is seen as 'healthy skinny' with a toned body, slim legs and large breasts and buttocks like Kim Kardashian. Photo / Getty Images.
The current ideal body shape is seen as 'healthy skinny' with a toned body, slim legs and large breasts and buttocks like Kim Kardashian. Photo / Getty Images.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
Lifestyle

Exactly what long car journeys do to your body

18 Jun 08:00 PM
Royals

Princess Kate unexpectedly cancels appearance at Royal Ascot

18 Jun 06:57 PM
Premium
Lifestyle

Society Insider: Property titan’s luxury car storage club; Eric Watson’s son launches MDMA business

18 Jun 05:00 PM

Sponsored: Embrace the senses

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
Exactly what long car journeys do to your body

Exactly what long car journeys do to your body

18 Jun 08:00 PM

Telegraph: The science behind road trip fatigue and how to combat it.

Princess Kate unexpectedly cancels appearance at Royal Ascot

Princess Kate unexpectedly cancels appearance at Royal Ascot

18 Jun 06:57 PM
Premium
Society Insider: Property titan’s luxury car storage club; Eric Watson’s son launches MDMA business

Society Insider: Property titan’s luxury car storage club; Eric Watson’s son launches MDMA business

18 Jun 05:00 PM
Watch: Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge final returns to Auckland after 11 year hiatus

Watch: Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge final returns to Auckland after 11 year hiatus

18 Jun 06:32 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP