How Women’s Ideal Body Types Have Changed Over the Last 3,000 Years

Dating back thousands of years, what has been deemed as “beautiful” has drastically changed. At one time, a waif-like appearance was admired as the ideal women’s body shape, only to be ushered out and replaced by a more voluptuous figure. It’s hard to keep up with the ideal body shapes throughout different eras, but we’ve done our best to break them down to show you just how rapidly the perceived standard of beauty has changed.

1. Ancient Egypt (1292 – 1069 B.C.)

During ancient times, art from Egypt depicted the preferred women’s body type, and it included dark hair that was kept in braids, a slender frame, slim shoulders, high waists, and perfectly symmetrical features. Women wore elaborate jewelry to complete their look, as well as dark, feline-like eye makeup to amp up their femininity.