How the standards of female beauty have changed. Standards of female beauty in different eras and times

For centuries and definitely in all civilizations, nothing has cared for a woman more than her appearance. However, men have always been even more worried about the female image. From century to century fair sex dictated the canons of beauty, and happiness was born to them corresponding.

Antiquity

The desire for a physical ideal for the ancient Greeks was not just the imposition of fashion industry standards, as is happening now, for them it was a whole ideology.

The harmony of the body is an art in itself. A beautiful person is like a deity; he cannot be spiritually ugly. The parameters of beauty, especially for women, were strikingly different from modern ones. Greek women by nature had a fairly thick-boned skeleton. But this does not mean that flabby fullness was valued.

A beautiful body is fit and youthful. Ideal Proportions, which corresponds to the standard of beauty Venus of Knidos, were as follows: height 164 cm, chest 86 cm, hips 93.

No visual primitivism 90-60-90. It's not just that. There was even an ideal size for the foot and hand.

Shoulders, arms, calves, thighs were rounded. The chest is small, asymmetrical. The waist is mildly defined. The buttocks are slightly flat and low. Shin, ankles are wide enough. All lines of the figure had to be smooth.

Ideal facial features: large eyes with a wide inter-century slit and arched edges of the eyelids. The distance between the eyes is not less than the size of one eye, and the mouth is one and a half times larger. "Greek nose" is not a synonym long nose. According to Greek canons, the ideal nose is a small nose with straight lines and a barely pronounced bridge of the nose.

Hair was worn long, tied with the famous "antique knot". Golden curls were valued, so dark Greek women had to lighten them in every possible way with the help of sun exposure and alkaline soap. Samples of Greek statues have come down to us as snow-white, but the Greeks loved to paint them, and the women themselves did not boast of a blush.

Greek standards of beauty passed to the Romans with minor changes. Despite the fact that Roman women were smaller, a portly body was more valued. Hair tried to lighten. The skin was given special importance: it was bleached with white lead and milk masks.

As if modern girls nor seemed strange admiration short stature, with short legs and a rounded figure, one cannot look at antique sculptures without admiration and deny that their canons of beauty are the most harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

Ancient Egypt

The ideas of female beauty among the Egyptians were completely opposite to the ancient ones. It is difficult to name the parameters in numbers. Art ancient egypt was not as accurate anatomically. But it is certain that tall, thin women with long legs were considered beauties. With broad, straight shoulders, long swan neck, small breasts and boyish narrow hips.

Hair was valued black, thick and smooth. True, they wore wigs, they shaved off their hair. In general, the hair on the body of the Egyptians was not honored. Even then, waxing was used in full.

Facial features were to be strictly straight. Especially the nose. Lips are large and plump. Ideal eyes are green and almond-shaped. In general, special attention was paid to the eyes. The shape was emphasized with paint, green or black, lengthening them to the very temple, the eyebrows were thickened. Belladonna was dripped into the eyes for a special brilliance and pupil dilation.

The fashionable color of the skin was light yellow, it was achieved with whitewash. The standards of beauty of that time were Nefertiti and Cleopatra.

Middle Ages

With the advent of Christianity, female beauty was hidden under shapeless clothes and capes. Everything corporal was declared sinful.

Religious morality prevailed. Women strove to look unobtrusive. Pale, with small breasts, without pronounced curves of the figure, were especially valued. Moden was a small belly, as a symbol of pregnancy. Beauty standards were dictated by the church, and in pursuit of these standards, women resorted to dangerous methods - the skin was bleached with lemon or bloodletting.

The ideal is the Virgin Mary. Pale thinness, diminutiveness, small breasts, which were reduced with a tight bandage. All this was emphasized by a very narrow and closed dress. Lips small, plump, straight nose.

The forehead was especially important. He was supposed to be tall. To do this, the hair was shaved using painful epilation, and then special ointments were applied to this place to stop hair growth. Hair, by the way, as before, blond was valued, even though it was a “dishonest occupation” to dye it specifically in a blonde.

To lengthen the neck, the hair at the back of the head was shaved off. And to give a more meek look, they also shaved off their eyebrows.

But with the improvement of living standards, the development of production, the conquest of new lands, morals also softened. Culture becomes more secular. The image of the “Beautiful Lady”, sung by the troubadours, appeared. If she previously went crazy for her angelic unearthly appearance, then the “Beautiful Lady” should already have a blush, scarlet lips, a clear and cheerful look.

In the late Middle Ages, the S-shaped figure came into fashion. Curved shapes, but at the same time a bulging tummy, ladies with flat stomach placed a special cushion. Appeared enough deep neckline and corsets. A long train was extremely fashionable, the higher the status of a woman, the longer the train of the dress. For some reason, the church actively fought against them, calling them "devil's tails."

rebirth

The new era brought with it new standards. Lush forms came into fashion again, which was synonymous with health. Skinny woman means incapable of offspring. The desired woman is powerful, with big hips, wide full shoulders, muscular forearms, long legs thin to the bottom, with white strong calves and small feet.

Not a single bone should show through on the chest. Paleness is sickness, the face should have been pink from good circulation. The hair is light and thick.

Rococo era

At the beginning of the 17th century, the female appearance changed dramatically. Lightness and playfulness take the place of splendor and idleness. Very frank necklines come into fashion, the chest is emphasized as much as possible.

Kiss female breast became absolutely acceptable, as was the hand. The waist was tightly tightened into a corset, the bottom of the dress was as lush as possible. Particular attention is not paid to the figure, only the chest, neck, arms, shoulders and face are important.

Unnaturalness and theatricality in appearance, in comparison with the discreetness of the Middle Ages, reaches its peak. As much make-up as possible is applied to the face, spicing up with the help of flies. Perhaps this is also connected with the smallpox epidemic. Entire towers of flowers are inserted into hair and wigs. The hairstyle was so complicated and expensive that women, in order to keep it as long as possible, almost did not wash.

For example, the launching of the frigate "Admiral" led to the appearance of an "admiral's" hairstyle with a whole boat in her hair. France dictates beauty standards to the whole world.

Ideal parameters: incredible White skin and teeth, black eyes, eyebrows and eyelashes. The distance between the eyebrows is wide. Red lips, cheeks and nails; long body, arms and hair. Rounded arms and hips; small legs, chest and nose.

Empire

The 18th century returned to ancient aesthetics. With the dominance of the Empire style, naturalness returned to fashion. Makeup, wigs and an abundance of other tinsel become a sign of vulgarity. It was believed that a beautiful woman did not even need jewelry.

Cosmetics are forgotten, fashion requirements are reached naturally, if it is necessary to whiten the skin - they drank vinegar, if to give a blush - they ate strawberries.

Antiquity was also imitated in clothes, this greatly changed the silhouette of a woman. He became more fluid. The figure was valued according to ancient canons: with with full hands, wide hips, high waist, which in dresses was emphasized from the chest itself.

19th century

Since the 19th century, fashion and the female image began to change rapidly and constantly. Women were much thinner than their predecessors: fragile and wasp-waisted in tightly laced corsets.

Worn very bouffant skirts to emphasize the roundness of the hips, to enhance S-shaped silhouette various large bows were fastened to the waist. Thalia sank back into place. The most fashion figure that time - an hourglass.

The requirements for the waist were very severe - 55 cm. So in 1885, one young lady died after the ball, too tight corset broke her ribs, which pierced the liver.

Paleness was still a sign of nobility and prosperity. Despite the fact that already at that time women began to fight for their rights, the clothes remained closed and only the shoulders were allowed to be exposed, but how! Dropped sleeves, a bare neck introduced the fashion for complex raised hairstyles.

By the way, Pushkin was not just crazy about women's legs, for the first time in a very long time the skirt was shortened, first exposing the shoe, and then, of course, the small ankle. In addition to the fact that the skirt is shortened, it becomes less fluffy, which makes it more difficult to emphasize the hips. Finally, lush breasts are also in fashion. There are many recipes for breast care and breast augmentation.

Here is the ideal of that time: a pale, fragile, but slightly coquettish lady with an umbrella and gloves, with a lush and strongly protruding bust, with a thin waist and decently protruding buttocks due to the bustle - lining under the dress below the waist.

Guys, we put our soul into the site. Thanks for that
for discovering this beauty. Thanks for the inspiration and goosebumps.
Join us at Facebook And In contact with

All the girls in the world are undoubtedly beautiful. And each country has its own views on female beauty.

1. France - naturalness

Marina Vakt

In France they prefer natural beauty. Minimum makeup and slight negligence when styling hair impeccable style and effortless elegance - this is a truly French approach to female beauty.

2. Australia - athletic figure

Michelle Jenneke

In Australia, the general attitude towards the beauty standard is to be athletic to look good in a bikini. And, unlike in Asia, it is imperative to have a tan. And this is due to the fact that the country has many beaches and islands.

3. Poland - slenderness and a pretty face

Isabella Miko

In Poland, it is not necessary to be tall, the main thing is to have the right proportions in the body: small hips and chest, as well as symmetrical facial features and long hair, straight or wavy.

4. Sweden - northern image

Agnes Hedengard

Sweden is known for its platinum blondes with blue eyes and pronounced cheekbones. This is the standard of beauty of northern women. But in addition to appearance, style is also very important, in which exclusive expensive clothes of soft colors and the same make-up should be harmoniously combined. Sophistication and simplicity are the main postulates in Sweden.

5. South Korea - open look and fair skin

Lee Sung Kyung

Large Round eyes And pale skin are the main standards of beauty in South Korea. For her sake, many women are ready to go under the knife even in childhood. In addition, there are many products on the Asian market that can visually change the shape of the face, the fullness of the lips and the shape of the eyes.

6. Iran - the nose of the correct form

Leila Otadi

Despite strict laws in the dress code, Iranian women still have their own standards of beauty. For them, beautiful facial features are of great importance. Therefore, they carefully monitor the line of the eyebrows and the beauty of the eyes. Nose correct form in Iran is considered one of the statuses of wealth.

7. USA - all the best

Jessica Alba

It is not easy enough in America to choose a woman who would suit all the tastes of the men living there, since this country is with a diverse culture. Therefore, it can be both thin and fat girl, with a large or small breasted, with long or short hair, light-skinned or dark-skinned. Bright makeup is also welcome, if applied appropriately.

8. Brazil - model appearance

Ana Beatriz Barros

In Brazil, the standard of attractiveness is girls with beautiful tanned athletic bodies, blonde hair and beautiful eyes. In order to be in shape, they do manicures, massages and hair removal almost daily. Most Brazilian girls look like they are from a magazine picture.

9. Pakistan is the true Snow White

Mehrin Sayed

There are a lot of beautiful women in Pakistan. And their beauty standard is fair skin, long and black hair, light eyes.

10. Thailand - miniature

Davika Horne

In Thailand, too, in fashion light tone skin. Here it speaks of a high status in society. Therefore, many girls purchase special whitening creams, turn to the services of plastic surgeons. Besides thai girl should be miniature, and this applies not only to the waist, but also to the chest.

11. Denmark - Barbie Girls

Sessy Marie

In Denmark, as well as in Sweden, the ideal of beauty is fair-haired girls. They also like smokey ice, although they generally prefer simplicity.

12. Malaysia - pearl skin tone

Maya Karin

Light skin is valued in Malaysia. And the lighter, the better. And even better if the complexion has a pearly white hue. In addition, the girl should be slim, thin and with small breasts.

13. Serbia - strict standards

Ana Mihajlovic

Serbia has very clear standards sex appeal: olive color face, plump lips, a small neat nose, large bright eyes, very thin and high cheekbones. Wow! Serbs really know what they want.

At all times, mankind has striven for beauty and harmony, but the understanding of this very beauty has undergone significant changes over the centuries. And if the modern Miss World, for example, were in the Renaissance, it would hardly have been noticed at all. The ideal of beauty is not an invention of one person, but a creation of time that meets its main needs, the political and social structure of society, and even ... the climate.

The beauty ideal of ancient Egypt was a slender and graceful woman with full lips and huge almond eyes. To dilate the pupils and give shine to the eyes, the juice from the plant "sleepy dope" was dripped into them. Green was considered the most beautiful eye color. But this rare color. Enterprising Egyptians circled their eyes green paint from copper carbonate. To complete the image, the nails on the hands and feet were painted green.

Mayan women painted their bodies with red ointment, to which a very sticky and odorous resin was added. After such a procedure, they became smart and perfumed. Various paints were also applied to the face.

The ideal of beauty in ancient China is a small, fragile woman with tiny legs. No decent Chinese would marry a girl with big size legs. To keep the foot small, the girls tightly bandaged the foot, and it stopped growing. By the way, the main advantage of a man in China was considered long hair, which was braided into fancy braids.

In ancient Greece, there was a cult of a trained body. The standard of a beautiful body among the Greeks was the sculpture of Aphrodite: height - 164 cm, chest circumference - 86 cm, waist - 69 cm, hips 93 cm. According to the canons of Greek beauty, a beautiful face combined a straight nose and large eyes.

In ancient Rome, the cult of light skin and blond hair dominated. It was the Romans who first mastered the secret of bleaching hair. They were wiped with a sponge moistened with oil from goat milk and beech wood ash, and then bleached in the sun.

In the Middle Ages, earthly beauty was considered sinful, and enjoyment of it was considered unlawful. Hair blonding has been hailed as an unholy activity. The figure was hidden under a layer of heavy fabrics, and the hair was hidden under a bonnet. Now the ideal of a medieval woman was the Blessed Virgin Mary - an elongated oval face, huge eyes and a small mouth.

At the beginning of the XIII century, the cult of worship of the "beautiful lady" began. A woman is now compared to a rose - she is tender, fragile and graceful. By the way, for this reason, small breasts are in fashion.

In the Renaissance, a pale complexion, a slender "swan neck" and a high clean forehead were considered beautiful. To lengthen the oval of the face, the ladies shaved their hair in front and plucked their eyebrows, and in order to make the neck seem as long as possible, they shaved the back of their heads.

In the Rococo era, the main focus is on the hairstyle, this is the time of miracles. hairdressing. They tried to keep the expensive pleasure for as long as possible: for weeks they did not comb their hair and did not wash their hair. The Queen of Spain, Isabella of Castile, once admitted that she washed herself only twice in her life - at birth and on her wedding day.

XX-XXI century, our days. Life has changed. However, fashion historians agree that in the future it will be possible to define the 21st century as a century of short women's hairstyles and the cult of dystrophy. However, they wash and shave much more often ...

Throughout the history of the existence of competitions, beauty standards have changed more than once. As soon as a new star lit up in the sky - an actress or a singer - millions of women around the world immediately copied her image.
The 50s became the return of femininity, and their symbol was Marilyn Monroe. The legendary actress has feminine figure With high breasted and narrow waist, lush blond hair and magnetic charm.

Almost simultaneously with Monroe, another Hollywood actress shone on the screen, whose appearance was the complete opposite of Marilyn - Audrey Hepburn. The former ballerina, whose childhood was spent in the Nazi occupation, had a very fragile figure, for which she was often compared to a weightless elf.

Meanwhile, in England, a completely new standard of beauty has appeared - painful thinness. Supermodel Twiggy managed to approve it. With a height of 169 cm, she weighed about 48 kg, and her proportions were surprising - 80-55-80. The figure of the model has become a role model for millions.

In the 80s, another trendsetter appeared in the UK - the bright and unpredictable Louise Ciccone, known to the whole world as Madonna. Madonna's popularity is largely due to her scandalous image of a sex bomb.

With the advent of the 90s, the image of "alya-Monroe" replaced the next stage of thinness. The British supermodel Kate Moss became the personification of the new standard, whose unusual thinness, coupled with an unhealthy lifestyle, caused a whole wave of criticism.

In the 21st century, an ambiguous beauty with a turbulent past has become a role model, and now - a heroine mother and goodwill ambassador - Angelina Jolie. Her parameters almost correspond to those generally accepted, her height exceeds 170 cm, and her bright features make her face memorable.

Beauty is one of the most subjective and changeable categories. What just a few years ago was the standard female attractiveness, today is not only not so, but may even seem provocative and inappropriate. How have ideas about beauty changed over time? And what will become the standard in the near future? Let's try to figure it out.

Ancient Egypt (XIII-XI centuries BC)

The real beauties in ancient Egypt were girls with long and straight hair. dark hair framing the face. This is evidenced by the numerous images of the Egyptians that have survived to this day. At the same time, by the way, the first semblance of cosmetics appeared: the Egyptians were the first to learn how to apply black paint around the eyes to give the look expressiveness.

What was considered the standard?

• A slim body
• High waist
• narrow shoulders

Ancient Greece (V-III centuries BC)

Ancient Greece put everything masculine at the forefront, and even female beauty was no exception. It was considered ideal male body, and therefore, women in ancient Greece were very often ashamed of their forms, and they treated their bodies as "an unsuccessful copy of a man." With a change in thinking, the standards of beauty have also changed.

What was considered the standard?

• Lush forms
• Tendency to corpulence
• light skin tone

Renaissance (II century AD)

During this period, women were considered the epitome of virtue and were often separated from men, both in society and at home. The behavior and appearance of a woman reflected the status of her husband. That is why those features of appearance that emphasize femininity and sophistication come to the fore in the Renaissance.

What was considered the standard?

• Pale skin
• Lush thighs and chest
• Blonde hair
• high forehead

Victorian era (19th century)

In Victorian society, the change in the ideals of beauty was closely connected with the change in the values ​​that were then promoted in society: housekeeping, family and motherhood. These virtues were embodied by Queen Victoria, after whom this era was named. Then corsets came into fashion, which made the waist thin, and the figure of a woman - like an hourglass.

What was considered the standard?

• Hourglass figure

Equality of the Twenties (1920s)

During this period, women in the United States, having received the right to vote, felt equal rights and freedom. An appearance that combines both male and female features came into fashion - the so-called androgyny: ladies sought to visually make the waist lower and preferred bras that flattened their breasts.

What was considered the standard?

• boyish figure
• Absence of curvaceous forms
• small breasts
• bob haircut

Golden Age of Hollywood (1930-1950)

At this time, a code of ethics was adopted in Hollywood, which imposed restrictions on film roles for women. Femininity and splendor of forms came back into fashion: the brightest example of the embodiment of the female beauty of that era is the famous actress Marilyn Monroe.

What was considered the standard?

• Lush forms
• Hourglass figure
• Thin waist

Sixties (1960s)

Over the next 10 years, beauty standards again managed to turn over dramatically. In the 60s, feminist sentiments arose in society, and mini-skirts and A-silhouettes in clothes came into fashion. Lush feminine forms faded into the background, giving way to thinness and angularity.

What was considered the standard?

• Flexible and slim body
• Long and skinny legs
• small breasts

Supermodel era (1980s)

A fashionable hobby for many women in the 1980s was aerobics. The girls started playing sports to be in good shape. Along with their views, the type of appearance, which was considered ideal, also changed - all the girls aspired to be like supermodels. One of the standards of beauty of that time was Cindy Crawford: tall, slender, athletic, and at the same time full-breasted.

Female beauty throughout human history has been almost one of the strongest sources of inspiration for people of art. However, even universally recognized and replicated standards of beauty with an unbiased approach are unlikely to delight many of our contemporaries. The famous Nefertiti may seem to someone stooped and awkward, Rubens' beauties are too full, and someone will find them unattractive high forehead and Gioconda's shaved eyebrows...

So what were the canons of beauty in different periods development of our society?

In fact, the first works of art were precisely female figurines. Archaeologists have nicknamed them "paleolithic Venus". Of course, with a fair share of jokes, because these "Venuses" look extremely unattractive by our standards. The face, arms and legs, as a rule, were not even outlined, but the primitive artist richly endowed the figures with hypertrophied female characteristics- sagging breasts, a sharply defined belly hanging down to the knees and large hips.

However, it is unlikely that these figurines were the canons of beauty. When making Venus, the artist was driven not so much by erotic as by cult motifs: here respectful attitude to a mature woman, a kind of "vessel" for pregnancy. Considering that the life of the people of the Paleolithic era was difficult and dangerous, such "fertile" women who lived to maturity were at a great price.

Based on later rock carvings, primitive women were slender, muscular and not much different from men.

Beauties of Egypt and Crete

Looking at the ancient Egyptian images, it is easy to see that nudity in those days was not perceived in Egypt as something reprehensible. The clothes of the Egyptians are thin and translucent, practically not hiding the lines of the body, and the dancers usually performed "topless" in general.

The ideal of female beauty was considered a tall, slender brunette with broad shoulders, flat chested, boyishly narrow hips and long legs. The features of the face of the ancient Egyptian were thin, especially the eyes stood out. To make the eyes shine and dilate the pupils, belladonna juice, the so-called "sleepy dope", was dripped into them.

The ideal shape of the eyes was considered almond-shaped - it was emphasized by circling the eyes with green paint from copper carbonate and lengthening the contour to the temples. It was also considered beautiful to highlight the veins on the neck and temples with blue paint. Ancient Egypt already had all the major species cosmetics: from powder and lipstick to nail paint and various ointments. Even written works on cosmetics are known, such as Cleopatra's treatise On Remedies for the Face.

Egyptians also loved lush hairstyles. Indeed, instead of naturally to grow their hair, they did it easier: they shaved baldly, and put wigs made of sheep's wool on their heads. To increase the hairstyle, one wig was often worn over another. Wigs were worn not only by noble people, but also simple people(although their wigs should have been "more modest").

The Egyptians strove to ensure that the skin was smooth, without a single hair, so thousands of years ago they practiced waxing, which is also known to our contemporaries. After removing the hair, the skin was anointed with oils and incense, and with the help of white, it was given a "fashionable" light yellow tint.

The clothes were transparent. At the same time, the skirt of noble ladies fit the calves so tightly that the gait became slow and majestic. The breasts of Egyptian women were often exposed, but never specifically emphasized.

The naturalism of ancient Egypt was restrained, which cannot be said about Cretan fashion. In the ancient culture of the island of Crete, apparently, it was the woman who was the center special attention. Unlike the elegant majestic Egyptian woman, the woman of Crete was bright and liberated. She tried her best to emphasize her charms. Frescoes and figurines depict a female figure with a thin waist and raised breasts, frankly peeking out of the deep neckline of the vest. The hips were emphasized by a wide skirt that completely hid the legs.

The lively snub-nosed faces of the Cretan women in the frescoes are heavily made up and have a coquettish expression. No wonder the images of Cretan beauties led researchers to think about contemporaries (one of the frescoes was even dubbed "Parisian").

antique pattern

Here, for example, are the "model" parameters of Aphrodite of Knidos, performed by the famous Praxiteles: height -164 cm, chest - 86, waist - 69, hips - 93.

The statues give an idea of ideal features the faces of an ancient Greek woman: large eyes with a wide inter-century slit, a small mouth and a classic "Greek" nose, straight and actually continuing the line of the forehead. Greek women, like the Egyptians, used cosmetics with might and main: they tinted their eyes and eyebrows, blushed their cheeks. The most popular hairstyle of those times is also very familiar to us: it is the Greek knot "korimbos" tied at the back of the head. Black-haired Greek women preferred to bleach their hair with alkaline soap and sunlight.

The Greek canons of beauty passed to the Romans with some amendments. The ideal Roman woman was supposed to be stately, portly, by no means thin. However, fullness was required by no means loose, the figure had to maintain grace and harmony. For Roman women, whose skeleton was genetically thinner than that of Greek women, this condition was not easy to fulfill. They were actively involved exercise and tightly bandaged the chest and thighs.

The desire to become blondes passed from the Greeks to the Romans along with the rest of the canons of beauty. It was blond, blond, red hair that was especially valued in ancient Rome. Prostitutes were simply required to have yellow or white hair.

The skin of the Roman woman was also bleached, and also in a rather dangerous way - with white lead, which often led to poisoning. There were other, less dangerous "recipes": for example, cream of bread crumb and milk, soap of goat fat and beech tree ash. And the Roman Empress Poppea was accompanied on all trips by a caravan of five hundred donkeys, in whose milk she bathed daily.

Chinese and Japanese women

It seems that nowhere was beauty as artificial as in the countries of the Far East. No wonder one Chinese sage wrote: "It is better to admire the beauty of the morning toilet after she powders her face."

Indeed, the faces of Chinese and Japanese women they were abundantly made up: such a large layer of white was superimposed on the face that it resembled a mask made of porcelain. According to the canon, the beauty's face should have looked as impassive as possible. The forehead should be as high as possible, for which the hair on the forehead was shaved, and the forehead itself was outlined with ink along the edge of the hair. The result was the desired elongated oval. Japanese women even shaved off their eyebrows, and instead of them they drew short thick lines as high as possible.

The mouth should look small (lips "bow"). Showing teeth has always been considered in bad taste, so the Chinese women still laughingly cover their mouths with their palms. Japanese women have blackened their teeth for many centuries from the age of 12-14.

By the way, the kimono was so cunningly tied that undressing the "doll" woman became an art in itself. The Japanese experienced no less pleasure from this ritual than from the sexual contact itself. By the way, the Japanese treated nudity quite calmly and did not give it a special erotic context.

Sultry woman of the East

The concept of female beauty among the Caucasian peoples of Asia (be it Arabs or Indians) is very similar. This should be the "burning" oriental beauty of Scheherazade from "1000 and One Nights": large black eyes with a wet veil ("like a gazelle"), teeth "like pearls", hair and eyebrows - thick and black "as pitch", chest - similar to "two hills crowned with scarlet cherries, full hips and thin fingers and ankles.

Fullness was generally highly valued by Asian peoples. Suffice it to recall the compliments of the Indians, dubious for our women: "beautiful as a cow" and "graceful as an elephant."

The belly of a beauty is usually compared to many scrolls stacked on top of each other. Ideally, it should have three deep folds and "perform beautifully."

On this occasion, I would like to note that the recipes of the ancient Indian love treatise "Kama Sutra" widely advertised in the West are not always suitable for slender European women. For example, love bites, which give pleasure to a complete Indian woman, can leave painful bruises on the skin of a European "ideal".

Beautiful lady of the Middle Ages.

The satiated antiquity was replaced by the ascetic and harsh era of Christianity. Nudity and in general everything bodily was denied as "earthly" and "sinful". The bodies of women are hidden under spacious shapeless clothes, the head is covered with a cape. In fashion - pallor, complete absence cosmetics, purity and innocence.

However, when in the High Middle Ages (XII-XIII centuries) people's lives improved, and morals became softer, the European world again remembered female beauty. She came from the world of art. It was among the Provencal troubadours that the cult of the Beautiful Lady was born, which is the earthly continuation of the cult of the Madonna. The knight had to faithfully serve his chosen Lady, "not knowing indulgence." Going into battle, the warriors often took with them some part of their Beloved's clothes, sometimes even put on her shirt over the armor. Manifestations of devotion to the Lady sometimes reached insanity: one gentleman proudly declared that he constantly drinks water in which his Lady washes her hands, the other dressed in a skin and jumped in front of the "object of desire", like a faithful dog.

The appearance of the "Beautiful Lady" was supposed to have the following advantages. First, a thin and flexible camp, preferably an S-shaped silhouette. The hips should be narrow, the chest neat and small. This was emphasized by long narrow clothes. A high waist and a slightly protruding belly (as a symbol of pregnancy) were also valued.

Thinness and pallor continued to be "fashionable", however, a blush must necessarily burn on the cheeks of an ideal Lady, and her eyes should be "clear and cheerful." Despite the fact that the Archbishop of Canterbury Anselm publicly proclaimed blond hair as an unholy occupation, hair in the Middle Ages was again valued blond and, preferably, curly. True, they could be seen loose only at unmarried girls. Married ladies hid their curls under bedspreads, headdresses, or put them in a net. In this regard, a high forehead acquires special value.

The rebirth of the body

Gradually, the church lost its all-encompassing power in Europe. Secular life is gaining more and more weight and is increasingly invading art. Italian humanists rediscover the canons of ancient beauty for Europe. The art of ancient Greece becomes a model for artists and sculptors. With it comes attention to human body as such. Nudity is increasingly appearing in secular paintings.

The masters of the Early Renaissance are not yet too far from the medieval ideal of beauty: Botticelli's "Venus" has a familiar fragile figure with sloping shoulders. However, with the advent of the so-called "titans of the Renaissance" - da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael - the ideal female figure is transformed. Now - this is a stately, full-blooded, "bodily" woman tall with broad shoulders lush breasts, wide hips, full arms and legs. From a distance, the powerful torsos of Michelangelo's women are easily confused with men's. We see the same thing in the paintings of da Vinci, Titian and other masters. The chanting of bodily fullness reaches its apogee in the paintings of Rubens.

The tight gothic dress is also replaced by a voluminous one, the waist takes a natural position. Wide sleeves and skirt, heavy fabrics (satin and velvet) add weight to the female figure. It was at this time that the new word "grandezza" appeared, meaning a majestic, noble appearance.

From the Middle Ages, there remains a fashion for a high forehead, the smooth lines of which should not be disturbed even by eyebrows (they were often shaved). The hair is "released" to freedom. Now they must be visible - long, curly, golden.

Baroque and Rococo women

In the Baroque era (late 16th-17th centuries), naturalness again goes out of fashion. It is replaced by stylization and theatricality. The heyday of the Baroque fell on the reign of the French "Sun King" Louis XIV. Since then, the French court begins to dictate fashion throughout Europe (the so-called "dictat of Versailles"). The nobility adopted it from the mistresses of the king and spread it further.

The female body in the Baroque period, as before, should be "rich" with a "swan" neck, broad shoulders thrown back and lush hips. But the waist should now be as thin as possible, and whalebone corsets are in vogue. In addition, the corset performs another function - it visually raises the chest, usually almost open with a bold neckline.

The legs continue to hide under the skirt, which is held on hoops and reaches a considerable width. Lush, frilly clothes for a long time becomes one of the main elements of women's irresistibility. The splendor of appearance was most clearly manifested in the widespread use of luxurious collars and wigs, which existed among the nobility for almost three centuries. Necessary accessories ladies become gloves, fans, umbrellas, muffs and jewelry.

At the beginning of the XVIII century. the rococo era begins female silhouette changes again. Now the woman should resemble a fragile porcelain figurine. The solemn splendor of baroque is replaced by grace, lightness and playfulness. At the same time, theatricality and unnaturalness do not go anywhere - on the contrary, they reach their peak. Both men and women take on the appearance of a doll.

The beauty of the Rococo era has narrow shoulders and a thin waist, a small bodice contrasts with a huge rounded skirt. The neckline increases, the skirt is also somewhat shortened. Due to this close attention begins to be given to underwear. Stockings come into fashion, and the petticoat is richly decorated. The wealth of underwear becomes important also thanks to the ladies' morning ceremonials, in which gentlemen also participated.

With all this, the dress almost does not emphasize the figure. Attention is focused on the neck, face, hands, which seemed fragile among lace frills, ruffles and ribbons.

Gallant ladies put so much make-up on their faces that, they say, husbands often did not recognize their wives. And since the powder in those days was made from flour, the excessive demands of fashionistas sometimes even caused a temporary shortage of this food product in the country.

Wigs in the Rococo era acquire truly grotesque bizarre forms. Whole still lifes of flowers, feathers, boats with sails and even mills are worn on their heads.

Special black silk patches - "flies" - also came into fashion. They served as a kind of love symbolism, focusing the attention of gentlemen on certain parts. female body. In connection with this specificity, "flies" were often glued not only to open parts of the body, but also under clothing. Some believe that the appearance of "flies" was caused by the smallpox epidemic, and at first they hid the scars caused by this terrible disease.

Classicism and Empire

When in 1734 the French ballerina Sale performed in light sheer skirt, assembled according to the antique model, the Parisian public booed her. But in England, her attire was appreciated. The fact is that while Rococo was rampant in France, in "Foggy Albion" they again began to rediscover "Greek taste and Roman spirit", as the London Society of Antiquity Lovers declared. Classicism began in fashion.

For a while, even jewelry goes out of fashion. It is believed that what prettier woman the less she needs decorations.

The imitation of antique clothes (mainly chiton and peplos) also changed the silhouette of a woman. The dress acquires clear proportions and smooth lines. The main clothing of fashionistas was a snow-white shmeez - a linen shirt with a large neckline, short sleeves, narrowed in front and loosely enveloping the figure below. The belt has moved to the chest. Since these dresses were made mainly from thin translucent muslin, fashionistas risked catching a cold on especially cold days. Therefore, thanks to the Egyptian campaign of Napoleon, cashmere shawls, which were widely popularized by the emperor's wife, Josephine, came into fashion as an "appendix" to shmiza.

IN 19th century fashion changed headlong, crinolines replaced the ancient ideal, they themselves were replaced by tyurnyurs, which, in turn, underwent many changes and by the end of the century had almost completely lost their positions ...

The pinnacle of beauty was "aristocratic beauty": wasp waist, pale aristocratic face, excessive elegance of the body.

Ladies plagued themselves with diets, cleansing enemas, which personal healers recommended to glorify on the eve of the ball - "to increase the brilliance in the eyes." dark circles under the eyes were a sign of spirituality. Dumas son wrote at the time that in Parisian living rooms tuberculosis was considered a disease of the intellectual elite. The most fashionable ladies did not use rouge, but wore large bows around their necks. Everyone wanted to be like Violetta Valeri from The Lady of the Camellias.

At the end of the 19th century, women completely went mad with a passion for thinness; even expectant mothers were drawn into the corset, trying to reach the desired mark on the centimeter tape - 55. It was this waist size that was prescribed by the fashion of those times. In 1859, a 23-year-old fashionista died after a ball. An autopsy showed that due to an overly tight corset, three ribs stuck into her liver.

Much later women discovered that in the magnificent forms of Nana - the heroine of Zola - there is much more attractiveness than the "Lady of the Camellias". The highest-ranking persons began to blush and make up, like women from the panel, horrified at the mere thought that they might get tuberculosis. It has become much more popular to die of apoplexy.

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries fashion is overly extravagant. She causes ridicule. This is how N.A. describes the "demonic woman" of this period. Taffy in the story of the same name:

"A demonic woman differs from an ordinary woman primarily in her manner of dressing. She wears a black velvet cassock, a chain on her forehead, a bracelet on her leg, a ring with a hole for potassium cyanide, which will certainly be brought to her next Tuesday."

At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, the ideal of female beauty in the West is approaching the Eastern ideal. Beauty has become like a chrysanthemum.

The graceful lady now looks like this: a small head with a high haircut passes into an elongated torso, compressed like a flower stalk by a corset; narrow sleeves and drooping shoulders resemble leaves; the narrow skirt is complemented by a bustle; high heels make a woman's gait uncertain, which makes the whole figure fragile.

IN XX century There is no single standard of female beauty, but, judging by the fashion models, ladies are slender (not less than 170 cm) with developed breasts, a narrow waist, wide hips and long legs.

The Art Nouveau style, which arose at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, became the defining direction of the era - a sense of decline, hopelessness, tragedy led to the emergence of decadence, which marked the crisis of European culture. In their desire to resist the generally accepted bourgeois morality, the adherents of the direction made a cult of beauty, even if it was a continuation of vice. Responding to the demands of the time, fashion dictates languor, pallor and emphasized tragedy. Ballet - one of the most refined and abstract forms of art - became a sign of the times and determined everything that became the aesthetic fetish of a whole generation: secular salons adopted all his stage finds - motives of the East, a dramatic image emphasized with makeup, the rejection of corsets and free silhouettes.

The phenomenal success of Diaghilev's Russian Seasons in Paris gave rise to admiration for Russian ballerinas - the name of the legendary Anna Pavlova, the first performer of The Dying Swan, became for many years the standard of perfection. At that time, the concept of "sex symbol" did not exist, and the aesthetics of modernism itself did not imply an appeal to the earthly and understandable - the men of that time wanted to revere and bow. The fantastic success of the Russian ballerina gave the world the image of an airy and unearthly beauty, which was a landmark for the formation of the canons of beauty in the context of the era of decadence.

Greta Garbo 20s also became a symbol of decadent aesthetics; the most sought-after actress of silent, and then sound films of the early twentieth century, she was the embodiment of male (and female) dreams - a thin profile, huge sad eyes, theatrically effective detachment and incredible eroticism for that time. Contemporaries considered Garbo the real embodiment of sin - and this is in an era of debauchery, the decline of traditional moral values and revolutions!

It was Garbo who became the ancestor of the androgynous type of female attractiveness, combining the image of a vague and ambiguous vamp woman and a masculine athlete girl in trousers and wide-brimmed hat. This type of beauty and sexuality went out of fashion very quickly, but in that era, Garbo had and could not have rivals - strict and seductive at the same time, she gave the world a new type, the erotic attraction of which was based on a feeling of coldness, mystery and unattainability. The screen image is so rooted in the actress that she, in an effort to remain an eternal mystery, left the cinema at the peak of her career.

30s The twentieth century is a short moment in world history between two great wars, when humanity turned to dazzling luxury in an effort to escape from reality. The Great Depression, wars and revolutions gave rise to a feeling of instability, and, as usual in times of crisis, society played to resist - at the junction of modernity and neoclassicism, that same classic glamor was born, when actresses were dazzlingly beautiful, fashion was truly elegant, and Hollywood experienced a golden age. era of impeccable glossy style.

A woman who went out into the street with unpainted lips was considered naked, and any manifestations of naturalness were considered bad manners. The beauty and style icons of the time were striking in their grooming, sophistication and sophistication, they were almost desperately glamorous in their desire to meet the high standards of the era.

IN 40s Hollywood has already become a full-fledged trendsetter for canonical beauties, but the country lived in anticipation of war, and therefore chic ladies in silks and fogs are temporarily leaving the screens. The imprint of a social position mass art lay literally on everything - women tried not to be captivating and desirable, but active, decisive, almost equal to men in almost everything.

The fashion for blondes is becoming a thing of the past - at the peak of popularity, brown-haired women, naive facial expressions, doll hairstyles, small, sharply defined lips. A new social phenomenon "cover girl" is born thanks to the incredible popularity Life magazine August 11, 1941 with the image of a half-naked beauty Rita Hayworth (Rita Hayworth), who adorned the atomic bomb dropped on the island of Bikini. Thanks to this photo shoot, the concept of “sex bomb” comes into use, and the model girl suddenly becomes the object of desire for all of America.

With the end of the war, femininity naturally returns to fashion. The turning point in the world" haute couture"It is considered to be 1947, when Christian Dior presented the "New Look" collection (" A New Look"). The silhouette of the new ideal of beauty has now become this: round sloping shoulders, a fitted bodice that emphasizes the chest, a thin waist, a small head and legs in light high-heeled shoes. The dress has lengthened to mid-calf and flared. To enhance the impression of the rounded lines of the chest and waist, a large amount of fabric was screwed up below the waist, expanding the hips.To create the "airiness" of the dress, a multi-layered petticoat was often tucked in. Corsets were again used (but mostly not rigid).

Nylon stockings, discovered back in 1938, become available to the public, get rid of longitudinal seams and win women's hearts for a long time.

The ideal of beauty 1950s became Marilyn Monroe - a plump blonde with curled hair to her shoulders, "calling" lips, lush breasts, hips and waist, for the sake of miniature of which the movie star removed two lower ribs.

However, now the couturiers acted wisely. Instead of promoting one type of beauty, they first introduced several dress silhouettes into fashion. In 1958, Dior presented to the public a "trapezoidal" line of clothing, which expanded from the shoulders, as well as a wide "bag-like" line, in which the waist completely "disappeared". Fashion becomes, as they say, for every taste ...

Mini and sexy, hippies and Twiggy (1960-70s)

The 1960s were marked by a youth and sexual revolution. Young and daring, probably for the first time in history, announced the creation of their worldview, their music and their fashion.

One of the most striking achievements of fashion was the final "liberation" female legs undertaken by British fashion designer Mary Quant. It was she who invented the miniskirt, for which she was even awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1966 (however, the presentation was interpreted as follows: "for services to English exports"). Stockings are now becoming too risky, tights are in fashion, especially opaque ones.

For advertising "mini" was needed and the appropriate model. If earlier the glory of "beauty idols" belonged to "formed" women, mostly actresses, now it has been won by a 16-year-old girl Twiggy (translated from English. "twig", "twig"). The nickname was given for a reason: with a height of 1m 65 cm, she weighed only 45 kg! In films, the image of other "beauty ideals" of the 60s has been preserved: the sexy and luxurious BB - Brigitte Bardot and the elegant and sophisticated Audrey Hepburn.

Late 1960s youth fashion the hippies, the so-called flower children, begin to dictate. Ripped jeans, beaded jewelry, long hair, bright dresses in a flower, together with the preaching of free love and a return to nature, then looked extreme and revolutionary. Hippies deliberately opposed themselves to "fathers" and embodied "anti-fashion".

However, much of the hippie's radical fashion 1970s, "stroked and combed", becomes "mainstream". First of all, these are flared trousers, bright decor, colorful colorful fabrics, knitted things - scarves, sweaters, turtlenecks. Skirts are lengthening again. Practicality and simplicity prevail in clothes. Women stop wearing bras. Synthetic wrinkle-resistant fabrics are in fashion.
The ideal of female beauty is a fragile, tall, flat-chested blonde with big eyes, oblique bangs and thin eyebrows. For Soviet people, the female standard of the 1970s is in many ways Barbara Brylska from the movie "Enjoy Your Bath!".

In the 1980s, the capitalist world became rich and finally turned into a "consumer society". Wealth and power, ostentatious chic and luxury became the main values ​​of this era. The business self-confident business woman and the vulgar aggressively sexy girl are the two main female images of the 80s.
A strict business suit made of expensive fabrics is again characterized by a wide shoulder line - the personification of the strength and power of feminist women. Trousers are worn either straight or "bananas" - narrowed down. To confirm the high cost of things, many labels fashion brands placed on the front of the garment.

A woman strives in every way to appear spectacular and liberated. Fitness and aerobics are in fashion, which means slim athletic body. For the lazy, again, there is silicone and plastic surgery.
Tight dresses, elastic bodysuits, leggings and other items made of lycra and stretch are designed to demonstrate the sexuality of forms. Underwear, thanks to pop singer Madonna, ceases to be something intimate and for the first time is taken out to the public. Cosmetics become bright and defiant, hairstyles become disheveled and multi-colored, jewelry becomes massive (in many respects this is the response of another “anti-fashion” of punks that made a splash in the late 1970s).

It was in the 1980s that the era of "supermodels" began, now they are role models.
In the 1990s, the fashion pendulum swung back in the opposite direction. Luxury is replaced by minimalism, demonstrative sexuality - unisex, and puffy models - skinny Kate Moss. In fashion, a simple silhouette, no jewelry. The founder of unisex fashion - Calvin Klein - puts forward the slogan "Just be!". Elements men's suit penetrate into the female, and vice versa - men's clothing modeled according to female canons. Now boys and girls dress the same - T-shirts, baggy pants, boots on a thick platform. Secondary sexual characteristics are not emphasized in any way.

But already in the late 1990s, "unisex" and "heroin chic" are fading away. Mankind fell in love with curvy healthy beauties again. However, the fashion industry no longer tends to commit itself to new models by constantly changing them. Fashion trends are changing just as dizzily, most of them mixing and quoting past eras.

What's next for ours? Let's wait and see :) But to be honest, I would not want fashion to go in cycles in one "canon", we are all so different, it would be unforgivable to deprive us of our individuality, relying on the whim of designers.