having the right "physique" for the golden era?

[Angelicious]

Naw, Wolf, I think she was lookin' at Babe up there...

 

[farnham54]

I think, and this is just a personal opinion, that people should be fit enough to a) be happy with themselves and b) take care of themselves.

If you get winded walking up stairs, thats falls under a certain lack in option B). And, there is no way that michelen-man child there is going to go through school as a "happy" child--He'll have every ounce of confidence teased out of him. And in THAT case, it is ESPECIALLY terrible, beacuse the 12 year old can't exactly say "mom i want to eat healthy and join a gym". The blame there lies on the parents.

Remember the famous line: eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we may die. Well each of those 3 stipulations were complimentary, not exclusive.

Cheers
Craig

 

[Johnnysan]

you must be twenty or maybe thirty-something! not that there's anything wrong with that, as long as I can see my belt and shoes when I'm at the urinal I feel ok with it all!

Well...my shoes at the very least!

 

[Johnnysan]

I don't consider myself obese, but at 36-24-36, I most certainly do not fit today's standards of beauty.

Perhaps not, but why settle for today's standard of beauty when yours is considered timeless?

 

[jamespowers]

Naw, Wolf, I think she was lookin' at Babe up there...

Hey! Leave the Babe alone. He could eat a dozen hot dogs at the park and hit ten home runs in the game. What a Guy!

Regards to all,

J

 

[Mr. Jason]

size does matter

NB: I don't know why I picked that for a subject. I guess it just sounded good.

My grandfather and grandmother grew up in the depression and ate like people raised on farms, one in SC one in FL, but were thin their whole lives. Their sons and grandchildren have to work very hard to keep the weight down. Not that anybody cares it has always just struck me as kind of weird.

The Babe: I don't know how he played baseball drunk. I can't even mow the yard drunk. I can sit, talk, eat, etc fine but when it comes to manual labor I'm a mess.

Ladies of the era: From the pictures I've seen the popular body style for women in the 20's was very thin. Also keep in mind Claudet Colbert and, later, Audrey Hepburn. I feel that both women are beautiful but frankly I much prefer Monroe or Taylor as far as body style.

 

[green papaya]

typical 1940's nose art, women appear slim but not too skinny

 

[oh THAT girl]

I've got a really similar figure to Mimi it seems (5'8 and 40-26-40) and buying anything with buttons down the front is simply not a option for me with today's fashion!

 

[retrogirl1941]

Bingo! I do not consider a woman of any age to be attractive who has no hips, no bottom or pencil legs. Women should have Shape! SHAPE I say!

The hip hugger pants that continue to be worn today are H I D E O U S! Especially with a bulge of backfat poking out the top. What are they thinking? That same shape, with some high waisted pants (see J. Peterman's "Glamour Pants") or better, a dress with some poufe' is extremely flattering.

OK, off soapbox.

That Bulge you were refering to is called a "muffin-top". Great name is'nt it? Even my sister, who is a very tall "stick", looks like she has belly fat when she wears her hip huggers! I know I don't have the best figure for 1940s clothing but I just know how to dress my body so it looks like, I have that figure. Its all in how you dress yourself.

Samantha

 

[RetroBabydoll]

So I don't consider myself obese, but at 36-24-36, I most certainly do not fit today's standards of beauty.

That is a timeless figure you have! Today's standards of beauty are really appalling to me. I don't see how bones are attractive. I'm jealous you have such a tiny waist. Did you have to wear a corset to shrink your stomach area? I wish I had your figure!!!

 

[deadpandiva]

I wish I had an hourglass figure. I think people whould make clothes that flatter that shape. It is the most feminine in my opinion.

 

[Viola]

I'm rather short and kinda, um, top-heavy, so I come closer to '40s-'50 ideals than either '20s or today's.

I actually prefer Audrey Hepburn to Marilyn but I don't see it happening anytime soon for me.

 

[dhermann1]

You think there was any less variation in body types then than there is now? Puh-leeze! Yes, people are a little heavier now than then, but still, we're still species homo sapiens. I think clothes of the "Golden Era" were designed to accommodate more natural shapes than they are today. Think how scrawny today's models are. Enough with the negative self images regarding the body type thinking!!!

 

[pdxvintagette]

My god, ladies. 36/24/36? 40/26/40? I'm amazed, and jealous. I'm not unhappy with my figure ... 36/28/38, but I can't imagine having that perfect hourglass. However, I do fit 40's dresses much better than the 50's ... while you probably fit the 50's waspwaists more comfortably than the swing/a-line 40's pieces, which have a little less definition between the waist and hips. Many of my 50's pieces are separates - certainly not all.

As for men, I find that I'm quite forgiving of physique if they're just dressed well, although of course there's a limit to that. The singer for my favorite band in town (and a dear friend of mine) is someone I find very attractive, although he carries a little extra out front. He's always in a suit and tie, and looks terribly sharp.

My ideal physique? Anything that looks good in high-waisted trousers and a wife-beater with suspenders. But if you need the collared shirt and jacket to look sharp, don't think I'd won't look your way...

 

[Viola]

At 36-27-36 I also find the '40s stuff a little kinder than the '50s stuff and I can just flat-out forget those skinny flapper Roaring Twenties fashions, it ain't good.

When did tops stop allowing a woman to have a chest, though? I'm a six in modern size pants and an eight up top and modern shirts don't seem to allow for my (not all that dramatic) up-top curves, does anyone else find this?

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

And frankly, if todays 'ideal' is to look like Keira et al then frankly I'm happy to be 'obese'! (size 18 uk)
All my 40s clothes fit me, and I have many patterns/magazines from the era for bigger gals!
I have lots of original photos of larger men and women and all of my WW2 uniforms are original....

K

 

[Viola]

I could look like Keira...if you stretched me on a rack. She's half a foot taller than I am. I bet she NEVER wears capris as pants (...I do. Don't judge me. lol )

 

[deadpandiva]

I am envious of all you ladies. I won't even post my measurments. I;ll just say that 5's style is more kind to me then 40's or 30's. mid 30's style is my favorite though.

 

[Hondo]

The obese

Apparently obese people weren’t invented in the golden era, come on there’s plenty of fat folks of all likes walking around, I do agree to fit into good clothes, style of 1930’s or 1940’s you needed to be somewhat slim. I myself have been having trouble finding vintage suits that fit well. I stand nearly 6 ft 2” at 225 pds, all I find are small and thin Don Knotts suits. I’m thinking I need custom made tailor, soon enough.
Yeah right! People who let there children eat and look like that should be horse whip but really taken away.
That’s sad, very sad way to raise children.

 

[Mike Hammer]

Official (medical) standard and definition of overweight/obesity.
BMI Calculator

Mimi, boy, I envy your figure!
At least, I'm in the physically fit group, so I'll have to be satisfied with that.

Huh. The only way I'll ever fit into the "physically fit" group is if I saw off a leg.
Of course, I'm overweight...and not just a little. But I also have a 52" chest, 19 inch calves, and I wear a size 13 shoe. I require 35" sleeves, too. I did a lot of weight lifting when I was younger, and I worked physical labor for about 20 years. I'm of Swedish descent, too, which does not help.
Vintage clothes (outside of hats and ties) are pretty much a no-go for me, and even the ties are *really* short for me.