Ideal bodies for the eras

[gluegungeisha]

Yeah...butt area! I think we're all wider there than the "love handle" region! lol

Yeah, I didn't think my proportions were weird until I started trying on those darn wiggle dresses! My mom, sister and I all have similar proportions in the hip area -- narrow hips at the bone, and big booties. My grandma had it too, haha!

In my costuming class, the butt measurement was the "full hips" and the hip bone measurement was just, um, "hips at the bone." Some women are flatter in the rear and wider at the hips.

 

[Magpie Annie]

I have retro styles to thank...

I was a year-round athlete up through my first year of college, which left me with a very boyish 20's type frame... recently though I have not been so extremely active, and I started to get self conscious about my hip/butt area! Thankfully, now that I have started dressing vintage and vintage inspired, I have learned to embrace my curves (my hip/butt measurement is 39, 12.5 inches larger than my waist) Although I am not very large up top, I tend to have luck with hourglass late 40's early 50's shapes. I tend to have some issues finding actual vintage dresses that fit because I am 6'0... but I digress... I guess that my main point is that I am so glad to have found a way to embrace my figure instead of being ashamed of it! I will echo what Mr.McVintage said above, that any shape can look wonderful when well taken care of!!!

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

Edited: Never mind. Suddenly my earlier post appeared again.

 

[Spiffy]

Oh, but the best part of being an hourglass is going to thrift stores and seeing an adorable 80's sequined dress...and thinking "I can SO fit in that".....and then getting it stuck on your hips/boobs in the dressing room. That part is just AWESOME.
Can you tell that this has happened multiple times?

 

[Magpie Annie]

Oh, but the best part of being an hourglass is going to thrift stores and seeing an adorable 80's sequined dress...and thinking "I can SO fit in that".....and then getting it stuck on your hips/boobs in the dressing room. That part is just AWESOME.
Can you tell that this has happened multiple times?

i am very familiar with this situation!!! lol

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I think the ideal body for any era is a healthy one.

 

[gluegungeisha]

Oh, but the best part of being an hourglass is going to thrift stores and seeing an adorable 80's sequined dress...and thinking "I can SO fit in that".....and then getting it stuck on your hips/boobs in the dressing room. That part is just AWESOME.
Can you tell that this has happened multiple times?

Hahaha, I've gotten vintage dresses stuck over my boobs so many times!! The weird thing is, I'm only a B cup! [huh]

I've learned NOT to go shopping for vintage dresses alone. Several times, I have had to poke my head out of the dressing room (or bathroom) of the shop and beg any random female passersby for assistance. Awkward!

 

[newtovintage]

What is the best era?

Hello ladies, my measurements are quite literally out of proportion. I am 38b - 35-49 and in modern clothes that is a difficult figure to clothe properly. I love the clothes of the 40's and am trying to find patterns for them so I can make my own. But I suppose I should have asked whether or not I could pull off the 40's styles. Any advice ladies?
Sarah

 

[LelaViavonie]

I'm short, but long waisted. That happens to me in many 50s dresses, too, with a waist at my ribs. Usually the hips are too narrow in wiggles tho, as I think I am an extreme hourglass a LA Betty Boop! Little In The Middle But She Got Much Back! I'm super proportional tho, as long as I stay with flattering silhouettes. No 20s stuff.

Oh how I envy you

A LA Betty Boop.. she is dreamy **Sighs**

I do have a VERY hard time fidning stuff on Ebay in my size..
41-32-41.. I had never been measured until I decided it was time to start making my own clothes.. so when my step mother (seamstress) measured me.. I had her do it 4 times cause I didnt believe her measurments...

I recently lost 10 lbs (due to getting rid of stress in life) and eating differently. I really do hate how we can rise so fast.. and it takes soo much work to get it off! :rage:

I do agree that modern clothes just dont look right on me... the jeans.. FORGET IT.. low rise.. they are my worst enemy.. the only jeans I will buy are Levis or Gloria Jean.. cause she makes the High Waisted Shapers.. (gotta love Mervyn's)

 

[RebeccaMUA]

Oh how I envy you

A LA Betty Boop.. she is dreamy **Sighs**

I do have a VERY hard time fidning stuff on Ebay in my size..
41-32-41.. I had never been measured until I decided it was time to start making my own clothes.. so when my step mother (seamstress) measured me.. I had her do it 4 times cause I didnt believe her measurments...

I recently lost 10 lbs (due to getting rid of stress in life) and eating differently. I really do hate how we can rise so fast.. and it takes soo much work to get it off! :rage:

I do agree that modern clothes just dont look right on me... the jeans.. FORGET IT.. low rise.. they are my worst enemy.. the only jeans I will buy are Levis or Gloria Jean.. cause she makes the High Waisted Shapers.. (gotta love Mervyn's)

OMG! we are almost the same measurements! I'm 42-35-42 and I actually recently lost 20 some odd pounds this past summer (food poisoning and graduating from college..less eating overall and definitely less stress eating) and i lost the most in my back and waist...not much on the hips surprisingly. Most jeans fit me fine as I am somewhat short waisted and unless they are super low rise they hit my hips just fine...but I hate most modern "trendy" clothes as they are tight at the bust, and loose at the waist. I hate it!! So I have recently come to love vintage styles (40-50's) because of my "hourglass" figure...and I am planning on having my mom help me make some lovely lovely clothing

 

[Odalisque]

OMG! we are almost the same measurements! I'm 42-35-42 and I actually recently lost 20 some odd pounds this past summer (food poisoning and graduating from college..less eating overall and definitely less stress eating) and i lost the most in my back and waist...not much on the hips surprisingly. Most jeans fit me fine as I am somewhat short waisted and unless they are super low rise they hit my hips just fine...but I hate most modern "trendy" clothes as they are tight at the bust, and loose at the waist. I hate it!! So I have recently come to love vintage styles (40-50's) because of my "hourglass" figure...and I am planning on having my mom help me make some lovely lovely clothing

I too share your dislike for modern sizing. I'm 39-31-38 and I can rarely find a top to fit. It's either fitting on top and baggy in the waist or the reverse. For some reason, modern designers seem to have forgotten that women tend to have breasts. It's a conspiracy, I tell you!

 

[RebeccaMUA]

I too share your dislike for modern sizing. I'm 39-31-38 and I can rarely find a top to fit. It's either fitting on top and baggy in the waist or the reverse. For some reason, modern designers seem to have forgotten that women tend to have breasts. It's a conspiracy, I tell you!

Isn't it maddening?? The whole shift towards making clothes for women who have bodies like 10 year old boys (and no offense towards any ladies on here who have those body shapes!) is just not fair as the majority of women do not tout those body shapes! Anyways, I am glad there are others who feel my pain

 

[Sunny]

Hello ladies, my measurements are quite literally out of proportion. I am 38b - 35-49 and in modern clothes that is a difficult figure to clothe properly. I love the clothes of the 40's and am trying to find patterns for them so I can make my own. But I suppose I should have asked whether or not I could pull off the 40's styles. Any advice ladies?
Sarah

Sure you can! What you'll want to do, at least at first, is go for designs that have wide, emphasized shoulders to balance out your hips some more. Emphasize the waist to show that you DO have a figure, not jsut a triangle. Use slightly a-line skirts that dart or taper in to the waist; no gathers or pleats at the waist. Goal is to increase width on top and minimize it on the bottom to even out your hourglass. You'll need to do some pattern modification, since the maximum comfortable waist/hip difference for a pattern is about 10", and yours is 14". But that's not a big deal.

For what it's worth, I am about 34-27-39, and I do a lot of early 1940s and late 1930s. It's great fun, and I love how I look in them!

One more thing: Definitely wear a girdle or shaper of some kind. Sounds like you and I both put on the fluff in the hips, and girdles work wonders for controlling it. Makes fitting a lot easier. Plus, when you've got extra fluff there, it's obvious in these clothes when you're not wearing the proper undies.

 

[LelaViavonie]

OMG! we are almost the same measurements! I'm 42-35-42 and I actually recently lost 20 some odd pounds this past summer (food poisoning and graduating from college..less eating overall and definitely less stress eating) and i lost the most in my back and waist...not much on the hips surprisingly. Most jeans fit me fine as I am somewhat short waisted and unless they are super low rise they hit my hips just fine...but I hate most modern "trendy" clothes as they are tight at the bust, and loose at the waist. I hate it!! So I have recently come to love vintage styles (40-50's) because of my "hourglass" figure...and I am planning on having my mom help me make some lovely lovely clothing

I just might have to peek in your closet lol lol lol

 

[Lorena B]

I am a 34-26-39, despite i have some of the normal girl neurotic thoughts of being big (mainly waist down) i must say i prefer being as i am as to swap myself for a size zero body.

I mean, no offense but i think we girls with curves we can pull out a vintage style mainly dated from the 40's or 50's. dont you agree?

 

[Anwen]

*sigh* Today I got a lovely 40s-style high-waisted pencil skirt with kick pleats at the back. My measurements are 44-36-48, and my rib cage (where the top of the high-waistline should hit) is 37. The skirt fit beautifully around the hips and bottom, but I swear it was actually bigger above the hips - I could pull it on (it was a suiting type fabric, not elasticated or anything!) without undoing it

On the other hand, if there are any fabulous apple-shaped ladies out there in the UK looking for such a thing, it was from the Littlewoods catalogue so have a look! Luckily, I can return it.

I also want to mention my lovely Triumph Doreen corselette, which has a similar style to the Rago one and fits me beautifully in the 42D size It takes an inch or so off at the hips, which is the most I'd want it to, and does an impressive job of flattening the stomach without being uncomfy I have a fairly tiny waist with it on, because at least four of the 36" waist measurement is sticking out at the front (I have PCOS and have gained quite a lot of weight recently, almost all of it on my tummy, gah) and I still have a very noticeable hourglass shape, so with the tummy flattened I am (without being immodest) decidedly va-va-voom!

Lastly, I agree that the 40s look can be smashing for pear shapes, as it tends to be broad-shouldered (with pads, obv) which balances the shape wonderfully. This also does wonders for any plus size woman whose shoulders haven't miraculously widened with her increasing arm-girth* as it tends to do away with that annoying thing where things fit nicely on the shoulders but squeeze the biceps or fit the arms comfortably but hang off the shoulder sadly. Raglan shoulder pads are my favourite, as they have a nice natural shape, as opposed to the abrupt drop of the more traditional suit-jacket type pads.


*sorry, can't think of a more elegant phrase!

 

[newtovintage]

Thank you

Thank you Sunny for taking the time for a reply. I really appreciate it. Your answer was really helpful. Thanks again.
Sarah

 

[Sunny]

Thank you Sunny for taking the time for a reply. I really appreciate it. Your answer was really helpful. Thanks again.
Sarah

You're very welcome! Let me know if you have any other questions. I'm always better with specifics than generalities.

 

[Lillemor]

I agree with much of what I've read on this thread. Even though women are different heights and shapes the clothes on the racks hit a very small demographic.

My measurements are around 33-25½-34 with minor ½" differences all depending on the time of the month when I'm around 110lbs. I've gained a few lbs. over the summer but I've already begun to shed them and I'm confident that they'll be completely gone by the end of the month.

I've been a petite plus-size but I couldn't wear much of what was plus size because I wasn't tall (I'm still not), now I'm a petite 4'10"ft "normal" size EU36and I still struggle to find anything that fits right. I know that women of all different body sizes and heights feel the same way or have their problems.

I can only speak for myself but just because I'm no taller than many 12 years olds doesn't mean that I don't have bust, hips and bum! Oh and I've been through three births and I'm not one of the few lucky yummy mommies so I have "flaws" I'm not happy to flaunt

Hand-me-downs from my MIL who's 71 fits much better than modern clothes. Many women of her generation are around my height and are or were the same shape as me. I have no idea of whether I would actually find much authentic 1950s clothes that would fit me. I would love my wardrobe to include 1930s styles too but again I don't know if I can pull off the 1930s with my measurements?

I always associate the 1940s with tall, lean, slim hipped women with sharp/more mature, read; elegant facial features than me so that's the main reason why I've excluded the 1940s as an inspiration source. But there are some late 1940s styles I think can work.

 

[MarieAnne]

I agree with much of what I've read on this thread. Even though women are different heights and shapes the clothes on the racks hit a very small demographic.

My measurements are around 33-25½-34 with minor ½" differences all depending on the time of the month when I'm around 110lbs. I've gained a few lbs. over the summer but I've already begun to shed them and I'm confident that they'll be completely gone by the end of the month.

I've been a petite plus-size but I couldn't wear much of what was plus size because I wasn't tall (I'm still not), now I'm a petite 4'10"ft "normal" size EU36and I still struggle to find anything that fits right. I know that women of all different body sizes and heights feel the same way or have their problems.

I can only speak for myself but just because I'm no taller than many 12 years olds doesn't mean that I don't have bust, hips and bum! Oh and I've been through three births and I'm not one of the few lucky yummy mommies so I have "flaws" I'm not happy to flaunt

Hand-me-downs from my MIL who's 71 fits much better than modern clothes. Many women of her generation are around my height and are or were the same shape as me. I have no idea of whether I would actually find much authentic 1950s clothes that would fit me. I would love my wardrobe to include 1930s styles too but again I don't know if I can pull off the 1930s with my measurements?

I always associate the 1940s with tall, lean, slim hipped women with sharp/more mature, read; elegant facial features than me so that's the main reason why I've excluded the 1940s as an inspiration source. But there are some late 1940s styles I think can work.

I'm almost the same! 33-26-34. I've always wanted to be curvy though. I had a baby six months ago and was hoping my hips would get a little wider but nothing has changed! I was really looking forward to filling some pencil skirts. I've thought of buying those padded shapers but never went through with it. I decided to try tight lacing, to narrow my waist and eccentuate my hips and bust. I got down to a 23" waist and my figure was super curvy but it was a little extreme. I wore a cardigan over my corset once and when it was buttoned up I looked like a corpse...totally not the look I was going for!

I know certain body types are more desirable than others but I think with the right clothes, you can at least create the illusion.