Sexy or Sexist?

THE SHIFTS OF BODY TRENDS NEED TO END By Elizabeth Karnowski, Culture Staff Writer

Hollywood is the hottest place for trends to live and die. From the slender legs to sumptuous curves popularized by stars in their prime, famous people have always impacted the body trends of the general public. Men have been influenced to want them and women have been influenced to want to be them.

Quite possibly the most iconic sex symbol to this day, the undeniable image of Marilyn Monroe’s blonde hair, red lip and iconic mole above her lip will live on forever. Even after her death, her looks are sought after and so is her body. In fact, disgustingly, the man in the grave above Monroe’s was buried face down, per his request, so that he would be hypothetically on top of her.1 Hugh Hefner is buried right next to her, saying the symbolism in spending eternity next to her was “too sweet to pass up.”2 These men are still objectifying her post-death. Body trends throughout the decades have led to the over-sexualization of women and their bodies. These trends provide further proof that there’s no reason anyone should be treated differently because of their body composition. In the 1950s, Monroe set the body trends of the decade from her hourglass curves to her larger bust. Having a cinched waist with proportionate breasts and hips was desired by everyone, and was further made popular by Elizabeth Taylor. Monroe’s unique figure in a time of smaller waists and breasts3 helped set her apart from other stars in the industry, ultimately making her look more elusive and sought after. Monroe’s own confidence in her body and sensuality translated into an inspiration for other women working to embrace their looks. Even in 2021, the popularity of her look is a testament to the influence the actress and singer had on the world. In the 60s Lesley Hornby, also known as Twiggy, was the body trend icon of the era. She was a British fashion model and actress and is widely considered to have been one of the world’s first supermodels.4 Her nickname sprouts from her thin frame which quickly became sought after by many women. Hornby’s look wasn’t marked by curves, making her different compared to those of the last decade which made her stand out

1 Ina Jaffe, “Bid for Crypt Above Marilyn Monroe Falls Through”, National Public Radio, August 27, 2009. 2 Laurel Wamsley, “Hugh Hefner’s Final Resting Place? The Plot He Bought Next to Marilyn Monroe”, National Public Radio, September 29, 2017. 3 Linda Rodgers, “This Was the Average Body in the 1950s”, Woman’s World, April 30, 2018. 4 Jeannette L. Nolen, “Twiggy”, Britannica, 2021. amongst others. Other figures like Jacquelin Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn ushered in a new look of sleekness. Everyone in the public eye looked similar to each other and the slim figure took over. Though Twiggy was the face of the 60s, her desired figure faced criticism for promoting an unhealthy body image. The reason why her figure was unhealthy wasn’t discussed, mainly because Twiggy said she was naturally thin and didn’t do much to achieve her figure.5 This is just further proof that body shaming can happen to any woman for just existing. By the time the 1970s came around Farrah Fawcett, most popularly known as Jill Munroe in Charlie’s Angels, became well known for her natural athleticism and easy smile. She was toned and glowy and coined the title “Sex Goddess of the Seventies.”6 She loved working out and being athletic in order to live her version of a healthy lifestyle. In the era of at-home workout videos and muscle tees, the 80s were all about big muscles and even bigger hair. Cindy Crawford followed after Fawcett’s trend and strong and athletic women continued to be desired.7 Grace Jones, a Jamaican-born model raised in New York, was another poster woman of the 80s. She was a prominent Black model with an athletic figure and a sultry aura. Her look was detected as traditionally unconventional, yet, in Paris, her look was applauded.8 Her body composition wasn’t her main feature, and neither was the color of her skin. She was successful due more to her work ethic as opposed to being objectified because of her appearance. Some say Kate Moss was the next generation’s Twiggy. Her look was popular in the grunge era of the 90s, but her thin frame was the icing on top of the cake. Her body trend was referred to as “heroin chic,” pointing on angular bone structures and pale skin. As described in The New York Times, this is the look that just can’t seem to go away.9 Tom Ford described this trend as

5 Sheryle Cruse, “‘Naturally Twiggy?’ Confronting the Toxic Nature of Body Shaming.”, Elephant Journal, September 25, 2019. 6 Laura Regensdorf, “Farrah Fawcett’s 1977 Fitness Guide Can Make a Charlie’s Angel Out of You, Too”, Vogue, February 2, 2018. 7 Alexandra Tunell, “The 2015 Body Ideal is More Unattainable Than Ever”, Harper’s Bazaar, June 19, 2015. 8 Lauren Valenti, “Happy Birthday, Grace Jones! 18 Times the Fearless Pop Icon Broke the Beauty Mold”, Vogue, May 19, 2020. 9 Amy M. Spindler, “The 90’s Version of the Decadent Look”, The New York Times, May 7, 1996. people who seemed used-up and worn out.10 This is problematic in itself because models had to work hard in order to obtain their figures to stay relevant and being referred to as “used-up” is extremely detrimental to someone’s self-esteem.

Britney Spears has been a pop icon since the rise of her popularity in the 2000s. She had toned, washboard abs that became the trend of the decade.11 With her low-rise jeans and crop tops, her body was almost an accessory. Spears became a sex icon after her “Baby One More Time” music video and her MTV Music Video Award performance of “I’m a Slave 4 U,” and her body became a main topic of discussion in the media. Today, Kim Kardashian’s rise to celebrity status led to her high influence on body trends. With her curvy features, Kim has the “slim thick” body that’s desired by so many teenage and adult women today. A small waist and round hips became the hottest trend of the decade. Her curves are a staple to her brand, becoming an iconic look recognizable by everyone.12 Her sisters, sporting similar looks, remain further agents of the current body trends motivating many to grow their backside and flaunt their curves. These social switches of body trends mark the ways that bodies and body shapes are actually a device of capitalism. Different bodies are marketed to women every generation, convincing them they need to change and mold into whatever is desirable and trendy at the time. You may have the body of a 50s bombshell or a 2000s pop icon, but if it doesn’t fit the current mold of expectation you are convinced through ads, media and other forms of conversation that you are not good enough. There’s still a problem with society having an ideal at all. Women shouldn’t feel the need to fit any norm, any construction and any ideal ever. The constant change of body standards is a construction meant to keep women feeling less than. There should really be no ideal body type ever. Women should be able to exist as is, not by the standards of men or society.■

10 Ibid. 11 Rebecca Flood, “What body shape is most desirable? From Marilyn Monroe to Kim K here’s how the ideal size has changed over the years”, The Sun, March 11, 2018. 12 Us Weekly Staff, “Hello, Curves! Take a Look Back at Kim Kardashian’s Body Evolution Through the Years”, Us Weekly, February 19, 2021.