I wanted to bring this up before I get into the diet portion of this post to remind women that standards of beauty change. Regarding the larger heads-I recall as far back as the silent era, Mary Pickford in her autobiography "Sunshine And Shadow", noting this about herself. Close Search. But it's always fascinating to me to get some sense of their size, especially height when so many of these women seemed larger than life onscreen.You know, I think I always have something of an ulterior motivation to make people--particularly women--understand that we shouldn't be so attached to numbers or images that are pushed out by the media, seen in magazines, and so on. HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM 1920s-1980s: Opposites Attract, HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM 1920s-1980s: Film Noir and Fantasy, HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM 1920s-1980s: Art Deco Elegance, HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM 1920s-1980s: The Jazz Age, Sizing Up Old Hollywood--Heights, Weights, and Measurements of Classic Cinema Stars, 2011 TCM Classic Film Festival--Becket at Grauman's Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, Cinema Style--Edith Head Gets Gloria Swanson Ready for her Close-Up in SUNSET BOULEVARD, Special Guest on TCM's FOLLOW THE THREAD Series, Sizing Up Old Hollywood--Heights of Classic Leading Men, Cinema Connection--Hair and Makeup Mark "The Look" of Marilyn Monroe, Cinema Style File--the 1930s Glamour of Jean Harlow, Style Essentials--Stardom Strikes Marilyn Monroe as GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, Cinema Connection--Ali MacGraw and LOVE STORY Style for Fall 2014, The Style Essentials--Ali MacGraw's Classic Preppy Style in 1970's LOVE STORY. Obviously, Sophia Loren was (and may still be) the classic hourglass. I love that you simply really understood the intention of this listing and enjoyed it. Women were primarily limited to all-American girl next door or sexy bombshell typecasting. Though sizes have dramatically changed through the years , weight remains to be measured just the same as always. I'm think I'm going to go along with your thoughts on Elizabeth Taylor. These tried-and-true methods wont require any drastic dieting plans or expensive supplements. Minimal child labor laws meant that studios could require children to work just as much as their adult counterparts. But not quite as thin asthey got to bein the 1960s. via WomansDay.com. Most of her career she was between 120 and 135. Typically I fall somewhere between a 0-2 in even numbers, and a 1-3 in odd ones. Top Tips For Women Over 45 About Beauty And Makeup. After that, she changed her name, dyed her hair, and negotiated a better contract. Not sure if you saw my disclaimers galore about the list, which include: 1) These numbers were taken at various points of these stars' careers--some at very start, some at their height, and some later on. So as difficult as this is to swallow, studies show that it was likely thewomenwho brought on these trends of extreme thinness. For women who would love to live like a 1950's stay-at-home mom and housewife. Jean Harlow was told that becoming a wife would alter her sex appeal, and, due to the morality clause in her contract with MGM, the studio was allowed to deny her marriage to William Powell. After that, it didn't take long for many other companies to start flocking . (Thankfully.) She was pregnant when she made Some Like It Hot, which explains her amplitude in that film. Naeun (Apink) Naeun's waist has gained fame due to how tiny it is. They didnt need to rely on plastic surgery, airbrushing, touch-up techniques, favourable lighting and god knows what else those posers do to their image. This chart is primarily for entertainment since so many dispute the numbers that are out there, and everyone thinks that their numbers are right. Find all the information it in this article. I love that you really understood the intention of this list and enjoyed it. The Definitive Guide to Borrowing Hollywood Vouchers and How to Make the Most of It; Movie Theatres in West Hollywood 2023; What is Hollywood Henderson's net worth 2023; How did old hollywood stars have such small waists; Why doesn't Hollywood make original movies anymore For others, itll be what you already know but dont wish to follow. According to his ex-girlfriend, Juliette Lewis, sleeping. Art Deco Elegance focuses on 1930s type icons Marlene Dietrich, Kay Francis, Jean Harlow, Claudette Colbert, Ginger Rogers, and Joan Crawford. Very eye-catching! 5. Anonymous mentionedVivien leigh was 51 on an excellent day, exact same with Natalie Wood. Good grief. Old Hollywood actresses came in all shapes and sizes, but they were all incredibly beautiful! I also love that she and I have literally the same measurements, minus one inch in height. In any case, this record can convey a good higher appreciation for these goddesses. For many years, 1934s The Thin Man has been considered one of my favourite movies. There are many more women athletes today, and muscle weighs more than fat. Jessica Rabbit's waist is less than 40 percent of her hip size. Clearly, she weighed more than 118 in much of her adulthood. Her go-to foods involved eggs with butter and cereal with skimmed milk for breakfast; salad or soup for lunch; and grilled chicken with vegetables for dinner. But all along,menhave insisted that they like curves. The small waist look was also achieved through a combination of clothing and makeup. She has shrunk her waist from 25in (64cm) to just 16in (40cm) by wearing a corset every day for three years. Exercise and diet are not the only things to radically change over the last half-century. The New Short Bobbed Hairstyles from Hollywood The latest bobbed hairstyles in 1925 as modeled by Hollywood actresses such as Leatrice Joy, Fay Wray, Marion Davies and Clara Bow. In the story of the life of Marilyn Monroe , 1953 was an exceptional year. Starlets often exercised to maintain their physiques, although it wasn't common to talk about it back then. From Jean Harlow to Marilyn Monroe, these icons had a common denominator: a small waistline that seemed almost impossible to . The sizes on the stars listed here would have qualified as ultra skinny so what gives? How did they do that? In addition to regular workouts, these actresses also paid close attention to what they ateopting for clean eating with plenty of fruits and vegetables while avoiding processed sugars and unhealthy fats. Take a look at old photos from the 1950s and what do you notice about the women? MariasaidSome of those are obviously fudged, especially the waist measurements. Join movie and fashion historian Kimberly Truhler for the second occasion in her sequence HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM! One of the most cringe-inducing rumors about Reagan's time in Hollywood comes from Piper Laurie, his co-star in the 1950 . A certain kittenish sexiness was one of the desired styles in that era, along with the well-known Art Deco streamlined look. Yes, those studios really liked to regulate things, didnt they? That wouldn't have been considered large in 1932, at the tail end of the vogue for boyish, slim-hipped, small-breasted, sportive figures. Since the 1950's, women's bodies have ballooned in size. 3. I don't know if she reached 150 in a film. I'm always looking up heights & stats when watching TCM & the silver screen & even modern screen does make them all appear larger than life! Merrily they bob and bewilder. Those also happen to be the years where women broke into and fought fiercely for moreindependence.. She also had a less-salt-and-less sugar diet. Judy Garland was reportedly devastated when she found out her nanny had been betraying her. As you can see, the "perfect butt" changed drastically from the '50s . Kimberly: I truly enjoyed this list and it brought to mind how much the studios and their PR departments had control; even over the stars measurements! But these women were not all that different from you and me. Rita Hayworth also had that walk (though she was never a Follies Girl, she was a trained dancer, but now I wonder if it had something to do with the platform shoes in vogue in both their heydays). Hi, I really appreciate this chart of starlet sizes. There are many more ladies athletes right now, and muscle weighs more than fats. But its at all times fascinating to me to get some sense of their size, especially top when so many of those girls appeared bigger than life onscreen. Not that I'm saying they're iron-clad, but much of the resistance seems to come simply because they're so SMALL. Here are 10 idols who shocked everyone with their amazingly small waist. I also saw a dress of Elizabeth Taylor's from Little Women in Paris, the one covered in autumn leaves, and that was child sized, both short and skinny. Jean Harlow was advised that turning into a spouse would alter her sex appeal, and, because of the morality clause in her contract with MGM, the studio was allowed to deny her marriage to William Powell. And this was all in addition to the enormous amount of walking that came with that era. It's just the way it was! I would guess her to be 5'3". One fashion secret shared by many of the classic Hollywood stars was their tiny waists. Rock Hudson was 6'6"! The MGM star's first marriage to Conrad Hilton was a widely publicized event that was conveniently timed with the release of her new movie, Father of the Bride, and was paid for by the studio. The 1950s had two primary fashion styles: the pencil skirt and the full skirt. This helped them achieve the illusion of an unnaturally small waist something which isnt seen in todays entertainment industry as much as it once was. While super skinny stars are nothing new, more and more are revealing waists that are shockingly small. It is surprising how much larger we've all become as a whole in just 70 or so years with easier access to nutrition & vitamins. You may be surprised. Look at her standing next to the very slimy Ray Bolger whilst he's in his scarecrow padding. This was 1939. In Korea, the term ant waist is used to describe someone with an incredibly tiny waist. The truth is that in order to obtain and maintain those rail-thin figures of the 50s-60s, women frequently had to smoke many cigarettes and rely on large quantities of amphetamines. how did old hollywood stars have such small waists Signup for our newsletter to get notified about our next ride. Having an eye witness to how small these women--and there costumes--were helps with those who insist there's no way that these measurements can be right. Whenever I do shows on the History of Fashion in Film, some of the most fascinating facts to audiences are the sizes of their favourite traditional cinema stars.