Fashion is fickle. One year, fashionistas may be sporting stick-straight hair and low-cut jeans, and the next, it's all about teased 'dos and high waists. But while women's beauty standards may change through the centuries, there's at least one characteristic that has withstood the test of time: a low waist to hip ratio, that classic hourglass body shape that has graced beauties from Venus de Milo to Marilyn Monroe to Nicki Minaj. Decades of studies have claimed to give an evolutionary explanation for why people find a low waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) attractive, but a new review of the research by Dr. Jeanne Bovet of Stony Brook University has found that some of the most popular theories are less than reliable — and has highlighted other explanations that make more scientific sense.
Evolution
The Evolutionary Reason Hourglass Figures Are Considered Attractive Isn't What You've Heard
Baby Got Back
What's Popular Is Not Always Right
Written by
Ashley Hamer
October 1, 2019
Wake up with the smartest email in your inbox.
Our Best Articles Daily
Curiosity uses cookies to improve site performance, for analytics and for advertising. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.