The Forgotten Icons Who Redefined Beauty Standards for Curvy Women | The Curvy Fashionista
Mae West
Mae West, one of Hollywood’s earliest bombshells, celebrated her curves unapologetically in the 1930s. She often wrote her own lines that emphasized confidence and sexuality. At a time of rigid body ideals, she made curviness glamorous and desirable.
Marilyn Monroe
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Marilyn Monroe remains one of the most enduring symbols of beauty. In the 1950s, her hourglass figure became the global ideal, challenging the waifish styles of earlier decades. She proved that sensuality and femininity were enhanced – not hidden – by curves.
Sofia Loren
The Italian actress Sophia Loren became an international star in the 1950s and 1960s. Her statuesque figure and Mediterranean features helped diversify Hollywood’s standards of beauty. She brought global attention to fuller, natural body types.
Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor was admired not only for her striking face but also her voluptuous figure. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she embodied luxury and classic Hollywood glamour. Her presence reinforced that curvier women could be both fashionable and powerful.
Jayne Mansfield
Known as a contemporary of Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield embraced her bold, curvy body. She played into exaggerated glamour but also used her fame to highlight the appeal of a fuller figure. Her image countered narrow beauty expectations in Hollywood.
Diana Dors
Diana Dors, often called the “English Marilyn Monroe,” was a British star of the 1950s. With her curvy silhouette, she brought a different cultural context to the celebration of fuller bodies. She showed that beauty ideals were not only American but international.
Josephine Baker
In the 1920s and 1930s, Josephine Baker dazzled Paris with her bold performances and athletic, curvy body. She defied racial and body stereotypes, becoming one of the first Black women to achieve international stardom. Her presence redefined what glamour could look like.
Hedy Lamarr
While often remembered for her intelligence and inventions, Hedy Lamarr was also a beauty symbol of the 1940s. Unlike some contemporaries, her look included a fuller figure that was celebrated onscreen. She broadened the range of Hollywood’s beauty icons.
