The Forgotten Icons Who Redefined Beauty Standards for Curvy Women

May West

One of Hollywood’s earliest bombs, May West acquiescedly celebrated her curves in the 1930s. She often wrote her own lines that emphasized confidence and sexuality. At the ideal point of a rigid body, she made the curves attractive and desirable.

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe is one of the most enduring symbols of beauty. In the 1950s, her hourglass appearance became a global ideal, challenging the early decades of Wyfish style. She has proven that sensuality and femininity are reinforced that it is not hidden by the curves.

Sofia Lauren

Italian actress Sofia Lauren became an international star in the 1950s and 1960s. Her statuesque figures and Mediterranean character have helped diversify Hollywood’s standards of beauty. She has paid global attention to her richer natural figures.

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor was praised not only for her impressive face, but for her sensual appearance. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she embodied the luxurious and classic Hollywood charm. Her presence reinforced the possibility that curious women could be fashionable and powerful.

Jane Mansfield

Jane Mansfield, known as Marilyn Monroe’s modern day, embraced her bold, curvy body. She challenged exaggerated charms, but also used her fame to highlight the charms of a richer person. Her image countered the expectations of narrow beauty in Hollywood.

Diana Daws

Diana Dosa, often referred to as “English Marilyn Monroe,” was a British star in the 1950s. With her curved silhouette, she brought another cultural context to the celebration of her fulfilling body. She showed that beauty ideals are international as well as American.

Josephine Baker

In the 1920s and 1930s, Josephine Baker captivated Paris with his bold performance and athletic, curvy body. She was one of the first black women to achieve international stardom despite her race and body stereotypes. Her presence redefines what charm looks like.

Heady Lamar

Although often remembered for her intelligence and invention, Hedy Lamar was also a symbol of beauty in the 1940s. Unlike some contemporaries, her appearance included richer figures celebrated on screen. She expanded the scope of Hollywood beauty icons.