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The Gibson Girl (1900s-1910s) - This beauty ideal gets its name from illustrations of artist Charles Dana Gibson.

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The Gibson Girl (1900s-1910s) - The ideal woman at that time was generally slender and tall, albeit voluptuous, displaying a generous bust and wide hips.

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The Gibson Girl (1900s-1910s) - Slender and voluptuous is obviously incongruous, so this look could only be achieved through the use of corsets.

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The Flapper (1920s) - The “roaring twenties” gave rise to a different kind of woman, one that was more liberal and casual.

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The Flapper (1920s) - Their easygoing attitude and style were generally associated with the rejection of Victorian ideals.

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The Flapper (1920s) - Their appearance was more boyish and androgynous, with women often sporting short hair styles and less curvy frames. Busty women generally attempted to hide their features with tight bras.

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World War II (1940s) - The Wall Street Crash of 1929 brought back a more traditional, stern look to women’s image.

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World War II (1940s) - Skirts became longer once again, and it was commonplace to highlight women’s shoulders.

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World War II (1940s) - Wartime materials, such as silk, nylon, and clothing dye, became the norm, giving off a more practical look.

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Post-war and pin-up girls (1950s) - Hollywood was booming in post-World War II America. Busty, curvy women (showing a considerable amount of skin) was now the norm.

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Post-war and pin-up girls (1950s) - Actresses such as Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren symbolized the ideal beauty standards of the decade.

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Post-war and pin-up girls (1950s) - Beauty products abounded now that the World War II was over, even though America had just jumped into the Cold War. Women were expected to take full advantage of the products, and show off flawless skin and hair.

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Twiggy (1960s) - The 1960s saw a complete reversal of the Marilyn Monroe ideal of beauty.

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Twiggy (1960s) - Supermodel Twiggy, with her slim frame and androgynous look, came to symbolize the beauty ideal of the decade.

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Twiggy (1960s) - Twiggy inspired an entire generation of women who now wanted to lose weight and look boyish, almost prepubescent.

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Thin ideal (1970s) - The Twiggy-like beauty ideal was now widespread, and it continued to solidify its roots in American culture.

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Thin ideal (1970s) - Dieting was now an everyday practice in American women’s lives. The use of diet pills, which often included dangerous amphetamines, was on the rise.

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Thin ideal (1970s) - The eating disorder Anorexia Nervosa began to gain mainstream attention, particularly through singer Karen Carpenter, who was known to diet to starvation levels throughout the decade. She later died as a consequence of the disease.

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Fit supermodels (1980s) - The thin ideal persisted, but the new decade saw an increased focus on fitness and strong bodies.

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Fit supermodels (1980s) - Aerobic exercises such as Jazzercise and fitness videotapes were a widespread trend among American women.

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Fit supermodels (1980s) - Supermodels, exemplified by Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Claudia Schiffer, were now expected to be taller than ever, making the fit body ideal even harder to achieve.

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Heroin chic vs. Baywatch (1990s) - Thin frames continued to grow in popularity, but besides displaying a small waist, women were also expected to have large breasts. This is best exemplified by the women who starred on the Baywatch series, such as Pamela Anderson.

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Heroin chic vs. Baywatch (1990s) - At the same, high fashion began to promote what became known as “heroin chic," most commonly associated with supermodel Kate Moss.

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Heroin chic vs. Baywatch (1990s) - Through her Calvin Klein advertisements, Moss popularized the bony and gaunt look, characteristic of the 1990s.

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Shrinking bodies (2000s) - Throughout the 2000s, fashion shows began to receive attention for their ultra-skinny models.

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Shrinking bodies (2000s) - In 2006, Spain became the first country to ban models whose BMI fell under 18, considered the lowest limit within the healthy threshold.

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Shrinking bodies (2000s) - The media became obsessed with celebrities who were underweight. Paparazzi followed Nicole Richie day and night during her severe weight loss in the mid-2000s. The same thing happened to actresses Tara Reid and Kate Bosworth.

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Curvy (2010s) - This decade’s contribution to the ever-changing beauty standards for women is large butts and thighs.

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Curvy (2010s) - Curvy women, such as Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, and Jennifer Lopez are now associated with what women should look like.

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Curvy (2010s) - Pop singers, particularly Nicki Minaj, helped to consolidate this trend through music. Minaj’s 2016 video and ode to women’s booties ‘Anaconda’ garnered 19.6 million views in its first 24 hours of being released.

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