According to science, this is the type of woman's body that men value most. Do you agree?
Beauty is a subjective reality, but also a cultural one, especially in regards to women.
In fact, the idea of what is female perfection has changed radically over the centuries - if we consider that the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, was cross-eyed, had bow-legs, and was decidedly well-nourished.
It is precisely the concept of size, that today has become the factor of greater discontinuity with respect to the past. As a matter of fact, the skinny model - very thin and a little androgynous - has supplanted the curvaceous and abundant one of the past.
However, a study by the University of Texas has reversed this current trend, pointing to the curvy model Kelly Brook as an example of the "perfect woman".
According to the researchers, Kelly Brook - a 39-year-old model and English actress - possesses the characteristics of the ideal woman. She is 5.5 ft (1.68 cm tall) and her bust/waist/hip measurements are 38-24-36 inches (99–63–91 cm). They also add that "Kelly has never undergone plastic surgery, and looks magnificent. Her body looks beautiful and healthy and her face shines with happiness."
To be honest, this was an unexpected verdict, considering that at the debut of the British model, she has been defined as "plump" by her own talent agency, as well as by numerous media outlets throughout her career.
Clearly, Kelly Brook does not reflect the canons of beauty proclaimed by fashion, that has the main responsible for the emergence of the skinny model. According to fashion designer Jennifer Lee, models are in fact hired to highlight the lines and compositions of the clothing, features that are better highlighted by leaner people. Moreover, the charm and attractiveness of the model could divert attention from the clothing, whose sale is instead the main goal of every fashion company.
However, scientists argue that most men would prefer a very different kind of woman, like Kelly Brook. In fact, a natural, sinuous, soft and abundant body stimulates attractiveness, which hinges on one of the fundamental traits of human nature, as an index of fertility.
This natural instinct inexorably pushes towards the procreation and reproduction of the species, therefore a body that better communicates the idea of fertility is inevitably more seductive. Consequently, even at an unconscious level, men will, therefore, be attracted to physical characteristics associated with fertility, youth, and good health, regardless of their cultural and social background.
Beyond male preferences, the important point is actually a woman's health which is put at risk both by obesity and by excessive thinness.
