Is skinniness fashionable because it's a status symbol rather than aesthetically pleasing?

Question

Most studies show that women between US sizes 4-10 are considered most desirable to men. Most famous socialites, actresses, musicians, and other public figures are slim. Is this because being skinny indicates status?

Answer 1

Does being skinny indicate status?

As someone others pointed out, being skinny never used to be a sign of anything other than the fact that you are poor. Nowadays, I suppose it has flip flopped, but even so, no one likes women who look like skeletor.

I think any and every man enjoys a woman who has a healthy build - not overly skinny, but definitely thin with some muscle tone. The problem with today's society is that (with women at least) rather than focusing on being healthy (having a healthy, balanced diet combined with exercise for a trim body), women seem to be dead set on simply being skinny (starving themselves, constantly dieting, etc. to be 75 lbs). Perhaps it is a status symbol, but I think it's more about anxiety, insecurities, and social pressures to be "perfect." I find it quite ironic that your study did indeed show that men prefer women who aren't skeletors, but do have a bit of meat on them. The irony of course is that most women try to get down to size 4 or below, when men prefer a range from 4-10.

I'd be very interested to see what a similar study about what size men women find desirable. I'd also like to see their thoughts about how "in shape" they prefer their men. Of course, there aren't any defining numbers for these things, so it'd be too abstract to truly do.

Answer 2

Maybe it's different here in the UK but I haven't met a man who thinks skinny is attractive. They all think that bondy, unhealthy and insipid skin is horrible and they eother look skeletal or have bodies like little boys. It's only the girls that think it's fashionable. maybe it's different in other countries...

Answer 3

NOT FOR ME! IM A SIZE 4 and i like it because its me. theres no way for me to gain weight even if i wanted to. its just me

Answer 4

My husband prefers me being a size 6 because it's a whole lot easier to do the activities we love (biking, skiing, running) together than if I were a size 18 and couldn't keep up.  I'm happier being fitter too- being thin and looking good in clothes is just a bonus.

Answer 5

I think skinny is fashionable simply because of fashion.  Clothing hangs better on skinny models, so those are the images bombarding people who watch tv and read magazines.

Answer 6

Children are an excellent judge of what is aesthetically and physically pleasing.  They gravitate toward women who have a little more meat on their bones, because they are more comfortable laps to sit in.  As well, you will find many men - if they are being honest - will admit to enjoy women with wider hips and some softness to them when they are in bed...again....more comfortable.  

Out in society, however, I believe that having a mate or date with a hot, tight body is a sign of success for men.  It speaks to their manliness if they are seen with the likes of a super model.  But that is not a slight against them...that is merely our society's twisted sense of success!

Answer 7

In America yes but in other places they prefer women to be a bit curvier, not fat, but not skinny.  It's media driven.  For example, in a lot of Latin and South American countries, skinny was never in...it was considered unfeminine.

Answer 8

I don't know. I think throughout history, being skinny was a status symbol of being poor, extremely poor. It was usually the hedonistic RICH that ended up being fat, because they had the money to buy the food and GET fat. Skinny people had to work for a living so they stayed skinny. In a way it's similiar nowadays, except those who have the money can afford to hire the personal trainer, to pay for the gym membership, to buy the more expensive organic healthy foods. While the lower-middle class tend to pound out the 8-5 cubicle job and therefore don't have as active a lifestyle. They can't afford or don't have time to go to the gym and the CHEAP food ends up being the most unhealthy food. So I guess we're in the middle of a status symbol switch when it comes to being skinny. Here in america, yeah you're right, in 3rd world countries, it's still old-school.

Answer 9

I think your assessment is on target.  Most men, myself included, prefer a normal, healthy women, not some self-starved "X-Ray", as Thomas Wolfe called them.  But the fashion photographers, designers, and casting agents, most of whom are g*y, prefer something approaching a pre-adolescent boy.  And since they set that standard, men who  are concerned with maintaining an image, such as A-List actors, movie moguls, and tycoons of industry, buy buy into that c**p as well, most particularly by dating fashion models.

As much as they may connote status in some books, the overwhelming majority of people do not subscribe  to such thinking.  SO just eat healthy and ignore the hype.  And to each his or her own

Answer 10

I'm with Sam.   I definitely am not skinny.  In fact I think the term skinny is an insult.   Ideal size depends very much on the height of the woman- expecting a 5'10" woman to be the same size as a 5' woman  is not reality.

Answer 11

I think most men prefer curves. Something soft and feminine.

That being said,  a woman can be thin and still and have soft,  feminine curves. ( Keep in mind, there is a big difference between curves and lumps.)

Its finding the perfect medium that is hard.

Answer 12

Firstly women who are US sizes 4 -10 (UK 8 - 14 I think?) are not necessarily skinny (a size 14 is definitely not skinny). I'm a UK 6-8 (US 2-4) and I'm hardly skeletal. Slim, yes. And plenty of men (and women) have told me I have a great body :-) so it's perfectly possible for a SLIM person to be aesthetically appealing

Answer 13

Interestingly, until recently being chunkier was more of a status indicator. People with more money and wealth ate better, and so a chubby woman would have been identified as rich.

I wonder about your statement 'most studies' - could you site them specifically? I'm sure if you asked your average male if he preferred a size 4 or size 14, he'd be confused. Show him a size 4 and size 14 and you might get a different answer. Most men I have known are clueless when it comes to dress size.

Some men find skinny women pleasing...most men I know are married to women who are far from 'skinny' so what does that tell you? What men say in a study and what they do are entirely different things.

Answer 14

I think women get sucked into the MYTH that men prefer stick figures, but for me I have never found that to be the case. I have a large build plus I do a lot of weight lifting. When I was younger I was a plus size model, at 5'10 and a size 12-14 is considered plus size by the fashion industry, pathetic I know. Anywho, I always had men chasing me down(and some women too hehehe), by the time I was 22 I had already had 3 marriage proposals.

I think if women would be more confident and secure with who they are they would find that they have more options than they thought  they did.

And  Hollywood has crammed it down peoples throats, so I really believe its a status thing now, because I've NEVER met a man that wants to sleep with a bag of bones because it feels good!!