Goodbye Hourglass Figure, Hello Barrel-Like Measurements

Sixty years ago the average woman’s figure was fairly trim.  America’s Hollywood stars measured 36-24-35 while British women measured at a comparable 37-27-39.  In 2009, hourglass figures are no longer the norm: women are now taller, heavier, and less curvaceous.  In Great Britain, the UK National Sizing Survey reports that women now measure at a barrel-like 38-34-40, and many women struggle to get into size 14 clothing.