Desirable female proportions

[vampirella]

I don't know if anyone else has found this but although there seems to be plenty of information out there about ideal male measurements, I can't seem to find anything much for women! I'm not talking about your supermodel type of body, more your athletic/bodybuilding/well-proportioned woman's body.

Just to give you some idea, here are my measurements:
Height: 179.5 cm 5'11"
Weight: 62kg 137 lbs
Chest: 91cm 36"
Waist: 69cm 27"
Hips: 98cm 39"
Thigh: 60cm 24"
Calf: 39cm 15"

Although I realise that I am tall and fairly slim, I have always felt my thighs and butt to be rather too big. Well, until recently, after much convincing by my husband and having seen some full-length photos of myself...when I finally saw that they aren't really big at all!! In fact, I am now committed to building up my lower body so I can not only be stronger and fitter but also more well-proportioned.

So I'm just wondering if anyone knows where I could find some info on desirable female proportions.

 

[Sassy69]

I'm suspicious of anyone who declares "desireable" female proportions. Depends on who you talk to. Isn't "Barbie" supposed to be perfectly proportioned or something? I'm not a small person -- 155 lb, 5'7" and I carry most of my bodyfat in my hips, however I'm got some decent mass on top. If you look at competition figure / BB, there, proportion-speaking, they are looking for a top / bottom proportionality -- So if I have a naturally wide hip measurement, I can create the *illusion* of smaller by building up my upper back / shoulders & whittling down my waist.

I guess I'm saying, no I don't know where that is documented but if I knew I would probably guffaw at it. Just me

 

[*Bunny*]

So I'm just wondering if anyone knows where I could find some info on desirable female proportions.

Welcome to EF!

IMO, it's what you believe to be desirable. I don't think you will find any accurate documentation on what's ideal since everyone has different perspective on what is appealing...

Some guys, I find consider Vida Guerra "ideal" but I'm sure she's not 5'11...

 

[vampirella]

Thanks for your responses but my post seems to have been rather misinterpreted. I am not talking about an absolute "ideal" of perfection. I know that these kind of ideas are subjective. However, as there seems to be such a wealth of information and focus here on body fat percentages; very particular types of lifts; amount of reps to be done; type, amount and frequency of meals...etc all to try to attain a better body, I thought someone might be able to give me a general guideline to body proportions.

On the web I find plenty of waist to hip ratios, height to weight ratios, and many calculators for "ideal" male proportions (stick in your wrist size and it tells you your "ideal" chest, waist, hip, thigh, etc size) but not for women.

From my own observations, many women seem to be very concerned about the size of their thighs for example. Does anyone know what would be considered a reasonable ratio of thigh to waist or thigh to knee? Not looking for exact details, just a rough guide.

 

[nycgirl]

Welcome to EF!

IMO, it's what you believe to be desirable. I don't think you will find any accurate documentation on what's ideal since everyone has different perspective on what is appealing...

Some guys, I find consider Vida Guerra "ideal" but I'm sure she's not 5'11...

I agree. It is definitely what you believe is desirable and unforunately genetics. I have hips and a booty that has gotten higher (thanks to cardio, squats and stiff leg deadlifts), but not smaller. I'm happy with the curves that god has given me and the additional muscle mass that I will be gaining will only make me look even better.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

I want to help you, but I truly don't think there is such a thing.

I could see there being a "healthy" ratio bewteen hip size, waist size and rest of body - from a cardiovascular/heart health standpoint .... for example, a pear-shaped body is healthier than an apple-shaped one. But as for aestetically, I do not think such a "desireable" ideal exists.

 

[Sassy69]

Perhaps the fact that you can't readily find an ideal body proportion reference is an indicator of how women are treated -- I googled "ideal female body proportion", here's one of the refs I got:

http://www.news.uiuc.edu/gentips/03/03curves.html

The relevant measurements are 36 -24 -36 -- boobs / waist /hips. Apparently the rest of the body can be as blobby or twiggy as it wants because no one seems to care. Historically women were always viewed as the vessels of fertility so being "Rubenesque" was the ideal shape. Even to the 50's Marilyn Monroe was the ideal and she was a bit chunky. We (I think) have finally escaped the 'heroine chic" look but we're still all apparently really concerned with how Jessica Simpson has slimmed down so much ( one step up from anorexia...).

So to your point, yes you would think that there would be an equivalent statement healthy female proportions, but I have yet to see one. So barring that, I think it can be up to you to define what you consider ideal proportions. Generally speaking I look to the ideal shape as hips & shoulders proportional, leanness balanced top & bottom and nice V to a narrow waist

 

[*Bunny*]

Perhaps the fact that you can't readily find an ideal body proportion reference is an indicator of how women are treated -- I googled "ideal female body proportion", here's one of the refs I got:

http://www.news.uiuc.edu/gentips/03/03curves.html

The relevant measurements are 36 -24 -36 -- boobs / waist /hips. Apparently the rest of the body can be as blobby or twiggy as it wants because no one seems to care. Historically women were always viewed as the vessels of fertility so being "Rubenesque" was the ideal shape. Even to the 50's Marilyn Monroe was the ideal and she was a bit chunky. We (I think) have finally escaped the 'heroine chic" look but we're still all apparently really concerned with how Jessica Simpson has slimmed down so much ( one step up from anorexia...).

So to your point, yes you would think that there would be an equivalent statement healthy female proportions, but I have yet to see one. So barring that, I think it can be up to you to define what you consider ideal proportions. Generally speaking I look to the ideal shape as hips & shoulders proportional, leanness balanced top & bottom and nice V to a narrow waist

Guess I should leave the tough ?'s to the professionals...

<----clueless