Probably the most famous hourglass figure is Marilyn Monroe. Other notables include Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, Christina Hendricks, Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, Priyanka Chopra, Salma Hayek, Nigella Lawson, and Sofia Vergara.
A true hourglass figure is fairly rare. Less than 10% of women come by the shape naturally. Much more common are the banana, apple, or pear shapes with the banana shape being the most common.
What is an hourglass figure? Women who have this type of body have shoulders and hips of proportional width and a defined waist. It's a very desirable, proportionate and feminine type of body. Almost anything fitted around the waist and bosoms looks good because they accentuate a very ladylike silhouette.
Hollywood era (1930s-1950s): This era was the peak of the hourglass figurehourglass figure where accentuated curves, big breasts and a slim waist were made popular and sexy by women like Marilyn Monroe who slashed out the boyish figure trend.
What is the rarest body type? The hourglass body shape is the rarest body shape as it requires equal bust/shoulder and hip proportions with a dramatically smaller waist size. While this body type is frequently coveted, ideal body shapes are always changing and one body shape should never be looked at as superior.
If, like many men, an 'hourglass figure' is your golden ticket, then you're not alone. A new study, published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, has claimed men think women with a 'low waist-to-hip ratio (WHRs)' – or 'hourglass' figures to the layman – have the most attractive bodies.
Top hourglass body shape
Considered to be the most attractive body shape, this is very similar to hourglass body shape, except that in this case the curves are more defined.
Contrary to the body shapes of most supermodels, the hourglass figure is more round and curvy, with a well-defined waistline, fuller hips and bust/chest and generous thighs.
Hourglass body shape is the most popular and desired body shape by women for which they practise extensive exercises and workouts. This body shape is all about equal hips and bust measurements and waists narrower than bust and hips.
While most women in their teens and early 20s define themselves as a neat hourglass shape, women in their 30s and 40s consider themselves as full hourglass and those in their 50s and 60s are most likely to be apple. 'Your body shape changes as you age, partly as women put on weight in different places,' said Jedinak.
'A lot of women can naturally carry more weight around the hip area, and for many, they're happy with the shape. For others, they may naturally have the "hourglass" but diet and exercise to lose the natural curve and weight around these areas. 'It's often down to personal preference and of course current trends.
Full-body workout routines are good for hourglass-shaped people, since you could gain fat in both your upper and lower body. You can also add more low-fat and high-fiber food to your diet to maintain a healthy weight.
Located in the tallest of the six pyramids that house the Nima Sand Museum, Japan, is a 5.2-m-tall (17-ft 0.72-in) 560-kg (1,234.6-lb) hourglass with a diameter of 1 m (3 ft 3.37 in).
IT'S long been thought that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but science believes model, actress and TV presenter Kelly Brook is still the world's most perfect figure.
Generally, a measurement of 36 inches at the bust and hip and 24 inches at the waist is considered an ideal hourglass figure. Scientists believe that a woman's figure is an outcome of evolutionary adaptation for reproductive fitness.
The body shape that men generally find attractive in women has a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7. That's the ratio of a 70cm waist and 100cm hips, though the study found that size wasn't as important as the proportions. Men like curves.
Heterosexual men tend to be attracted to women who have a youthful appearance and exhibit features such as a symmetrical face, full breasts, full lips, and a low waist–hip ratio.
Hourglass syndrome (HS) is a term that refers to habitual stomach gripping or sucking in of the abdominal muscles. There are various potential causes of HS. Examples include abdominal pain, poor posture, and body-image concerns that may cause pressure to achieve the appearance of a smaller waist.
You are an hourglass if your waist is at least 25% smaller than your shoulder or bust (waist measurement divided by shoulders and bust) and your waist is at least 25% smaller than your hips (waist measurement divided by hips) and your shoulder and hip measurements are within 5% of each other.
Hourglass frames
Hourglass silhouettes are coveted in beauty magazines and pop culture, but it's actually the least common body shape.
In fact, for men and women alike, ecto-mesomorphs tend to have the “fitness model” look. Often muscular with V-shaped torsos (think: wide upper back, developed chest and shoulders, narrow waist), ecto-mesomorphs are lean and agile, with strong-looking (but not bulky) arms and legs.