Revenge Of The Curves

Posted: Friday 20 August 2010 02:13pm

TV’s Mad Men star Christina Hendricks deserves some kind of humanitarian award. She has done more over the past 12 months to promote the cause of the “real” woman than years of “we know what’s good for you” tub-thumping by self-appointed body image champions.

This flame-haired bombshell of the hourglass dress size 14/38DDD bra cup proportions (100 per cent real) is no shrinking violet.

You don’t see the actress (who plays office manager Joan Holloway in the cult hit series about the halcyon days of Manhattan advertising) hunching her shoulders as she parades the red carpet, self-conscious about her large bust. Nor trying to disguise her – heaven forbid – rounded belly, butt and hips. She wears figure-hugging va-voom creations that accentuate every curve.

Christina, 35, was voted last year by US Esquire magazine as the sexiest woman alive. More recently, British Cabinet minister Lynne Featherstone, who oversees the Equalities portfolio, hailed the star as “absolutely fabulous” and the ultimate physical role model for girls to aspire to.

She’s got it and she’s flaunting it, but not with an in-your-face, “I’m such a sex symbol” attitude. More, “I’m a woman and I love it”.

What’s so interesting is that the cult of Christina is not about paying lip service to the “bigger” figure. It’s saying that she is actually the ideal – which is lucky, because the average size of the Australian woman is a 14.

“People are simply getting bigger, shapelier and often healthier at the same time. The average size [for women] is now 14, and that’s considered to be a healthy, active weight,” says Dr Jenny O’Dea, associate professor in nutrition and health education at the University of Sydney.

Other studies have indicated that the average may be even larger. The National Size and Shape survey released six years ago (conducted by the University of Adelaide and Daisy Veitch from Sharp Dummies, backed up by a study of 5000 people) showed that the average measurements of an Australian woman in the regular size range were a 92cm bust, 74cm waist and 99cm hips, which fit a size 16 on the Standards Australia garment rating. There is no evidence to suggest women have been getting smaller in the intervening years.

Women’s breasts are also larger than ever. In 1960, the average bra size in Australia was 10B. Ten years ago, it was 12B. Today, it’s 14C. “It’s six to seven sizes up in a comparatively few number of years,” says Sally Berkeley, the general manager of bra company Berlei, which has launched a new range of cups, up to an H, to add to the traditional A-to-E dimensions. “About 38 per cent of women in Australia are a D-cup plus,” she adds.

The company has also just introduced about 40 size 16D mannequins into lingerie floors of 15 Myer and two David Jones stores nationally as the retailers appeal to curvier customers.

Sally Berkeley said she was inspired by British department store Debenhams, which launched a trial of size 16 dummies across the UK in February this year.

Berlei’s mannequins are based on the measurements of Australian international model Laura Wells, the face and body of their Curves range.

Although the literal weight of physical evidence is that the vast majority of Australian women are not the size 8-10 (even smaller) of retail mannequins, or as featured on the catwalk and in most fashion media, it’s only recently that there has been a subtle but distinct shift towards embracing what’s real, and not just to be “politically correct”.

Prestigious European fashion houses such as Prada, Chanel and Louis Vuitton used “voluptuous” models in their Fall shows earlier this year. Designer Marc Jacobs, creative director of Louis Vuitton, called his “And God Created Woman.” The title, from Roger Vadim’s 1956 film, is said to be a reference to the catwalk becoming a world of teenage waifs.

“Designers are always talking about how they design for women, and then you look at our runways and there no girls over 20,” he said. “This time, I set out to cast a variety of sexy women – younger, older, thin, voluptuous, from every ethnic background.”

His model line-up included Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson, who features on the latest cover of Harper’s Bazaar in the Vuitton gown she wore at the show.

Harper’s Australia Editor-in-Chief Edwina McCann notes the ground shift. “I think women are much more comfortable in the post- Louis Vuitton `and God created woman’ world to show off their curves – and their age,” she says. “Our covergirl Elle, at 47, speaks with such comfort about growing older and embracing her age (it beats the alternative, after all). There is nothing like a GFC to prompt designers to give women what they really want!”

Of course, this doesn’t just relieve the psychological pressure many women feel to aspire to unreaslitic goals re their weight and body shape, but the physical havoc to the body that over-zealous dieting and under-nourishment can wreak.

Natural therapist Jennifer Chalmers of Sydney’s Phoenix Holistic Centre, who also has degrees in science and nutrition, points out that fighting too hard to downsize your curves can cause them to bite back, as well as age you and undermine your overall health.

“Chronic under-eating, something many women are too good at, robs the body of essential nutrients that keep it healthy and prevent premature ageing due to free radical exposure,” she says.

“Crash diets and yo-yo dieting have the same effects, depleting essential nutrients from the body. When we severely restrict kilojoules, the body adjusts to the lower input. After a while, the metabolism slows down in order to accommodate the lower energy available to it.

“If this process occurs on and off over years the metabolism can become very sluggish in the long term, almost like it’s been overworked for years, and finally gives up. Crash and yo-yo dieting almost always end up causing weight to be gained in the long run for this reason.

“The body can also become dehydrated from fluid loss, putting a strain on the kidneys and liver. Protein in the muscles starts to be broken down, which produces free radicals, substances that deplete antioxidants in the body, lowering our immune function and contributing to chronic illness and premature ageing.”

Jennifer adds that many people find it difficult to understand, or accept that they will naturally gain weight and change shape as they age, causing more pressure.

“I don’t think most people realise that the body shape changes with age, and this change is due to the changing hormones in the body, for both men and women.  We find common signs as weight gain, altered body shape, cellulite formation, sagging organs and tissues, and loss of body and scalp hair in varying frequencies depending on these factors.

“These changes are a normal consequence of the changing balance between the hormones – oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone – but can be off set to a certain degree with good lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise and so forth.

“The metabolism also slows down as we age and a small gain in weight is to be expected. Our bodies naturally respond to this as many people find they eat less as they get older – and if they don’t they should, to compensate for the slower metabolism.

“Women are more prone to fluctuations in weight due to hormonal changes that occur throughout the month, from pregnancy and then at menopause. Hormonal conditions that allow oestrogen to dominate throughout the cycle and during pregnancy and menopause, contribute to excess fat being deposited. These changes or gains should be no more than 3-5 kgs if the diet and lifestyle are healthy. In excess of this would indicate hormonal imbalances that need to be attended to.”

by Jenni Gilbert

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