What is up with the hourglass?

I'm not quite sure but it seems everyone i talk to wants to have "that perfect hourglass figure".

What IS the hourglass figure? What measurments? Why is it so wonderful?

My friends all tell me I have an hourglass (i sincerely doubt it) I'm 41-33-42 and IF (again... doubtful) I am an hourglass then what so brilliant about it?

I went shopping today for some new clothes and while i got loads of tops, trousers were a nightmare. I must have tried at least 20 on and only bought one (which still don't quite fit properly) all trousers are very snug on my hips and butt and absoloutly huge on my waist. It drives me insane!

I'm not even sure what sort of figure I have but whatever it is it's irritating.

What figure do you have and what figure do you want?

I'm a pear...and unfortunately...I'm stuck with it.

...unless I get implants...but of course for me, that's not going to happen.  :) 

The hourglass figure gained its "post-corset" popularity in the 50s and early 50s because actresses like Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, and Marilyn Monroe had them.  "Popular" body types go in and out of fashion over time, and depending on where you live.

But ... I think the measurement "requirements" are that the waist is at least 10 inches smaller than the bust, and that the hips are not more than4 to 6 inches larger than the bust.  I've always heard the old "36-24-36" as being the ideal hourglass.  Of course, those number standards are more than 50 yeras old now, but speaking in proportions, yes, I'd say with those measurements, you are definitely an hourglass!

i'm a pear. 32-27-38.

i have the same problem you do with pants.  i have issues with getting pants over my thighs, but then once i do, the waist is absolutely huge.

at least i'll never have a muffin top? :D

Ditto on the pants issue. It's a great excuse to go belt and/or skirt shopping. When you have that gap in the back just make sure that you're not wearing granny panties!

I used to have an hourglass figure when I was in my 110s, but now I'm a pear shape again at around 137. I remember the whole pants issue driving me nuts as well. Perfect fit on the hips, but I could put my fist into the gap between them and my lower back.

Oh well, but I'm not that paranoid about my shape. I like to have some more junk in the trunk. It gives me a figure like those women in Pre-Raphaelite paintings. And men don't mind it either =)

Awww, but i LIKE granny panties ;) (though i treated myself to some very nice pants today, yey!)

At my smallest (116lbs) I was 36-26-36 (not quite the perfect hourglass but meh) and I really hated it then too! skirts looked great on my because they covered up my hips but even when i was at my smallest my ass still looked huge :s

I should probably learn to love what I've got, but damnit, I want some good fitting trousers! *sigh*.

Oh and I totally understand the getting it past your thighs, it's a nightmare, I do all that work and they don't even fit :p

Anyone got any good suggestions on where to shop? (I'm in the UK)

An hourglass shape is considered to be "ideal" because it is considered to be the perfect womanly shape with curves in all the right places. It is also considered to be the most attractive. However, I think all different shapes and sizes are beautiful. An hourglass is when your chest and hips measurements are usually the same and you have a smaller waist in proportion. It definately sounds like you are an hourglass. I am a cone. I have a big chest and little hips/butt as well as very slender legs. I'm fine with it though, I just think it makes me look like I weigh more than I actually do.

Well, I'm an apple, have never had a waistline to speak of, so I'll never be an hourglass.  But if I could be, I would definitely just find a good alterations shop to take in  my waistbands!!

I am one of those pathetic souls seeking the "hour-glass" figure. Right now, I am at 36 1/2 inch hips, 28 inch waist and 38 inch bust. I am a slave to those measurements. :(

I wish I could say that I think all shapes and sizes are beautiful. OK, well I can say that, unless you're talking about me. In that case, I am my own worst critic. (Aren't we all?)

Haha, I have the same exact issue. Bleh, I hate it.

I've no idea what's good about it.

I think you're around hourglass, basically.

I have an hourglass(?) at 35.5-25.5-36.5 .
My hips are a little bigger, but not enough to make me a pear, I think.

And, I'm happy hourglass, should that be what I am.
Though, I'm like 5'3, so it looks somewhat funny, I think.

Changeofheart: Ha, yeah, I'm sure most people are their own worst critics (I know I am). :)

I'm 5'2" so it looks odd on me as well.

Ahh well, theres not much i can do about it.

But I wanted the nice trousers :(

I don't know of any alteration shops :s There should be shops that cater to specific shapes rather than sizes, it would be so much easier.

I don't mean to brag but halleiuhhhh I've got the hour glass figure! :D Not that I'm happy with my body in the slightest, though.

bame it on the "obesity" factor changing the clothes sizes. Hard to have an hourglass figure when overweight since lack of activity generaly mean the weight will tend to go to the waist.  I'm old enough to remember when there was not that much of a problem fitting clothes to such a body shape. (also old enough to notice where those slim hour glass types tend to put their weight when they get older,  are overweight and less active. Also pregnancy seems to be harder to recover from on some than others)

I feel your pain when shopping for pants or jeans.  But I have a different problem... I cannot find a pair of pants that fit my behind properly.  Either they fit nicely in the waist but are saggy and baggy in the bum/thigh.  Or they fit nicely in the bum / thigh area but then I get Muffintop at the waist.  Argh! 

I'm 5'9" with the "ideal" hourglass (I'm 34-24-36) and I find it a nightmare.  Shopping is a pain, and finding a dress that fits is impossible (excluding materials of at least 50% spandex).

The thing is, I've always wanted to be one of those tall, "willowy" girls...not an amazon.

I'm 5'6.5" and I'm a ruler, small bust, virtually no hips or waist.  The only pants/skirts I can find that fit are in juniors.  I can't buy anything misses that fits unless it is very low rise.  Regular misses clothes give me "hip poofs" where my hips are supposed to be!

There was a post on here somewhere about a quiz to take to determine what your shape is, here's the link.

http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/6034 4.html

the appeal of an hourglass figure is the curves.  an hourglass figure is the ideal image of feminine.  or so i've been told by the male population.

hourglass = hips and bust about even measurments, small waistline

pear = bust and waist about even, hips larger

apple = all around the same measurements

by the way, i'm 4'11" and an hourglass ... i've no complaints. :-)

I'm an hourglass too.  And I don't think as a figure type that it is that common.  Why else would there not even be a category for it? Pear doesn't describe Hour-glass, but choice is either Pear or Apple.  We're neither.

Pants are hard to find, but they are out there.....It was always jeans I found hard....but I got lucky a few years ago and happened to try on a pair of jeans in wal-mart in the states (I live in Canada), and the jeans fit like they were made for me.....I think they are 'rider relaxed fit' and those $15 jeans fit me better than the $100 ones I've tried on in the past.

One BIG advance to being an hourglass, is even heavier, you can carry it better.  When you're in proportion, you can carry a little extra weight.  Of course my hourglass starts with the width of my shoulders, I may be short, by my shoulders are fairly broad.  I generally have to buy my suit jackets one or two sizes larger than my slacks.

I have always had to take in the waist on slacks and skirts.  I don't do it properly by taking off the waistband, but just run little seams in at the waist and a couple on the back.

Otherwise my clothes just want to slide down.  Its been this was for 30 yrs and is the same for my daughter.  it's just the way clothes are made.

So Funny!

I went pants shopping yesterday- my 4-6 size pants no longer fit... i have altered my body beyond recognition and every size 8 pant i put on was fitting in the hips and the waist was gaping wide!

eh, maybe someone somewhere will design a pair of pants that fit the hip and waist of women who are actually graced with hips/butt and no waist!

Hourglass is the preferred shape for biological reasons- to have large 'padded' hips and a bust w/out the waist 'fat' in a woman is considered 'sexiest' because it's a sign of fertility!

I remember this from a 300 level biology class at penn state where the professor told us to celebrate our hips and chest from the 'freshman / sophomore / junior 15 lbs we all supposedly put on- it encourages male attraction to have that shape-

most people look at a wide shoulder to waist to wide hip proportion as being more 'healthful' - along with 'sexy' so celebrate if you have it- and note, not all cultures view it this way- some mexican  cultures view the apple shape as more sexy/fertile, some african cultures view the behind as sexy - and most, do NOT view the breast size as sexy- that's an american man thing usually!