Centerfold models are getting more androgynous.

[Kendall]

A comprehensive analysis of Playboy magazine centrefolds over the past 50 years shows the models have become more androgynous.

This finding challenges the idea that the type of female figure that men find most attractive remains the same over time, say Martin Voracek at the University of Vienna and Maryanne Fisher at York University in Canada.

Read More
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3204

[angelsgirl]

No, offense but that article is date December of 2002! Anyways, I suppose you could stand back and see if the trend has been continuing over the past 5 years.  Personally, the androgyny that I see is in the male models of magazine ads, where men are looking more feminine than women looking more masculine.

[Kendall]

Ya its older, just browsing to find stuff. Not every day is something published on androgyne/androgyny and hadnt seen it posted here before. The article covered 50 years so, yes can figure out what +5 does to the assumption. Unfortunately, I dont have a stack of Playboys to measure their bodies during the last 5 years.

[Wendy]

K/K

Actually there is a reason for the change.  Computerized fitness machines are now available to everyone.  If a woman exercises a lot with light weights and other equipment she will lower her body fat and increase her tone.  The Playboy women seem to be well endowed today as they were years ago.  My guess is many of the current models had surgery since reduction in body fat tends to make a woman less endowed.
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[Kendall]

Actually they say that the change is caused by the desires of people buying the magazine , and that tastes and what is most "attractive" are changing. If the buyers (predominately men) still wanted the desired dimensions of a certain 'ideal' shape, then the photographers and Hef would still be getting those girls.

But Voracek and Fisher found that over time, the bust and hip size of the models decreased, while waist size increased. Although weight remained fairly stable, height increased. "This means more recent models have a more skinny and tubular-shaped appearance," Voracek says.

The earth's population still contains girls and women with the older 'ideal' shape, its just that the mass' desires have changed.

[Wendy]

K/K the models have less body fat on them and more muscle.  If you increase the height and keep the weight the same you will decrease the bust and hips.  Now if you decrease the hips and keep the waist constant than the ratio of waist to hip will increase. If a woman is 36 24 36 then she has a waist/ hip ratio of 67%.  Likewise a woman will less fat from exercising will have 34 24 34 or a waist/hip ratio of 71%.  The biggest difference is that women are doing more strength training and that is appealing to the modern culture.
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[Kendall]

Comparing what I see in the actual sales in the Playboy magazines, the biggest by far sales that I have are when WWE diva's are in the mags.  Sable, Chyna, Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle, Christy Hemme and Ashley Massaro. I always sell out these issues. Compared to like the Maria Carey issue last month or even the last one I bought, battlestar galactica's Tricial Helfer, couldnt even compare to when these other more muscular girls are in the magazine.

[angelsgirl]

I must admit that I'm rather a fan of Chyna, myself!

[Wendy]

You are making me laugh.

Chyna is my future body image.  

However Maria Carey is hot.

I prefer Maria Carey.

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