The Changing Shape of Women | Love & Sex

Forget Hourglass...Are You a Rectangle or a Triangle?

We've heard it said a thousand times. Marilyn Monroe--one of the sexiest women in the world--was a size sixteen. But, wow, she looked great in clothes! Part of her appeal? Her dramatic hourglass figure. Voluptuous chest, full hips, narrow waist. She wasn't afraid to flaunt her assets. And everything looked good on her!

But because of changing body shapes over the last few decades, few of us today can boast that traditional hourglass figure she so perfectly embodied. In fact, a recent study by North Carolina State University looked at six thousand women and found only eight percent of them sport what Marilyn and other golden age beauties like Sophia Loren had back in the day. Instead, we're more likely to be one of the following:

Rectangular - 46% of women have waists less than nine inches smaller than their hips.

Pear Shaped - 20% of women have more down below than up top- with hips at least two inches larger than our chests. (This is so me!)

Inverted Triangle - 14% of women had busts three or more inches bigger than their hips.

Another study, this one of British women by University College London and the London College of Fashion, found, not surprisingly, that today's woman is taller than her 1950s counterpart with bigger bust and hips.

Problem is, the fashion industry, by and large, still designs clothes with that perfect hourglass in mind. And this can cause the rest of us big problems in the dressing room. After all, even if you find the right size, it may not fit the way it should--making it difficult to find clothes that accentuate what you've got. You don't have to be skinny to look sexy. But it's a lot tougher when you're wearing frumpy, ill-fitting clothes.

So what's the solution? Go to your favorite brands or designers through social media and ask them to make more clothing with different shapes in mind for today's women. Vote with your wallet, too, giving your business to those making strides to do so. Liz Claiborne, for example, is introducing "gradual changes" to provide "better fitting clothes."

Fight the good fight and hopefully someday enjoy the spoils of your labor - with a perfect sexy outfit that fits your body like a glove.

YOUR TURN: What's your body type? Do you find it difficult to find clothes that fit? Do you have go-to brands that work with your body type?