Bill--
Seems to be something that feeds on itself. My friend here was in a small way, for a brief time, like the guy who wrote the book you read: I mean, my God, she'd sit there admiring the fact that you could see every tendon, sinew, and vein in her arms. She didn't go as far as he did, but was pretty obsessed. She considered competition, really wanted to do it. Her friends looked on and tried to talk some sense into her, but it wasn't till the day of reckoning with her boyfriend that she woke up.
As far as women (or men above the age of about thirty-five, for that matter) are concerned, thin has almost never been in. When setting an abundant table meant prosperity, fat was cool. There's also an interesting book--it's late and I'm not gonna get up and go look for it, but let me know if you're interested, ah, yes, it's called Seeing Through Clothes) whose author proposes that to some extent at least fashion dictated body shape and image, rather than vice versa. Not unconvincing at all.
Janice |
