# what does a curvy body look like? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909 "2008-12-05T20:19:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/121 "2008-12-09T13:03:54Z")
Oh, and to tie back to the sentiment heard often on these boards about how men like women with some flesh to them, some curves, etc… I think it’s funny that (with my boobs and badonkadonk), for every _one_ white guy who will hit on me\*, I’ll have at least _ten_ black or hispanic or middle eastern guys who will hit on me.\*\* For all the guys who I’m assuming or remembering (from previous thread details) here who are white and claim to love a curvy shape, it’s funny that they, as a group, don’t really seem to hit on girls like me. I don’t really want to be hit on (I find it awkward), but those are the demographics I’ve found. They _will_ hit on my more slim-and-not-curvy friends, though. The ones that tend to fit the media ideal. Not saying that’s wrong or bad, but just interesting in the face of claims on the board. - defined as giving a body compliment, asking me out after just seeing me walking around, whatever. \*\* I’m making it sound like I have dozens of guys following me around. 😛 I’m talking over about a decade (I’m 26). ---
**Author:** ![Valerieblaise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@Valerieblaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valerieblaise)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/122 "2008-12-09T19:46:34Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > I like being curvy! You don’t get to take “curvy” away from me just because I’m not fat anymore! I agree with this for the most part. Still, if you describe yourself as such - ESPECIALLY on the internet - the assumption is that you’re large-curvy, not small-or-medium curvy. I don’t know if there’s any way to fix that. I don’t blame large-curvy women for that - they have just as much a right to use the word as smaller-but-still curvy women do. I guess it would help if people realized that curvy alone doesn’t indicate size, just body type. ---
**Author:** ![Atomicflea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Atomicflea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomicflea)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/123 "2008-12-09T20:44:11Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > Oh, and to tie back to the sentiment heard often on these boards about how men like women with some flesh to them, some curves, etc… > > I think it’s funny that (with my boobs and badonkadonk), for every _one_ white guy who will hit on me\*, I’ll have at least _ten_ black or hispanic or middle eastern guys who will hit on me.\*\* For all the guys who I’m assuming or remembering (from previous thread details) here who are white and claim to love a curvy shape, it’s funny that they, as a group, don’t really seem to hit on girls like me. I don’t really want to be hit on (I find it awkward), but those are the demographics I’ve found. > > They _will_ hit on my more slim-and-not-curvy friends, though. The ones that tend to fit the media ideal. Not saying that’s wrong or bad, but just interesting in the face of claims on the board. I’m glad someone brought this up. For all the curve-love, I’m 33 and most men that hit on me throughout the years were men of color. I still get appreciation from men of color. White men hit on my less curvy friends. Also, just as an example, here are [curvy, petite people](http://bp3.blogger.com/_4JEBG6PvHsE/RxBKR8O-OsI/AAAAAAAAAF8/Wu1D-midi_Q/s1600-h/untitled.bmp), one more on the slender side than the other. [Here](http://english.pravda.ru/img/idb/photo/kate-moss-1.jpg) is a person built like a prepubescent child. Note the angle, and what [Tyra\*](http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg19/HEARTS1996_2008/banks-tyra-.jpg) (herself curvy) calls “the butt-tooch”, meant to mimic the hourglass flare of the hip when it’s not apparent. Now Kate’s beautiful, but she’s never been attractive in my book. In my experience, curvy women look better with their clothes off than dressed, so it’s hard to appreciate them in a lot of today’s fashions. \*_possibly NSFW. From the VS show._ ---
**Author:** ![moonstarssun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@moonstarssun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonstarssun)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/124 "2008-12-10T00:17:02Z")
My definition of curvy is someone who has ample breasts, hips, thighs and belly. That can be someone who’s slim and fit, or someone who’s overweight. Even at my leanest (working out daily and not eating enough), I wasn’t skin and bones. I’m naturally plush and have an [hourglass shape](http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/ceasterling/IMG_0153.jpg) no matter what I weigh. I don’t have big boobs, but usually do describe myself as “curvy” because of my small waist, wide hips and relatively broad shoulders that balance everything out. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/125 "2008-12-10T00:31:43Z")
> [@moonstarssun](#): > > My definition of curvy is someone who has ample breasts, hips, thighs and belly. That can be someone who’s slim and fit, or someone who’s overweight. > > Even at my leanest (working out daily and not eating enough), I wasn’t skin and bones. I’m naturally plush and have an [hourglass shape](http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/ceasterling/IMG_0153.jpg) no matter what I weigh. I don’t have big boobs, but usually do describe myself as “curvy” because of my small waist, wide hips and relatively broad shoulders that balance everything out. I sure like that word, plush. Such a lovely word. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/126 "2008-12-10T00:43:47Z")
> [@moonstarssun](#): > > My definition of curvy is someone who has ample breasts, hips, thighs and belly. That can be someone who’s slim and fit, or someone who’s overweight. > > Even at my leanest (working out daily and not eating enough), I wasn’t skin and bones. I’m naturally plush and have an [hourglass shape](http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/ceasterling/IMG_0153.jpg) no matter what I weigh. I don’t have big boobs, but usually do describe myself as “curvy” because of my small waist, wide hips and relatively broad shoulders that balance everything out. You should just describe yourself as beautiful, that way there wouldn’t ever be any confusion. ---
**Author:** ![moonstarssun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@moonstarssun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonstarssun)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/127 "2008-12-10T00:55:00Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > You should just describe yourself as beautiful, that way there wouldn’t ever be any confusion. ::blushing:: Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/128 "2008-12-10T02:02:48Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > You should just describe yourself as beautiful, that way there wouldn’t ever be any confusion. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/129 "2008-12-10T03:52:38Z")
Tonight at my belly dance recital, I was thinking of this thread. All types of curvy were present: skinny, slender, overweight, plush, athletic, young, old, etc. All pretty, all beautifully decorated, all dancing to the beat. 🙂 There were other body types, too… pretty and dancing to the music as well, but the other ones made me think of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/130 "2008-12-10T05:49:31Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > I think it’s funny that (with my boobs and badonkadonk), for every _one_ white guy who will hit on me\*, I’ll have at least _ten_ black or hispanic or middle eastern guys who will hit on me.\*\* For all the guys who I’m assuming or remembering (from previous thread details) here who are white and claim to love a curvy shape, it’s funny that they, as a group, don’t really seem to hit on girls like me. I don’t really want to be hit on (I find it awkward), but those are the demographics I’ve found. > > They _will_ hit on my more slim-and-not-curvy friends, though. The ones that tend to fit the media ideal. Not saying that’s wrong or bad, but just interesting in the face of claims on the board. I’ll ditto that. That’s also been my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/131 "2008-12-10T06:27:38Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > Oh, and to tie back to the sentiment heard often on these boards about how men like women with some flesh to them, some curves, etc… > > I think it’s funny that (with my boobs and badonkadonk), for every _one_ white guy who will hit on me\*, I’ll have at least _ten_ black or hispanic or middle eastern guys who will hit on me.\*\* For all the guys who I’m assuming or remembering (from previous thread details) here who are white and claim to love a curvy shape, it’s funny that they, as a group, don’t really seem to hit on girls like me. I don’t really want to be hit on (I find it awkward), but those are the demographics I’ve found. > > They _will_ hit on my more slim-and-not-curvy friends, though. The ones that tend to fit the media ideal. Not saying that’s wrong or bad, but just interesting in the face of claims on the board. > > - defined as giving a body compliment, asking me out after just seeing me walking around, whatever. > > \*\* I’m making it sound like I have dozens of guys following me around. 😛 I’m talking over about a decade (I’m 26). Typical white guy here: I honestly don’t recall dating more than one or two women who might fall into the “slim-and-not-curvy” category. And I married a lovely, lovely woman who has curves. Just sayin’. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/132 "2008-12-10T13:00:41Z")
I think it may just be the bias on this board. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/133 "2008-12-10T13:52:37Z")
A couple case studies: When I see someone like [Debra Messing](http://images.askmen.com/galleries/actress/debra-messing/pictures/debra-messing-picture-2.jpg) or [Gwyneth Paltrow](http://www.myfatspouse.com/skinny/paltrow.jpg) on the small or big screen, I feel compelled to yell “eat a friggin’ cheesburger!” at the screen, because I fear that if they were to ever skip a meal (which I assume is something like a small Chai tea, four almonds, and a cigarette) they’d pass out from starvation. That doesn’t look good to me. I just returned from the supermarket where I noticed one of the checkout “newspapers” had a front page story (with picture) “How Debra Messing Lost 42 Pounds.”! That first paragraph is supposed to be in quotes as I am quoting a previous poster. I did something wrong. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/134 "2008-12-10T15:59:24Z")
> [@Omegaman](#): > > I sure like that word, plush. Such a lovely word. It is. Like **moonstarssun** , even when I’m a size six or eight, and reasonably well-muscled, I’m still soft in all the right places. My Favorite Guy frequently describes me as “lush”, and it’s just one of the reasons I love him. **moonstarssun** , you’re gorgeous! ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/135 "2009-02-07T05:53:07Z")
Little Miss Muffet Sat on a tuffet Eating her curves away. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/136 "2009-02-08T04:18:16Z")
I am fat _and_ curvy (much smaller waist than hips, more than 10 inches smaller). When I was my “supposed to be” size of 6/8 (still thought of as hugely obese in this brave new world), I was merely curvy. Now that I’m a fat old grandma, I don’t say or think of myself as “curvy” even though I still have the hourglass standard hip to waist ratio. All that blah de blah said however, like a lot of people in this thread, I disagree with the tendency for some people to use “curvy” as a fancy word for “fat”. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/137 "2009-02-08T04:41:16Z")
> [@Telperien](#): > > Of course, this is because of a freaky culture that doesn’t allow you to call yourself or someone else fat unless you’re using it as an insult. If I were a little more awake, and a little less ticked-off at technical matters, I’d start a thread about this. Sorry for the hijack. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/138 "2009-02-08T05:12:10Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > I would say that the girl on the right is a good example of “curvy.” > > [These girls](http://www.bigmoves.org/images/bigchill1.jpg) would probably be considered curvy. > > [This girl](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2005/07/11/PH2005071101127.jpg) and [this girl](http://images.businessweek.com/ss/05/10/index_awards/image/dove_ad-1.jpg) (from the Dove ads) are curvy. > > [Here is a funny demotivational poster](http://www.funnyforumpics.com/forums/Demotivational/1/demotivational-posters-curves.jpg) that describes curvy pretty well. What? Every person in those photos is fat. If “curvy” is supposed to mean something different than “fat,” then those photos are not good examples of “curvy.” ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/139 "2009-02-08T05:37:06Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > What? Every person in those photos is fat. If “curvy” is supposed to mean something different than “fat,” then those photos are not good examples of “curvy.” Agreed. I don’t think anorexics are attractive by any means, but neither are they. And I wouldn’t use the word “curvy” to flatter anyone. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ETA: **Atomicflea** , I think the one you say is built like “prepubescent child” is more attractive, though obviously I don’t really agree with that characterization. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909/140 "2009-02-08T05:48:01Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > What? Every person in those photos is fat. If “curvy” is supposed to mean something different than “fat,” then those photos are not good examples of “curvy.” I do like that demotivational poster though. Sir-Mix-A-Lot and I have a lot more in common that I ever would have imagined. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-curvy-body-look-like/475909.md?page=8)