Who was the earliest "hottie"?

[The_Controvert]

In the past, most people were rather homely, but who is the earliest known person who would pass as a “hottie” by today’s standards?

[Rick]

Betty Rubble?

[Reloy3]

@The Controvert

In the past, most people were rather homely, but who is the earliest known person who would pass as a “hottie” by today’s standards?

This won’t go well, but I’ll bite-

What in the world makes you think that “In the past, most people were rather homely”?

[silenus]

Probably this hottie.

[Skammer]

I vote for Helen of Troy.

[vetbridge]

Finally, one that I know the answer for!! Barbara Eden.

[Tapioca_Dextrin]

Austin’s first hottie was the Lenderthal Lady.

[marshmallow]

I’m assuming fictional people are out.

What about the four beauties of China? Specifically, Xi Shi was born ~500 BCE.

Bewitched by the beauty of Xi Shi and Zheng Dan, Fu Chai forgot all about his state affairs and on their instigation, killed his best advisor, the great general Wu Zixu. Fu Chai even built Guanwa Palace (Palace of Beautiful Women) in an imperial park on the slope of Lingyan Hill, about 15 kilometers west of Suzhou. The strength of Wu dwindled, and in 473 BC Gou Jian launched his strike and put the Wu army to full rout. King Fu Chai lamented that he should have listened to Wu Zixu, and then committed suicide.

I’m sure someone could dig up an ancient legend that has a beatiful woman that could’ve been based on a real person, somewhere, sometime.

[An_Arky]

I agree with the OP, although I think it’s more of a function of more primitive photography and pre-shampoo/condition/blowdry everyday hair. That and I think the Reubenesque women were considered the hotties before Barbie came along.

I can’t give you specific examples, but I’ve definitely seen some photos of actresses from the 30s that made me think “y’know, get that pomade out of her hair, lose the funeral parlor makeup and put her on a treadmill, and I’d hit it.”

[Exapno_Mapcase]

@Reloy3

This won’t go well, but I’ll bite-

What in the world makes you think that “In the past, most people were rather homely”?

Seconded.

You do have to put in the caveat, that people weren’t homely by the standards of their place and time. Even though cosmetics go back thousands of years, modern skin and hair care, hygiene, and general grooming - not to mention plastic surgery - have changed standards so that many people in the past may not resemble today’s beauties. But that’s an entirely different statement than a blanket declaration that most people were rather homely.

[corkboard]

Eve, as far as Adam was concerned.

[Cervaise]

@Reloy3

What in the world makes you think that “In the past, most people were rather homely”?

Hadn’t you heard? Old things suck.

[Colibri]

@Exapno Mapcase

Seconded.

You do have to put in the caveat, that people weren’t homely by the standards of their place and time. Even though cosmetics go back thousands of years, modern skin and hair care, hygiene, and general grooming - not to mention plastic surgery - have changed standards so that many people in the past may not resemble today’s beauties. But that’s an entirely different statement than a blanket declaration that most people were rather homely.

The Onion: I would have been considered very attractive in the Middle Ages

[Will_Repair]

@McNew

Eve, as far as Adam was concerned.

Lilith?

[Sunspace]

@An Arky

Reubenesque women were considered the hotties before Barbie came along.

They still are in many places.

[panache45]

@McNew

Eve, as far as Adam was concerned.

Well, it’s not like he had many alternatives.

Lucy?

[panache45]

@The Controvert

In the past, most people were rather homely . . .

Have you taken a good look at “most” people today?

[Cervaise]

@panache45

Have you taken a good look at “most” people today?

But on the Internet, isn’t everyone attractive?

That’s what they say, anyway.

[Scruloose]

@silenus

Probably this hottie.

Whoa - isn’t there a ‘two-click’ rule when posting links to such erotic imagery?

[Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus]

@An Arky

I agree with the OP, although I think it’s more of a function of more primitive photography and pre-shampoo/condition/blowdry everyday hair. That and I think the Reubenesque women were considered the hotties before Barbie came along.

And they were called Reubenesque, no doubt, because they got that way by eating too many Reuben sandwiches :D.

However, this purported poster of Josie Earp (wife of Wyatt), in her music hall days before her marriage, certianly gives the lie to the idea that everyone was homely. This picture was used on a psychedelic era concert poster in the 1960s, but I don’t remember which one. WARNING: Probably not quite SFW.

I can’t give you specific examples, but I’ve definitely seen some photos of actresses from the 30s that made me think “y’know, get that pomade out of her hair, lose the funeral parlor makeup and put her on a treadmill, and I’d hit it.”

I’m with you on the makeup and pomade, but I don’t think most of the old time actresses were overweight.