"Fashion is intrinsically linked to the physical shape of its wearer. Tailoring directs attention to certain parts of the body, simultaneously highlighting and concealing different parts of the silhouette. However, an idealised body is a cultural construct. Over the past 150 years wide hips, narrow hips, a feminine waist, and a boyish figure have all been hailed as beauty ideals at different times. The aim of my thesis is to answer the following questions: why does the fashion industry favour a slim figure? What is the story behind this preference, where did it come from, what caused it and why is it still present? Even though beauty is in the eye of the beholder and many factors influence what we perceive as beautiful (including culture, location and era), the fashion industry continues to maintain very strict standards in terms of who is deemed beautiful, and subsequently, worthy. My thesis also evaluates the fashion industry’s response to the body positivity movement that is gaining traction among consumers. Historical research was indispensable, as understanding how today’s socially approved feminine beauty standards evolved over time, and how this prompted the emergence of the body positive movement is crucial. The feminine beauty ideal has gone through innumerable iterations from the voluptuous figures of the 1890s to the tall and slim physique preferred today."