2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Cassandra is overly concerned about her weight and her voluptuousness is viewed negatively in her crowd. Had you considered that even back then women were held to such physical standards? Are the criticisms here akin to what women experience today?

Having read numerous HR books, it was always about how the woman looked: having a pleasing face, a slim figure, how fashionable her clothing looked. I don't think it is as bad these days, although the more beautiful and slimmer the better.

I'm not surprised that women have a certain standard of appearance that is considered preferable, especially in the aristocracy. Women competed for the "acceptable" husband, and her appearance would be a measuring stick when the completion was so great. Let's face it; women were a possession in most cases. The more attractive, the more her husband can feel proud to show her off or brag on his conquest.

I'm always amazed to hear women comment negatively on another woman's appearance, even today. It makes me sometimes laugh when a woman jumps on the "no body shaming" bandwagon on social media in one post only to make negative comments about a "fat" woman in another post. Many women are disingenuous and enjoy putting other women down. It is sad.

Looks like we have centuries of these standards, pitting women agains each other because of looks and body size. For some reason or another, I’d thought this was a modern phenomena, maybe because the paintings of women in that area showed them more voluptuous than standards today. This was enlightening.

Jonetta wrote: "Looks like we have centuries of these standards, pitting women agains each other because of looks and body size. For some reason or another, I’d thought this was a modern phenomena, maybe because t..."

Jonetta, I had heard that many of the women from 100+ years ago were voluptuous, especially the aristocracy. They had no jobs, and got very little exercise except for leisurely walks. No one in the aristocracy was starving. There were parties and teas with lots of cookies and sweets. I thought the extra-slim stick figure women became popular in the last 50 years.

I believe that married women were more plumb in the regency period, but the younger woman was more slender. An article I read when my granddaughter was doing an essay on Jane Austin mentioned that men liked figures that didn't "stand out," meaning not too fat and not too skinny. However, in magazines of the time, men's ideal image was described as slender in the waist and legs but still curvy.

I often remember seeing paintings of women from around that time where they were more full figured. With no real exercise for the aristocracy, it is very believable that they would have kept extra weight on. Especially if they were prone to be overweight genetically.

Robin wrote: "Jonetta, I had heard that many of the women from 100+ years ago were voluptuous, especially the aristocracy. They had no jobs, and got very little exercise except for leisurely walks. No one in the aristocracy was starving. There were parties and teas with lots of cookies and sweets. I thought the extra-slim stick figure women became popular in the last 50 years...."

That was my thinking…