How femininity has changed over the past 50 years, according to a new study

Women are no longer so concerned with being delicate, caring and sweet

Femininity today is associated with being independent, outspoken, compassionate and kind, a new study has found.

The research reveals how the idea of femininity has evolved over the decades - 50 years ago, 53 per cent of people said to be feminine meant to be “a good mother and caring", while 41 per cent of people considered being “delicate and sweet” an essential part of being a woman.

Now, however, attitudes have evolved, as the study of 2,000 women by Always Platinum reveals.

Today, women are striving to show compassion and kindness, be good friends and promote other females in the workplace.

More than half (58 per cent) of UK females describe the modern woman as independent, 48 per cent as resilient and 44 per cent as ambitious.

The study also found that 26 per cent of people believe it’s in their 30s that women find the perfect balance of being soft and strong - almost nine in 10 believe it’s possible to be assertive and get what you want in life whilst still being caring.

The research confirms what many people will have already known about how the notion of femininity has evolved.

As society makes positive steps towards gender equality, what it means to be masculine has also come under scrutiny.

Many people have made strides to debunk concept of ‘toxic masculinity’ - the idea that being a man involves being aggressive, stoic and dominant over women.

One of the ways this has been seen is through men speaking out about their mental health - influencers such as Ben Bidwell are leading the charge, arguing that the phrase “man up” is problematic.

As what it means to be feminine evolves, masculinity seems to be developing too.