How women's bodies have changed since 1957

We're bigger and earning £430 more per week

(Bluebella)

Women’s bodies have changed a fair amount over the past 60 years, and new research has confirmed just how much.

In 1957, the average British woman was 5ft 2ins tall, weighed 9st 10lbs, had size three feet and was a dress size 12.

Fast forward 60 years however, and we’ve grown.

(Bluebella (Bluebella)

Today’s British women are 5ft 5ins tall on average, weigh 11st, have size six feet and dress size 16.

Most noticeable, however, is just how much bra sizes has increased - 60 years ago, women were wearing 34B bras on average, whereas today it’s 36DD.

The statistics have been compiled by lingerie brand Bluebella, who researched data on changing body shapes using data from the fashion industry, the British Bra Survey, Office of National Statistics and the NHS.

Kim Kardashian's 36DD bust is the same as the 2017 average, Bluebella say (Bluebella)

But it’s not just women’s bodies that have changed - we’re living longer and earning drastically more too.

In 1957, the average woman was expected to live for 73 years and earned just £10 a week.

Now, however, we live on average ten years longer to the age of 83 and earn on average £530 a week.

Not only are we having a great time earning more and living longer, we’re also eating more - whilst our 1957 forebears consumed 1,800 calories a day, today’s women eat on average 2,300.

We also exercise on average twice a week now.

Hollywood beauty Natalie Wood's body and 34B bust matches the 1957 average (Alamy)

“It is extraordinary how much Miss Average has changed over the last 60 years,” Bluebella chief executive Emily Bendell said.

“She has changed from being quite petite with what would be considered quite small breasts by today's standards to a much more fuller figured silhouette.

“That has presented real challenges for designers and lingerie brands.”

But the more designers cater for women of all sizes, the better.