h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Of course, in the 19th Century, being fat meant you were wealthy, whereas being thin was a sign of poverty, therefore unfashionable.

That was when the restsaurant came into prominence - people in Chicago, sitting in the restaurant *window*, eating 7-course meals, wearing all their jewellery...

Read Theodore Dreiser.

There were probably some different currents running here and there, Dmitri. In the late 19th century, very wealthy women sometimes even had a rib or two removed so they could fit into wasps'-nest dresses. Corsets were used to make a woman's waist very thin, to set off the bustles that they wore below their waists. Maybe these stout women you mention were upper middle class, but not members of the Caroline Astor's famous 400?

I think you are both right - my grandmother, who was born in 1898, was embarrassed because she was, in her words 'too thin' and refused ever to be seen in a sleeveless dress because she felt her arms were too skinny. Maybe if she was upper class, or as my grandfather used to say 'a toff' then she would have been the right size.

The fact that their *waists* were small did not mean these women were not fat everywhere else. It's not called an hour-glass figure for nothing.

Intelligent doctors were horrified at the corsets (men wore them, too,different shape).

Note this Gibson Girl:

http://www.digitaldeliftp.com/Images/pings/coca-cola-gibson.png

Note that she would be called 'chubby' by the charitable today.

Note the arms, lanzababy - plump was cool.

This is Lady Astor:

http://www.jssgallery.org/paintings/Lady_Astor.jpg

Now, this lady was too skinny. But she was very, very rich, so no polite person would notice...

But look how she poses? She's trying to - in the words of Red Dwarf's cat - 'make herself BIG'. Fluffy sleeves, chest and derriere stuck out, skinny arms concealed...the word was 'imposing'. You wanted to cut an 'imposing' figure'.

I'm not a fan of corsets, unless they are needed for back support.
Men do not seem to have been under societal pressure to be thin. Being quite chunky was perfectly fine. Many bankers and captains of industry were that way.

Lord, how I hate the phrase 'captains of industry'.

Try robber barons.

I favour anything The Cat said on the first couple of the Red Dwarf series. Narcissism to the nth degree

Fine. Robber barons it is.

there can never be too much of a good girl

I know somebody I'm going to say this to, but I'll probably have to duck.

The theory gets severely tested in late December, after all those and eggnoggs and fruitcakes and candies.

one good thing about overweight is it teaches you tolerance just like living in a glass house teaches you not to throw stones

It also keeps you from blowing away in a high wind.

I believe that obesity has a protective effect for lifeforms that most endure oong, cold winters. A thin polar bear or whale is a doomed one.

I'll bet that's true of Inuit, as well.

I believe it is. I see that igloo over there, but can't get Inuit.

apparently overweight does not prevent you from puns

()

It probably leads to puns...somebody tell Jenny Craig...

I don't think my belly is to blame for my puns, though my butt might be a contributting factor.