Women: Tips for a Perfect Figure :

Very few of us women seem to feel completely happy with our bodies. Despite all the helpful pep talks we get about how "every woman is beautiful in her own way," we know, deep down, that it isn't really true. Right? There really are "attractive" and "unattractive" body types, and we could all use some help. So here’s how to get that figure any woman would want:

First you take an ounce and a half of oyl of foxes, oyl of lillies, and capons grease…

Oh, wait. This isn’t the 17th Century.

But even three hundred years ago, there was plenty of advice available for women who wanted to look more attractive and have perfect figures. One such source was "The Ladies Dictionary; Being a General Entertainment for the Fair Sex," a volume written in 1694 that recently turned up in a Yorkshire book dealer’s library.

(And by the way, the "fox oyl" and the rest of the above ingredients are just the beginning, and the result is a poultice that you slap on your midsection to melt excess fat and make your breasts less saggy. Does it work? Well, we’ll report back—just as soon as we find a more cooperative fox.)

The good news, especially given the current Fox Oil shortage, is that it’s a great reminder of how beauty standards change. Thin women are considered "scragged, sad-looking and not comely." Make-up should be avoided because "a painted face is enough to destroy the reputation of her that uses it."

How about diet?
Apparently the low-carb craze was popular back then, too. You were best off filling up on "new eggs, veal, mutton, and capon."

And as to exercise?
Surprisingly, it was recommended back then too, especially before meals. "Chase your body as much as you can, that the blood may be stirred in the veins and the skin sit more loose."

Men's advice
Men also can get some helpful advice from a similar book, written in 1661, up for sale at the same auction as the Ladies’ Dictionary. Want some creative tips on how to compliment a woman on her figure? Just let her know "her breasts are a pair of maiden-unconquered worlds." Or that they’re "twins where lillies grow." (So guys, next time you meet an attractive woman at a bar, please report back on how well those lines work for you).

The bottom line?
Times change. Standards for physical perfection are often totally arbitrary. What’s "hot" today may just be "scragged" tomorrow, so try not to get too caught up in it!

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