Cultural Standards of Attractiveness: A Thirty-Year Look at Changes in Male Images in Magazines

Abstract

This study examined images of male bodies in the popular magazines GQ, Rolling Stone, and Sports Illustrated, from 1967 to 1997. A sample of images was analyzed using an eight-point scale measuring levels of body fat and muscularity. Findings suggest that the male bodies featured in these magazines became more lean, muscular, and V-shaped (featuring a broad chest tapering to a narrow waist) over the years. Leanness and V-shape increased dramatically from the 1960s and 1970s to the 1980s, declining slightly in the 1990s. Muscularity increased progressively over the years, reaching its highest level in the 1990s.