The real sizes of famous women
Adele
In 2009, 5'9" Adele said she was a 18/20, but she has noticeably trimmed down in the past couple of years. The Grammy-winning beauty has said she's never had a problem with the way she looks, adding, 'I'd rather have lunch with my friends than go to a gym.' She recently told Anderson Cooper, 'I don't want to be some skinny Minnie with my tits out. I don't want people confusing what it is that I'm about.'
Jennifer Lopez
One more thing to appreciate about Jennifer Lopez (aside from the talent, the honesty and the infectious smile), is that she has said, 'I could never be a size zero. I just don't see how I could get down to that size and still be healthy.' She says she's been a size 10 for the past decade, and attributes her toned physique to working out with a trainer two to three times per week and not overeating. This is all about portion control - those in her entourage swear that Lopez never overindulges.
Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera has come under scrutiny lately for her weight gain, going from a 2 to a size 8. Hopefully she's taking her own words to heart: 'I think that whatever size or shape body you have, it's important to embrace it and get down! I wish women would be proud of their bodies and not dis other women for being proud of theirs.' We wonder what Kelly Osbourne has to say about that.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Mother-of-three Sarah Jessica Parker is about as tiny as they get, dressing in 4 or 2 (known as '00' in the States) sizes. Although she attributes her slim size to genetics and a fast metabolism, she's also been a follower of low-carb, portion control eating plans, including the Hamptons Diet and South Beach. To keep her small frame toned, the actress rarely drinks, is a Pilates devotee and often gets around New York City on foot, whether she's running errands or taking one of her kids to school or the park.
Beyonce
Ms. Bootylicious herself is today’s curvaceous diva. Beyonce represents the hourglass ladies with a shapely body ratio of 33-26-38, and she’s proud of it (hence her 'Bootylicious' anthem). The new mum, who was a size 10 pre-pregnancy, told the Daily Mail, 'I feel best when I'm not really thin and not really heavy - when I'm still curvy. I really believe that everyone is supposed to be different, and whatever is a natural weight for you is usually what looks best.'
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe owned the hourglass figure in the '60s and has made it the universal symbol of femininity and sexuality. She had an incredible body ratio of 36-23-35. (Even Dolly Parton would be proud!) At 5 feet, 5 inches tall, Marilyn’s size 12 figure made her the original curvaceous American icon.
Christina Hendricks
Standing next to Christina Hendricks, one wouldn't necessarily be overwhelmed by the Mad Men actress's curves. But on television, the size 14 star looks extremely voluptuous. The red head even acknowledged that she didn't see her frame as particularly noteworthy; 'I never thought about it. I know this sounds naïve, but I honestly never expected this kind of attention,' she has said. When it comes to dressing her curves, Hendricks told Marie Claire, 'Instead of trying to downplay your curves, find a designer or style that glorifies them.'
Khloe Kardashian
Fans of the Khloe Kardashian often find it hard to believe that the 5'10" reality star is a size 10/12. She recently posted on her website: 'I'm proud of my body. My body weight will always be something that I'll struggle with for the rest of my life, but I'm finally in a good place and learning to love me for me, and not somebody else's standards.' Fans frequently praise Khloe's kurves, acknowledging that it's refreshing to see women with hips and booties embracing fashion like they do.
Mariah Carey
While Mariah Carey was pregnant with twins, she gained more than 4.3 stone (doctors advise a 1.7-2.5 stone weight gain during pregnancy). To drop the weight post-partum, she started the Jenny Craig diet (limiting her calorie intake to 1,500 per day) and worked out three times a week. After six months, the award-winning singer lost 2.1 stone and slimmed down to a size 10 and said she was proud of herself. 'I had to do this for me,' she told a US magazine.
Salma Hayek
Although this slim 5'2" actress and mother is technically a size 4/6, because of her curves Salma Hayek wears up to a 8 (and gets a good tailor, which is key for most of the curvaceous actresses). When Hayek wants to drop a few pounds before a red carpet event, she does a juice cleanse (that rings in at just under 1,200 calories per day) and pairs that with yoga.
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson has received a fair amount of criticism over the years for everything from her ditzy comments (Chicken of Sea isn't really chicken?) to wearing unflattering high-waisted jeans. Now the pregnant star says she's found confidence in her body. Her pre-pregnancy size was a 10/12; time will tell if the 5'2" star feels pressure to goes back to that size post-partum.
Michelle Obama
Whatever adorns the first lady’s statuesque figure makes headline news. Even after Women’s Wear Daily's in the US attempedt to find out Michelle Obama's measurements, we’re still left unsure. Whether in Jason Wu or J. Crew, Mrs. O is 5 feet 9 inches tall and always looks fabulous.
Madonna
Even when Madonna exploded onto the music scene in the '80s, the Material Girl had a small frame. It’s only lately that Madge has been showing off her fatless figure and sinewy arms. Some say scary, others say impressive. Although she used to be a Tracy Anderson devotee, the 5'4", size 6/8 Madonna says she now stays fit by dancing and doing Pilates.
Octavia Spencer
The Help actress Octavia Spencer dominated the award season circuit this year, collecting trophies left and right for her role as Minny Jackson. Along the way, she acknowledged that, 'I am not healthy at this weight,' though she's managed to keep her dress size a well-guarded secret! Spencer did go on to joke about the discontent thin women must feel: 'Let me tell you, I am a lot grumpier when I don't eat!'
Scarlett Johansson
'One of the best things for a woman to hear is that she is sexy,' Scarlett Johansson once said. Undoubtedly, the petite beauty with the hourglass frame hears it often. (Woody
Allen went so far as to describe the actress as 'sexually overwhelming.') The size 6 actress, who is often thought to be larger than she actually is, has been candid about having cellulite and condoning plastic surgery.Audrey Hepburn
Contrary to Monroe’s sex appeal, Hepburn exuded elegance and sophistication in her dress and demeanor - a classic beauty. Behind the large sunglasses and little black dress was a 5’6’’ woman with a tiny frame (34-20-34). She even said, 'I think sex is overrated. I don't have sex appeal and I know it. As a matter of fact, I think I'm rather funny looking.'
Kate Winslet
Mother-of-two Kate Winslet, who says she's a size 10/12, has frequently spoken out against being airbrushed and misshapen in magazine photos. She told ABC News, 'I want these young women to know we don’t look like this. It’s an idea of perfection that’s not there. It doesn’t exist.' The Academy Award winner continues to show that curves are appealing as the face of Lancôme beauty and St. John clothing.
Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah, rapper/singer/movie star, dropped from a size 22 to 18 after she did Jenny Craig and added fresh vegetables and lean proteins to her diet. For exercise, she keeps it varied to avoid boredom, doing anything from yoga to hiking. Although she admits that she still fulfills her cravings for Mac n' Cheese, she eats a small, responsible portion, which she says helps to keep her on track.
Twiggy
In the late '60s, 'the skinny model' look hit the London scene. Born Lesley Hornby, model Twiggy got her nickname because of her twig-like figure. At 5'6" and a size 4 (US size 0), Twiggy measured 32-23-32 at the peak of her modeling career. Twiggy has said, 'I'm not as skinny as I used to be, thank God. I'd look very strange if I was.'
Serena Williams
Tennis powerhouse Serena Williams is 5'9" and when she's at her on-court fittest, weighs in at 10.7 stone. The Texas native wears a size 14/16 and has worked on her goal of being less bulky over the past couple of years. She has said, 'I want women to know that it's okay, you can be whatever size you are and you can be beautiful inside and out. We're always told what's beautiful, and what's not, and that's not right.'
Cindy Crawford
Waif-like figures were out again in the late '80s when Cindy Crawford hit the modeling scene. One of the first true supermodels, Crawford stands tall and toned at 5'10" with a healthy build, quite the contrary from today’s stick-thin runway models. Joking about the world’s obsession with her enduring looks, size-10 Crawford told People magazine in 1993, 'Even I don't look like Cindy Crawford in the morning.'
Kate Moss
Style icon Kate Moss knows what it’s like to see society’s ideals of body image fluctuate over the years. In 1993, she posed for a controversial Calvin Klein ad looking very thin (and very topless). In 1999, Moss put on some weight (topping out at 7.5 stone at 5’7’’). By 2004, skinny was back, but in the form of the skinny jean, a trend that Moss started. 'I try to eat so I won't be so waiflike, but even if I do, I'm not going to become this voluptuous thing,' Moss, who wears a 4-6, has said.
Next Up: Celebrity beach bodies: guess who's who
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