Meet 1912’s Perfect Woman: Pear-Shaped, 171 Lbs, Doesn’t Know Fear
Meet 1912’s Perfect Woman: Pear-Shaped, 171 Lbs, Doesn’t Know Fear
100 years ago, the New York Times declared Elsie Schneel of Brooklyn the “most nearly perfect specimen of womanhood.”
The premise behind that assertion is kind of gross — a doctor at Cornell (Elsie’s alma mater) examined hundreds of female students to find the one who had the closest proportions to the Venus de Milo, which is creepy — but the old newspaper clippings themselves are delightful; headlines include “BEEFSTEAK HER MAINSTAY” (caps necessary!) and “Is Very Strong, Weighs 171 Pounds, and is 5 Feet 7 Inches Tall — Means to Grow Vegetables.”