Wow, sizes must have been really different back then, because she was still tiny after she had the baby, but she's complaining about all the weight she's gained. Today, she'd be a size 2 or 4, but says she's more than a 10? Either way, ET sure was pretty back then.
shareDifferent times, different sizing
shareI've read many times that today's American size 4 was a size 8 in the 1940s. Sizes increased for marketing reasons, to make women feel smaller.
Also, the film is set in Paris, so perhaps Liz was referring to a French size?
Either way, she looked beautiful as always!
Vintage sizes were very different up intil the 70s and 80s. I size 2 or 4 would have been an 8 or 10.
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I caught that too. I thought it was the times...and European sizes might be different too.
shareToday's size 10 is more or less a vintage size 18, (waist 29 1/2) , so she was really more like a today's 2 or 4. So whenever someone talks about Marilyn Monroe's size 18, remember she was probably more like an 8/10.
shareI laughed at that line from ET but liked the way Van Johnson said he'd still love every roll, or something like that. Now there's a man who says the right thing!
Exactly! Monroe was never the "plus-size" woman of current mythology. She did gain weight for a few years, but was never more than a 1950's size 12. (In the "Misfits" her character even says she's a size 12.)
When both Taylor and MM were slender, they were downright TINY.
Elizabeth is extremely lovely in "The Last Time I Saw Paris" and had already given birth to two children.
And, for a woman who had children, she was still stunning. Today's skinny actresses can't hold a candle to real, womanly curves. So glad that Scarlet Johannsen and Mad Men's Christina Hendricks are finally reigniting the interest in real women's bodies. The tiny roll of belly fat Elizabeth has is honest and beautiful. All women have fat there.
shareThis movie begins with the liberation of Paris (August 1944) Liz Taylor's dress size was a 10 (U.S.), probably a size 2 or 4 today- depending on the design and designer
In 1931 -1955 dress patterns (height between 5'3" & 5'6") were as follows:
A size 10 corresponded with a bust of 33.5 inches , a waist of 24.5 inches and hips 35.5 inches.
Today a size 2 dress (American size) would be a size 32 or 34 in France.
Shoe sizes are also in double digits compared to American sizes.
I wear a 7 (U.S.), a pair of Channel pumps that I bought in Paris, size 37 is stamped on the box (too lazy to check the shoe lol)
I can remember an episode of "I Love Lucy" where she buys a dress in a size 10. And also Esther Williams mentions in her biography that she wore a size 10 at the height of her career. So that was obviously a smaller size back then, and probably considered the standard for a good figure in the 1950's.
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