What is the 'Ideal' Body Type?

Working in fashion, I spend my days looking at very young, very slender bodies. All day. Every day. So it goes without saying that my perception of what is ideal is somewhat warped. It doesn't help that I spent a good bit of my youth in traditional ballet training. To my affected mind, skinny is where it's at.

I try not to let these affectations take over completely. I'm a thinking adult and I know that diversity... curves... cushion... all that jazz. Still, I feel myself wanting to push it to the limits of what's healthy for my height. So I consult the following chart:



Hmm, 120? I remember that weight range - wearing an XS. I was underweight. My parents even staged a half-ass intervention. I can remember what it felt like to let go of my grip of reason and fall into that hole. To start to love the pain of hunger. To feel like it was an accomplishment of some sort. Yikes. This is a bit deeper than I wanted to go tonight.

Anyhow, I'm smarter than to want starvation now. But I certainly do crave the svelte joys of a two piece. In my adult life I've found it difficult to find and maintain that happy medium. Hmm... MEDIUM. I can live with that.