I have to give kudos to those period piece types of movies and television shows when they cast women, or when they probably tell their actresses that they should really let their bodies look a certain way for the sake of realism. I just watched new episode of Game of Thrones, an HBO show that I’m absolutely obsessed with.
If you don’t know the show, it’s your typical HBO fare with quite a bit of nudity and adult themes. It’s superbly acted and the sets and costumes are amazing, making you feel exactly like you’ve gone back in time hundreds of years even though it is really a totally make believe fantasy world to begin with, not of this earth as we know it.
One thing I really love about the series is its authenticity and rawness. This can be seen in the thoughtful placement of not so white teeth, blackened faces and things that would be characteristic of that period and the amenities and lifestyles that abounded then.
This includes a different kind of femininity than we are accustomed to today. The women back then typically were not cut and toned like they are today. They were more lithe, perhaps a bit softer and less muscular, especially women of royal descent or of higher class because they didn’t really have to work for a living in a physical way unless they so chose to.
Something about the series’ portrayal of a softer, more feminine and perhaps a bit “pudgier” by today’s standards (although not pudgy really), makes me long for the days when women were not held to the hardbody standards they are today.
While it is true that this may be a healthier body type, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they were cardiovascularly fit from constant walks in the garden and the simple fact that there were not as many ways to get around back then so you had to do it the old fashioned way.
A few of the scenes in the show depict women who are much softer and less muscular, yet still very feminine. It’s very refreshing compared to the hyper-toned and skinny women we see on screen today with big fake boobs and other surgical enhancements.
I imagine they tell their actresses to lay off the working out, and perhaps if they need a waifish look, to just reduce their diet a bit but stop working out as well instead of the ridiculous standards of having to work out AND eat nothing that so many actresses seem relegated to these days.
Believe me, I still believe in working out. I still like when my body looks more muscular and sculpted. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. But I’m also a product of my generation and my society, which has placed a high value on physical fitness. Sometimes that feminine side of me just loves to see the softer curves of yesteryear, when Buns of Steel wasn’t even dreamt up yet and the fitness craze hadn’t yet invaded both the feminine and masculine world.













