There are trends in body-sculpting, though, just as there are trends as to whether or not black is in. This year the Oscar Red Carpet has upped the ante for us women.  Here’s what you need to know:

Sculpted arms have been haute couture for a few years now.  A svelte Hollywood arm has a nice musculature that is not cut too hard.  If you’d like to know how to get arms like some of these Hollywood stars, click over to my video for a quick, effective arm workout.  Amanda Seyfried, Zoe Saldana and Demi Moore all showed off their fabulous arms.

Decolletage. It appears a memo went out about not wearing necklaces at award galas, so until the moratorium is lifted we’ll have to focus on our decolletage as well.  This means lots of pushups and chest flys at the gym, then a really good push up bra!  Tina Fey and Elizabeth Banks show off their cleavage.

Derriere. A-line skirts are still popular but quite a few actresses were sporting very fitted gowns.  Their booties were on full display.  Ladies this is typically where our fat settles, so get ready to up the cardio and the leg work.  Think squats, lunges and side-lying leg work.  Vera Farmiga and Elizabeth Banks show off their back sides.

While I said it would be easier to claim an Oscar-worthy body then it would be to garner an Oscar-worthy dress, that doesn’t mean it’s easy!  Actresses getting ready for roles will frequently exercise 3 to 4 hours a day before they begin filming.  But remember, they have an arsenal of personal trainers, Pilates instructors, nutritionists, and massage therapists to keep them looking amazing.

If you’d like to give it a go, set up a workout schedule and clear the rest of your calendar.  You’re going to need it.  Good luck!  Let me know how you do.  :-)

Lisa

Greta Garbo 1930s, at the track

Marlene Dietrich 1930s

In the 1940s things hadn’t changed much. Apparently Rosie the Riveter, a cartoon, could be strong but real ladies still needed to be demure. I found a bathing suit still of Veronica Lake, a stunning, beautiful woman. How many of you think she’d make it in Hollywood today?

A lovely Ava Gardner, 1940s

Veronica Lake 1940s

By the 1950s there were a few pics of the stars working out. There is a famous one of Marilyn Monroe with weights, but this didn’t translate much into sleeker arms. You can notice a little more muscle tone though. If anything voluptuous was the buzzword for the 1950s and our screen idols reflected that.

Marilyn Monroe 1950s

Bridge Bardot 1950s

The 1960s brought us back to a thinner period. Perhaps the somber news from Vietnam toned down the curves. We were treated to such delightful actresses as Audrey Hepburn and Bridget Bardot. The ideals of beauty slimmed down and arms right along with them.

One of the most famous bikini shots ever. Ursula Andress 1960s

Audrey Hepburn, a 1960s stunner

The 1970s brought the first extreme body type. The actress/model Twiggy best exemplifies the waif look, a look that reappears from time to time on the pages of Vogue. These girls didn’t exercise. They couldn’t have, they had to conserve what little calories they ate just to function! I added the other famous bathing suit shot here, Farrah Fawcett’s block-buster poster.

Twiggy, 1970s

Farrah's famous 1970s poster

By the 1980s the fitness craze was roaring along. People were “jogging” and “working out” There were even movies set in those new fangled things called “health clubs.” We watched Olivia Newton John get Physical and we watched Jane Fonda make a small fortune with video workout tapes. The two words thin and toned started to be put together with regularity.

LOVE the legwarmers. Jane Fonda 1980s

Olivia Newton John Get's Physical, 1980s

And then there was 1992. An explosion happened: Terminator 2 and Linda Hamilton. Linda trained for the role as a Commando Mom with heavy weight training. You can pretty much single-handedly credit the entire modern Hollywood fitness industry to Linda. When I heard about how she looked I had to see the movie. Not for the plot or special effects, I needed to see those arms! This decade has brought a combination of the previous decades. We’ve had moments of really toned arms (Drew Barrymore’s Charlie’s Angels), the waif look comes through every once in a while (Gwyneth Paltrow) and we’ve had the sleek, svelte look from the 1960s too (Charlize Theron). What is clear is that celebrity arms will continue to change as our society does. We might get more toned, we might get more sleek and there will be lots of celebrity trainers there to give us fitness tips and help us get there.

Linda Hamilton shows off those fabulous arms. 1990s	Looking sleek in the 2000s, Charlize Theron does '60s redux
Charlies Angels show off their bodies a la 2000s. Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu	Gwyneth Paltrow exudes a '70s vibe for this recent photo

I’d love to know your thoughts. This is one of my favorite posts to date! I hope you enjoyed it. Lisa