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'''BWH''' is an abbreviation of '''[[breast|bust]]/[[waist]]/[[hip]] [[female body shape#Three inflection points|measurement]]'''. Also informally called '''[[vital statistics (disambiguation)|vital statistics]]''', these measurements are a common method of specifying [[body proportions]] for the purpose of fitting clothes.
'''BWH''' is an abbreviation of '''[[breast|bust]]/[[waist]]/[[hip]] [[female body shape#Three inflection points|measurement]]'''. Also informally called '''[[Vital_statistics_(measurements)|vital statistics]]''', these measurements are a common method of specifying [[body proportions]] for the purpose of fitting clothes.


It is also often used in women's personal ads or Internet profiles to indicate their appearance.
It is also often used in women's personal ads or Internet profiles to indicate their appearance.

Revision as of 20:09, 20 June 2009

BWH is an abbreviation of bust/waist/hip measurement. Also informally called vital statistics, these measurements are a common method of specifying body proportions for the purpose of fitting clothes.

It is also often used in women's personal ads or Internet profiles to indicate their appearance.

In human body measurement, the three sizes are the circumferences of bust, waist and hips; usually rendered as three sizes: xx-yy-zz in centimeters or inches. The three sizes are used mostly in fashion, and almost exclusively in reference to women. In many demographics in the western world, the ideal sizes for a woman are said to be 36-24-36 (90-60-90 cm). [1]

BWH measurements and perception

Because cup size is not measured (or at best obliquely measured) in BWH measurements, breast volume will have an effect on the perception of a woman's figure even when BWH measurements are nominally the same. A woman with measurements of 36A-25-38 will have a different presentation than a woman with measurements of 36C-25-38. The former woman's rib cage is actually 35-36 inches in circumference, while the latter's is 33-34 inches around, a two inch difference. The result is that the latter woman will appear "bustier" and "hippier" than the former due to the apparent difference in bust to hip ratios (narrower shoulders, more prominent breasts) even though they are both "36-25-38".

Height will also affect the presentation of the figure. A woman who is 36-24-36 at 5'2" tall, looks different from a woman who is 36-24-36 at 5'8" tall. Since the latter woman's figure has greater distance between measuring points, she will likely appear thinner than her former counterpart, again, even though they share the same "measurements."

The use of BWH measurements for anything other than garment fitting is thus something of a shell game when applied to social body acceptance and evaluation.

Many store mannequins which were traditionally tall and thin in proportion, are being replaced with more shapely models, with biologically appealing BWH ratios.[1]

The Commodores song Brick House refers to the measurements 36-24-36

The Sir Mix-A-Lot song Baby Got Back refers to the BWH measurements 36-24-36.

The Violent Femmes song 36-24-36 frequently refers to the BWH measurement 36-24-36.

Nelly's hit single "Ride Wit Me" contains a stanza featuring a series of three two-digit numbers by which the artist makes a direct reference to a woman's BWH: "How could I tell her no? Her measurements were 36-25-34"

The AC/DC song Whole Lotta Rosie gives the Rubenesque Rosie's BWH measurements as 42-39-56.

The straight-to-DVD Futurama movie Into the Wild Green Yonder makes reference to the measurements 36-24-36 when character Zapp Brannigan signals the co-ordinates of Leela.

Bart Simpson used the numbers 36-24-36 as his locker combination.

In the AC/DC song Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap the numbers Bon sings aren't a phone number its the BWH 36-24-36

Jade of Mortal Kombat fame claims to be 36-24-36.

  1. ^ Khamsi, Roxanne (2007-01-10). "The hourglass figure is truly timeless". NewScientist.com news service.