BWH is an abbreviation of bust, waist, and 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]
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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.
References in popular culture
Many store mannequins which were traditionally tall and thin in proportion, are being replaced with more shapely models, with biologically appealing BWH ratios.[2]
The Deez Nuts song "Sex Sells" refers to 36-24-36.
The Guns and Roses song "Welcome to the Jungle" refers to 36-24-36.
The Jin song "36-24-36 (Applebottom Jeans)" refers to the BWH measuremeant 36-24-26.
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.
The Red Devils song "She's Dangerous" Refers to- in the chorus- "She's dangerous, she's 36-24-36, 'she got a big ol' bag of tricks".
The Frank Zappa song "Wonderful Wino" from Zoot Allures features the line "36-24, hips about thirty..."
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 AC/DC song "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" makes reference to 362436 as the narrator's phone number.
The straight-to-DVD film Futurama: 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.
Jade of Mortal Kombat fame claims to be 36-24-36.
The 1980's group Ready for the World sung a song called "Digital Display" where they reference the measurements 36-24-36.
In many games and manga, BWH measurements are used to profile various female characters
In the Ugly Betty Season 4 episode, Level (7) With Me, Wilhelmina opens a safe with the combination 36-24-36, which she says are her measurements.
See also
References
- ^ Khamsi, Roxanne (2007-01-10). "The hourglass figure is truly timeless". NewScientist.com news service. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn10927.
- ^ Navarro, Mireya (2004-11-14). "Store Mannequins Can Now Breathe Out". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/fashion/14MANN.html. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
External links
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