By Holly St. Lifer
1920's
Louise Brooks
This iconic silent film actress personified the flapper image during the decade of swinging jazz. Though she appeared in 24 films within just eight years, before hitting it big in Hollywood, Brooks worked as a dancer, which most likely helped to keep her petite frame in shape. Her slim, boy-shaped body became the ideal for women during the decade: No waist, small breasts, lean legs and a flat backside. This new "modern" look was a huge departure from the exaggerated and corseted curves that dominated the Victorian era, and we saw it come back in vogue nearly forty years later thanks to another pin-thin icon on our list.
John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images
1930's
Betty Grable
Renowned as the girl with the "million dollar legs," Betty Grable's bathing suit photo made her the number one pin-up during World War II. Her legs were reportedly so incredible that her studio insured them for $1 million (hence the nickname). When asked how she maintained her slim 112-pound frame, she told The Evening Independent, "I found the best way to take off weight is to dance." But Grable was quick to note that she wasn't naturally slim, admitting that she had put on about 10 pounds during a time she had stopped dancing. As for her eating habits, Grable said, "If I get a bit heavy I can stop eating for two days and the weight goes down immediately." However, the beautiful blond made it clear she'd only take her sacrifices for weight loss so far. "If dieting made me unhappy or irritable, I'd say to heck with it."
Ralph Crane, Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
1940's
Veronica Lake
At just 4 feet, 11 inches, Veronica Lake hails as one of the hottest pin-ups in spite of her height. The sexy siren's blond coif covering the right side of her forehead and often her eye earned her the nickname, "Peek-A-Boo Girl." Her measurements were 33-21½-33½ and she weighed between 90 and 98 pounds. She reportedly recommended the regular use of enemas for purging pounds, consisting of a gallon of water and lemon juice. Yikes! While this practice may sound extreme, the '40s were know for outrageous diet trends, including the debut of the Master Cleanse (which was recently made popular again by stars like Beyonce) and ad campaigns promoting smoking for weight loss.
John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images
1950's
Marilyn Monroe
Her hourglass figure is still considered one of the sexiest of all time, but Marilyn Monroe worked to get that amazing body. In 1952, the actress, whose killer curves reportedly measured 37-23-36, shared the details of her diet and exercise routine in an article for Pageant magazine called "How I Stay in Shape." The blond bombshell did a daily series of arm moves using five-pound weights and ate mostly protein. Apparently, her sole carb source was a few carrots each night with dinner. For breakfast Monroe drank a cup of warmed milk with two raw eggs whipped in. Her one indulgence: Hot fudge sundaes.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
1960's
Twiggy
After being offered a modeling contract at 16, Twiggy quickly became the most famous model in the world during the '60s. At 91 pounds, her stick-thin physique was a complete departure from the voluptuous bodies of the 1950s. Though her body was blamed for encouraging anorexia, much the way Nicole Richie and Lindsay Lohan's were in recent years, Twiggy has been quoted as saying she "ate like a horse" during her slender years. However, now the 59-year-old says her pin-thin days are over. She told the Daily Mail, "In my early forties, I developed a bit of a middle-age spread, so now I follow a healthy-eating regime. I don't believe in dieting, it's all just so boring."
Popperfoto/Getty Images
1970's
Raquel Welch
Raquel Welch's wild mane and curvaceous measurements (37-22½-35) secured her place in history as the ultimate sex symbol. The living legend has a mouthful to say about her stay-slim plan: "I'm constantly on a diet and I hate it… I'm allowed one cup of carbohydrates per day, and it's brown rice or bran, oats, spelt toast. Two meals can be a quarter pound of animal protein with green vegetables, but no starch vegetables…I have three fruits a day and lots of water. I love bread, pancakes, burritos and pizza. But I have to stick to the diet, because it makes me look and feel better."
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
1980's
Cindy Crawford
During the era of the supermodel, Cindy was the top body on the catwalks. She flaunted her fabulous 5-foot-9 figure on just about every fashion magazine and went on to create her own exercise DVDs with long-time trainer Radu Teordescu. Back then, the ideal size for a model was a 6 -- unheard of today where a 0 is considered the perfect size among models and actresses. Now in her mid-forties, Crawford still rocks a fit and healthy-looking figure. She sticks to regular workouts and is a devotee of the Zone Diet, an eating plan that controls portions and is focused on carefully balanced meals.
Ron Galella, WireImage
1990's
Pamela Anderson
Once this former Baywatch babe put on her famous red bathing suit, boys everywhere were hooked on Pamela Anderson. Though the buxom blond isn't exactly au natural, she still sticks to a strict vegetarian diet (she is an animal rights activist and PETA spokeswoman) to maintain her shape. Oh, and Anderson isn't shy about sharing that amazing body: She's graced the cover of Playboy a record 12 times.
Everett Collection
2000s
Halle Berry
Before becoming a mom, this Oscar-winning actress kept her figure flawless thanks to celebrity trainer Harley Pasternack's 5-Factor Fitness. The five-days-a-week workout program paid off when Berry flaunted her bod in unforgiving skin-tight leather as Catwoman and in a sexy orange bikini as a Bond girl. Curvy and fit, Berry's body was one both men and women admired. Today, the 41-year old mom is still a knock out thanks to regular workouts with trainer Ramona Braganza's 321 Baby Bulge Be Gone program.
MGM
Today
Megan Fox
This sultry beauty currently holds the title of hottest body in Hollywood. Ever since she leaned over that Camaro in "Transformers," the world hasn't been able to stop starring at Megan Fox. Twice named the Sexiest Woman Alive by FHM magazine, Fox has said she doesn't have a regular diet and fitness routine, but she did take on a pretty intense workout regimen that included body-weight intervals and a cardio blast to get in shape for Transformers. When she's not prepping for a role, the actress has admitted to doing vinegar cleanses to lose weight. "I'm not one for dieting or exercising, 'cause I'm lazy and I have a really big sweet tooth, so I have to do cleanses every once in a while 'cause of the amount of sugar I take in."
Jens Schlueter, AFP/Getty Images
Hottest Bodies of All Time
