Marilyn Monroe was the 1950s pin-up girl.

1900s:

1950s:

Black magazines like Ebony preach the advantages of lighter skin.

Training bras and girdles become common.

Marilyn Monroe epitomizes shifting beauty standards, with a change in focus from weight to large breasts.

1959: Phentermine (Phen), an appetite suppressant that increases the body’s metabolism, is approved by the Federal Drug Administration to help speed weight loss.