Take a glance downward and say hello to your cleavage. Chances are, the amount you’re revealing today might not have always been considered acceptable. Depending on the historical era, you could have been deemed scandalously indecent—or surprisingly modest. The history of cleavage ideals is anything but straightforward, marked by dramatic shifts and surprising contradictions.
At various points, full, lifted breasts were symbols of aristocratic status, while in other times, women went to great lengths to flatten their chests into boyish silhouettes. Cleavage has even sparked public outrage in one decade, only to be glorified the next. Over the centuries, breasts have taken on the forms of flat panels, pointed cones, bullet shapes, and soft curves, proving that fashion trends extend far beyond hemlines and headwear.
It’s fascinating to consider how necklines have risen and fallen in tandem with changing social and political climates. In many ways, the presentation of cleavage can reveal just as much about a society as a history textbook. So, let’s dive into the past and explore how standards for showing off cleavage have shifted through the ages—through seven distinct transformations that reflect what different eras thought about women and their bodies.
Pre-1800s: The Original No-Bra Era
Before the prudish standards of the Victorian era took hold, cleavage was not just accepted—it was celebrated. Low-cut gowns and exposed décolletages were all the rage, particularly among the wealthy and fashionable. Aristocratic women favored French-style dresses with deep, square necklines that plunged daringly low—often nearly to the nipples. With the help of tightly laced corsets, cleavage was pushed upward and outward, creating a dramatic, overflowing silhouette.
This revealing style wasn’t limited to one class; from royalty to courtesans, women across society embraced the low neckline. Iconic figures like Queen Mary II in the 1600s and Marie Antoinette in the 1700s proudly displayed their cleavage both in public court settings and in formal portraits. In this era, cleavage wasn’t necessarily viewed as provocative—it was a symbol of wealth, refinement, and social standing.
Victorian Era: The Great Cover-Up
According to the BBC, the Victorian era ushered in a wave of Puritanical values that drastically changed society’s view of cleavage. Gone were the days when women could casually display a heaving bosom while strolling through town or shopping at the market. Modesty took center stage, and necklines climbed skyward—often reaching near turtleneck levels. Dresses featured heavy fabrics, high collars, and stiff corsets, leaving women buttoned up to their chins, both literally and figuratively.
To understand just how taboo even a hint of exposed skin had become, consider John Singer Sargent’s now-famous Portrait of Madame X. The painting, which depicts a woman in a sleek, low-cut black gown with one strap slipping suggestively off her shoulder, caused an uproar when it was unveiled in Paris in 1884. As reported by The Guardian, the reaction was so scandalized that Sargent’s reputation was ruined, and he was eventually forced to leave the city. But not before he was ordered to repaint the strap securely onto the woman’s shoulder—erasing any trace of impropriety. If even fashion-forward Paris couldn’t handle a glimpse of cleavage, it’s clear just how buttoned-up the era truly was.
1920s: The Flapper Flattening
Eager to break away from the voluptuous, hourglass ideal of the Gibson Girl that defined their parents’ generation, women of the 1920s—especially flappers and fashion-forward trendsetters—embraced a radically different silhouette. The goal? To achieve the popular “boyish” or “boy-girl” look that celebrated slim, straight lines over curves.
To pull this off, many women took drastic measures to downplay their busts. Some tightly bandaged their chests, while others turned to specially designed bust-flatteners—early versions of compression undergarments—that strapped everything down for a flat, youthful appearance. In the Roaring Twenties, curves were out, and androgyny was in
1950s: Wiggle, Jiggle, and All the Curves
By the time the 1950s rolled around, the flat-chested flapper look was firmly out, and the hourglass figure was back in full force. But unlike the Victorian era—where curves were constrained and concealed—this time, they were front and center, celebrated rather than suppressed.
Pop culture icons like Bettie Page lit up the scene with playful, sexy pin-up photos, while Marilyn Monroe made curves undeniably glamorous. Bras were engineered into bold, cone-like shapes, giving chests a pointed, attention-grabbing silhouette that came to define the “sweater girl” look.
As Malcolm MacLachlan explains in Embodiment: Clinical, Critical, And Cultural Perspectives On Health And Illness, stars such as Lana Turner and Jane Russell were dubbed “sweater girls” thanks to their distinct bustlines—firm, perky, and unmistakably outlined under soft, form-fitting cashmere. The style struck a balance between wholesome and daring, and women across America eagerly embraced it, aiming to capture that perfect mix of flirtatious charm and all-American appeal.
1960s: Burn the Bra, Embrace the Vibe
During the rise of second-wave feminism in the 1960s, conversations about patriarchy and the objectification of women took center stage. Many feminists viewed items like bras, lipstick, and hair curlers as symbols of female oppression, tools that kept women confined to traditional, sexualized roles. This led to the iconic bra burnings—or at least symbolic bra un-hookings—that became a powerful statement of liberation.
Nipples began to peek out naturally beneath soft cotton shirts and angora sweaters, reflecting a newfound freedom. Designers such as Yves Saint Laurent embraced this shift, creating sheer blouses designed to be worn without a bra.
But it wasn’t just feminism fueling this change. The free love movement of the counterculture era—with its liberal politics, long hair, and open attitudes toward sex—also championed the bra-less lifestyle, making it a defining feature of the 1960s’ rebellious spirit.
1980 Sexuality Turned Up to Eleven
The 1980s were all about owning your sexuality and showcasing a sculpted, gym-toned physique. Women became increasingly body-conscious, dedicating themselves to weightlifting and fitness to achieve those chiseled, powerful silhouettes—then pairing that strength with sharp, power-dressing. With toned muscles and confident shapes, they also felt freer to flaunt their figures.
Popular TV shows like Dallas and Dynasty helped bring erotic lingerie into the spotlight, inspiring women to indulge in luxurious, feminine undergarments beneath their mannish suits. The decade’s signature look combined machine-sculpted bodies with sexy lingerie and shoulder-padded blazers, making deep, plunging cleavage not only more common but also less taboo than before.
2000s: When Cleavage Took Center Stage
Water bras, gel bras, push-ups, and Wonderbras—cleavage was definitely not shy in the 2000s. In fact, the bigger, the better was the prevailing attitude. With lingerie giants like Victoria’s Secret pulling in over $6 billion annually, breast implants holding the top spot as the most popular cosmetic surgery in the U.S., and designers such as Balmain and Roberto Cavalli embracing and accentuating the female form, it was clear: more boob meant more femme.
The 2010s: Cleavage Without Limits
Today, boobs come in all shapes and styles. Unlike the cleavage-heavy days of Pamela Anderson just a decade ago or the androgynous vibes of the ’90s inspired by Kate Moss, there’s no single “ideal” anymore.
Celebrities and everyday people alike switch effortlessly between push-ups, high necklines, or going braless—sometimes all in the same week. I like to think this reflects a shift away from rigid beauty standards that feel arbitrary and exclusionary. It’s a reminder that people with boobs—like everyone else—have changing tastes and moods. Some days you want to show it all off; other days, you just want to cozy up in a turtleneck. And honestly? That’s perfectly okay.
Looking back—from the exposed nipples of the 1700s, to the flat-chested ’20s, the bra-free ’60s, and the full-on cleavage craze of the 2000s—the history of cleavage has been a rollercoaster of prudishness and liberation. It moves in waves, and who knows where the next trend will take us? One thing’s for sure: the story of boobs is far from over.
