28 thoughts on “Top 5 Curvaceous Historical Costume Ladies

    1. Or the original Hairspray, which totally nailed the early ’60s look for Ricki Lake—and Divine. And the cockroach gown at the end is iconic.

  1. When I saw the title of this piece, my first thought was: “Hendricks.” She’s just so utterly gorgeous in “Mad Men.” Always did love Joan and her fabulous style and red hair. Sigh.

  2. Christina Hendricks. SIIIIIIIGH… Might have to re-think my Straight status for her.

    (She and David Tennant are probably the two actors who might make me contemplate adultery…)

  3. What? No love for Camryn Manhiem? From The Road to Wellville to playing Gladys Presley, she’s done wonderful work as a plus sized actress.

    1. I adore Camryn Manhiem, but I feel like she’s retired since I haven’t heard anything about her in FOREVER (or is that f’ed up Hollywood?).

      1. Really?! She was in Harry’s Law with Kathy Bates, Person of Interest, and Younger in the last three years. I think she’s just not getting the billing that the younger actresses are anymore, which is a damned shame.

  4. Christina Hendricks also has a small role in the movie Leonie with Emily Mortimer which is set in the late1800-early1900s.

      1. There aren’t really any clips on youtube. I thought it was a really lovely movie, and it seems like hardly anyone has seen it!

  5. Queen Latifah in Bessie is smoking hot! I have always shied away from drop wasted outfits as I’m very curvaceous (even thin) and this was the first movie I thought otherwise. 1920’s/30’s styles are typically not friendly to plus sized woman and Latifah blew that idea out of the water. It honestly made me a lot happier about my size. Kathy Bates in Titanic would be a close second…

    (As much as I love the other women you’ve listed, they still aren’t exactly plus sized, even if Hollywood insists otherwise).

  6. Great to be reminded by Queen L. that larger, curvaceous ladies can rock the ’20s looks. I think of that as a period for the flat-chested, but she – and the costume designers – are an inspiration.

  7. If your going to look at (very small) cameos, Hendricks was actually in Angel as a tavern waitress in 18th century Ireland (which is admittedly really only interesting in that it probably led to her part on Firefly).

  8. Katy Bates was also in Warm Springs which is America 1920s/30s but they dress her on the dowdy side there.

  9. I LOVE THIS POST! One small correction?

    I love that she’s not tiny by ANY means but she rocks it.”

    Should be she’s not tiny by ANY means AND she rocks it!

  10. Bates was the best thing in “Cheri” (apart from the production values and certain scenes with that Friend dude). Michelle Pfeiffer’s Lea was supposed to be a gorgeous, well-upholstered Belle Epoque woman of the world and pushing 50, not a skinny California girl. As for the Winslet, I love the non-thin Kate to the point that I wrote an angry e-mail to Vogue after they put her on the cover, so air-brushed that she was unrecognizable.

  11. I’m volunteering Hayley Atwell! She has a beautiful figure and her costume designer for Agent Carter accentuated it perfectly, especially in season 2. The ’40s isn’t always my favorite era clothing-wise but I was super impressed with all of her costumes.

  12. I was somewhat irritated that Coven didn’t cast Delphine La Laurie more accurately. Bates did a wonderful job, but often does one really see a conventionally “attractive” white woman repudiated for her crimes, however heinous? I think the impact would have been greater if La Laurie had been all big eyes and dark curls and slender figure as she apparently was in real life. Conventional beauty can hide deep evil, especially if society wants to ignore that evil, and that’s one of the biggest takeaways from her story in my mind.

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