Throughout history and across all cultures, is it more common for women to shave their legs or go unshaven?

Answer 1

Shaving the hair from various parts of our bodies goes back, for both men and women to the beginnings of our culture. The concept has often been tied into ideas of "cleanliness" (as with the ancient Egyptians, or the modern fashion of shaving pubic hair) rather than the idea of "infantizing" the body. Here is a "fun" (not overly historical) site with a fair timeline for shaving fashions: http://www.quikshave.com/timeline.htm
In answer to your question, if we look throughout history and cultures, then fashions are usually the privilege of those who have the time and money to indulge in them - so I would have to go with the earlier answerer who said unshaven.

Answer 2

I guess with the "throughout history" in the question, the unshaven probably wins. Think about the clothing fashion even just 150 years ago. Shaving just wouldn't matter.

Answer 3

Go unshaven is more common. I found out from a history teacher/friend that shaving legs and armpits was a trend that got started by a rich pervert, whose name I cannot recall, who wanted his women to look young like a little girl. Because he was rich, he got his way and others followed suit and then, it became fashionable.

Answer 4

I'd have to say unshaven--mostly because for most of history there was no way for women to shave. And even now women get to lazy to shave. Gross, I know, but that's sometimes the way it is.

Answer 5

unshaven is common across all the cultures....it comes when the fashion shows and modeling become popular and shorts and minis are coming in fashion

Answer 6

not an expert but the guess is that unshaven legs were the norm until legs became visible in the 20th century.

Answer 7

Shaving was a manly matter - something males did to clean off the hair they got during the day. It was just not womanly to shave back then - same as it was chopping wood and being a blacksmith. It was a matter of society and what religion thought of it.

Answer 8

Most upperclass women in the past 2000+ years shaved. Why? It is easier for avoid vermin such as fleas and lice if you are hairless. Of course, you had to be able to afford something made out of metal, like a razor, and they were probably out of the reach of the pockets of most of the peasantry.

Answer 9

"Throughout history", it would probably more common for women to go unshaven.

Answer 10

I'd be interested to see the percentages of women who shave their legs even today...!

Even with shaving/ waxing/ etc more popular than ever before, I doubt it would reach 20% of total women worldwide...but they are the rich and powerful 20% no doubt.