I think I'd consider myself "curvy." I have a defined waist, have boobs, hips, and a butt. I'm not an extreme hourglass by any means, but there are some womanly curves. However, I don't like the word curvy.

First of all, there are too many definitions of the word, and everyone who uses it means it in an entirely different way. Some overweight and obese women call themselves curvy. Some men say they like curvy women, and they truly have a preference for obese and overweight or "BBW" women. To some, it just means "not skinny" as in average or a bit of chub. Others use it to exclusively describe extreme hourglass figures. Tiny waist and relatively huge chest and hips. But I swear, the vast majority of guys use it to describe women who are thin, they just have boobs and not a flat back end. Their ribs could be defined, flat stomach, skinny legs and arms, but if they have breast implants (or natural boobies) and any kind of hips at all, guys consider them curvy. Which is fine, don't get me wrong, but when a woman describes herself as curvy, it's not usually the same body type that a guy has in mind when he thinks "I like curvy women."

That all being said, I'm afraid to describe myself as curvy. So many people think "If a woman says she's curvy, she's just fat and avoiding saying it." And on the other hand, I don't want to inaccurately describe myself on the other end of the spectrum. I'm not a tiny-waisted girl with huge boobs and butt, lol. It just has too many meanings for too many people to the point that the word is useless.

Not that it really matters ultimately. I don't need to fall under any one lable of body type or anything. But the word gets thrown around so much, and I'm startly to develop a pet peeve about it. Does it bug anybody else, or am I just blowing steam, haha.

LOL! I don't like the word "skinny" it sounds sickly to me. I don't mind slender or tiny ... but I'm too much of a clod to ever be dainty

Words are funny, yes?

I like it fine.

mkendrick,
I hear you. I don't like the word 'curvy' for the same reasons as you.

I noticed that too. We have totaly different opinions about curvy.I have boobs and no butt, but there is an hourglass shape at all times for me, no matter how big I get. I love the word curvy, but don't use it on myself, cause guys do think of the Dolly Parton types when they think of the word.
I don't think I'll ever look like that version of curves, so I just refer to mine as an hourglass shape.

I like my definition of curvy, maybe not others.

Hmm, you've given me something to think about. I am that extreme hourglass you referenced so when I signed up on an internet dating site 2 weeks ago, I picked the description "curvy". Now you've got me wondering what people are thinking who read that description...

I love my curves so to me curvy is a compliment .

I like curvy...at least in the terms that my hubby uses it. There are a lot of words that have multiple meanings. To me curvy has about as many meanings as cars and cash. No matter what you call either of them I like them all. But of course you have every right to not like it.

I don't dislike the word curvy, I dislike that loads of people seem to use it in the wrong way, like the OP suggested, to avoid using the word "fat". As far as I was aware, "curvy" means a certain type of bust-waist-hips ratio. Now it gets thrown around way too much, I feel =(

Perhaps I should clarify...I don't dislike MY definition of curvy. And I'm also proud of what I consider my own "curves."

I just get frustrated with how many different connotations of the word there are. When somebody says "I am curvy" or "you are curvy" or "I like curvy women," I never know what the heck they mean.

Agreed! Also the word "thin" just reminds me of the old days with anorexia. I don't like it.

My boyfriend calls me "thick" because I carry my weight pretty evenly all over. I don't like that. haha I'd much prefer "curvy". Thick just sounds too hip hop for me, but when I was at my lowest weight I didn't mind "thick" because I didn't want to be super skinny....your mind changes with your body, I guess.

I think curvy can mean different things to different people, just like thin, skinny, fat, heavy, and overweight can mean different things to different people. There are ranges to everything. I wouldn't mind someone calling me skinny right now, because I'm not skinny, and if they did call me skinny, I'd know they meant it as a compliment. If when I'm thin, someone tells me I'm too skinny, that'll be a different story. Since everyone's idea of every descriptor gives them a different picture in their mind, I don't think you'll ever find a way to clarify any of them!

I'm curvy--but the trouble is, my curves are convex rather than concave. I'm more gut than butt. Reverse hourglass, maybe?

People do define different words different ways. It's unfortunate that "curvy" has become a euphemistic code-word for "fat." And there are others. The famous "queen size," "Rubenesque," "full-figured," etc., all mean "fat" in personal ads nowadays. (I think the guys say they're "husky" or "muscular" when they mean the same thing.)

But then we all have our different standards as to what constitutes what size range. I have heard female entertainers such as Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, and Raven Symone called "fat," when they don't look that way to me. Come to think of it, Kirstie Alley never really looked fat to me either. But, that's Hollywood and its unreasonable standards for you.

My idea of curvy is hourglass like, however I think the word has come to mean more like a few extra pounds but a nice way to say it. So no, I don't like it in the way that I think it's commonly used as now.