Dr. Megan Johnson McCullough – For millions of women around the world, running a razor over their legs is a routine, almost part of the shower ritual. Women shaving their legs seems like a grooming standard. The expectation for women to have hair-free legs is a surprisingly recent cultural phenomenon.
Throughout most of Western history, women’s leg hair was irrelevant because long dresses and petticoats kept legs hidden from view. The cultural shift toward hairless legs began in 1915 when Harper’s Bazaar ran an advertisement featuring a woman in a sleeveless gown with her arms raised, declaring underarm hair unfashionable. That exact year, Gillette launched the Milady Décolleté, the first safety razor specifically to women. This opened the commercial floodgates for female body hair removal.
As flapper fashion emerged in the 1920s, outfits revealed women’s lower legs for the first time in Western society. Sheer stockings initially smoothed out appearance, beauty brands seized the opportunity to promote bare, silky skin underneath. However, during World War II, silk and nylon were rationed for military gear like parachutes and cordage. Women were left without stockings. By the time the war concluded, bare, smooth legs were the standard of modern femininity.
The tools women use has evolved since those early safety razors. Today, multi-blade cartridge razors are the most common choice. Bow razors have pivoting heads, built-in moisture bars, and quick convenience. Their expensive refills and plastic waste remain drawbacks. Plastic disposable razors are cheap and lightweight for travel despite a
higher risk of nicks.
Research estimates that the average woman who shaves regularly spends roughly 1,728 hours, or 72 entire days, of her lifetime removing body hair. Shaving legs requires covering about 18 times more surface area than shaving a typical man’s facial beard area. By the mid-1960s, an astounding 98% of American women aged 15 to 44 routinely shaved their legs. Between 80% and 85% of Western women still maintain the habit today. Younger generations are increasingly treating body hair as an optional personal preference rather than an obligation. The industry has faced scrutiny over the pink tax, which refers to how women’s razors are priced 10% to 15% higher than identical men’s versions.
Ultimately, body grooming has come full circle. What started as an aggressive advertising campaign and a wartime necessity has transformed into a matter of personal comfort and style. Today, every individual is free to decide whether to shave or embrace natural growth.
