The evolution of sex appeal: 100-year-old postcard images of 'sexy' women from around the world show how the idea of a perfect pin-up has gone from dainty and demure to raunchy and risque. These days, if you send a postcard home from your travels (and not just an email), it's likely to feature an image of a famous landmark like the Eiffel Tower, the Trevi Fountain, the Empire State Building, or perhaps - depending on your pen pal - a picture of a stunning woman posing provocatively on a beach while wearing a barely-there bikini. But while these stereotypical 'wish you were HER' style postcards are today deemed to be somewhat tacky, a century ago, postcards featuring photos of women were much more commonplace - specifically, photos of pretty women who represented the beauty ideals and fashion trends of the day in any particular place in the world.

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