This is an interesting topic that comes up with my friends from time to time.
I think it is a combination of a lot of things. But I'll agree that the biggest part is perception. I recently looked back at my HS yearbooks from 88-91. I was amazed at how much cuter a bunch of the girls I knew were than I remembered. I think when you are 16 years old, your surrounded by girls at various stages of development. The ones that "hit" you with a "wow" are the ones that blossom early. You are so keen on those girls that you forget to notice some of the others. As we get older, we appreciate the beauty of youth a little more. We are so used to looking at women our own age or older in our daily lives, and we yearn for the beauty of a younger woman. Bottom line, a young boy doesn't appreciate what is right in front of his face. If I could relive HS with the knowledge I have now, I'd truly be a Don Juan.
But I also aknowledge some of the other things that contribute. Here's a list of things that I think help
1)Gyms. Women have access to gyms like never before. Also, where 30 years ago working out might have been seen as unfeminine, that is no longer the case at all. There are two new gyms going up within 2 miles of my home, and there are prolly 40+ facilities in my town for fitness....aerobics studios, small 24 hr gyms, full blown weight facilities, and several YMCAs. The equipment has gotten a lot better and easier to use, and some has been designed with women in mind.
2)Daddy's spoiling daughters. We live in a less conservative society where we spend more freely. I've seen girls whose daddy's make average incomes who go get breast implants and tummy tucks for their sweet 16 birthday. Parents want to give their kids a happy life and some will go into debt to do it. And there are so many cosmetic options available that are less frivolous but improve looks. Lasic surgery for the eyes to avoid glasses, contacts, braces,etc. Also, make-up is getting higher in quality at a cheaper price. Acne treatments are better. The list is endless.
3) Better diets. Though obesity is a problem in this country, good parents are in control of their kids diets, and I think many girls are benefiting from "what we know now" about protiens and carbs. My parents didn't even think about it, they just cooked what they felt like making. Also, fast food alternatives in urban areas offer lots of health oriented options like tofu etc.
4) hormones in food. As far as early bloomers go, I do believe that breast sizes are growing at an earlier age and on smaller frames. Thus, curvier girls.
5) Culture. I do believe that girls today are far less modest than even 20 years ago when I was a teen. In my day, Debbie Gibson was the teen star icon, and she was very cutsey and innocent. Now, Brittney Spears, Miley Cyrus and other Disney icons are girls role models, and they dress pretty provocatively. Also, while styles have been provacative since the 60s and even into the 40s, nowadays JUST ABOUT EVERY TEENAGE GIRL has permissive parents who feel guilty if they dont allow their daughters to dress like hookers.
And lastly, I do believe natural selection is probably a bit at work. I wonder if women think young men are cuter too?
Having said all that, I also believe that GROWN women are getting less attractive at an earlier age. Its unebelievable how many fat arses I meet my age, and I'm only 35.