Zoning in

Jayne Mansfield's bosom, Tina Turner's legs, J.Lo's backside and Angelina Jolie's lips: celebrities -- and their celebrated shapes -- have been transforming mere body parts into enviable erogenous zones, or "e-zones," for decades. This year, the stars are showcasing a curious mix of e-zones, from the overtly sexual "underboobage" (where the lower half of the breast below the nipple is on display) and exposed back to the neo-Victorian areas of the wrist and ankle.

While it may seem odd that wrists and ankles are considered erotic opposite the flashier underboobage, it's not unusual. In its quest to be fresh and relevant, fashion propels society's roving eye all over the body. James Laver, a renowned designer and historian, explained it best when he said, "The erogenous zone is always shifting and it is the business of fashion to pursue it, without ever catching it up." Psychologist John Flugel -- credited with coining the term "erogenous zone" -- also wrote about the industry's tendency to fixate on one particular body part, exhaust its erotic potential and then move on. This year's breast flash is a good example. Having exploited all the other lust-worthy areas, bustacular stars such as Pamela Anderson, Anna Nicole Smith and Britney Spears (before her pregnancy) are happily posing in ultra-cropped shirts for public appearances.

Earlier this year, Anderson was photographed at a Las Vegas casino sporting a pink-and-white V-neck top slightly larger than a handkerchief. "Underboobage is one trend that's going to become even more popular," predicts Kevin Jones, fashion historian at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles. "My colleagues and I talk about this... What part of the bosom will be revealed next?"

Hilary Swank can be credited with single-handedly launching this season's other hot e-zone -- the back. Wearing a high-neck, long-sleeve, backless, '40s-style, sapphire-blue Guy Laroche gown at this year's Academy Awards, she landed on all the best-dressed lists. The dazzling contrast of complete coverage in the front versus the shockingly low cut in the back made it a great dress," recalls David Wolfe, a creative director at The Doneger Group, a fashion merchandising and consulting firm in New York.