Shaving the underarms and legs didn't really start happening in the US until 1915-30 or so. Fashions looked better with smoothness and there was also a bit of a public panic over issues of hygiene that were solved via razor (and deodorants). read more
At the turn of the 20th century, women didn’t wax or shave, but with a little marketing and a dash of body shaming, that changed fast. Media and marketing created ads that made women feel embarrassed about having body hair. read more