Upvote:7
Nothing modern about this trend at all - just witness this ancient Greek cuirass replete with muscle tendons, rib cage, and even a navel and two nipples:
This additional article traces the history of such Greek cuirasses through various stages of development.
As for why it is so prevalent, try asking your wife why she wears lipstick and high heels - appearance matters, in and of itself, beyond and even sometimes to the slight detriment of functionality. Even Neanderthals liked lipstick apparently.