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However, this royal consort unfortunately fell victim to arthritis in 1867, rendering her with a limp and reliant on a cane for mobility. This sparked a trend among fashionable women in London to adopt canes without any genuine necessity. Consequently, the practice of cane-walking and limping became so widespread that some manufacturers even began selling shoes with uneven heels to assist limping ladies more conveniently.
2. Wearing Slim-Fit Skirts
From 1908 to 1914, stylish women began sporting tightly fitted skirts that hugged their legs. It is believed that Edith Ogilby Berg served as the inspiration behind these skirts. Berg, known as the first American woman to experience air travel services, ingeniously secured her skirt around her ankle with a string to prevent it from flying away, a method that caught on with others.
However, this was deemed a rather inconvenient trend as it made it challenging for those wearing such skirts to move around or even sit comfortably.
3. Paper Attire Craze
Today, paper towels are ubiquitous items used for cleaning purposes. However, in the 20th century, paper served as a material for crafting fashionable attire, particularly dresses sold to affluent ladies. The trend of paper clothing originated from the Scott Paper Company in 1966 when they commenced production of paper dresses priced at $1.25.
Other manufacturers followed suit and began producing paper clothing for children, wedding dresses, even raincoats and bikinis made of paper that could only be used two to three times. Although not durable, it was still a popular type of clothing at the time due to its affordability.
In the 18th century, the trend of 'lightning rod hats' flourished in Europe.
In the mid-18th century, Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod. By the end of this century, ladies and gentlemen began wearing hats and umbrellas equipped with mobile lightning rods. Accordingly, the hats of those ladies would have a strip of metal ribbon extending backward and touching the ground to protect the wearer each time this mini lightning rod attracted lightning bolts.
Gentlemen were not exempt from this trend as they possessed accessories such as umbrellas with long sticks attached with metal wires touching the ground.
Men also suffered from fashion in the 18th and 19th centuries, with some gentlemen being obsessed with their appearance to the point of spending a lot of money on clothing. These men often wore stiff plastic collar shirts and even corsets and tight trousers to appear slimmer.
Not only women suffered from fashion, but in the 18th and 19th centuries, some gentlemen were also so obsessed with their appearance that they spent a lot of money on clothes. These men often wore stiff plastic collar shirts, and even corsets and tight trousers to appear slimmer.
One of the most famous dandies at this time was George Brummell, who spent up to 10 hours just dressing and had up to three hairdressers: one to cut the front, another for the back, and a third for the strands on the forehead.
6. Facial scars were something many men coveted.
From the 1930s to the 1950s, in Germany and the Netherlands, having scars from hand-to-hand combat was considered fashionable. These scars meant that the man was a desirable candidate for starting a family.
Although these scars were not harmful to health, they symbolized the bravery of the owner. Some men even tried to create fake scars to appear more impressive and attractive to women.
7. In the 18th century, men wore makeup and masks at night.
In the 18th century, many men wore wigs made from human hair, horsehair, and sheep wool, along with satin, silk, and heavy makeup no less than women. They whitened their skin, applied blush to their cheeks and lips, while also darkening their eyebrows for bolder lines. They also used masks and freckle cream, wore perfume, and used other beauty products.
8. Women favored flat chests in the 1920s.
In the 1920s, many Western women defied societal norms. These women were bold enough to ask men out, wore daring clothes, left their coats unbuttoned, and sported short hair. Moreover, instead of wearing bras that enhanced their busts and minimized their waists, they preferred flattening garments that made their chests appear flatter. Thus, the flat chest became a trend for a while.
Source: Bright Side
