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Many people imagine those from the nineteenth century as rigid, excessively formal, and blindly conforming to societal norms, much like the stereotypical Stepford wife. However, the truth is that our Victorian forebears often embraced eccentricities just as we do today. Below are ten peculiar trends that gained fame—or infamy—during the Victorian era (1837–1901). As the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
10. Tattooing
While tattoos are widely accepted today, they were once reserved for sailors and criminals in the nineteenth century. This changed in 1862 when the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, decided to get inked during a trip to Jerusalem. This sparked a trend among the wealthy and elite, though they kept their tattoos discreet. By 1898, R.J. Stephen wrote in the Harmsworth Monthly Pictorial Magazine that approximately 100,000 Londoners had tattoos. Prominent figures like Tsar Nicholas II, Prince and Princess Waldemar of Denmark, and King Oscar of Sweden were among the tattooed Victorians.
9. Fasting Girls
Victorian society became fascinated with “fasting girls”—young women who seemingly survived without eating. However, the truth was far from miraculous; these individuals were frauds, secretly eating while claiming to live on air alone. Their motives ranged from seeking fame and attention to financial gain. One famous example was Mollie Fancher, known as the Brooklyn Enigma, who allegedly went without food for fourteen years.
8. Hysterical Paroxysm
From around 1859, “hysteria” became a blanket diagnosis for women. Nervousness? Hysteria. Sadness? Hysteria. Desire to confront a cheating spouse violently? Hysteria. A common treatment for married women was “pelvic massage,” essentially medical masturbation performed by a doctor using hands or mechanical devices until the patient reached “hysterical paroxysm”—an orgasm. This practice was also standard in female asylums. Interestingly, some male doctors found the technique challenging and referred patients to midwives instead.
7. Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy, or the “water cure,” involved immersing the body in hot or cold water and was a popular nineteenth-century treatment. Many leading doctors established hydrotherapy clinics for affluent patients, claiming it could cure ailments like tuberculosis, insomnia, baldness, impotence, and even hysteria. While colonic hydrotherapy (enemas) initially lost favor, it regained popularity thanks to health enthusiast Dr. John Harvey Kellogg.
6. Physical Culture
The pursuit of health, beauty, and fitness isn’t a modern phenomenon. During the late Victorian era, when overindulgence and obesity were prevalent among the upper and middle classes, physical culture became a trend. Men and women aimed to achieve the “Grecian ideal” through exercise and diet. By the height of its popularity, over two hundred fitness centers had opened across Europe, and several magazines featured tips and photos of individuals showcasing their physiques. Prominent figures in this movement included Edmond Desbonnet and Eugen Sandow.
5. Electropathy and Magnetism
Victorians often repurposed new inventions for medical use. Electropathy involved administering electric shocks to treat ailments like gout, rheumatism, and even hysteria, though it sometimes caused burns. Magnetism, on the other hand, claimed to relieve pain, stimulate hair growth, and cure issues like indigestion. One peculiar invention was the “electric corset,” which used magnets and promised to promote “a healthy development of the chest,” though its actual benefits remain unclear.
4. Swooning
While corsets were a staple of nineteenth-century fashion, “tight lacing” was discouraged, though some women still practiced it. However, the tendency to swoon wasn’t solely due to restrictive clothing. Victorian women often fainted—or pretended to—at the slightest provocation. Whether shocked, startled, or frightened, swooning was a common reaction. This behavior wasn’t necessarily a sign of fragility but rather a socially acceptable way for women to express emotions in a society that discouraged overt displays. Remedies for swooning included hartshorn and sal volatile, which contained ammonium carbonate.
3. Arsenic
Victorian women went to extreme lengths for beauty, using arsenic-laced “complexion waters,” wafers, soaps, and shampoos to enhance their skin and appear younger. Some men even consumed arsenic pills to boost their libido. Unsurprisingly, these methods were ineffective and dangerous. Arsenic was also prevalent in green dyes used in wallpaper, clothing, and food. Shockingly, arsenic was readily available and affordable at chemists, with half an ounce—enough to kill fifty people—costing just a penny.
The Victorians weren’t so different from us today. While they indulged in bizarre trends, modern society has its own eccentricities, like the obsession with Fifty Shades of Grey. Yet, these enthusiasts roam freely, at least for now.
2. Corsets
Tight lacing, a practice involving corsets, aimed to shrink waists, support busts, and create fashionable silhouettes. Some women took this to extremes, striving for waists as small as sixteen inches or less. Though criticized in ladies’ magazines and by rational dress advocates, the extent of tight lacing remains debated. A famous example is Emile-Marie Bouchard, known as “Polaire,” who achieved a fourteen-inch waist, as depicted in the image above.
1. Nipple Piercing
While ear piercing was common among Victorian women, the late nineteenth century saw a trend in nipple piercing among the elite. At least one English and one Parisian jeweler offered this unique service. After piercing, a gold “bosom ring” was inserted, sometimes connected by a chain. Some believe women adopted this trend to enhance the shape and appeal of their breasts, while others suggest it was for the pleasurable sensations it provided. (And no, there won’t be a picture of that here.)
