The Strangest and Scariest Women's Fashion Trends Throughout History!

According to SAEDNEWS, throughout history, women were often regarded as secondary to men, in a position lower than that of men. For example, women couldn't perform many activities without their husbands' signatures. These restrictions also applied to their appearance, where they were forced to wear clothing that was extremely uncomfortable and painful. Designers of the time did not care about the practicality or comfort of the clothes, only focusing on their beauty. If you are curious about the most painful fashion trends in women's history, stay with us for more.

91-Centimeter High Heels

If you think wearing high heels is difficult, you should take a look at the high heels worn by European women from the 15th to 17th centuries. These shoes were called "Chopine" and had heels as high as 91 centimeters. Surely, women could not walk easily in these shoes, so they would need assistance from a cane or other people to avoid falling.

The history of high heels dates back much earlier than this particular design. In the 10th century, both men and women wore high heels when mounting horses. These heels helped their feet stick to the stirrups. In the 17th century, high heels gradually became a symbol of luxury among the upper and middle classes. By the 18th century, men realized these shoes were impractical and removed them from their wardrobes.

Enlarging Eyes with the Poisonous Plant Belladonna

Big eyes have always been a symbol of beauty. Studies show that even today, large eyes are still considered more attractive. Today, there are many ways to make your eyes appear larger, such as using colored contact lenses and makeup, but it was not as easy in the past.

Women in 16th-century Italy used dangerous methods for this purpose, one of the most common being the use of belladonna. Belladonna is a plant that contains the toxic substance atropine. Reports indicate that this substance was also popular among French women in the 19th century. Although the plant has medicinal properties, excessive consumption can be fatal.

Women would put this substance in their eyes to make them appear larger. While the effect would last for several hours, the risks associated with using it made it unwise.

Breaking Feet

One of the most terrifying beauty trends was the practice of breaking women’s feet. In the 10th century, small feet were considered a symbol of beauty among Chinese women. To achieve this, girls' feet were tightly bound at the age of five to prevent growth. This practice not only stopped the feet from growing but also caused deformities, which resulted in intense pain and affected their walking.

Although this practice was more common among the upper classes, lower-class women also followed this trend in hopes of finding a husband. This trend continued into the 20th century until it was eventually banned after extensive efforts.

Skirts with a Width of 183 Centimeters

Another dangerous fashion trend was extremely large skirts, which were especially popular during the Renaissance. Though they went out of style in the 18th century, they attracted the attention of fashion designers again in the 19th century.

These skirts were so wide that they reached 183 centimeters, making walking difficult, especially in crowded places. Worse still, when women boarded carriages, their skirts would get caught in the wheels. Despite the hardship, women wore these skirts simply because they were fashionable. Several cases of death have been reported due to wearing these skirts.

Tight Hobble Skirt

The term "Hobble" refers to tying animals' legs to prevent them from escaping. In the early 20th century, the hobble skirt served a similar purpose for women, restricting their movement and preventing them from walking quickly or taking long steps.

The hobble skirt was designed by a French designer named Paul Poiret. During this time, women were highly restricted, and Poiret, in his own words, was attempting to create a more comfortable dress for women. However, in reality, he did the opposite, and the design could be seen as a way to humiliate women of that era.

Arsenic Consumption for Skin Whitening

Women would do anything to stay fashionable and compete with others. For example, when fair skin became fashionable, women resorted to arsenic, which had many health risks. Excessive use of arsenic could even lead to death, but women of that time, lacking cosmetic products, resorted to this dangerous substance.