It is so rewarding to see a small waist, flat stomach, lower numbers on the scales, etc.......but what if trying to conform to the "beauty" trend of the current fashion is harming you? Today we look at what fashion trends hurt both genders the most.
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| Photo by Global Founders London |
Fashion trends promote different shapes of women every century or so. S-shaped, curvy, flat and boyish, or rail thin have all been trends that have come up in history. The 2010s promoted a big booty. My point? If fashion is going to change its mind every few years we need to stop obeying its rules. We need to stop buying into a harmful image of beauty, in some and many cases.
Some of it is less harmful after the industry was regulated (like makeup, for instance). Makeup, perfumes, and hair products have now been held to a safety standard. That is because people lost hair, went blind, went insane, and severely damaged themselves with lead paint during the early years of using it. We have learned from our mistakes. Bras have since been invented and we no longer need to worry about corsets (but we will talk about them).
Corsets and Body Shape
After some research on Corsets, I am glad I was not born into wearing one as a regular undergarment. I see some cosplayers wearing them for one day for the sake of one cosplay and not lacing them tightly in the middle. That is not what I am talking about. What I am speaking of is the constant or daily use of this early shaping device and wearing it too tightly. One day of wearing it is not years of shoving your body into a device that makes you unable to breathe. No, one day cosplaying won't kill you and you shouldn't lace it as tight as the women in the Victorian period. Good cosplayers know how to not suffocate themselves. Get one fit to your measurements, if you are going to use one.
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| Photo by Corset Deal |
Daily use of corsets being worn too tightly displaced organs, broke ribs, caused all kinds of back problems, and created trouble giving birth. Women being seen as frail in some periods of time could possibly link back to the misuse of this daily device. They couldn't even sit in one individual case. The bra was a wonderful invention when it did come, and that was only two handkerchiefs sewn together with a ribbon. Strangely, history tells us men wore them, too, and I'd imagine men during Shakespeare's theatrics probably did themselves no favors.
That being said, you can safely wear a corset, unlike those that took it to the extreme. It just isn't the only bra and shaping device you have anymore. It was meant to help women wear heavy dresses. You should still have room to breathe. Men had corsets marketed to them, too, for support and looks. We call them vests now and they aren't the same. It was only harmful if you overtighten them for an unhealthy waistline (which is no different than anorexia and bulimia, minus the fabric). For more information and history on this topic, click
here for how it works.
Dieting
Speaking of anorexia and bulimia, dieting is just as dangerous as an overtightened corset. It just doesn't involve fabric. Dieting has two reasons; one is self-image and the other is health. Diets can be safe if done correctly, but if you are attempting a "Twiggy" status (becoming a stick for a trend) I'd advise against it. Don't over-exercise or starve yourself, please. I do care about you (and I may not even know you in person). Strange things are prompted by a warped self-image. Get help if you need it.
What doesn't help is that we see on media that we need to look like the latest trend. All the newest styles are shown off by celebrities and TV shows, as well as social media advertisements and fashion stores (which don't stock what isn't the fashion). Peer pressure is not the greatest, either, and when we all are being herded by media trends (not kidding) it happens. Influence is everywhere in media. Analyze your media sources and you'll prove it.
Misc. Trends that ended in death and harm
There are many fashion trends that ended in death, other than diets and extreme corsetry. Glowing hair is one of them. This was achieved by putting radium into your hair with a comb for a few years. Your hair would then glow in the dark after that. Radioactive hair (or nails) is not a healthy trait to have. It killed some women.
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| Photo by Nature |
This you knew, but footbinding was bending a child's foot in half around the age of 5 and forcing someone to have trouble walking for the rest of their life. The Chinese are famous for this. Tiny feet were perfect in this culture and the trend ended around the 20th century. High heels are nothing compared to this harmful deformity. Can you die of it? Not unless you are unable to run from a fire or household disaster. But still, women couldn't go much farther than their own home with this badly deformed pair of feet.
Neck rings that shove down the shoulder don't extend the neck. Yet, the Kayan people consider it to be the height of beauty. Don't ask me why. They start them off young, too, so that's even worse. Deformed shoulders in the name of fashion are not okay.
Fun fact, a stiff collar can suffocate you. Men dealt with this and one nearly cut his own head off falling down in the street. I thought I'd be talking about only women today, but I was wrong. Men had some toxic trends, too. Gender does not matter when it comes to toxic fashion.
If diets are bad now, try eating tapeworms to lose weight. I wish I were kidding. Say hello epilepsy and meningitis! This is banned in the United States. I don't think I need to say anything more on the subject.
Ever considered a lead facial for youthful paleness? Queen Elizabeth did. It was not good for your hair and caused baldness for women. The Victorian era was famous for bad fashion ideas and badly made makeup (which is safe now).
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an example of nightshade eyes
Photo by Death/Scent |
Nightshade eye drops are dangerous for many reasons - one of them being that you were putting poison berries in your eyes. Another is that you can go blind after two uses of this. It made your eyes dilate and look innocent, allegedly.
Shaving your legs becomes dangerous when you use lotion made of arsenic to remove hair. Arsenic is poison. Diabetes, cancer, and vascular disease are caused by arsenic. While it melted the hair away, it also took some of your health with it.
Fire hazards are more common in fashion than you think. Crinolines caused death by fire if you walked too close to a hot surface or fireplace, where you then burst into flames and could die. Some hair decoration could go up in flames in seconds. Fancy ball gowns and fireplaces are not a woman's friend.
Because people loved hats, let's talk about how they were made early on. Mercury was used by hat makers, like the Mad Hatter, and exposure to that substance drives you insane. It explains the eccentric hat makers that came about. Mercury is toxic. The hatters worked in poorly vented rooms. It can kill you or shorten your lifespan. Click
here for more details.
Conclusions
I know a lot of fashion trends are dangerous and I want to make sure you understand the psychological motives behind following them. If I put on a corset and looked in the mirror I would be rewarded with a waist that makes me look fantastic. I'd feel beautiful. If I did that one day and had it sized to me that does no harm, but if it is the trend and I engage in extreme corsetry every day of my life I am crossing a line. There is no harm in boosting appearances. There is, however, a fine line that should not be stepped over; that line is when your fashion choices are impacting your health and quality of life. No fashion trend is worth your life.
If you feel you have to look perfect every day of your life you were told wrong. Don't buy into that. At the end of the day and at the end of my life I am not going to reflect on how perfectly I dressed and did my makeup (and I barely wear it). Impulsively having to look perfect daily is a self-esteem issue and should be faced with help and support.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20150624-when-fashion-kills
https://www.airyhair.com/blog/5-dangerous-deadliest-fashion-trends-history/amp/
https://gloriousdays.co/is-fashion-responsible-for-body-image-issues/
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190311-how-social-media-affects-body-image
https://nyamcenterforhistory.org/2015/05/29/did-corsets-harm-womens-health/
https://www.orchardcorset.com/pages/corsets-cosplay
https://nerdsonearth.com/2016/02/cosplay-accessories/
https://www.orchardcorset.com/pages/corsets-101#:~:text=Is%20waist%20training%20or%20wearing,waist%20training%20is%20perfectly%20safe.
https://corset-story.co.uk/blogs/news/is-wearing-a-corset-bad-for-you
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