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jai-joshi
27th October 2016

The Real Horrors: Killer Fashion

Jai Joshi investigates the dark side of fashion throughout history, unveiling garments and trends that were known for being so dangerous, they could kill you…
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TLDR

Let us take a trip back into time to the 19th Century. During this era woman wore a crinoline underneath their skirts. Believe it or not, many of these were made out of steel. Yes, that’s right—steel! It is hard to imagine women wore such contraptions to make their skirts sit prim and proper.

Whilst it did the job of ensuring the skirt sat well, it was extremely dangerous. Strong enough to kill animals, fracture your leg and even be susceptible to strong gusts that could even blow you off a bridge or pier! Yikes!

Another killer fashion find was the corset. Designed to give you a gorgeous hourglass figure, the corset has a bloody reputation, especially when women began to tighten it for optimum results. This led to a deformation of the constricted lungs, causing serious breathing injuries. There are even stories of the metal that is attached to the corset piercing women’s backs…how ghastly!

It is mind-boggling to learn about what stages fashion went through to make women look beautiful. Undoubtedly the modern day equivalent would be the stiletto. Women who are able to wear them for extended periods of time should be celebrated, especially because many (if not all) are so painful. Not forgetting that one slip could result in fatal injuries.

Interestingly, the progression of fashion’s brutality in terms of design has dramatically transitioned and the production of garments and shoes has shifted. The outcome of this shift enables designers to think about their customers and design garments and products that are not only comfortable but also retain their fierce nature. Their status thus stays intact, as these items retain their titles as a ‘killer piece’.


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