Weird Fashion Trends Throughout History

Every era throughout history has had some sort of weird fashion trend we'd rather forget. In this video, we will explore 4 trends throughout history that were interesting, ridiculous, and deadly.

Sources:

Please keep in mind that this video is for entertainment purposes only. While I do my best to research and ensure that my information is accurate, I am not a historian and sometimes I might miss things.

#history #fashionhistory #historyfacts #victorian #victorianera

[laughingaardvark]

I have noticed that in many cultures a sign of wealth was clothing you couldn't move in. It's like saying "I'm so rich I don't need to move or get things myself. I have people for that."

[thesisypheanjournal]

I worked with an enormous woman who was invited to be a bridesmaid in her friend Civil-war era themed wedding. They all wore hoopskirts. As my co-worker said, "I looked like a float in the Rose Bowl parade." Her skirt caught on the pews as she walked down the aisle. And when she went to sit down at the reception she missed the chair and ended up like an inverted turtle. Fortunately, she had a sense of humor about it all.

[snufkinhollow]

I'm not sure whether anyone else has mentioned this (I do try and read all comments but may have missed one or two) but the half-sisters of Oscar Wilde, Emily and Mary, both lost their lives after Mary's dress caught fire at a social event. Emily rushed to help her sister and her dress caught fire too. Although Wilde's sisters are rarely mentioned in relation to the author and were not openly acknowledged as being part of his family due to their being the product of his father's various extra-marital liaisons, their death deeply affected Oscar. Both he, and his wife Constance, were involved in the various movements for 'dress reform' and clothing that did not restrict or endanger women.

[talmadge]

The crinoline, at the height of the fashion, was worn by every class. From the duchess to the parlour maid. Tens of thousands of metal crinoline cages were produced every year. The cages quickly became dented or lost their shape from being squeezed through doors, crushed in carriages etc so an entire industry sprang up to meet the demand. In the late 1850s an inflatable version had a temporary success but the tubes would easily puncture. Imagine deflating in mid-waltz! Also, the lightest of these was made from a silica based material that had an unpleasant odor.

[historyismyplayground]

You don’t mention that the hobble skirt is part of aviation history, the first woman to ride in an airplane tonight, her skirts around her ankle to keep them from flying into her face while up in the airplane. The adoring French crowd who greeted her when she landed took note of her skirts, and a new fashion trend was born.

[JaneAustenAteMyCat]

The hobble skirt must also have been a symbol of status because no working woman could do her job while wearing one, so to wear one proved you were higher class.

[joanwood]

Song: " Hey all you rounders if you wanna flirt, here comes a honey in a hobble skirt. She's little at the bottom and she's little at the top, and she looks like a weenie from the butcher shop." This was a little ditty my mom recorded for me.

[marigeobrien]

Crinolines or hoop skirts were also popular because they were much lighter and cooler than the many layers (up to 7) of petticoats. If it were me, though, I'd prefer the petticoats in the winter. At least in northern climates. Also, I doubt it was likely a woman would become "trapped" because of her skirt, at least not in a room, as the hoops readily collapsed and could be maneuvered-- I suppose it took some practice to wear them. As for "being revealed" when falling over, that was the purpose of bloomers, which were deliberately loose and over sized and the very reason they were worn.

However, I can see how easily a hoop skirt might catch fire, especially given that most rooms (other than ballrooms and the drawing rooms in estate houses) were not very large. Maybe this was the reason a larger hoop denoted a richer person...? That is, if you lived in a small house you would either have keep your hoops small enough to fit the rooms OR have a special hoop and skirt(s) just for special balls and such.

[tommunyon]

Then there was the death by a combination of extremely flared bell bottom trousers and high platform shoes of the 1970s. A pedestrian in Vancouver, British Columbia tripped and fell headlong into traffic while wearing the aforementioned combination, and was subsequently struck and killed by a passing car.

[fredvaladez]

How refreshing to enjoy great narration and a well-written script on an interesting subject. Thank you.

[ritawing]

Having worn crinolines on stage in period costumes many times, I can tell you that modern life would not be possible in them, but, since they are reasonably flexible, chairs and so on can be negotiated once one is accustomed.

[dianekelly]

My college Senior Thesis for my Textiles and Design BS was on hobbling devices in women's fashion. Even the miniskirt is considered hobbling because the short length makes bending over or squatting difficult due to the exposure created. During the 60s miniskirt days, women working outside of the home often worked in an office; how could they gracefully file something in the bottom file drawer?

[myriamickx]

I am a native French speaker, and your segment on the Cracow shoes made me understand something: in French, those shoes were called "poulaines", which did not make sense to me since, in French, a "poulain" is a foal, so no obvious connection with a shoe. But "poulaine" might be the medieval equivalent of "polonaise", as in "I am wearing shoes à la polonaise" could have become "shoes à la poulaine” and then just "poulaines". I think I am right here. Thanks for this cracows part!

[emom]

Hobble skirts= remember long skinny denim skirts and, remember wraparound skirts? It's all the same. Will see it sgain.

[supenskylesko]

When I was a small child in the 1950s, I totally detested crinoline slips which were worn under the dress or skirt. Just like in the 1800s, the slips would puff out the skirt, probably somewhat to a lesser extent than was the case in the 1800s. Whoever decided that little girls should wear such a ridiculous and impractical item should have been fired and banned from the fashion industry!!! ☺️ I was SO HAPPY when the 1960s dramatically changed fashion, even for little girls. Crinoline slips were finally forgotten, along with some other ridiculous 1950s fashions for children.

[hrobinson]

An interesting video but your section on crinolines could have used more research. There are any number of historical costume artists on youtube alone who show how to dress and move in a hooped crinoline that does not involve getting stuck in small rooms. The wider skirts could bring their wearer unwittingly close to open fireplaces but women had been suffering injury and death for centuries as they cooked over open flame wearing loose skirts, so that was not a danger created solely by the fashion for wider skirts.

[katsmith]

Would love to see a whole series like this; your delivery and the associated details are wonderful; they’re both informative and entertaining.

[keithhawthorne]

The ruff was a long, narrow strip of linen, starched, and ironed flat. The folds were done with pins, hundreds of them. Pins were used to fasten many garments. The saying in Tudor England was, "A lady of distinction, had no less than a 1000 pins on her." Excavations of the Thames River banks revealed the most common item found, pins, endless gold plated pins.

[serahloeffelroberts]

Hoop skirts were made of watch spring steel which meant the akirt could be compressed and return to its notmal shape. It took some practice to wear as it was somewhat like an untethered balloon. This neccessitated a gliding walk and erect posture so the skirt wouldnt swing from side to side. Nevertheless the hoop skirt freed legs from the weight of multiple petticoats. Women taught school, nursed the wounded and worked in offices (previously all male professions.) They also won the West, went on long hikes and even did mountain climbing in hoop skirts.

[KatieSalley]

I believe it's hobble for the other meaning of hobble, not because it made them limp, but because it made them look like they'd been tied up and unable to walk. "Hobbled"