A History of the Worst Fashion Trends

Blogger: Amber Lemus

Oh, the things that women will do for fashion. From the time we were little girls, the phrase "you must sacrifice comfort for beauty" was drilled into our heads. But it has been that way for quite some time, and not always was it only women who fell prey to the worst fashion trends. Today we will explore several of history's worst, and then you can let me know in the comments which one YOU think is the worst of them all. 

Lotus Shoes - Ancient China

Lotus Shoes circa 1911
Photo by: Daniel Schwen CC

In ancient China, small feet were considered to be a mark of beauty among women. In order to facilitate this look, many extreme measures were taken to make the feet appear, or even be, smaller. These "Lotus Shoes", so named because their shape was supposed to resemble the lotus flower, required women to tightly bind their feet in order to fit in them. This process ended up being torturously painful and ended in broken bones, mobility issues and deformities. However, even with these terrible consequences, it seems women were willing participants in the practice. Anything to look and feel like a beautiful, high class lady. 

Lotus shoes were made of expensive materials such as silk with elaborate designs and embroidery. The designs would even continue onto the sole of the foot, which is interesting, because in modern times, we don't imagine anyone paying attention to the bottoms of our soles. Young women typically wore brighter colors like purple and green, whereas older or middle-aged women would wear blue or blue green. Black was avoided, as it was associated with bruising, and red was only for special occasions such as weddings, new year, etc. 

The foot swaddling process involved forcing the four smaller toes under the big toe and encasing the foot with a high arch. It sounds painful even describing it. This method was often started when the woman was young and took years to complete the re-shaping of the foot. Regardless of the terrible side-effects of such binding, Chinese women continued to use these shoes until the 1950's. But I suppose some could argue that heels are just about as bad!

The Ruff of the 16th -17th Century

Queen Elizabeth I with her Ruff Collar
Public Domain

We all know what a ruff is, because we've seen it in pictures of Queen Elizabeth, Pocahontas, and other historical figures. It's the stiff, white collar that was ruffled and unmistakable. 

The ruff, besides being fashionable for more than a decade, was worn by all, men, women and children. It was intended to be practical in that it could be detached from the clothing and washed separately, thus reducing the need to wash the gown or shirt it was attached to and catch the perspiration that would undoubtedly arise along the neckline. Anyone who has had to launder the neckline of dress shirts can relate. Originally, they were made of linen cambric and more discreet but as time went on, they became bigger and made with more fancy materials. Eventually, you had huge ruffs made of lace. These large ones became even more impractical and even dangerous. The heavy starches used to make them stiff caused discomfort and irritation of the skin. Head movement was restricted. Eating became difficult while wearing them. Some of the more elaborate ones had wire to reinforce the shape which could even lead to breathing difficulties. 

Hobble Skirts of the Early 20th Century

Hobble Skirt Postcard
Public Domain

Some believe this style may have been inspired by the Japanese kimono. Another theory is that it was inspired by the first female to fly in an airplane. As the legend goes, Mrs. Edith Ogilby Berg asked the Wright Brothers for a ride at a demonstration in 1908. She tied a rope around the bottom of her skirt to keep it from flying up during the flight. The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum claims that a French designer was inspired at the way the woman walked away from the aircraft, with her skirts still bound, and designed skirts with a tight loop near the calves or ankles. Some postcards from this era jokingly refer to the skirt as the "speed limit skirt" because it limits the wearer's stride. Some ladies even engaged in hobble skirt races to further this joke. 

However, this trend was rather short-lived as it was popular right at the time that women became more physically active. For obvious reasons, this skirt made that difficult. This skirt was also directly responsible for several deaths, including one where a young lady was walking on a bridge and stumbled, tumbling over the railing into the water below where she drowned. The popularity of the skirt quickly declined, especially as WWI erupted and the restricted movement didn't suit wartime needs. 

Lead-based Makeup

An 1889 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec painting
of a woman applying facial cosmetics
Public Domain

In ancient times, lead was used as a foundational ingredient in cosmetics. We now know how dangerous this is, but it took centuries before that was discovered. Queen Elizabeth I is considered to have been one of the victims of lead poisoning due to cosmetics, as many of her health problems may have been related. Also Maria Gunning, Countess of Coventry, is considered to have been a death related to lead based cosmetics. However, it wasn't until the early 1900s that lead bases became less common, and unfortunately, we still occasionally encounter lead in cosmetics today. 

Arsenic Dyes

Bright green clothing in the Victorian era was usually accomplished using arsenic. We now understand that is a poison, but at the time, it was used in fabrics, wallpapers, home furnishings and more. Not only were the workers creating these items at risk, but the eventual consumer also suffered from exposure to this toxic material. Even worse, it was sometimes used as a food dye also. In 1858 the deadly Bradford Sweet poisoning killed 21 people with green hard candies. The effects of arsenic are horrific, causing ulcers, vomiting, hair loss and the failure of the liver and kidneys. Yet still women continued to use arsenic base items for a long time.  

Which of these fashion fails do you think is the worst?

 

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award, Amber Lemus writes enthralling non-fiction for children and adults alike. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior, so her writing is centered around faith, family and history.

She lives near the Ozarks in her "casita" with her prince charming. Between enjoying life as a new mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberLemus.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

AMELIA EARHART: A DIFFERENT KIND OF RUNWAY

 

By Mary Davis

The name Amelia Earhart conjures up images of a daredevil aviatrix, and we ponder what happened to her when her plane disappeared. But there is more to her story than flying and tragedy. As tomorrow, July 24^th, is her birthday, I thought it fitting to give her some attention. However, I didn’t want to do the same ol’ same ol’.

 

Did you know she was a fashion designer for a short stint? A very short stint.

 

Yep, in 1933, she developed clothing for an active lifestyle. She planned to use her line to help finance her aviation endeavors. It wasn’t as big of a leap from flying to fashion as one might think. She was no stranger to sewing. Before this foray into the rag trade, she had stitched some of her own clothes as a teenager. Because flight suits were designed for men and didn’t fit her well, she had also crafted a practical flying suit to better fit the female form in 1929.

 

It is thought that the idea of her own clothing line was prompted by her husband, George Putnam, publicist and publisher. The couple had attended a fashion show in February of 1933. Earhart talked to the designer about functional “active living” clothing.

 

Nowadays, numerous famous people have clothing lines, but Earhart may have been the first one to attempt a celebrity fashion brand. Like so many things in her life, she was the first.

 

She ended up not working with the designer she originally talked with. Instead, with a sewing machine and one seamstress, she created a line in her living room apartment. Her fashions launched late in 1933, and a flurry of publicity ensued early in 1934.

 

Her line didn’t consist of full outfits purchased as one (as was usual of the day) but of separates: dresses, skirts, tops, trousers, outerwear, and more. Not only could a woman choose a different sized top and bottom to fit her figure, these individual pieces could be combined into twenty-five different ensembles. This made her the first to popularize this idea of separates in clothing. Earhart’s blouses had longer tails than were typical of the day so they would stay tucked in.

 

She, also, chose some unconventional fabrics like parachute silk and textiles used for airplane wings. In keeping with her aviation inspired line, she had propeller shaped buttons on some of her flying themed garments.

 

Her clothing line debuted in 30 department stores across the country. For women who couldn’t afford the ready-made garments, her patterns were sold through Women’s Home Companion magazine. Though her designs were moderately priced, they, unfortunately, didn’t fly off the racks, due in a large part to the Great Depression and were pulled from the shelves soon after takeoff.

 

Surprisingly, with all these mix and match separates, there was no bomber jacket in the line. Oversight? Or intentional?

 

From tarmac runway to fashion runway, Amelia Earhart seems to have done it all.

 

If she hadn’t perished on that fateful flight around the world in 1937, what else would she have accomplished?

 
MRS. WITHERSPOON GOES TO WAR (Heroines of WWII series)
2023 SELAH Award Finalist

A WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) flies a secret mission to rescue three soldiers held captive in Cuba.

Margaret “Peggy” Witherspoon is a thirty-four-year-old widow, mother of two daughters, an excellent pilot, and very patriotic. She joins the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots). As she performs various tasks like ferry aircraft, transporting cargo, and being an airplane mechanic, she meets and develops feelings for her supervisor Army Air Corp Major Howie Berg. When Peggy learns of U.S. soldiers being held captive in Cuba, she, Major Berg, and two fellow WASPs devise an unsanctioned mission to rescue them. With Cuba being an ally in the war, they must be careful not to ignite an international incident. Order HERE!

MARY DAVIS, bestselling, award-winning novelist, has over thirty titles in both historical and contemporary themes. Her latest release is THE LADY’S MISSION. Her other novels include THE DÉBUTANTE'S SECRET (Quilting Circle Book 4) THE DAMSEL’S INTENT (The Quilting Circle Book 3) is a SELAH Award Winner. Some of her other recent titles include; THE WIDOW'S PLIGHT, THE DAUGHTER'S PREDICAMENT, “Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure” in The MISSAdventure Brides Collection, Prodigal Daughters Amish series, "Holly and Ivy" in A Bouquet of Brides Collection, and "Bygones" in Thimbles and Threads. She is a member of ACFW and active in critique groups.

Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of thirty-seven years and one cat. She has three adult children and three incredibly adorable grandchildren. Find her online at: Books2Read Newsletter Blog FB FB Readers Group Amazon GoodReads BookBub

Sources:

~Who Knew?: Women in History by Sarah Herman

~https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/653137/amelia-earhart-designed-clothing-line

~https://www.thehenryford.org/explore/blog/amelia-earhart/

~https://www.history.com/news/amelia-earharts-other-runway-the-aviators-forgotten-fashion-line

THE HOBBLE SKIRT: A WOBBLY AFFAIR

By Mary Davis

The first time I saw a hobble skirt from the early 1900s, I couldn’t imagine who in the world would think it was a good idea. They were a fashion trend that peaked between 1908 and 1914. Hobble means: to walk in an awkward way; to restrict the activity; to walk in an impeded manner.

Therefore, a Hobble skirt is one with a narrow hemline designed to restrict the wearer’s ability to walk, forcing the person to take tiny steps. Why? Why? Why? This sounds like a bad idea from the get-go. It was nicknamed the “speed-limit skirt” in several comics. I guess sometimes a fashion needs to be tested in order to deem it serviceable or not.

There are various origin stories for this restrictive garment. One claimed it was Katherine Wright when she flew in an early airplane. A similar account was with Edith Ogilby Berg’s first ride. Since these flying machines were basically an open skeleton, the pilot and passenger were windblown from head to toe. This could cause serious modesty issues for a woman in a full skirt that would likely billow up over her head while soaring through the sky. Some measure had to be taken, so a rope (or twine or strip of fabric) was tied around the voluminous skirt at the calves or knees before takeoff. After their flights, these women hobbled away with the rope still attached. Thus, the name stuck.

Katharine Wright

Edith Ogilby Berg

A third origin said that it was simply the way of fashion. The Oriental style of apparel that were narrow at the bottom influenced several designers. These confined hems had been a reoccurring trend in Western women’s fashion wear. French couturier Paul Poiret, credited with the hobble fashion faux pas, had long since used Japanese kimonos, other Oriental designs, and Egyptian clothing as inspirations for his fashions and launched a hobble skirt in 1910. There was also the claim that the circumference of hems fluctuated from narrow to wide and back again throughout the years before and since. Any angle you look at a garment that severely impedes the wearer’s movement isn’t the best idea.

The proof being a few hobble skirt related accidents, resulting in deaths! In 1910, a lady at a racetrack outside of Paris was killed by a loose horse. Another woman, Ida Goyette was strolling along on the Erie Canal Bridge, stumbled, fell over the railing, and drowned.

An additional indicator people should have thought twice before forging ahead with this fashion design was the difficulty it caused when boarding a streetcar. The narrow hemline of these skirts was too restrictive to allow women wearing them to climb aboard. In 1912 and 1913, New York and Los Angeles redesigned some of their streetcars as “hobble-skirt” cars with no step up. That’s a lot of money spent for a poor clothing choice.

Even the New York Times thought this was a bad idea in an article in 1910 where they said, “The Hobble is the Latest Freak in Women’s Fashion.” The New York Times even claimed that the hobble skirt could cause a world-wide depression. Here’s how that thinking went. Hobble skirts didn’t require petticoats, in fact, there was no room for them. Tossing aside the layers of these under garments for this new fashion would cause an economic impact worldwide. It would bring about the decline of the textile industry, a rise in the cost of living, and lower wages. “Think of 10,000 people turned away from their possible means of livelihood, 10,000 families, perhaps, starving just because women persist in following an ungraceful and immodest freak of fashion!” LOL! I didn’t know so much was riding on petticoats.

Some women wore hobble garters under their skirts. These were a length of fabric tied around one knee then the other to keep the lady from taking too long of a stride and tearing the expensive garment.

A short-lived activity from about 1910 to 1915 was the hobble skirt races. Women would line up in their hobble skirts and waddle to the finish line.

I suppose that isn’t much different than a three-legged race or a sack race. A hobble skirt race sounds like it could be fun. How about you? Would you participate in a hobble skirt race if given the chance?

I’m grateful the fashion fad died out. I have enough trouble walking without my knees being lashed together.

READ THIS POST ONLINE TO LEAVE A COMMENT.

The QUILTING CIRCLE Series 

Historical Romance

THE WIDOW’S PLIGHT (Book1) – Will a secret clouding a single mother’s past cost Lily the man she loves?

THE DAUGHTER’S PREDICAMENT (Book2) *2020 Selah Awards Finalist & WRMA Finalist* – As Isabelle’s romance prospects are turning in her favor, a family scandal derails her dreams.

THE DAMSEL’S INTENT (Book3) *2021 Selah Awards Winner& WRMA Finalist*– Nicole heads down the mountain to fetch herself a husband. Can she learn to be enough of a lady to snag the handsome rancher?

THE DÉBUTANTE’S SECRET (Book4) –Complications arise when a fancy French lady, Geneviève, steps off the train and into Deputy Montana’s arms.

THE LADY’S MISSION (Book5) – Will Cordelia abandon her calling for love?

MARY DAVIS, bestselling, award-winning novelist, has over thirty titles in both historical and contemporary themes. Her latest release is THE LADY’S MISSION. Her other novels include MRS. WITHERSPOON GOES TO WAR, THE DÉBUTANTE'S SECRET (Quilting Circle 4) THE DAMSEL’S INTENT (Quilting Circle 3) is a Selah Award Winner. Some of her other recent titles include; The Widow’s Plight, The Daughter's Predicament, “Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure” in The MISSAdventure Brides Collection , Prodigal Daughters Amish series, and "Bygones" in Thimbles and Threads. She is a member of ACFW and active in critique groups.

Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of thirty-eight years and one cat. She has three adult children and three incredibly adorable grandchildren. Find her online at:

 Books2Read  Newsletter  Blog   FB  FB Readers Group   Amazon   GoodReads   BookBub

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobble_skirt
https://www.wright-brothers.org/Information_Desk/Just_the_Facts/Wright_Family/Katharine_Wright/Hobble_Skirt_Sidebar.htm
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58897/hundred-year-old-fashion-fad-hobble-skirt
http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/Modern-World-1900-1918/Hobble-Skirts.html

From House Dresses to a Fashion Empire

By Suzanne Norquist

Born on March 6, 1889, Nell Quinlan was the twelfth of thirteen children. Her father, an Irish immigrant, worked for the railroad. Her humble beginnings didn’t stop her from building a fashion empire—the largest manufacturer of women’s clothing in the world for a time.

At age sixteen, she met and married Paul Donnelly, a shoe company employee. He helped her pay for schooling at Lindenwood College. After that, their lives followed the expected pattern, with her staying home while he worked.

Most women didn’t want to ruin their good clothes while doing housework, so they wore unflattering sixty-nine-cent dresses. Not Nell. She designed her own cute house dresses with colorful fabrics and frills. Her friends asked her to make dresses for them, too. She had found her market.

She gathered her courage and presented an assortment of samples to George B. Peck Dry Goods Company in downtown Kansas City. The buyer ordered eighteen dozen dresses to be delivered in two months. As a result, she bought a couple of sewing machines and recruited some neighbors to make them. At one dollar each, they sold out immediately.

Her business thrived, and within a few years, she had eighteen employees and a quarter of a million dollars in sales. In 1919, she and her husband, Paul, incorporated the Donnelly Garment Company. He was listed as president, but it was her business.

Throughout the 1920s, the company grew. Durability, attractive designs, and a good fit defined “Nelly Don” clothes. They were constructed with deep hems, adjustable waists and shoulder straps, and belts with sliding fasteners. Each customer could find a perfect fit. Throughout the decade, she expanded her line to include clothes for working women, sportswear, and dresses for a night on the town.

In the depression, her company remained successful. During World War II, she created designs for women in manufacturing jobs on the home front and women’s military uniforms. By 1953, the Donnelly Garment Company was the largest maker of women’s clothing in the world.

She cared about her employees. During the depression, she changed from a seasonal job model to providing full-time jobs for women whose husbands were out of work. Her company was the first in Kansas City to offer health insurance. Nell paid tuition for night classes, and she set up a scholarship fund for employees’ children. Her factories had hardwood floors instead of concrete to make work more comfortable.

Despite her generosity, the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) targeted the business. They insisted her workers join the union. However, her workers weren’t interested and declared an oath of loyalty to her. Union pressure persisted through the 1930s and 1940s with a lengthy legal battle. Finally, the company won in a Supreme Court decision in 1947.

In 1956, Nell sold her interest in the business, which continued until the 1970s. She remained active in the community until her death at age 102.

Although Nell’s business story is that of success, her personal life included the kind of intrigue no one wants. There was a scandalous divorce from Paul Donnelly and a remarriage to her neighbor Senator James A. Reed. The child she and Paul had adopted was later revealed to be her biological son with Mr. Reed.

Before her divorce, someone kidnapped her and held her for ransom. Her business had made her a wealthy target. Her neighbor, Senator James A. Reed, told the Mob (as in mobster, gangster, organized crime) if they didn’t locate her, they would find it difficult to do any business in Kansas City. (It was the 1930s). The Mob found her and rescued her from the kidnappers, who were arrested and sentenced.

Despite her personal drama, Nell Donnelly Reed is an inspiration. She saw a need and filled it, creating a fashion empire in the process.

***

”Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection

Four historical romances celebrating the arts of sewing and quilting.

Mending Sarah’s Heart by Suzanne Norquist

Rockledge, Colorado, 1884

Sarah seeks a quiet life as a seamstress. She doesn’t need anyone, especially her dead husband’s partner. If only the Emporium of Fashion would stop stealing her customers, and the local hoodlums would leave her sons alone. When she rejects her husband’s share of the mine, his partner Jack seeks to serve her through other means. But will his efforts only push her further away?

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Suzanne Norquist is the author of two novellas, “A Song for Rose” in A Bouquet of Brides Collection and “Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection. Everything fascinates her. She has worked as a chemist, professor, financial analyst, and even earned a doctorate in economics. Research feeds her curiosity, and she shares the adventure with her readers. She lives in New Mexico with her mining engineer husband and has two grown children. When not writing, she explores the mountains, hikes, and attends kickboxing class.

She authors a blog entitled, Ponderings of a BBQ Ph.D.

 

Alberta's Edward Prince Ranch

 by Anita Mae Draper

Prince of Wales "E.P." Ranch, Pekisko, Alberta, Canada

On January 21, 1936, the Calgary Herald announced that Alberta's "Rancher King" Edward Prince of Wales, had succeeded his father King George V to the throne and that of all the places in Canada to choose from Edward still owned a pretty ranch in the foothills of Southern Alberta which he had bought back in 1919. 

View through tree branches of Duke of Windsor's EP Ranch, near High River, Alberta. ca 1950s. Glenbow Archives

While on his 1919 cross Canada tour, Edward was hosted by George Lane, founder of the Calgary Stampede and owner of the Bar U Ranch which bordered the Running N Ranch, then owned by Frank Bedingfeld. Frank and his mother had homesteaded the ranch in 1886, but when Frank married in 1908, his mother returned to England. By that time, the ranch consisted of 1,440 acres of owned land with much more being leased from the government. After serving in WW1, Frank wanted to return to England with his family, so they put the Running N up for sale. While visiting and exploring the Bar U area, the Prince of Wales saw the opportunity, bought Frank's ranch, and renamed it the E.P. (Edward Prince) Ranch.   

Since it was impossible for the Prince of Wales to stay and oversee his new venture, he hired Professor William Carlyle, then veterinarian of the Bar U and Eden Valley, to run the E.P. Ranch in his absence.

Edward Prince of Wales, George Lane, William Levi Carlyle. EP Ranch, 1919. Glenbow Archives

The Alberta Register of Historic Places has a page for the E.P. Ranch and mentions that same trip in 1919. "On passing through Winnipeg on his return to England, Edward gave a speech in which he said that he wanted to have a permanent home in western Canada, "a place where I can come sometimes and live for a while. To this end I recently purchased a small ranch in southern Alberta and I shall look forward to developing it and making it my own." In his memoirs, he later wrote in a similar vein, claiming that he had been "overwhelmed by an irresistible longing to immerse myself, if only momentarily, in the simple life of the western prairies." Edward did not own other properties outside Great Britain, and, although it is not evident that he provided direct input into the operation of the ranch, the property and its buildings were handsomely upgraded during the 1920's, and became known as the E.P. Ranch. High quality cattle and horses were also brought in to breed and be raised under the best conditions." 

Helen Carlyle and Stallion "Tiny", EP Ranch, Pekisko, Alberta. ca 1920s. Glenbow Archives

Helen Carlyle, daughter of W.L. Carlyle, manager of the E.P. Ranch, is shown above holding a Dartmoor pony which had been imported during 1919-1920. Along with the Dartmoor ponies, Edward had Shorthorn cattle, Shropshire sheep, and Clydesdale horses imported to his Alberta Ranch from the breeding farms in his Duchy of Cornwall in the United Kingdom.

"Climsland Broadhooks", prize Shorthorn bull, EP Ranch, Pekisko, Alberta. ca 1920. Glenbow Archives

The E.P. Ranch had many educational and business visitors over the years. In the above photo, the Duke of Devonshire stands in the back and listens to Johnny Watson, herdsman, talk about the attributes of the prizewinning shorthorn bull, "Climsland Broadhooks".

Herd of sheep on EP Ranch, Pekisko, Alberta. ca 1920. Glenbow Archives

Edward wouldn't return to Canada until the fall of 1923 to attend the sale of his breeding stock. It was important to ensure the breeding improvement and excellence of the stock, he'd told his father King George V who had expressed no wish to see his son spend time as a western rancher when there were royal duties to attend. But Edward was a avid sportsman and would often sneak out of official functions to woo a lady, play golf, or find something more interesting to do with his time.

I'll continue the Rancher King's story on the 5th of June, but here's a teaser.... 

Prince of Wales on Dartmoor pony, EP Ranch, Pekisko, Alberta. Sep 1923. Glenbow Archives

Can you tell what kind of rancher Edward Prince of Wales turned out to be from the above photo of him taken in September 1923 at the E.P. Ranch?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anita Mae Draper lives on the Canadian prairies where she uses her experience and love of history to enhance her stories of yesteryear's romance with realism and faith. Readers can enrich their story experience with visual references by checking Anita's Pinterest boards. All links available on her website at www.anitamaedraper.com