Crazy beauty standards. Something we have been bombarded with since before we could even walk. There is so much to talk about when it comes to fashion, such high expectations, and such drastic changes when it comes to how we should appear if we want to fit in. We need to reclaim fashion and beauty standards, expressing ourselves in a way that makes us feel fabulous and comfortable, whatever that means for us.

With that in mind, we wanted to show you some crazy historical beauty standards that we feel prove that this is all a con!

Number 1: The Bottle Green Dresses

These were super popular with the Victorian-era ladies, and we can see why! Looks lovely right? So elegant with the addition of the lace. Only there was one issue. Women who wore these often displayed symptoms such as nausea, impaired vision, terrible skin reactions, and more. Why you may ask? Well, the dresses were dyed with arsenic! Yep, you heard us, arsenic. You know, the deadly chemical used in rodent, insect and weed killers! Crazy Beauty Standards, right?

Number 2: The Hobble Skirt

Back at it again with the clothes. In the 1910s, a French designer called Paul Poiret created the “hobble skirt”. Any guesses as to why it was called that? We know! These skirts were made so tight, that women actually had to change how they walked! We don’t know about you, but we’re going to stick with the yoga pants and not walking like a penguin.

Number 3: The Crinoline A.K.A. The Hoop Skirt

When we saw these, we automatically thought of Cinderella. Again, the Victorian era ladies had a lot to put up with. They wore crazy big under skirts which made their dresses hugeeeee. The downside? As they were made from linen and horsehair, so they were highly flammable. This wasn’t a great combination in Victorian-era houses where fireplaces were very common. It got so bad, there was an average of 3 reported deaths per week because of hoop skirts. We are women, not fire hazards thanks very much!

So, as you can see, for as long as we know, the world has wanted us to change the way we dress and look. But, you know what? Dress how you want to dress, and if ANYONE ever makes you feel like you need to “calm down” and become smaller or less noticeable, then you need to turn up the volume and you need to take up MORE space x

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