Over the centuries, humans have come up with some weird fashion stylings. Whether out of practicality, vanity, or some mixture of the two, historical fashion can look hilariously bizarre to modern eyes. In all likelihood though, some of the things people wear today will end up on a list of ‘bizarre’ things worn for our century! While we’re still in the 21st century, let’s have a look and a laugh at some of the strangest fashion trends from history.
Everyone has seen their fair share of badly placed shoulder pads, but the upper classes of the 16th century took it to a whole different level with bombasting. They would use bombast, a mixed form of stuffing that could be made of cotton, wool, sawdust, or horsehair, to make certain parts of their bodies seem larger — like their arms, legs, shoulders, or in the case of some rich men, bellies. In some cases, people would carry around six pounds of the stuff inside their clothes.
Imagine men today wearing ornamented athletic cups outside the crotch of their pants — a strange idea, right? That, however, is essentially what codpieces are, and they were an integral part of men’s dress in the 14th-16th centuries. While they started out as merely extra fabric to cover up an area that normal pants left relatively bare, they eventually grew (literally) into padded and decorated objects that inevitably drew attention to that region on the body. One theory is that they got bigger because of a raging syphilis epidemic, which resulted in men needing space for bandages and medical dressings.
The big white wigs that symbolized high class from the Baroque period and beyond found their start with King Louis XIII of France, who started wearing one to hide his premature baldness. The fashion quickly spread and made its way across Europe by the late 17th century. By the 18th century, men had started powdering them so that they would stay bright white. The British government, however, started taxing hair powder in 1795, a decision that eventually led to the end of that particular fashion.
Footbinding is a case where fashion caused not only certain days of discomfort or pain but also whole lifetimes. Beginning around the 10th century in China, upper-class women who did not need to work would bind their feet as young girls so that they would not grow more than about four inches long. This involved forcibly breaking the arches and then constantly binding and re-binding them so that they would not heal properly. This fashion, unfortunately, lasted until the early 20th century before the campaign speaking out against it finally succeeded.
For some reason in the 1940s, someone decided that it would be nice looking if women had cone-shaped breasts, so they created the bullet bra. By the 1950s, it was quite a popular fashion, which surely gave rise to dozens of movies featuring fem-bots whose bullet bras owned that name in a much more literal sense. They had mostly gone out of fashion until 1990, when Madonna famously wore them on tour; they are now produced by several lingerie manufacturers. Thankfully, they haven’t quite made it back to the mainstream.
Also in the category of strange things women have done for fashion is the hobble skirt, a fashion from around the turn of the 19th century that kept its wearers from being able to walk properly. Hobble skirts or dresses would have very narrow hems situated below the knee so that the women would only be able to take very small steps; they sometimes also did this using knee-long corsets. This fashion luckily fell out of style in the 1910s and has not experienced much of a resurgence, unless you count mermaid dresses.
On the other end of the leg-space spectrum when it comes to skirts, there is the hoop skirt or crinoline. The hoops under the skirt started out as a practical way to keep the legs free, be it for cooling purposes or to save women from tripping, and then caught on as haute couture. They’ve taken various forms throughout the years, including the pannier or ‘side hoop’ in the 18th century, which made the skirt into a sort of horizontal oval shape. Those and other grand circular ones are often so wide that it’s difficult to walk through doors wearing them.
The mullet isn’t exactly a historical fashion trend, as it’s still eminently possible to run into one on the street today. However, it had its biggest moment in the 1970s and 1980s when many famous musicians like David Bowie and Paul McCartney started wearing them. The term ‘mullet’ apparently has existed for a much shorter time than the haircut itself, as the Beastie Boys apparently came up with it in 1995. The Culture Trip prefers to refer to it with its famous description of ‘business in the front, party in the back.’
When you look at Ancient Egyptian paintings, you may never have noticed the white and brown cone perched atop the head of many of the people portrayed there. These cones, though, are thought to be made of perfumed animal fat, and they would gradually melt, releasing their pleasant scents as they went. If you imagine a warm roomful of people having come in from the desert sun with no deodorant, then you can probably imagine why these cones would have been so necessary.
You mights think of platform shoes as one of the ultimate trends of the 1990s and early 2000s, but with their chopines, the people of Venice were, as early as the 15th century, rocking platform shoes on steroids. Chopines were originally used as a way to protect shoes from the mud and dirt of the street, but they gradually grew into a fashion item, also growing in height. The higher the chopine, the higher class the wearer; some chopines, therefore, were up to 20 inches tall. While walking in them would have been quite treacherous for the novices, experienced chopine-wearers could even learn to dance in them.
Nowadays, women still put a lot of effort into shaping their eyebrows, but, for the most part, they try to keep them around (although some fashion trends lately might dictate otherwise). Back around the 15th century, however, women considered an eyebrow-less face to be more beautiful. Ever thought that the Mona Lisa looked a little different, but couldn’t quite put your finger on how? Well, now that you’ve read this, look again.
Egyptian eye makeup
Also part of the theme of ‘ancient fashion trends you might still find today’ is the typical Egyptian eye makeup, which is heavy black eyeliner encircling the eyes of pretty much everyone in the paintings. More than just looking fly, however, this makeup, usually made of kohl, had a set purpose. You know how athletes will sometimes put black strips below their eyes? This is for the same purpose as the Egyptian eye makeup — to cut down on the glare from the sun. Considering the climate down in Egypt, that kohl must have been really important.
By Lani Seelinger
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Kwa karne nyingi, wanadamu wamebuni mitindo ya mitindo isiyo ya kawaida. Iwe ni kwa sababu ya mambo ya vitendo, ubatili, au mchanganyiko wa mambo hayo mawili, mitindo ya kale yaweza kuonekana kuwa ya ajabu sana kwa macho ya kisasa. Hata hivyo, yaelekea sana kwamba baadhi ya vitu ambavyo watu huvaa leo vitaingia kwenye orodha ya vitu "visivyo vya kawaida" vinavyovaliwa katika karne yetu! Wakati bado tuko katika karne ya 21, hebu tuangalie na kucheka baadhi ya mwenendo wa mtindo wa ajabu zaidi kutoka kwa historia. Kila mtu amewahi kuona sehemu yao ya haki ya pads bega vibaya kuwekwa, lakini madarasa ya juu ya karne ya 16 alichukua kwa ngazi tofauti kabisa na bombastic. "Walikuwa wakitumia ""bombast"" (mchanganyiko wa vitambaa vya pamba, sufu, mchanga, au nywele za farasi) ili kufanya sehemu fulani za mwili wawe kubwa zaidi, kama vile mikono, miguu, mabega, au tumbo la mtu tajiri." Katika baadhi ya matukio, watu walichukua karibu pauni sita za vitu ndani ya nguo zao. Hebu wazia wanaume wa leo wakiwa wamevaa vikombe vya michezo vyenye mapambo nje ya viuno vya suruali zao - wazo la ajabu, sivyo? Kwa kweli, ni sehemu ya mavazi ya wanaume katika karne ya 14 na ya 16. Ingawa zilianza kama kitambaa cha ziada tu kufunika eneo ambalo suruali ya kawaida iliacha wazi, hatimaye zilikua (kwa kweli) kuwa vitu vilivyofunikwa na kupambwa ambavyo vilivutia sana eneo hilo kwenye mwili. Nadharia moja ni kwamba ziliongezeka kwa sababu ya janga la ugonjwa wa kifafa, ambalo lilisababisha wanaume kuhitaji nafasi ya kuweka vifungo na vifuniko vya matibabu. Wigs kubwa nyeupe, ambayo ilionyesha jamii ya juu kutoka kipindi cha Baroque na zaidi, ilianza na Mfalme Louis XIII wa Ufaransa, ambaye alianza kuvaa moja kuficha baldness yake ya mapema. Mtindo huo ulienea haraka na kuenea kotekote Ulaya kufikia mwishoni mwa karne ya 17. Katika karne ya 18, watu walianza kuifuta kwa kutumia poda ili iwe nyeupe. Hata hivyo, serikali ya Uingereza ilianza kulipa kodi kwa poda ya nywele mwaka wa 1795, uamuzi ambao hatimaye ulisababisha mwisho wa mtindo huo. Kufunga miguu ni jambo ambalo hali ya mtindo haikusababisha tu siku fulani za usumbufu au maumivu bali pia maisha yote. Katika karne ya 10 na zaidi, wanawake wa tabaka la juu nchini China walipokuwa wachanga walifunga miguu yao ili isiongeze urefu wa inchi nne. Hii ilihusisha kuvunja kwa nguvu matao na kisha kuunganisha na kuunganisha tena mara kwa mara ili yasipone vizuri. Kwa bahati mbaya, mtindo huu ulidumu hadi mwanzoni mwa karne ya 20 kabla ya kampeni ya kuupinga hatimaye kufanikiwa. Katika miaka ya 1940s, mwanamke mmoja aliamua kuwa wanawake wanaovalia vifuani vya koni ni wazuri, kwa hiyo akaunda bra ya bullet. Katika miaka ya 1950, ilikuwa mtindo maarufu sana, ambayo kwa hakika ilisababisha filamu kadhaa zenye roboti za wanawake ambao bra zao za risasi zilikuwa na jina hilo kwa maana ya moja kwa moja. Kwa kweli, ilikuwa imepitwa na wakati hadi mwaka wa 1990, wakati Madonna alipovaa mavazi hayo kwenye ziara yake ya muziki, na sasa yanatengenezwa na watengenezaji kadhaa wa nguo za ndani. Kwa bahati nzuri, hawajafanikiwa kurudi kwenye jamii kuu. "Kama sehemu ya ""vitu vya ajabu"" ambavyo wanawake wamefanya kwa mtindo ni sketi ya hobble, mtindo kutoka karibu na mwanzo wa karne ya 19 ambao uliwazuia watumiaji wake kutembea vizuri." Mavazi ya kiume ya kawaida yalikuwa na viuno vidogo chini ya magoti, hivyo wanawake waliweza kuchukua hatua ndogo sana, wakati mwingine walifanya hivyo kwa kutumia corsets za magoti. Kwa bahati nzuri, mtindo huu ulikosa mtindo katika miaka ya 1910 na haujapata uamsho mkubwa, isipokuwa ukihesabu mavazi ya mermaid. Kwa upande mwingine wa wigo wa miguu, kuna suruali ya hoop au crinoline. Hoops chini ya suruali ilianza kama njia ya kufanya miguu huru, iwe ni kwa ajili ya baridi au kuokoa wanawake kutoka kuanguka, na kisha kukamatwa juu kama haute couture. "Kama vile ""pannier"" au ""side hoop"" katika karne ya 18, ambayo ilifanya suruali kuwa aina ya umbo la mviringo la usawa." Hizi na nyingine kubwa mviringo ni mara nyingi pana sana kwamba ni vigumu kutembea kupitia milango kuvaa yao. Mullet si hasa mwelekeo wa mtindo wa kihistoria, kama bado inawezekana sana kukimbia katika moja kwenye barabara leo. Kwa kweli, hii ilikuwa moja ya mambo ya kushangaza zaidi ya miaka ya 1970 na 1980 wakati wanamuziki maarufu kama David Bowie na Paul McCartney walianza kuivaa. "Jina ""mullet"" limetumiwa kwa muda mfupi zaidi kuliko ""mvua"" kwa sababu Beastie Boys walianzisha jina hilo mwaka 1995." "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika kitabu cha The Culture Trip, ""biashara mbele, sherehe nyuma"" ni picha ya kifalme ya Misri ya kale, ambayo inaonyesha picha ya watu wa Misri ya kale wakiwa na konokono ya rangi ya kijani na kahawia juu ya vichwa vyao." Hata hivyo, inaaminika kwamba makopo hayo yalitengenezwa kwa mafuta ya wanyama yenye harufu nzuri, na yaliyeyuka hatua kwa hatua, yakitoa harufu nzuri kadiri yalivyopita. Ikiwa unafikiria chumba chenye joto kilichojaa watu wakija kutoka jua la jangwa bila deodorant, basi unaweza kufikiria kwa nini koni hizi zingekuwa muhimu sana. "Mara nyingi, viatu vya jukwaa huonwa kama moja ya mwenendo wa mwisho wa miaka ya 1990 na mapema ya 2000, lakini kwa ""chopini"" zao, watu wa Venice walikuwa, mapema katika karne ya 15, wakipiga viatu vya jukwaa kwenye steroids." Chopin ilikuwa ni kifaa cha kuhifadhi viatu kutoka kwa matope na uchafu wa barabara, lakini baadaye ilibadilika kuwa bidhaa ya mtindo na pia iliongezeka kwa urefu. Kwa hiyo, kwa kuwa chopin ilikuwa ya urefu wa sentimeta 20, ilikuwa na urefu wa sentimeta 20 hivi. Ingawa kutembea ndani yake kungekuwa hatari sana kwa wapya, wale wenye uzoefu wa kuvaa chopine wangeweza hata kujifunza kucheza ndani yake. Wanawake wa siku hizi bado wanajitahidi sana kuunda nywele zao, lakini, kwa sehemu kubwa, wanajaribu kuzishika (ingawa baadhi ya mwenendo wa mitindo hivi karibuni inaweza kuamuru vinginevyo). Hata hivyo, katika karne ya 15, wanawake walifikiri kwamba uso usio na vipaji ulikuwa mzuri zaidi. Je, umewahi kufikiri kwamba Mona Lisa alionekana tofauti kidogo, lakini hakuweza kabisa kuweka kidole chako juu ya jinsi? Naam, sasa kwa kuwa umesoma hii, angalia tena. "Makofi ya macho ya Misri: ""Makofi ya macho ya Misri"" ni moja ya mitindo ya zamani ya kuvutia ya Misri, ambayo ni eyeliner nyeusi nzito inayozunguka macho ya karibu kila mtu katika michoro." Hata hivyo, badala ya kuonekana tu kuwa ndege, vipodozi hivyo, ambavyo kwa kawaida vilitengenezwa kwa kohl, vilikuwa na kusudi hususa. Je, unajua jinsi wanariadha wakati mwingine kuweka mistari nyeusi chini ya macho yao? Hii ni kwa kusudi moja kama makeup ya macho ya Wamisri <unk> kupunguza mwangaza kutoka kwa jua. Kwa kuzingatia hali ya hewa huko Misri, lazima kohl hiyo iwe ilikuwa muhimu sana. Lani Seelinger, Mtaalamu wa Utafiti wa Dunia Kuunganisha na watu wenye mawazo sawa kwenye safari zetu za premium zilizopangwa na wajumbe wa ndani wa ndani na kwa huduma kwa ulimwengu Kwa kuwa uko hapa, tungependa kushiriki maono yetu kwa siku zijazo za kusafiri - na mwelekeo wa Utamaduni wa Safari. "Kulima Safari ilizinduliwa mwaka 2011 na ujumbe rahisi lakini shauku: kuhamasisha watu kwenda zaidi ya mipaka yao na uzoefu nini hufanya mahali, watu wake na utamaduni wake maalum na maana ""na hii bado ni katika DNA yetu leo." Tunajivunia kwamba kwa zaidi ya miaka kumi, mamilioni kama wewe wameamini mapendekezo yetu ya kushinda tuzo na watu ambao wanaelewa kina nini hufanya maeneo fulani na jamii maalum. "Tunaamini zaidi na zaidi kwamba ulimwengu unahitaji uhusiano wa maana zaidi, wa maisha halisi kati ya wasafiri wenye udadisi wanaotaka kugundua ulimwengu kwa njia ya uwajibikaji zaidi. """ Kwa hivyo, tumeandaa mkusanyiko wa safari za premium za kikundi kidogo kama mwaliko wa kukutana na kuungana na watu wapya, wenye mawazo sawa kwa uzoefu wa mara moja katika maisha katika makundi matatu: Safari za Utamaduni, Safari za Reli na Safari za Kibinafsi. Safari zetu zinafaa kwa wasafiri wa pekee, wanandoa na marafiki ambao wanataka kuchunguza ulimwengu pamoja. Safari za Utamaduni ni safari za siku 5 hadi 16 za kuzamisha, ambazo huchanganya uzoefu halisi wa ndani, shughuli za kuvutia na malazi ya 4-5 * ya kutarajia mwisho wa kila siku. Safari zetu za Reli ni njia zetu za kusafiri za kirafiki zaidi za sayari ambazo zinakualika kuchukua njia ya mandhari, kupumzika wakati wa kupata chini ya ngozi ya marudio. Safari zetu za kibinafsi ni safari zilizoboreshwa kikamilifu, zilizopangwa na Wataalam wetu wa Usafiri haswa kwa ajili yako, marafiki wako au familia yako. Tunajua kwamba wengi wenu wana wasiwasi juu ya athari za mazingira za kusafiri na wanatafuta njia za kupanua upeo wa macho kwa njia ambazo hufanya madhara madogo - na zinaweza hata kuleta faida. Tunajitolea kwenda mbali iwezekanavyo katika kuratibu safari zetu kwa utunzaji wa sayari. "Hiyo ndiyo sababu safari zetu zote hazina ndege katika marudio, na hazina kaboni kabisa, na tuna mipango ya kutamani kuwa na kiwango cha sifuri katika siku zijazo."""