20 Times Fashion Trends Were Actually Dangerous

There were times when lacing was taken so far that it caused real problems. When worn too tightly, corsets could make it hard to breathe, constrict the torso, and make everyday movements much more difficult than they needed to be. Having an incredibly slim waist may have been “in style,” but a garment that makes you faint, causes you pain, and makes you physically uncomfortable has gone far beyond the bounds of “fashion.”

In the 19th century, it was discovered that arsenic could make green dyes vibrant and long-lasting. This meant that a fashionable dress, an artificial flower, or an accessory could expose the person wearing it to a toxic substance. It’s hard to appreciate a color trend when you realize it comes with a risk of poisoning.

For centuries, fair skin has been considered an ideal of beauty for which people were willing to go to any lengths. Unfortunately, some of the products used to achieve that smooth, white complexion contained lead—which is pretty much the worst thing you can put on your face. Looking elegant is of little value if your skincare routine is quietly harming your health.

The voluminous crinolines created spectacular silhouettes, but they also significantly increased the risk of fire. In rooms filled with candles, fireplaces, and lamps, all that fabric could catch fire quickly, with disastrous consequences. A skirt that makes you a bigger target for house fires isn’t exactly a practical fashion choice.

In certain eras, women’s evening gowns were made from fabrics so light and delicate that they caught fire at an alarming rate. Under dim lighting, the effect may have been enchanting, but the trade-off in terms of safety was absurd—especially since this was a time when electric lighting did not yet exist. If a dress can go from trendy to deadly simply because someone stood too close to a candle, that fashion trend deserves to be viewed with suspicion.

Renaissance chopinettes made women appear considerably taller, sometimes to absurd heights. They were symbols of social status, but they also made it much harder to maintain balance and move around than shoes should. When shoes require assistance just to walk across a room, they move beyond fashion and into the realm of risk management.

In China, foot binding was not only restrictive by modern standards, but also extremely painful and caused irreversible damage. Over time, it deformed the feet, often limited mobility, and turned beauty into a long-term physical burden—all so that adult women could forever maintain size 36 feet. Few fashion practices illustrate as cruelly the price paid to conform to an “ideal of beauty” as this one.

Fashion can also be dangerous for those who make it—not just for those who wear it. Hatsmakers were often exposed to mercury during the felting process, which could lead to serious long-term health problems. That’s where the expression “crazy as a hatsmaker” really comes into its own.

Mercury wasn’t limited to workshops. It was also found in skin care and beauty products that promised a more radiant complexion. Even today, some beauty products may contain mercury, particularly those marketed to lighten the skin or remove dark spots.

Early plastic accessories might have looked modern and elegant, but they concealed a major flaw: certain types of celluloid were highly flammable. Wearing a decorative accessory near your hair is already a risky business, but wearing one that could catch fire too easily makes the situation considerably worse. 

Not all “dangerous” fashions were necessarily harmful to health. In the 19th century, bloomers offered women a more practical alternative to restrictive dresses, and it was precisely this practicality that made them a threat in the eyes of some. Women who wore them risked being ridiculed, facing hostility, and being subject to moral judgment, simply because they dressed in a way that suggested greater freedom.

Over the years, people who dressed in ways that deviated from gender norms risked being arrested, harassed, or humiliated in public. Clothing, which should have been a matter of identity or comfort, became grounds for punishment under vague rules regarding public order or decency. This danger did not stem from the clothing itself, but from the way society relentlessly controlled it.

Zoot suits became a style icon for many young men, particularly within the Mexican-American and Black communities, but they also sparked tensions and violence. Their bold silhouette and cultural significance made those who wore them particularly visible—something some people could not tolerate. In this context, a zoot suit became dangerous, as prejudice turned the clothing into a target.

Black people’s natural hairstyles have long been subject to unfair treatment at school, at work, and in public life. What should have been a simple way of presenting oneself could, on the contrary, lead to discrimination, exclusion, or punishment, as institutions clung to a narrow conception of what was considered “professional.”

There have been times when long hair on men was seen as a sign of rebellion, weakness, or social deviance. This could lead to ridicule, professional problems, or even acts of violence from people who viewed this appearance as a threat to the established order. This serves as a strange reminder that something as simple as hair length can very quickly take on a political dimension.

The punk style was meant to provoke, and it often succeeded a little too well. Studs, leather, spikes, torn clothing, and that provocative look could make those who wore it targets for police stops, harassment, or street violence. Looking deliberately different can be liberating, but history repeatedly shows that difference is not always welcomed.

Mini-skirts didn’t harm anyone, but they did pose social risks. Women who wore them were often judged to be immoral, held responsible for the unwanted attention they attracted, or treated as if their attire justified the bad behavior of others. The garment itself wasn’t dangerous, but the reactions it provoked often were.

Scarves, hijabs, turbans, and other visible religious garments have often made their wearers more vulnerable during times of political or social tension. An item of clothing intended to express faith or identity can suddenly become a source of harassment, exclusion, or violence when prejudice rears its head. 

In the early 20th century, radioactive materials were sometimes viewed as modern, fascinating, and even beneficial to health, before it was understood that they were, in fact, carcinogenic. This absurd trust extended to beauty products and new innovations, particularly items that were supposed to sparkle or appear to be at the cutting edge of science. 

The swing skirt is undoubtedly one of the most amusing and disheartening examples of fashion deliberately taking precedence over functionality. Its tight fit restricted the range of motion so much that women were forced to take tiny steps, which made their movements awkward and increased the risk of falling. Fortunately, this trend was short-lived.