Let's face it: fashion week is kind of weird. While it is a time for designers to showcase their newest designs, that's not always what makes the headlines. It's usually the crazy, kooky, and oftentimes totally ridiculous designs that have people talking. Whether it be crystal beards, Balenciaga's totally hideous Croc wedges or Moschino's campy money dress, fashion always has a way to both thrill us and give us a good laugh or two. However, it's not just the present that provided us with some weird fashion looks, the past also had some trends that were downright weird - even for the time! Here are six fashion trends of the past that are way more weird than whatever the fashion moguls are putting out nowadays.
1. Corsets
Corsets were a prominent part of a woman's undergarment set starting in the 1500s and lasting up until the 1920s. The primary goal of the corset was to narrow the waistline while also lifting up the breasts, creating a very attractive, feminine figure. While silhouettes did change throughout its tenure, the basic structure of a corset did not. Corsets were made out of silk or cotton and were often boned with whalebone or flexible steel.
The laces running up the back would, of course, morph the body into whatever silhouette was popular at the time. A common misconception about corsets was that they made it hard to breathe. This wasn't actually true in most cases, because most ladies did not lace their corsets tightly, only lacing them to a position in which they felt comfortable. While they were considered fashionable for their time, they are now seen as impractical and more of in line with fetish wear than haute couture.
2. Crinolines
The crinoline cage was a popular undergarment of the 1850s and 1860s. In the 1840s, voluminous skirts were all the rage in Europe and America, however one had to layer and layer stiff petticoats underneath the skirt in order to extend it out. Luckily, in the 1850s, the crinoline cage was invented. The crinoline cage was lightweight and flexible, allowing women to move freely. It also allowed skirts to become much more voluminous. But, this wasn't without its own problems.
If a lady were to sit wrong on her skirt, the front of her crinoline could flip up and expose her undergarments. Even worse, flyaway hems often caught fire whenever a lady stood too close to a fireplace, making them a fatal piece of fashion. The crinoline would become more oval-shaped as the 1860s went on, eventually giving way to the bustle of the 1870s and 1880s. The crinoline would make a comeback in the 1950s with the popularity of Christian Dior's "new look" silhouette.
3. Shoulder Pads
While people tend to think of shoulder pads as an '80s invention, shoulder pads actually started as a trend in the late '30s. In the film "Letty Linton" Joan Crawford was seen wearing a gown with huge, flounced sleeves. The dress was designed by costume designers Adrian (who also frequently collaborated with Crawford) as a way to accentuate Crawford's broad shoulders. The trend took, and soon dozens upon dozens of copies of the dress were found in department stores and dress shops all over the world.
This dress would give birth to what we know today as the shoulder pad. In the '40s, the shoulder pad became popular due to the fact that more women were entering the workforce during World War 2. In the '80s, the shoulder pad became a part of "power dressing." As more women began to take on leadership roles in the '80s, many of them turned to shoulder pads to create a striking figure in the board room. While shoulder pads are seen as ridiculous nowadays, I find them to be extremely stylish and chic.
4. Jeans Paired With A Skirt Or Dress
If you were alive in the late '90s, you probably remember this trend (or wore it). For some reason, women began to pair their blue jeans with skirts and dresses. Back then, it was considered the epitome of chic and was often paired with a bucket hat and a baguette bag by Fendi or Dior. Sadly, this trend is coming back in style and I really hope that it doesn't stay for long.
5. Exaggerated Sleeves
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While the silhouette of the 1890s was a lot more streamlined than it's previous incarnations, all of the fabric leftover from bustles went into the sleeves of ladies dresses. Sleeves of the 1890s were overly puffed, extravagant, and a wee bit wacky. They were always adorned with ribbons and lace and were sometimes separated from the dress itself. Some women even wore a sort of "sleeve enhancer" under their sleeves to make them even bigger. These sleeves would last until about the middle of the early 1900s when a simpler style came into fashion.
