This Is How Victorian Fashion Could Kill You
Victorian fashion made people crazy in the 18th and 19th centuries, but it cannot be called a perfect one…
The Victorian fashion era started with the reign of Queen Victoria in 1837 and ended with her death in 1901. It marked a pivotal time in the history of Britain. In the world of fashion, the Victorian era is considered a display of wealth, class, purpose and beauty.
It changed the way men and women used to wear their outfits. Their suiting sense was enhanced, and various comfortable, classy designs and styles were introduced to the world. When this era was about to end, a simple silhouette was making waves. This led people to enter the Edwardian generation.
While getting dressed every morning is a hassle for many of us, but we should be thankful that we were not born in the Victorian era because that fashion could kill us. Here are a couple of worst offenders you might not have an idea of.
Poisonous Dyes
A wide number of outfits were made with arsenic dyes. In the 17th century, the green color was in trend. It was extensively used in clothing. Dressmakers depended on a combination of blue and yellow dyes to produce hues.
Later on, in the 1770s, a German/Swedish chemist (Carl Wilhelm Scheele) brought forward a new green pigment which was a mixture of potassium and white arsenic. Copper was also added to this mixture, and this pigment was used to prepare Victorian-style outfits.
Fashionable women used to love these arsenic-dyed dresses, including Queen Victoria who liked it a lot. However, they were unaware of its health effects.
Flammable Fabrics
The flowing white cotton gained popularity in the 18th century. People preferred it over other types of fabrics despite the fact that it caused problems for both the maker and the wearer. This was actually produced with often-brutal slave labor on plantations and was flammable, meaning such outfits could easily and quickly catch fire.
In 1809, John Heathcoat had patented a special type of machine that could make machine-woven silk and cotton pillows. These pillows could also catch fire in no time.
Ballerinas were also at risk. Maybe, you know that British ballerina Clara Webster died in 1844 when her outfit caught fire at Drury Lane Theater of London. Her skirt had actually come too close to sunken lights when she was on the stage.
