The locked skirt: when the fashionable piece of clothing endangered your physical integrity

There are many examples of absurd fashions who have traveled the prolific history of the human being. Some of them are even blushing, because of the danger they entailed. But already we know that to brag you have to suffer, and it’s always fun to hear about how the Japanese dyed their teeth black (ohaguro), Chinese women bandaged their feet to prevent their growth or Westerners in the nineteenth century dilated their pupils with belladonna, despite being extremely toxic. Because like it or not, these aberrations have usually been more a part of their daily life than theirs.

Y women are the protagonists again, in this case because of a fashion that triumphed in the West, but that had a rather ephemeral life (from 1908 to 1914 approximately), although we are extremely familiar with it because it has been represented ad nauseam in many films focused on that time: la falta trabada.

It is assumed that a woman was going for a plane ride and that Wilbur Wright tied a rope around her skirt, at the ankles

It is curious, the history of the locked skirt. Firstly, because its origins are already a bit legendary: it is assumed that Edith Ogilby Berg, a lucky lady, was going for a plane ride, and that Wilbur Wright (of the Wright Brothers) tied a rope around her skirt, at the ankles, to hold her and prevent her from getting up during the journey. Apparently, a French fashion designer noticed the shape of the woman’s skirt in question when she got off the flight, thought it looked great, and decided to be inspired by her, (it is assumed that it was Paul Poiret, but there is no real consensus about it).

Although it is undoubtedly an interesting story, the truth is that the beginning of the twentieth century was being very promising and exciting for fashion. Before, not much had happened. In the eighteenth century the dresses were very elaborate, with lace ornaments, petticoats with rhinestones and brocades, in addition to wigs and hats. Only after the French Revolution and its democratic principles, clothes began to be simpler: muslin, sleeves that left the arms exposed and high waists. The so-called Regency fashion arose, based on lightness and inspired by neoclassical tastes.

Getting on a tram was extremely complicated with this skirt

But beyond that, there is not much to say in terms of experimentation. What is clear is that the change of times and advances are very related to clothing. The beginning of the twentieth century gave rise to experimentation, combined with a sudden willingness of women to break the rules (which would become more marked over the years, until you get to the ‘flapper’) gave rise to such interesting styles as this.

The problem? Although it became very popular, it was not very useful for leading a moderately normal life. Getting on a tram was extremely complicated with this skirt, and in fact in 1912 the New York Streetcar they had to include an additional step in some of the wagons, and Los Angeles imitated the measure the following year. And in fact, some women had already died because of fashion: in 1910, a lady dressed in such a skirt died on an equestrian race track in Paris, when a horse ran amok. A year later, an 18-year-old girl stumbled on an Erie Canal bridge, fell over the railing and drowned.

Only women who lived a life of luxury and comfort could afford such little ability to move

How could it be otherwise, soon the jokes began. They were not exempt from evil, and they had a lot to do with that supposed freedom that women wanted to acquire. There were many humorous postcards that have remained for us to remember. “The locked skirt, what is that? A skirt with a speed limit!”, alleges one from 1911, alluding that the garment restricted the passage of those who wore them. Most of them depicted women falling comically or trying to climb stairs with difficulty, in a slightly humiliating way.

Because it was clear that the skirt made it difficult to pass, and in fact to prevent tearing the skirts with too great a stride, some women went so far as to tie their legs with ribbons or garters at knee height. His nature in itself was a little limiting, and only women who lived a life of luxury and comfort could afford such poor mobility. However, the locked skirt triumphed, and many designers had to make alterations to allow more movement, such as pleats or openings. Somehow, the bust was released, but in return the legs were chained.

Fashion triumphed again over functionality, but unlike in other times, as happened with the Chinese lotus feet, we should not see this as a symbol of oppression, but precisely as a change from the times when women were well informed about new trends and the first emancipatory movements were approaching.

Either way, the trend began to lose popularity when the First World War began, for in such times greater comfort was needed (just as it happened with hat, which gradually disappeared until it remained a practically marginal element). One more demonstration that each fashion is the daughter of its time, no matter how ridiculous or curious some of them may seem to us now, observing them with the perspective of time.​

There are many examples of absurd fashions who have traveled the prolific history of the human being. Some of them are even blushing, because of the danger they entailed. But already we know that to brag you have to suffer, and it’s always fun to hear about how the Japanese dyed their teeth black (ohaguro), Chinese women bandaged their feet to prevent their growth or Westerners in the nineteenth century dilated their pupils with belladonna, despite being extremely toxic. Because like it or not, these aberrations have usually been more a part of their daily life than theirs.