Say it with style; don't scream in pain
michelle mast
Issue date: 5/9/05 Section: Opinion
Are you a fashionable person? I like to consider myself fashionable, but the question is: just how far would you go for fashion? Since the beginning of fashion, which dates back to the 14th century, there have been many, many changes in what is deemed fashionable. But one similarity remains: people will go to extreme and bizarre lengths to be stylish.
Consider the trends today, as well as those from the past. With the popularity of piercings and tattoos, there is a growing desire to go out and get all kinds of needles shoved though different, sometimes very different, parts of the body. Call me crazy, but to me, that sounds like hell. And piercings can actually lead to other risks, which makes me wonder even more how it can possibly be worth it. For example, tongue piercings, which are now ever so popular, can damage your teeth. And it is not unusual to get food stuck in there, causing infection.
As for tattoos, they are permanent, which is a risk all on it's own. Also, you have to remember that any time a needle is injected, you are at risk for any number of diseases.
But odd and ridiculous trends date back as far as fashion itself. In the Victorian era, for example, corsets were fashionable. A corset is a garment used to mold the torso into an "hourglass figure" by lacing up the back. The goal was to lace it up as tightly as possible so as to make your waist as tiny as possible. Eventually, after continuously wearing you corset tighter and tighter, you were able to go down a size or so. Or, if you still couldn't achieve the waist size you so desired, you could consider having your lowest rib surgically removed. Perhaps, this was the beginning of cosmetic surgery? However, corsets posed health risks even without surgery. They restricted breathing, and their was women fainted often enough for it to be a fairly common occurrence. Incidentally, corsets are making a comeback in some quarters today.
Another example of fashion crossing the line occurred in the 1950s and 1960s when pointed shoes were in, the more pointed the better. Some women had trouble fitting into the pointiest of the pointy and decided to have their little toes surgically removed to make it easier to be fashionable.
Now don't get me wrong. I love fashion, and in no way am I trying to minimize its importance. Fashion, after all, reflects the culture that spawns it. But there is a limit, a line you must question crossing. All that pain just to look good. Or, probably more accurately, to be socially accepted. With fashion trends constantly changing, that alone may mean the risks outweigh what is gained. Think of getting stuck with a permanent fashion statement when styles change and move on. It's bad enough having to throw out last year's wardrobe that hasn't morphed into this season's look.
Perhaps Shakespeare said it best: "The fashion wears out more apparel than the man."