Historical Beauty Standards That Were Completely Wild

Ancient China: Tiny Feet

One of history’s most painful beauty practices was foot binding.

Beginning in childhood, girls’ feet would be tightly wrapped in order to prevent normal growth. Over time, the bones would break and reshape, creating what became known as “lotus feet.”

Tiny feet were considered elegant, desirable and a sign of status.

The smaller the feet, the more beautiful they were believed to be.

The reality, however, was devastating. Many women lived with chronic pain and mobility issues for the rest of their lives.

Renaissance Europe: A Bigger Forehead

If you’ve ever worried about your hairline, Renaissance Europe may have been the place for you.

During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, a high forehead was considered extremely attractive.

Women often plucked or shaved their hairlines in order to create the illusion of a larger forehead.

Some even removed their eyebrows entirely.

Victorian England: Looking Slightly Unwell

The Victorians had some very unusual ideas about beauty.

Pale skin became a symbol of wealth and refinement because it suggested a person did not have to work outdoors. Some women even applied products containing lead, arsenic and other dangerous substances in an effort to achieve the perfect complexion.

Perhaps most bizarrely, appearing slightly sickly was sometimes considered attractive. Delicate features, faintness and an almost ghost-like appearance were associated with femininity and sophistication.

The ideal beauty standard often looked as though it hadn’t seen sunlight in several years.

Japan: Black Teeth

Today, most people spend considerable time and money trying to whiten their teeth. In historical Japan, beauty standards often demanded the exact opposite.

A practice known as ohaguro involved blackening the teeth using a special dye.

Black teeth became associated with beauty, maturity and social status.

To modern eyes it seems unusual, but at the time it was considered sophisticated and elegant.

The Eighteenth Century: Towering Wigs

The eighteenth century was an extraordinary time for hair.

Some hairstyles became so elaborate that they could reach impressive heights and incorporate feathers, ribbons, jewellery and even miniature model ships.

Maintaining these creations could take hours.

Unfortunately, they occasionally attracted unwanted visitors. There are stories of insects and even mice nesting within particularly elaborate wigs.

Which is enough information for one day.

The Victorian Belladonna Trend

Some women used drops made from belladonna, a highly poisonous plant, to dilate their pupils.

Large pupils were considered attractive because they created a wide-eyed appearance.

The downside? Belladonna could cause blurred vision, hallucinations and long-term damage.

All for the sake of looking slightly prettier.