Looking at the outrageous looks some of our favorite celebrities adapt in this day and age, one might think that one’s seen it all. Far from being the truth, though – the best is yet to come.
But you don’t necessarily have to look into the future for bold and outrageous looks and some of the weirdest fashion statements. History is filled with them – you just have to know where to seek.
Caca Dauphin
Louis Joseph, Dauphin (crown prince) of France, was the second child – and the eldest son – of King Louis XVI of France and Marie Antoinette. His arrival was eagerly awaited by the French in 1781 – after all, he was the one who may one day step on the throne of the country as King Louis XVII. Unfortunately for him, this dream never became a reality – he died of tuberculosis at the age of seven. But he will be forever remembered for triggering one of the weirdest fashion trends in history.
In the late 18th century, people were often imitating the Royals (just like some of them do today with the most fashionable celebrities and artists). But the French’s mimicking the royal family went a bit too far upon the birth of baby Louis Joseph: the first “thing” he made as a Dauphin, right in his diaper, has become the most fashionable color in Paris in the following weeks and months. Tell me about bad taste in fashion… right?
Jewelry of death
One of the most horrible things France has given the world was the guillotine – a device created to quickly decapitate those convicted for various crimes. One would expect for it to be reserved for those special occasions when someone’s head needed to be cut off – but no. It’s the French we’re talking about, after all. Actually, this horrid device was so revered by the French that ingenious jewelers used it as an inspiration for jewelry – namely, earrings shaped like a guillotine. And women proudly wore them in public, too.
The color of horror
Last but not least, let us remember one of the most unlikely sources of inspiration for a trendy color in France: fire. Not just any fire, though, but the flames of the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, burned to ashes in 1781. The disaster led to a relatively small loss of life – only about 11 people died in the fire. But, instead of remembering the victims and strengthening fire safety in public buildings, the Parisians chose to remember the event in a unique way: a few days after the fire, the first “Couleur de feu d’Opera” appeared, to the satisfaction of the fashionable French public.
