Hobble Skirts
Hobble skirts were extremely narrow garments that restricted movement, forcing wearers to take tiny steps. Popular between 1908 and 1914, these skirts created an exaggerated silhouette that many believed emphasized elegance and refinement. Their nickname, “speed-limit skirts,” came from the way they hindered normal walking. High fashion magazines promoted the trend, despite its many critics.
Legend has it that a designer got the idea after seeing a woman tie her skirt before a flight. Despite the impracticality, hobble skirts were embraced by fashion-forward elites. Women even learned new ways of walking to accommodate the restricted movement. The trend faded with World War I, when practicality and mobility became more essential in women’s clothing.
