Painstakingly Breathtaking.

By Abraham Favour Olohigbe

Dating back to the 1800s, females had to bear pains to look breathtaking and admirable to everyone. In Asia, layers of uncomfortable clothing were worn with wigs that weighed so much that the neck felt it. Ears needed to be pierced in some parts and some had to pierce and rim their lips. In Europe, women had to wear the most ridiculous crinoline which was accident-prone. In West Africa, tribal marks were seen as something to enhance beauty just like make-up but it was done on both genders.

    It is said that the first types of corsets which were used to cinch the waistlines were very uncomfortable and instead of the use of a bony whale bones were used. This restricted movements and women were meant to move in a certain way. Nowadays, there are still corsets and they are less restrictive but nearly as dangerous as their predecessors. The current corsets may reduce your breath intake and not allow you to eat well without you feeling uncomfortable.

    Do you remember the first time that you wore heels and you promised not to wear them again because of how bad they hurt? They make our legs so beautiful and elegant, but if you’re not careful with how to walk in them you might end up with sprained ankles. Some women have to put bandages on their feet before putting heels on to avoid blisters. Tight jeans also reduce blood circulation and boost the risk of vaginal yeast infections.

 

    There was a time when Chinese women had to do the most painful thing for beauty. They had to reduce the size of their feet because small feet were highly admired. They would have the smaller toes of girls as young as five bent beneath their foot and have them bound, to reduce the growth rate of the foot. The bindings will be regularly changed throughout the woman’s life. This was called the “Golden Lotus feet”.

 In the past, women have used leeches to have a paler complexion. Even now, women have to do a lot of uncomfortable things to look good.  Body compressors are used to compress the abdominal regions to get a flat stomach. They cause nerve pains and also trigger acid reflux. Braiding of hair isn’t painful for some but is very painful for others. 'Beauty is pain' has now become the mantra for women all over the world.

    Women don’t have to go through pain to slay or be uncomfortable just to be called beautiful. Beauty deals with the way you carry yourself. Opt out of wearing heels for more than five hours. You wouldn’t want your toes to be deformed or ligaments torn. Try to avoid heels that are too high. You can imbibe wearing free and comfy clothing that allows you to breathe well and still look pretty. To avoid looking comfy and not so good try knowing fashion rules, codes, and tips. Just know you’re beautiful without any add ons and anything that gives you pain isn’t for you.