Impractical Fashion: Hobble Skirts

In the Edwardian Era designer Paul Poiret started freeing women from their corsets. But this freedom came at a price. No piece in fashion history was more impractical than Poiret's hobble skirt. Inspired by the tiny steps of the geisha, the hobble skirt restricted women's movements to tiny steps with it's extremely narrow hem. Women would also wear a "fetter", which is a belt worn around the ankles to restrict movement, so women had "hobble" around. Poiret also designed a tunic top to be worn with this skirt. Only a man would design a skirt where women could not walk. This trend of course did not last as soon designers such as Chanel began to take over.