Death by Fashion Article

Which girl doesn’t love fashion? Here at ‘Crush’ we love a good trend. However some trends are causing some serious risks to our health and we think fashion shouldn’t mean suffering for the trends. So to help you, we have collected a roundup of the most dangerous trends affecting YOU! So what are you waiting for?

Seriously Scary Skinny Jeans

How many girls don’t own a pair of pair of skinny jeans? From Kate Moss to Sienna Miller, skinny jeans have become the MVP (most valuable player) in our wardrobes.  But recent research has shown that they don’t love our health back.  Skinny jeans can cause a condition called ‘meralgia paresthetica'’ or in other words, causing tingling and numbness in the upper leg. This may not sound so bad at first, but it can lead to more severe problems in later life such as permanent nerve damage if you wear them all the time like many women our age do.

 Also think twice about wearing your favourite too tight skinnies with those gorgeous new heels you’ve just bought. Wearing them with skinny jeans can worsen the problem as studies have shown that they tilt the pelvis which increases the pressure which increases the harm done.

But don’t worry girls, help is at hand! Jeggings (leggings in the style of jeans for those not in on the fashion knowhow) are in  this season and even better they don’t cause nerve damage in the legs because of the loose legging style which I think is a total win-win situation! Also try other styles of jeans such as the boyfriend jean sported by celebs such as Kate Bosworth which are much looser than skinnies and totally in trend.  So next time you pick your favourite skinnies out of instinct, think again because they could cause some major health worries

Horrid High Heels

Everyone knows that high heels probably aren’t the best thing to wear if you are a touch on the uncoordinated side but they are also causing huge harm inside your body not just some scrapes on the outside. Wearing high heels can cause the calf muscle to shorten which basically means that you are more likely to suffer from strain injuries which, trust us, do seriously hurt!

Heels can also cause your feet to look like walking fashion disasters, causing bunions and calluses because heels throw the weight on the balls of the feet. Just take one look at Posh’s bunions and you will instantly be put off wearing heels, like we were! Finally heels can cause something which sounds hilarious but totally isn’t- ‘Pump Bump’ or in medical terms, Hagland’s Deformity. This is a painful bump on the back of the heel thanks to where the bone rubs against the shoe. Glamourous, huh?

However there is still time to stop these bad boys taking over your health. Swap heels for flats for day to day living because five hours of wearing even the smallest heel can do some serious damage.  But if you can’t give up those gorgeous Topshop heels, then pack a pair of normal ballet pumps in your bag so when you sit down and relax, your feet can as well.  And if you absolutely can’t give up your heels, then pick out block heels not a thin stiletto which will minimise the damage but still keep you looking good!

Back-Breakingly Bad Bags

Bags are big this season but be careful not to put everything you own in one of these gorgeous humongous bags. Carrying a bag that contains more than 10% of your body weight can cause some serious damage, causing improper balance.  

Also, how you carry your bag can cause dangerous consequences. Wearing it on the shoulder, as we all love to do, interferes with the natural movement of the body making the shoulder immoveable. This can make the spine curve towards the shoulder which trust is a total fashion don’t! And don’t even think about using your mobile while carrying one of these killers because it can only intensify the problem, causing too much weight to hang on one side.

But don’t worry, you can still make a change and stop the long-term effects.  Only carry what is necessary because really when will you need five bottles of perfumes and three makeup kits in an emergency?  Also pick bags with a wide adjustable bag because it will help distribute the weight across you body which will help minimize the damage caused. Also looking for a new bag? Pick a backpack which are so in trend right now but will also help your health because it distributes the weight evenly on both shoulders.

Painful Piercings

Whether you have just your ears or your whole body pierced, piercings can cause a whole lot of damage. We all love a bit of bling but be careful where you get your earrings from as nickel can cause allergic reactions which can cause skin to become very itchy and very red which we think kinda distracts from the prettiness of the earrings.

Just had your ears pierced?  Keep that earring in no matter how tempted you are to change it because changing it can cause the hole to seize up and become infected which can mean only one thing- horrible yellowy pus sprouting from your ears-eww! Also piercings can cause uncontrollable bleeding if you catch them on clothing or move them too much which is not a good look going to A&E because your ears won’t stop bleeding.

Now we’re not saying don’t get piercings because we love them as much as you do. However make sure you look after them. People who pierce your ears are experts, or at least they should be if you get them from a certified place, so listen to their advice on how to look after your piercings. Also leave your earrings in until they have healed, this usually takes six weeks, so be patient because we would rather wait for the piercing to heal than to have a yucky piercing.