The revenge of skinny jeans

In “Gone with the Wind,” Scarlett O’Hara (played by Vivian Leigh) clutches bedposts while her maid pulls at the corset strings. In “Titanic,” Rose (played by Kate Winslet)’s mother ties her corset and forces her to marry her wealthy fiancé. Her taking off the corset while asking Jack who she loves to draw her portrait means a break with the old custom. In “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Elizabeth (played by Keira Knightley) falls into the sea due to her corset.

A corset has long been a symbol of femininity as it uplifts the breasts and makes the waist slim. At the same time, it was a symbol of a bridle and pain. Corsets that had been popular since the mid-16th century in Europe were unhealthy as they were made of hard materials such as wood, the bones of whales, and even steel. Many women even lost their lives as they were choked, had a broken rib or a broken rib poked organs.

A specter of corsets, which sacrificed health over beauty, is still haunting women today. The number of varicose patients who have enlarged veins in legs or ankles is surging among those in their 20s because of skinny jeans or boots. A team led by Professor Na Yeong-joo at Inha University studied 100 female college students in 2011. The study found that 14 percent of respondents had a swollen or tingly leg, and they had pain in the order of the pelvis, the waist, knees, and calves. Nonetheless, many women cannot give up skinny jeans that make their body sexy.

You cannot wear a skinny jean while standing. You should wear it like a pair of stockings and then have to jump to squeeze in your butt. It is tough to take it off. It is not surprising that a pair of long boots that also squeeze your legs lead to the circulation problem. A crop top is also bad for health because it lowers body temperature. High heels of 10 centimeters cause bunions. Young ladies, it is natural for women to seek beauty but please don’t forget that beauty cannot be maintained without staying healthy.

Editorial Writer Chung Seong-hee (shchung@donga.com)