In 1867, Princess Alexandra of Denmark developed a permanent limp after battling a severe case of rheumatic fever. Little did she know her medical condition would spark one of history\'s strangest fashion trends.
By 1869, British high society women began deliberately walking with a limp to emulate the princess. The trend became so popular that shops began selling specially designed shoes with mismatched heel heights to help women perfect their \"Alexandra limp.\"
The fashion statement spread rapidly through Victorian England, with women buying shoes specifically crafted to force an uneven gait. What started as admiration for a beloved princess quickly transformed into a full-blown commercial phenomenon.
The trend faced harsh criticism from newspapers like the Scottish Courier and Argus, which condemned it as \"caricaturing human infirmity.\" By the early 1870s, the peculiar fashion fad had faded into history, leaving behind a remarkable tale of how far Victorian women would go to emulate royalty.
Sources: Scottish Courier and Argus, Historical records of Victorian fashion trends, Contemporary medical records of Princess Alexandra