Stupid Contagion: The Limping Ladies of London

<p>Upper-class ladies in Victorian Era England put on a fake limp as a fashion statement. It was just one of many ways they emulated the beautiful Alexandra of Denmark, Princess of Wales who went on to become Queen of England, wife of King Edward VII. In this episode, we talk about the "Alexandra Limp," some other stupid fashion contagions and then we quiz Dan R Morris from the "Tracing the Path" podcast. </p> <p>Bonus content available at <a href='http://patreon.com/michaelkent'>http://patreon.com/michaelkent</a> Get 20% Virtual Presenter Course at <a href='http://virtualpresentercourse.com/30'>http://virtualpresentercourse.com/30</a></p> <p>Visit Dan R Morris's Podcast "Tracing the Path" at <a href='http://tracingthepath.com'>http://tracingthepath.com</a></p> <p></p> <p>In France, King Louis the Fourteenth reigned from 1643 until his death in 1715. He was known as “The Sun King” or “Louis the Great.” And the guy had butt problems. Specifically an anal fistula. Listen - don’t google that. Just understand, it’s a butt problem. And at this point in history, physicians didn’t perform surgeries where they cut into people. But barbers had blades they used to cut hair, so a barber named Charles Francois Felix created a special blade-like tool that he called “The Royal Probe” and used it to perform a surgery on the Sun King to cure him of his anal fistula. It was a huge success, Louis was fistula-free and the result is that his courtiers and subjects who wanted to appear king-like tried to get the surgery too - whether they had the ailment or not! Even people who didn’t get the surgery wrapped their butts in swaddles to appear as if they’d gotten the surgery. </p> <p>That’s maybe the grossest example of a monarch becoming a trend-setter. Cleopatra had all of the upper-class women in Rome wearing their hair in a bun at the back of their neck, and wearing eyeliner. If you know the rule about men’s three-button suit coats? You know, Sometimes, always never? Meaning you never button the bottom button on a suit coat? T