9 Fashion Trends That Could Harm Your Health

If the phrase "beauty is pain" justifies most of your fashion purchases, you might seriously want to reconsider your shopping mantra. Just because a trend is, well, trendy, doesn't mean it's good for you, and I've scouted out today's popular fashion trends that could mess with your health. Are those shoes you love really worth the pain if it's going to be chronic? Maybe not.

As you're reading the list below, keep in mind that I am in no way judging you for rocking these styles! I personally love a lot of them, but I think everyone deserves to know when a trend could literally be impacting their health.

I think the key to remember here, as with anything, is moderation. Just because you see something on the list below that you own doesn't mean you have to swear it off forever. For instance, would high heels be a great idea to wear every single day whether I'm off to the office, out for drinks, or just running errands? Probably not. But do they make an outfit look damn good when I'm hitting the city at night for a party? Duh.

Find out how many potentially dangerous trends are lurking in your closet so you can consider wearing them just a little often.

1. Skinny Jeans

Ah, beloved skinny jeans. They can be so skinny, in fact, that BBC reported the style "can seriously damage muscles and nerves." Though Priya Dasoju, professional adviser at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, told BBC damage from skinny jeans is rare, she advised, "Avoid staying in the same position for too long and keep moving throughout the day" so that your jeans don't cut off circulation.

2. Cheap Jewelry

Bustle's Rika Nurrohamah shared that nickel is the most popular metal for those cheap earrings and rings you buy at insanely low prices, but your savings can come with a cost: metal allergies. According to MayoClinic, nickel allergies happen to be "one of the most common causes of contact dermatitis." If you love jewelry that much, save up for a pair of 100 percent silver, gold, or platinum earrings!

3. Corsets

Just because the Kardashians sport corsets to keep their waists teeny tiny doesn't mean you should. "Some women have actually passed out from wearing one for too long," Christopher Ochner, Ph.D., told Marie Claire. He added the contraptions can even lead to "crushed organs, compressed lungs, and fractured ribs." No freaking thank you.

4. Gladiator Sandals

Luis Navarro, M.D., surgeon and medical director of The Vein Treatment Center in New York City told Cosmopolitan, "Super-tight sandals put pressure on the vein walls, which can slow blood flow back to the heart and cause leg tissues to swell." If you must wear them, try to keep things as loose as possible.

5. Yoga Pants

Spend all your day in yoga pants to stay comfy? You might feel cozy, but your (ehem) lady parts sure don't. As shared on Mic, wearing moisture-trapping yoga pants all day can lead to vaginitis, yeast infections, and uncomfortable ingrown hairs.

6. Oversized Handbags

Those beautiful giant boho bags aren't harmful in and of themselves, they just become dangerous when you shove too much crap in them. Neal Elattrache, MD, a specialist at Los Angeles's Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic told Oprah, "[Giant bags] pull on a web of nerves that can cause aching or shooting pain from the neck down the arm." Constantly wearing them can even create chronic lower back pain. Opt for a backpack instead sometimes to distribute the weight more evenly.

7. High Heels

Not exactly a shocker, Women's Health Mag explained that wearing heels every day can lead to "chronically taut (and shortened!) ankle and calf tendons, making walking—even in flats—painful." Beyond that dramatic risk, heels can add unnecessary stress to your knees, put your lower back in an unnatural position, and lead to nerve damage in your toes. Holy yikes.

8. Flats

On the flip side, structureless flats can be equally damaging for your feet. Pediatrist Saoirse Waldron, of Spectrum Foot Clinics, told Irish Examiner, “Flat shoes, like ballerina pumps, can cause a range of different problems. They have no arch support, no fastening strap or laces and no shock-absorbing material ... This can cause too much friction on the heel, Achilles tendon and toes, resulting in blisters, corns and callouses." Luckily, Birkenstocks (AKA the best shoes ever), have tons of arch support!

9. Thongs

Sexy as they may be, thongs aren't doing you any major favors. "If you have a little bacteria — E. coli is the most common bacteria in the colon — in the back part of the [thong] fabric and you’re physically active, that material may move. All it has to do is move an inch or two and it’s next to the vagina or urethra. That thong may be depositing colonic bacteria into your vagina or urethra,” Dr. Jill M. Rabin told Huffington Post. Um. Ew.

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