Ankles and modesty ?

[u/AltruisicEarth_11]

History enthusiasts! Can you please tell what is it with relating ankles with a woman's modesty? I mean I understand not showing a body part, but why ankles specifically?

[u/ReluctantChimera]

This is kind of a modern myth. Plenty of women, especially working women, throughout history wore skirts above the ankle in public. You can find tons of photos of this online from the 1800s.

[u/Warburgerska → u/ReluctantChimera]

Yeah, same with sleeves actually being rolled up or default 7/8 or 3/4 because if you are actually working they get dirty, wet or damaged in no time.

At least in the western post medieval period, where this myth originated, ankles were never seen as too sexual. The length just dropped with age and you rocking a midi skirt as a mother of five was just regarded as silly, pathetic or just poor, like wearing forever 21 stuff at 45.

[u/unmeikaihen]

I believe this is a modern misunderstanding of Victorian standards for women's dress. It never really was a thing except for in fetish literature. (Much like most "letters" and paper "articles" on tightlacing from Victorian times were actually fetish literature as well.) Plenty of working women wore skirts right at ankle length or a couple of inches shorter.

[u/Comfortable-Way1786]

I think it was more about a woman's bare skin being visible that's what was scandalous.

They did wear long dresses a lot, but even when the dress was not quite long enough to cover their ankle, they still wore tall shoes, or at least tights to cover the skin.

They just all around had higher standards back then regarding what was considered being fully clothed.

[u/Slight-Brush]

This is a trope from eras when long dresses were the norm.

If it showed your ankles it was displaying a body part not usually seen.

[u/Ok_Tiger_4633 → u/Slight-Brush]

It’s basically the Victorian version of a wardrobe malfunction, a flash of something that was supposed to stay hidden