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It is a historical fact that in 1770 the British Parliament banned lipstick, claiming it had the power to make men marry, which was considered witchcraft.

 It’s amazing how quickly attitudes change. Today, the lines from the Senate decree, issued in 1770 in Frankfurt am Main, will perhaps only cause ironic smiles. But at the time, the phenomenon apparently excited the public, especially its male half, to arrive at its protection by law:

“If any male subject of our city is tricked into marriage using false means: bleach, lipstick, all kinds of perfumes and pomades, false teeth, false hair, padded breasts, etc., the woman will be prosecuted for witchcraft and the marriage may to be declared invalid by the court.”

Almost at the same time, a law with a similar mandate was issued in New Jersey (USA):

“If a woman, regardless of her age or position, after the passing of this law, uses cosmetics, a wig, or high-heeled shoes to entice any man, she will be punished as a witch:”

After more than a century, in 1912, in the American state of Illinois, the question of preserving public morality was again on the agenda. Women in the state are strictly prohibited from wearing “…corsets, skirts shorter than 15 cm below the knee, short sleeves, necklines cut at the neck, and clothing that outlines the seductive lines of the female body.”

It seems that women did not always comply with such prescriptions, so it was necessary to remind them of them. In 1917, this was done by a Dutch magazine, which quoted on its pages the measures taken by the English Parliament against the woman-temptress:

“Every woman. regardless of age, position, class, maiden or widow, who deceives any of His Majesty’s subjects either by worming, false hair. loose dress, etc., to enter into marriage with him, shall be punished with the penalties prescribed by law, and the marriage shall be declared void.’

Photo by Dids: https://www.pexels.com/photo/four-aligned-assorted-color-lipsticks-1625037/

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