The popular fashion items that are putting you at risk… as ‘Zara death pants’ send wearers to hospital

Everyone knows the saying beauty is pain, but what about fashion? It turns out there may be a slew of hidden dangers lurking in your clothes.

Over the years, various trends have come in style that were actually quite harmful to people’s health.

Most recently, a pair of pants from Zara has gained immense attention online after wearers claimed the clothing item left them with bruises, cuts and even broken bones.

Because the loose pants have an extremely wide leg, many women have claimed on social media that they’ve tripped and fallen, resulting in an array of emergency room visits and leading to the item earning the nickname the ‘Zara death pants.’

One British woman, who goes by the username @stephaniesworld on Instagram, has become the latest self-described victim after she documented a trip to the hospital following an accident in the pants. 

While she didn’t reveal the extent of her injuries, her video quickly struck a nerve, racking up thousands of likes and prompting dozens of women to admit they’d suffered eerily similar accidents.

But it turns out, the Zara pants aren’t the only fashion item that could put you in harm’s way. 

The Daily Mail has rounded up the other clothing pieces and styling trends that have caused injuries over the years.

Wearing flip flops can cause infection and long-term foot problems

While flip flops may be one of the hottest shoes to wear this summer, they can pose a danger to your feet and even result in injury if they’re worn for too long or over long distances. 

And Hollywood’s biggest A-listers may want to listen up too, as stars like Hailey Bieber, Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner have all been seen sporting the age-old trend recently. 

According to Baltimore-based podiatrist Dr Mikel Daniels, flip flops can do more harm than good.

Among his own patients, Daniels previously told the Daily Mail that he often sees those who wear thin, floppy flip flops the whole summer show up to his office with heel pain and tight calves.

‘The most common problem I see after flip flop wearing is plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the band along the bottom of the foot that supports the arch,’ Daniels said.

‘Flat flip flops have almost no structure or support. This results in a shortening of the stride and curling of the toes to keep them on,’ he continued. 

‘Over thousands of steps, that strains tissues like the plantar fascia, Achilles’ tendon, and the small muscles that control the toes.

‘Patients come in because after wearing them over many years, they have chronic pain or deformities like hammertoes and bunions that are now problematic.’

However, it’s not just ligament-related issues that can crop up – as he explained that the trendy shoes can also put you at risk of infection.

‘There is also the exposure issue. Open flip flops leave you close to the ground with very little protection,’ Daniels said.

He shared that, oftentimes, he sees patients with infected wounds due to foreign objects like splinters and shell cuts in their feet from wearing flip flops even if it’s just for a short walk.

Skinny jeans that restrict circulation can result in compartment syndrome

While they may be back in style, skinny jeans can also cause some serious harm to your health.

In a 2015 report published by the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, it was detailed that an unidentified 35-year-old woman in Australia had to be cut out of her skinny jeans in a medical emergency.

The woman had been squatting all day while helping a family member move, which led to her developing compartment syndrome, a ‘painful buildup of pressure around your muscles,’ according to Cleveland Clinic.

The symptoms include numbness, tightness, ankle weakness, and muscle pain.

If compartment syndrome is left untreated, it can result in permanent muscle damage, paralysis or even death, according to the Clinic. 

Per ABC News, in severe cases, amputation has also been used to treat patients with this syndrome.

Doctors believe that skinny jeans can cause this by restricting circulation.

Other medical professionals have warned that skinny jeans can even lead to twisted testicles in men as well as urinary tract infections.

Zara’s wide-leg pants have sent people to the hospital after they tripped and fell

Over the past few months, many women have reported that a particular pair of pants from fast fashion giant Zara sent them to the hospital.

The pants may be adorable – silky, wide-leg trousers that come in an array of colors – but they’re causing some serious damage to some customers who have bought them.

On TikTok, under the hashtag #zaratrousers, many have shared their stories of faceplanting and falling while wearing the $45 pants.

‘The way these slammed me face first on the tube station platform. Thought I’d broken my hip,’ one user commented.

‘I can’t believe there’s a support group for these trousers. They look so good but they’re definitely a safety hazard. At least I know it’s not just me.’

Another seconded: ‘Yes! I nearly broke my arm, ended up in hospital. My elbow still isn’t right. Threw them out immediately.’

‘I bought these silk trousers in two colors, fell twice, second fall broke my left ring finger and hand wrecked cause of it,’ someone else typed.

One woman even shared Ring camera footage of herself falling in her driveway in a pair of the Zara pants.

The user, Georgia Hayden, posted the video of her completely faceplanting, and it’s reached over two million views.

Many have suffered from serious injuries while wearing high heels and platform boots

While high heels are a favorite among many women, including First Lady Melania Trump, who often opts for sky-high Manolo Blahnik shoes or Christian Louboutins, they can come at a serious cost to your feet.

According to the Hospital of Central Connecticut, wearing high heels can cause chronic foot pain, pain in your heels and arches and even tears and fractures in the foot.

In addition, wearing heels can create an imbalance in your body and poor posture, causing pain in your hips and back. 

The actual height of the shoes poses a danger, too – just turning the wrong way while wearing a pair of heels can cause you to fall or snap your ankle or leg.

Platform boots can also pose the same risk, as it can cause you to lose stability, according to ABC4.

‘Any time you raise your foot up you lose some stability and increase the chance of injury,’ Grant Sun, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Intermountain Health in Utah, told the outlet at the time.

‘The foot is naturally flexible, and so as you walk, there’s a certain bend in it, and you lose that if you have a stiff shoe like a platform,’ Sun continued.

The platform shoes can also put you at risk for an ACL tear.  

In a 2024 interview with Rolling Stone, singer Christina Aguilera admitted that her feet have been left with permanent injuries after decades of wearing sky-high heels.

‘I’ve already f**ked up my legs and my feet so bad with all this high-heel nonsense,’ Aguilera told the outlet at the time.

She also added that she had hurt the cartilage in her knee from the heels.   

Actor Nicholas Galitzine, who starred as George Villiers on Mary & George, broke his ankle after having to wear a pair of heeled shoes while filming, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Your activewear might contain harmful chemicals that can pose a danger to your health 

The materials in your clothing could contain dangerous chemicals as some are made with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, known as ‘forever chemicals,’ or man-made chemicals often used in products to resist heat, oil, and water.

These chemicals do not break down on their own and are often found in waterproof clothing and activewear. 

Currently, activewear company Lululemon is being investigated in Texas for using PFAS in its clothing.

And the investigation opened by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on April 13 isn’t the first time Lululemon has faced such allegations. 

PFAS have been found in Lululemon products before. However, the company has insisted that they ‘phased out the substance’ in 2023. 

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, exposure to PFAS can come with an increased risk of some cancers, interfere with the body’s natural hormones, and even increase cholesterol levels.

The chemicals may also harm the reproductive system, resulting in decreased fertility.