Bicycle Face

While the duck face might be the bane of our generation's existence, in the 19th century, doctors warned women of the bicycle face.  The Literary Digest in 1895 notes that "over-exertion, the upright position on the wheel, and the unconscious effort to maintain one's balance tend to produce a wearied and exhausted 'bicycle face."  Women could become "flushed, but sometimes pale, often with lips more or less drawn, and the beginning of dark shadows under the eyes, and always with an expression of weariness."

It is hard to determine what brought about the first diagnosis of bicycle face, but it could be linked to the fact bicycles were seen as an instrument of feminism.  Riding bicycles changed the way women dressed, gave women more independence and was correlated with the suffrage movement. 

Thankfully no bicycle face here, just some bad selfies!  To read the whole article, click here.