This fashion plate of 1863, shows gowns in crude 'aniline' colours, including toxic arsenic green and 'Perkin's mauve' which caused a bright, purplish red skin rash. : r VictorianEra Trouble Emerald Mini Dress Beginning Boutique US In the 19th century, fashion could be deadly: womens dresses and flammable fabrics caused fatal fires and everyday clothing often contained toxic substances now considered too dangerous to use. , Hat Scheele's Green" was a vibrant, beautiful pigment used in wallpaper and dresses in the 1800s. The problem? It was made with Arsenic. People were slowly being poisoned by their own bedroom walls Toxic Tango Dress in Lime ap0cene