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Don't let a bizarre fashion injury ruin your Christmas

Every Christmas, people receive some items of clothing as gifts, whether it’s a cheesy jumper designed for the big meal or something simpler like a pair of socks. Either way, Christmas without special clothes as gifts wouldn’t be the same. Nevertheless, there are hazards involved in wearing clothes that are either poorly made or the wrong size, something that as many as two thirds of people in the UK say they have experienced.

It may seem odd, but the fact that two out of three people have suffered fashion-related injuries shows that style can come at a price. This surprising statistic released by personal injury law firm First4Lawyers claimed that zips are responsible for a number of minor and major injuries, while heavy bags of clothing during the January sales were another culprit for fashion-related injuries, not to mention simply dressing and undressing.

Of the 66% who claimed that they have been injured because of something to do with clothing or footwear, a large number said that they had been hurt because of a mishap with the zip. 37% said that they had caught their skin by zipping or unzipping a coat, pair of trousers or other item of clothing without care. Cuts are often caused by shoddy zips. Meanwhile, 24% of people afflicted by fashion injuries said that heavy bags led to back problems which took days or even weeks to clear up.

Allergic reactions to certain types of fabric accounted for 17% of people sustaining fashion injuries and illnesses according to the first4lawyers Sheffield office, while tripping over shoelaces was responsible for 16%. 15% of people said dresses and hemlines that were too long caused them to trip over, while dressing and undressing mishaps afflicted 14% of those surveyed. Minor injuries including sprained ankles from wearing high heels, damaged ears from faulty piercings and faintness from wearing tight garments were also cited by some victims.

This may seem like a joke to some people, but it’s important to think about what you’re buying as presents if you care about the safety and wellbeing of the people you love, especially when it comes to clothing. Although things like allergies cannot be legislated for, by making sure you buy clothes that are the right size, don’t look too dangerous and are unlikely to cause any accidents whatsoever, you can feel safe in the knowledge that they won’t suffer any bizarre fashion injury.