People Did Very Weird Things Before Modern Inventions Came Along

Nosegays Were Used To Cover Up Body Odor

Photo Credit: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Have you ever thought about what people had to do to smell decent before deodorant and cologne or perfume was invented? Bathing was a luxury at the time, so people couldn’t exactly rinse the stink off. To help deal with the smell, they would clip nosegays to their outfits.

The pleasant-smelling flower would help reduce the gross odor while also adding much-needed color to any outfit. One 18th century book called explicitly for the use of the flower, “When you are in a crowd, smell to [the nosegay], and you shall pass through without difficulty.”