If you had to wear this to your middle school dance, it would have totally harshed your YOLO.
Here's a photo from 1923. This woman is wearing a bumper belt which prevents her from getting to close to her dance partner.
Some women would wear this belt while doing a dance called the "Bunny Hug," which is thought to have originated in San Francisco. (This was during the time that jive and ragtime music was popular, and the trend of cheek-to-cheek dancing was emerging.) The Bunny Hug was perceived as quite indecent. At least, to old people. Old people are so un-fun.
Topical Press Agency/Stringer
Oh, how your middle school chaperones would have loved this device.
Because when they saw you dancing, it looked like this to them:
FYI, kids, this is appropriate dance etiquette. You won't get pregnant this way.
