過去對台灣社會的研究顯示，大約在十九世紀中葉，纏足已全面地普及開來。對當時的閩南士紳家庭，纏足意味著「文化教養程度」的高低。然而，在日本殖民統治把纏足視為「電習」的衝突之下，新的教養與文化的定義起了變化，漸漸不能以纏足作為標誌。日本人為改變臺灣人身分的認同，透過教育、鼓吹解纏足，改造身體以馴服成為日本臣民，便成為一種新的風潮。透過對纏足所顯現的歧視與負面評價，在台灣仕紳內部產生對「新時代女性」的想像與認同，逐漸地，不纏足成為一種新的婚姻與時尚的指標。透過不纏足與西化服裝的推廣，不但達成同化的目的，也運用時尚的內在動力，重新對女性身體定義。本文透過文獻與訪談，一方面理解纏足變遷對婚姻流動的變化，一方面了解時尚對推動社會變遷的力量。同時從服裝史的體察，理解纏足與解纏足運動，所帶出服裝歷史的斷裂與西化。

This paper explores the changing history of footbinding from the late Qing dynasty to the Japanese colonial regime in Taiwan. In studying a Minan society through literature review and conducting an informant, what I discovered was that footbinding is complexly integrating with the changing fashion ideology. First, from the social relation point of view, bound feet was associating with different consideration of social status and cultural identity. However, the footbinding may not be considered as a significant factor for the future marriage. Second, while the social changed according to the Japanese Empire power and new ideology of woman’s body was emerged from Han elites, footbinding became impropriate for the new taste of beauty. The cultural identity was shifting from the Qing Empire to Japanese Empire. Woman’s body was became an iconic symbol for the Han elite to demonstrate the “modernity” of Taiwan. Last, the fashion ideology created a new desire of woman’s body and look, western style became increasing popular on clothes and shoes. In order to avoid treating the questions as continuity change of fashion history, this article is tried to reveal the different aspects of footbinding, and takes the cultural phenomena in the deep meaning of fashion and its power under the Taiwan historical context.