Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History

The clothes we wear every day keep us comfortable, protect us from the elements, and express our unique style--but could fashion also be fatal? As it turns out, history is full of fashions that have harmed or even killed people. From silhouette-cinching corsets and combustible combs to lethal hair dyes and flammable flannel, this nonfiction book looks back at the times people have suffered pain, injury, and worse, all in the name of style. Historical examples like the tragic "Radium Girl" watchmakers and mercury-poisoned "Mad Hatters," along with more recent factory accidents, raise discussion of unsafe workplaces--where those who make the clothes are often fashion's first victims.

Co-authored by a scholar in the history of textiles and dress with the founder of WORN Fashion Journal, this book is equal parts fab and frightening: a stylishly illustrated mash-up of STEAM content, historical anecdotes, and chilling stories. Nonfiction features including sidebars, sources, an index, and a list of further reading will support critical literacy skills and digging deeper with research on this topic.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Owlkids
Published: 04/15/2019
ISBN: 9781771472531
Pages: 48
Weight: 1.15lbs
Size: 10.20h x 9.80w x 0.60d

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 02/18/2019
Kirkus Reviews 03/01/2019
Booklist 03/15/2019 pg. 60
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 04/01/2019
School Library Journal 04/01/2019 pg. 97
Shelf Awareness 04/26/2019

Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 502139 / Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History
Reading Level: 7.3 / Interest Level: Middle Grade / Point Value: 1