The Encyclopedia of Ugly Fashion: A Hilarious Introspective of History’s Best Worst Fashion Trends

by Karolina Żebrowska

Dive into history’s forgotten fashion mistakes with this hilarious collection of hideous clothing trends throughout history. Filled with the biggest style flops across the decades, this book is a culmination of fashion history that will make readers ask, what were they thinking? Delivered through the comedic authorial voice of YouTuber and fashion historian Karolina Żebrowska, this book will give readers a peek back in time at looks like Bullet Bras, Calash Bonnets, Sock Garters, and Venetian Stilts.

Complete with caricatures from centuries past, Karolina depicts each piece in all its glory, or lack thereof. Through historical context interwoven with comedic quips rooted in her own perspective, each trend is brought back to life. Describing such absurd historical pieces as the Liripipe Hood, her archival, curator lens allows her to analyze not just why people wore what they did, but why it went so wrong. She depicts 18th century dresses ruining silhouettes and 14th century tailed hoods worn as status symbols, all with her acerbic wit and eye for design. With Karolina’s fashion expertise and hilarious voice, taking a look at the past’s most regrettable fashion trends has never been more fun.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Fashion, Fashion History, Humor

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 25, 2025

Reviews

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A playful take on history's worst trends - would be a great gift book I think

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining, and the source I will cite when anyone asks me about my newfound belief that bringing back codpieces could fix the global state of politics

[Christina O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful book of ugly fashion made me laugh many times at the absurd trends and the humorous commentary poking fun at them. While roasting the trends, Żebrowska will also tell you plenty about the history behind them so it's informative while also being stupidly funny. If you like watching Karolina Żebrowska's Youtube channel, you'll love her book. I would recommend "The Encyclopedia of Ugly Fashion" to people who love obsessing over clothes in period dramas, and people who love watching Youtube videos on historical dress.

[Melissa Howard]

I don't think I'm the right audience for this book. It was very informative and her photoshoot was amazing, but it's rife with slang (iconic, "it's giving", etc.) and memespeak ("what are those"). It's not surprising because Karolina Zebrowska is known as "Meme Mom" but it may be a turnoff to people who aren't familiar with her channel.

And really, a TERF Magic School reference in 2025? Glad I didn't preorder this and instead read it on Libby.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aesthetically attractive book. Lots of nice pictures, both illustrations and photos from the times or of historical garments or recreations.
I did wish it was organized differently. It's called an encyclopedia so that explains the alphabetical, but that had to be stretched to descriptions or opinion titles more often than actual names of the garment, in order to get every letter of the alphabet. I think it would have been well organized by type of garment (headwear, sleeves, leg wear, supports) or maybe time so we could see all the wacky 16th stuff together, etc.
I couldn't get into the writing style, mostly, despite the warning about being subjective, because it felt kind of mean, even though it was also said that it was of European/Western high fashion (royals, aristocrats, rich, people in power) and not making fun of any indigenous, colonized peoples. And even though her love of fashion history showed through, even with specific items, all were supposed to be "ugly fashion". Then there was that contrast with people of the times critiquing the fashions and maybe she agrees with them and yet is critiquing their critiques, but many of them were quiet sexist when it was about women's fashions, so those would be fair criticisms from her.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to read Karolina's English language debut and she did not disappoint! Her expertise in fashion history and humor stuck the landing in this hilarious and informative book on the questionable clothing decisions that have occurred in our part of the planet.

Karolina has pulled off an incredibly difficult task as well. It would be easy to stick to familiar parts of bad fashion history, but she's narrowed in on very specific parts of clothing, their history, and added colorful commentary to make them sing.

Given the amount of content on social media that wants quick sound bites and condensed history, Karolina proves that she's an expert at her work regardless of what medium she uses to show her stuff. I've been following her work for years and still learned so much new information from the Encyclopedia of Ugly Fashion.

[Bonnie_Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Photographs within are worth the price of the book. The look into the different fashion faux pas and truly bizarre fashion choices (even to contemporary writers) was a fun romp. Żebrowska deliberately kept her focus on European styles of fashion and on the upper classes, since they were the ones who were painted - preserving the fashion fads at the time.

The Millennial meme speak may aggravate some (and may not age well, alas), but this is her style of talking/presenting in her YouTube videos.

I enjoyed this book and I am happy to have it on my bookshelf. This would be a lovely gift for someone interested in history or fashion (or both). I hope there is a Volume II of sorts that allows Żebrowska to get more in-depth on the topics she finds particularly interesting.

[Christina Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

We've all seen questionable fashion choices, but it's a delight to see that others feel really sorry for girls who were young during the 1830's. That hair! Those sleeves!

I have thought about the late Edwardian era, but if I make anything, it will *not* have that droopy pouter-pigeon monoboob. God, that was hidous. I'll tuck my shirtfront in.

Even Regency bonnets are ugly. No wonder Lydia Bennet was always pulling them to pieces and trying to remake them.

17th century ruffs? ATBGE. So much effort to make something so hideous.

The only quibble I have is 80's Prom Dresses. We looked great and we knew it!

[Kindle Addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know the author I really recommend this book. It’s her usual mix of historical facts but with humour. Her own pictures are really gorgeous and even though you will laugh and think so many “WHY?” you will also learn a lot.

And if you don’t know her I still recommend it 😜

I really appreciated that she put every measurements in inches AND centimetres!

I would have gladly bought this book if double sized for extra pictures of all those silly outfits. But I’m sure Google will help me with my need to see more of those awful fashions trends 🤣

[Andie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So fun! I think I would have enjoyed a few more images for some of the pieces to go with her descriptions

[Library of Dreaming (Bookstagram) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing and educational.

[Carole Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wickedly funny romp through fashion history, The Encyclopedia of Ugly Fashion proves that bad taste is timeless and endlessly entertaining.

[Darth · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute delight through and through! Fashion is weird and this is a great way to learn a little about it.