Killer Fashion: Poisonous Petticoats, Strangulating Scarves, and Other Deadly Garments Throughout History

by Jennifer Wright

Isadora Duncan was Red
Put on a scarf; popped off her head
Fashion is silly, thought Stein
It may tear your head from your spine

A darkly comic book about some surprisingly lethal garments. Featuring stories like the untimely demise of dancer Isadora Duncan caused by her signature red scarf and the bloody riot that greeted the appearance of the first top hat, among many others, these bite-size accounts will frighten and delight. Killer Fashion includes over twenty of these short tales along with beautiful full-page illustrations. Both morbid and humorous, this book will appeal to fans of Edward Gorey and dark historical trivia.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Fashion, Humor, Historical, Adult, Poetry

58 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 21, 2017

Reviews

[Shai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Killer Fashion is a very informative and quite an entertaining book to read. This 48-page book tackles some of the fashion mishaps in the history that will leave you shock in the end. I just found a certain illustration in this picture book to be not as exactly the trivia it wants to portray; the artwork for the Lotus Feet looks like more Japanese instead of Chinese women.


In spite of this minor inaccuracy, the facts about the invention and the terrible accidents caused by these peculiar fashion trends provides interesting information. Indeed, fashion kills unintentionally. Some will follow the fad even though they might not aware that their lives are at stake — because of fame and for aesthetic purposes, they will sacrifice anything just to appear glamorous.

[Jennifer Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Author is biased,
But this tiny tome,
Of fashion fatalities,
Is a simply Must-Own.

From crinoline fires,
To a top hat-fueled riot,
To head-popping scarves!
I insist that you buy it.

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

👠 Fashionably Fatal Friday the 13th Feature 🎩

While I strongly believe that clothing's not supposed to hurt you, there are plenty of people that don't seem to have a problem with suffering in the name of fashion. There are heels that ruin your feet, jeans so skinny the logo button ends up imprinted on your belly, clothes you can't sit down in, clothes that make you sweat, clothes that make you freeze, and ties that should come with a choking hazard warning.

But what lengths would you go to in order to pull off the latest style?

Is a fashionable death in your future?

I loved Killer Fashion: Poisonous Petticoats, Strangulating Scarves, and Other Deadly Garments Throughout History so much that it has inspired me to break out in poetry to give you a taste of some of the wonderfully wacky causes of death in this book.

Disclaimer: I know some of these 'rhymes' don't exactly rhyme but you will never, ever hear me claim that I think I'm a poet.


Radium's glow makes you look hot
Until your jaw begins to rot

Your fancy bra's underwire
May conduct that lightning's ire

Are you ready to break your toes
To fit into tiny shoes like those?

Dye turns dark hair pale
Until your kidneys fail

Lice crawl all around your wig
And that mouse is mighty big

A man lay dying in the gutter
"Blame that skirt", they heard him utter

Breathe in those toxic fumes
And you'll soon go looney tunes

Fake silky attire was a phase
Until it set the room ablaze

Wear makeup laced with lead
And you'll soon look pretty dead


With plenty of opportunities to die gruesome deaths for both men and women, for wearers and makers of the often toxic or flammable items, Jennifer Wright's quirky book is perfect for those strange and unusual kindred spirits of mine who gravitate towards equally strange and unusual books.

While I had heard of some of these torture devices and death traps disguised as clothes and accessories throughout history prior to reading this book, I hadn't read them in such an entertaining way before. I also learned a lot more than I would have expected from a book that's under 60 pages.

With quotes from such sources as newspapers, a magazine and a medical journal, and including citations that allow those of us who are so inclined to delve deeper, Killer Fashion is one of those books I got a lot more morbid enjoyment out of than I should probably admit.

Each fashion item is allocated two pages. One page has a paragraph ranging from a few sentences to a page of information. The opposite page has a four line poem under an almost full page illustration. Using black, white, grey and red (of course!), Brenna Thummler's illustrations ramp up the quirky factor nicely. Skeletal flapper girls dancing on stage? Brilliant! Just brilliant!

I definitely need to read this book again and investigate some of the books referenced throughout. I'm saying this with the greatest respect to the book, its author and illustrator; this would be a perfect gift book for the weirdo in your life. I would love it if someone bought a copy for me!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.

[InkedBookDragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://inkedbookdragon.blogspot.com

Fashion can be deadly. There is no denying that. I have gotten many scarves caught on things or stumbled in my shoes. I am sure we all have had a mishap at some point and our clothes were partially to blame. Scarves plus car doors can definitely be a recipe for disaster. I once witnessed a man get his coat caught in a bus door and the bus started moving with him running next to it. That could have ended very badly if someone had not seen it and told the driver. Fashion has killer potential.

I just finished "Killer Fashion: Poisonous Petticoats, Strangulating Scarves, and Other Deadly Garments Throughout History" by Jennifer Wright. Many of the items discussed I knew about but some of them surprised me. It wasn't so much the fact that they were dangerous that surprised me but the fact that people still continued to wear or use them when they fully knew that they could die from it. I am currently thinking of all the deadly objects that are currently residing in my closet.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes that may follow are directly from the text and are not my words.

Isadora Duncan was Red
Put on a scarf; popped off her head
Fashion is silly, thought Stein
It may tear your head from your spine

I am not quite sure what it says about me when I admit that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I could not help but chuckle and smile when reading the little poems that accompanied the information. Historical incidents for deadly objects and insidious habits are shown throughout this work, demonstrating the amount of research performed by the author. The illustrations and poetry definitely add a comical component to a very macabre subject.

My morbid curiosity led me to this book and I am glad it did. I highly recommend it.

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This was a fun book detailing a lot of the horrible [and sometimes downright stupid] ways that people have endangered themselves for the name of fashion. I enjoyed the illustrations, the entries were short and informative, and there's even a bibliography in the back if you want to do some more reading. However I've got two complaints with this. The first is kind of nit-picky but I would have liked for the fashions to be in something resembling chronological order so we could see more of the evolution of one thing to another rather than just random entries.

The second is that while I know this was just supposed to be a short fun work I feel like there could have been some entry in the front or back about how even though there are a few fashions in here specific to men 'killer fashion' is mostly a gendered phenomenon and is rooted both in seeing women as more decoration than actual people and in some cases even purposely restricting their movements to make it harder to exert / defend themselves physically. I feel like this is an important thing to touch on when talking about this kind of history even in a work like this and was a bit put off that it wasn't even mentioned in passing.

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really great illustrated book about fashion that went up in flames, that poisoned you with the gas they created when you wash them or when they go up in flames and a lot more.

It was kind of creepy, surprising and really different.

[Madalyn (Novel Ink) · Rating 4 out of 5]

1.) This was so much fun, and 2.) yep, I’m officially all the way obsessed with Jennifer Wright now.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was a teenager, my goals were Wednesday Addams and Lydia Deetz, and I would have loved this book in my Christmas stocking. Who knew there were so many flammable fashions? Every other page is an item of clothing that makes you catch fire (some of them even self-ignite). Honestly, based on this I'm pretty surprised that all of humanity hasn't burned to death. If you're looking for a small Halloween present or Christmas stocking filler for a fashion student or any spooky-cute folk you know, this is ideal.

[Daniel Kibblesmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, illuminating, grim, tiny, and beautifully illustrated and designed, I love this Gorey-homaging educational journey through fashion history. And if I saw a top hat for the first time, I would trample people too. This should be a History Channel show with animated interludes.

[Starbubbles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this, but I felt the sections were too short. I'm just a nerd who has a thirst for knowledge. Fashion knowledge! Mwahaha!

The poems were good too! I'm glad i finally got to read this.

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

quick & easy (& interesting)

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer Wright spotlights some of the deadly fashion practices throughout history because, even today, fashion has always had a deadly side. Covering everything from flammable clothes to killer hair dye, we get a quick overview of some of the deadliest fashions that is riddled through history.

I love when I come across books that cover some of the lesser talked about topics, so I was excited when I saw that Wright write a book about dangerous fashion practices. While it’s short and to the point, it does present several deadly cases can send readers off to research the fashionable items they didn’t know were deadly. I do think that some of the cases are reaching a bit, such as killer high heels, but I still found the book enjoyable. I also learned about a few items that I didn’t know existed, such as belladonna. I heard it referenced before, but I always thought it referred to a painting and not hazardous eye drops.

I do wish the book was longer and contained more information about each item and its history, but I don’t have any complaints. I was aware that it was going to be short and to the point when I saw the page count before picking up the book, so I didn’t go in expecting a very informative book. Because of the length and overall writing style, I think it’s a great introductory book for people who are looking to learn something new but also want that information condensed.

[annie k · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, the more I read (or watch...I heart documentaries) about our collective historic fashion faux pas and interests, the more out of fashion I wish to be. Granted, I’m not that far removed from total unfashionableness anyway, but...

Also, the entire industry has always been infuriating, hasn’t it? I mean, procuring entire railway cars to bring your madness tainted workforce to and fro’ instead of, I dunno, using non-madness inducing ingredients in the production of goods seems a bit... wrong. Keeping the facts of radium exposure from young fashionable gals who like to look cute at the clubs... argh 😤

I decided on my 4-Star rating because I wasn’t tickled with some of the poetry (though I should make it 5-Stars, as the entire book is tame enough to introduce younger people to the foibles of one’s fashion obsessions). Love the illustrations!

[Manon the Malicious · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Killer Fashion listed all kind of fashionable items that ever killed people.
Each item had two pages. One with a text explaining how it had kill and mentioning an example, the other page had an illustration and a pretty sarcastic poem.

I really enjoyed it. I learnt stuff and laughed a bit too much. The illustrations were beautifully drawn and the poems, hilarious.

A perfect sarcastic read for fashion lovers and haters, though it could have been longer!

[Dallass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up on a whim and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this. The author keeps it short and sweet, relaying enough information to pique your interest. The illustration and verse that accompany each killer fashion trend are amusing and the limited colour palette and simple style suit the text.

My only gripe is that it doesn't delve further into the trends.

3.5 ⭐

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun and quick read about all the different historical fashion choices that have caused people to set themselves on fire...

Actually, it delves into several different forms of dress-related fatalities, but I'd say a majority of them just end up being that the garment was flammable and there were a lot of candles around, so people died.

Obviously, it's a dark subject matter, but the book, with its fun graphics and cringe-y poems, lightens it. History is weird and crazy. It's really sad that so many people suffered these freak wardrobe malfunctions and died from them... but who really thought it was a good idea to wear a three foot tall wig while lit candelabras hang from the roof nearby?

***I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

***This review is also posted on my blog

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Killer Fashion' by Jennifer Wright is a darkly humorous A to Z look at dangerous fashion trends through the ages.

From artificial silk, which was flammable to wigs, which were also flammable and house lice, this book talks about fashion faux pas that actually created fatalities. Each entry is accompanied by an illustration and a poem that are reminiscent of Edward Gorey. The book finishes with a bibliography section for those who want to read more about killer ties or flammable crinolines.

I had fun reading this book, mainly because of the great illustrations and poems. This is definitely one you should get the morbid fashionista on your list.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and quirky look at the various ways humans' bizarre need to be fashionable has resulted in illness, injury and death. Full of trivia tidbits and gallows humor, Killer Fashion shows what happens when people are just DYING to be beautiful.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[The Kawaii Slartibartfast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowie zowie, these fashions absolutely slay! (In the worst way imaginable) From a kid being trampled because people were scared of a man in a top hat to people holding their wigs in place with animal fat.
Now, I may see some trends that seem very silly but I think I'll hold judgment until somebody dies.

[Bridgette · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is super short, which is it's only downfall for me. It's more a detailed list than any sort of historical narrative. Despite that, it was amusing, the illustrations were fun, and I learned something.

[Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review to come!

[Amill · Rating 5 out of 5]

My birthday gift! 😁😁😁

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun read and a great bibliography section to find more interesting reads.

[AlenGarou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Va bene, credo.
Questo acquisto è stato suggerito principalmente da Amazon, che mi pubblicizza cose che compro sempre all'ultimo secondo, senza se e senza ma. Avendo già dimestichezza col tema e svolto i miei compiti a casa, ho apprezzato l'ironia e la grafica di questa piccola guida, anche se non ne sono stata del tutto soddisfatta.
Vi sono infatti molte voci mancanti, che avrebbero reso l'opera più completa e interessante.
(Tra cui non poteva mancare il verde e il viola...)
Nel suo piccolo, come primo approccio va più che bene.

[Saretta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recensione
Review

In Killer Fashion l'autrice presenta una serie di episodi storici in cui la moda ha portato a morti anche cruente: vestiti infiammabili, sostanze tossiche, sciarpe strangolatrici sono solo alcuni dei casi riportati nel testo.

Ogni episodio è anche rappresentato da una illustrazione e da una strofa in rima.

Il testo è più una raccolta di curiosità che un approfondimento storico: gli episodi sono brevi e non particolarmente approfonditi.

Ringrazio l’editore per avermi fornito la copia necessaria per scrivere questa recensione.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this was an excellent book! I loved the images, the historical facts were spot on and the added information given in the snippets with the pictures was great. I love reading books like this - I have given the book 5 stars - I really enjoyed it!

[Steph · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like almost everything in this TINY book is common knowledge. I was shocked by how thin it was when I picked it up at the library, but figured what the heck... I liked the Breakup book from the author and also just picked up the Plague one. I guess I was initially disappointed that it's only about 5 pages long, but now I'm glad because the content was a waste of time. Also, the couple of items I was not familiar with....I googled while reading to both find out more and see them because the book was not giving me enough.

[Vania Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need more

Jennifer Wright is a friend I’ve never met but wish to meet someday. She is one of my absolute favorite writers, she makes learning dark history funny, which in turn makes every story more memorable. I wish she had more books but the ones she does have are in my constant re-read rotation. This book is short but so good.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting, and I LOVED the illustrations, which are done entirely in white, black and red. If you like dark humor, then you'll like this. Its historical, but you don't need to have an avid interest in history or fashion to enjoy it. A super quick, fun read.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun! Reminded me of Edward Gorey style.