Fashion Victims

The Dangers of Dress Past and Present

by Alison Matthews David

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Pub Date Sep 24 2015 | Archive Date Jan 04 2016

Description

From insidious murder weapons to blaze-igniting crinolines, clothing has been the cause of death, disease and madness throughout history, by accident and design. Clothing is designed to protect, shield and comfort us, yet lurking amongst seemingly innocuous garments we find hats laced with mercury, frocks laden with arsenic and literally 'drop-dead gorgeous' gowns.

Fabulously gory and gruesome, Fashion Victims takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the lethal history of women's, men's and children's dress, in myth and reality. Drawing upon surviving fashion objects and numerous visual and textual sources, encompassing louse-ridden military uniforms, accounts of the fiery deaths of Oscar Wilde's half-sisters and dancer Isadora Duncan's accidental strangulation by entangled scarf; the book explores how garments have tormented those who made and wore them, and harmed animals and the environment in the process. Vividly chronicling evidence from Greek mythology to the present day, Matthews David puts everyday apparel under the microscope and unpicks the dark side of fashion.

Fashion Victims is lavishly illustrated with over 125 images and is a remarkable resource for everyone from scholars and students to fashion enthusiasts.

From insidious murder weapons to blaze-igniting crinolines, clothing has been the cause of death, disease and madness throughout history, by accident and design. Clothing is designed to protect...

Advance Praise

“A highly engaging and thought-provoking book. Informative, entertaining and unsettling, Fashion Victims is a history of death by dress for fashionistas and scholars alike. Read it!” – Susan J. Vincent, University of York, UK

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Introduction: Death by Fashion in Fact and Fiction

Chapter 1. Diseased Dress: Germ Warfare
Chapter 2. Toxic Techniques: Mercurial Hats
Chapter 3. Poisonous Pigments: Arsenical Greens
Chapter 4. Dangerous Dyes: A Pretty, Deadly Rainbow
Chapter 5. Entangled and Strangled: Caught in the Machine
Chapter 6. Inflammatory Fabrics: Flaming Tutus and Combustible Crinolines
Chapter 7. Explosive Fakes: Plastic Combs and Artificial Silk
Conclusion: The Afterlife of Fashion Victims

Bibliography
Index

Available Editions

EDITION	Hardcover
ISBN	9781845204495
PRICE	$40.00 (USD)

Additional Information

Average rating from 34 members

Featured Reviews

Mandy J, Reviewer

Fascinating and meticulously researched exploration of the dangers inherent in what we have worn over the centuries. Dyes, constrictive clothing, chemicals and fire risks – simply getting dressed has sometimes turned out to be bad news. Beautifully illustrated, this is a book to savour and refer to again and again. A must for anyone interested in clothes and fashion, or simply in social history. Thoroughly enjoyed it.