A STEAM-supporting tour of the harmful history of fashion includes profiles of garments, accessories and fabrics that have injured or even killed their wearers, accounts of modern factory accidents and discussions of the issue of workplace safety in the textile and garment industries.
The clothes we wear every day keep us comfortable, protect us from the elements, and express our unique stylebut 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 workplaceswhere those who make the clothes are often fashions 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.
A fascinating look at the harmful history of fashion
