A visually pleasing look at fashion that can kill! Shorter than you'd expect, but makes for a fact-filled read that doesn't linger too long on any one subject. Recommended for older elementary to middle school students with a macabre interest.

Wow, what a fascinating read! This book delves into some of the more deadly fashion trends throughout history, exploring not only the victims wearing the fashions, but the victims manufacturing the fashions as well, while maintaining a respectful, non-sensationalizing tone. The illustrations throughout the book are a perfect compliment to the text. I would've found this incredibly interesting as a child, and found it so as an adult as well! It has an added caveat of making one want to be a more conscientious consumer, from checking ingredients in cosmetics (99% of all hair dye contains para-phenylenediamine, a substance that can cause all manner of allergic reactions, even death, because it's the only known substance that will stick to gray hair) to only buying clothing made in factories that are regulated for worker safety. And for crying out loud, don't wear long scarves around machinery! Over all, a very informative and entertaining book for all ages.

Filled with macabre humor and fascinating facts about history, science, and culture, Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, & Murdered Through History is a winning kids’ nonfiction title that will shock, delight, and educate in equal measure. The book examines literal fashion victims who have succumbed to everything from typhus to accidental strangling to radium poisoning because of clothing. Every aspect of this book is impressive — the breadth and depth of research, Gillian Wilson’s gleefully morbid illustrations, authors Alison Matthews David and Serah-Marie McMahon’s consistently informative and engaging tone — but what struck me the most was the incredible balancing act the authors pulled off. They revel in the gory details of poisonings, tramplings, and near-beheadings, but they always show the utmost empathy toward the victims. The authors even conclude the book by emphasizing our collective responsibility to protect the most vulnerable among us and to hold corporations and governments to account to make the world safer for everyone. It’s an incredible accomplishment and easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

This is one of the most compulsively readable nonfiction books I’ve ever encountered. The art, text, and design work together perfectly to create a unified whole that is funny, weird, and enlightening. The text is sophisticated yet accessible; it’s a fun read that never talks down to its young audience or sugarcoats its often grisly subject matter. Alisa Baldwin’s book design is superb, creating an exciting and coherent narrative flow. An abundance of historical photos and illustrations enrich each section, and Gillian Wilson’s illustrations complement the wry commentary on death and misfortune.

Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, & Murdered Through History combines a love of fashion, history, and science with wicked humor and an unabashed enthusiasm for the macabre. My favorite pop culture discoveries fill a void that I didn’t even know existed; this title fills a very peculiar niche in kids’ publishing and makes me feel a little more complete now that it’s out in the world. I’m confident that there are a lot of young readers out there who will feel the same way. With a unique approach to STEAM and a subtle but clear overarching message of empathy and caring for the marginalized members of our communities, Killer Style is one of the best books of 2019.

My thanks to Owlkids Books for providing a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

With every industry there is value in examining the dark side. Sure, fashion has value. It tells us about culture, can be a vehicle for change. It can also be incredibly dangerous. McMahon and David take us through several examples of the dangers. We see the physical dangers of wearing fashions like restricted movement and fire hazards; dangers in production like industrial poisons and factory conditions; social dangers like sweat shops. The cases span a range of history and are careful to point out any myths connected to each story. It's a fascinating read and would be a good choice for teens and tweens with an interest in fashion or social justice.

Ever since lead based makeup was used, to make the face smooth and wrinkle free, people have met death through fashion.

This book does a delightful job of explaining every single fashion trend and how it killed off the user. From loose scaves catching in the wheels of a motorcycle, to licking the paint brushes used to paint clock faces with radioactive paint, this book has them all. All the ways you can die to be beautiful.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5068" src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Screen-Shot-2019-04-02-at-5.18.18-PM.png" alt="killer style" /> <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5067" src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Screen-Shot-2019-04-02-at-5.24.50-PM.png" alt="killer style" />

Fun, quick read. A delight for young and old. I'm not the target audience, but I read it in one sitting and loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Loved it, factual but still funny and covering killer styles from history and present day. Overall a very fun and interesting book!

This children's book about dangerous fashions across history is seriously morbid-- which means I would have loved it as a child. I liked the design and layout of the pages and the inclusion of both historical photographs and illustrations. As an adult with an interest in the history of medicine and fashion, I've heard a lot of these stories before, but I do think they were adapted appropriately for the age group, although some will always find them too gross, gory, or macabre. I also really appreciated the inclusion of more modern examples, particularly those about the dangers of fast fashion for the people who manufacture it. Those kept the book from being solely a tale of "look what those silly old-timey people did before we knew better!" The conclusion similarly drove home this point. Just the right length for the audience as well-- longer nonfiction books don't circulate nearly as well in my library.

This book examines several fashion trends that were either dangerous or downright deadly to those who wore them, whether clothing, makeup, or accessories. It also looks at fashion trends that have been unhealthy for the people who made them. The potentially deadly fashion trends covered are from ancient past to just a few years ago.

This is a healthy warning through a lot of negative examples to get your priorities straight. It also encourages readers to be wise and conscientious consumers. Each fashion trend gets 1 to 2 pages with photos or illustrations, and real examples of injuries and deaths from history. It’s concise and eye-opening, and often a bit disturbing. (I’d say middle school on up due to the number of deaths related and the sometimes disturbing nature of them.) This would be a great resource for classes that want to emphasize being wise consumers, classes investigating the history of laws and regulations, fashionistas, and the somewhat morbidly curious reader.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are a wide variety of deaths related. They don’t go into super gory detail, but the imagination is enough to make some of these stick in your memory for a long time even though they are stated matter of factly. I would not hand this book to anyone overly anxious or prone to excessive worry because some accidental deaths (like strangulation by drawstring cords on clothing) could really freak them out.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Killer Style is a pretty interesting read! It reminds me of some of the fact books that I read as a kid in the 80s. Filled with gruesome details and colourful images, this will definitely appeal to those kids who like reading about darker material.

Each two-page spread covers a different deadly fashion trend and includes sidebars and pictures with even more interesting facts all about those people who've fallen victim to the crime of high fashion.

I did find the digital copy I had was difficult to read at times, but I think the size of the physical book will make that less of a problem.

4.5 stars rounded up for this delightfully macabre book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Owlkids Books for providing me with a DRC of this book.

This an odd little book about deadly fashion. It was very readable and interesting. Lots of facts and details but not boringly presented. It presents as a children's book but it is a bit grim so I think adults would enjoy it as well.

It is rare that I read a non-fiction book, even a kids book, without skimming over parts. This is that rare title. This book looks at what people have done through history to be “beautiful”. It includes the usuals like corsets, and heels. But then it also includes tidbits about real people who died, stories some of these styles would be found in, or were created around. It includes both real pictures and illustrations. The layout is lovely, and the book has a nice flow. I think other fashionista and wannabes are going to love it. I also really appreciate the cover, because unlike most fashion books, it does not have a “girly” vibe. It has a death vibe that will reach and and grab all kids. Plus the fatal fashion inside covers all ranges of gender. Loved this read.

This is an interesting look at the dangers of being fashionable. It seems to be aimed at kids, although the subject matter (and gruesomeness of some of the subjects) will probably make it suitable for older children and teens (and curious adults). Various fashion issues are covered in this engaging volume, everything from the Triangle Shirtwaist fire to the Radium Girls to women falling off their platform shoes and cracking their heads open.

Fashion fatalities seem to disproportionately affect women. If they weren't slathering lead on their skin (rotting it in the process), they were being burned alive in their flannelette nightgowns or going up in smoke as flaming ballerinas. It's especially infuriating to see that, in the case of the Radium Girls, nothing was done until a male employee got sick and died; only then was an autopsy performed and the real dangers exposed. (One of the more recent examples shows that we're starting to get a little more equality with fashion fatalities... though that's not a good thing!)

The text is highlighted with plenty of pictures: there are historical photos, postcards, and advertisements that'll make many modern readers shake their heads. Radioactive underwear? Yes, that was actually a thing... and recommended for babies!

I only have a couple of issues with this book. One is that, in some places, I would've liked a little more information (such as in the case of the 1909 department store fire in England that was caused by a celluloid-heavy display; the name of the store wasn't even mentioned). I get that this is a children's book, and there are plenty of sources at the back for further study. Still, it would've been nice to have certain things like that made a little less vague for kids who might want to Google to find out more. My second issue is a statement made in the conclusion that implies we're so much smarter now:

"When new cosmetics, medicines, and chemicals are invented, medical standards and government regulations demand that they be tested extensively before they can be brought to the market."

Unfortunately, that's simply not true. It's beyond the scope of this book to get into things like grandfathering approval (such as was done with thimerosal--a form of mercury--which is still in some flu vaccines), or the fact that we wouldn't have had things like the Vioxx scandal if such precautions were actually taken before products went to market. (For a really interesting and disturbing look at how what we put on our bodies may be affecting our health--without us knowing it--I'd recommend taking a look at the movie called Stink!, Jon Whelan's documentary about trying to find the source of the terrible chemical smell coming from his young daughters' brand-new pajamas. Whether we want to believe it or not, we're still being endangered by our fashion choices.)

Overall, this is a nice history book that tells the tales of some of humanity's worst fashion faux-pas. I just wish it didn't leave readers with the false impression that we've solved most of fashion's safety issues.

I actually read an ARC of a similar book last year - Killer Fashion by Jennifer Wright - but I liked this one a lot more. This book provides a surprisingly in-depth look [considering the length of the book] at several fashion trends from the past that got people killed either by wearing the finished clothing or in the production process. It also has several examples of pictures or advertisements from the time period the clothing was worn in.

What I liked most about this book was that it put the clothing into context with regards to the time period and also who it affected socially. Some of these trends were popular before people knew the product was harmful, and sometimes people just continued to wear it even though they knew it was bad for them. I also like how it discussed that the victims of these fashions were generally women - when wearing the finished product - or poor/immigrant workers - when making the initial product. I feel like the history of killer fashion is so tied into social issues like this and oftentimes authors don't want to delve into it, but it's incredibly important and I'm glad this author did.

Overall a very fun and simple but also informative book. I would recommend it to anyone interested in history or fashion.

Oh my goodness, child me would have loved finding this in the library! Granted, adult me enjoyed the heck out of it as well. If you love dark history, hidden killers, and a bit of fabulous fashion I can't recommend this book highly enough!

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.

Arsenic laced dresses and lead-based makeup were fashion trends that killed. Hobble skirts and mercury-laced hats caused chaos. The new book Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History, acts as a short and interesting book for younger readers with an interest in the deadly history of fashion. 

Killer Style includes historical anecdotes, creepy stories, and also an index for readers who want to take their research a bit further. While the book is published by a children's book company,  I'd recommend this to children who are more mature readers. There are some pretty sad stories in here about collapsing jaws, people burning alive, and going crazy from mercury. In short, if you're giving this book to your children use your best judgement. 

Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History is available April 15, 2019 from Owl Books.

Clothing serves many purposes. At its base form, it’s one protection from our environment. Yet it can also provide comfort, or even be used as an expression of our personalities. Unfortunately, sometimes fashion can also have a severely negative impact. Simply:

Fashion can kill.

Maybe this sounds extreme, but authors Alison Matthews David and Serah-Marie McMahon have combed through fashion history to find a sometimes amusing, mostly horrifying series of deadly fashion vignettes. Their work is broken up into sections based on the human body. It starts with an exploration of head-based fashion like hats and hair, tumbles down the trunk, and ends on some killer shoes, pants, and skirts. The result feels all-encompassing for a short volume while showcasing that all articles of clothing and embellishments can be dangerous.

Radium poisoning from watches. Flaming tutus. Near decapitation by scarf. It’s all here, and Matthews David and McMahon deserve high praise for their sensitivity to the subject. The stories are sensational, but the authors push past the obvious and overused vanity tropes. They successfully humanize these fashion victims by rightfully placing their injuries or deaths in context—most died without realizing the inherent dangers of their clothes. Or, in many cases, it’s death by socioeconomic status, with the cheaper, more readily available product proving unsafe. This is most effective when they examine recent deaths, particularly sandblasting jeans in underregulated factories.

Gillian Wilson’s illustrations are another highlight. The subject matter is morbid, but her amazing work keeps the packaging attractive. Her graphics are dark, but beautifully playful.

This is a wonderfully macabre look into fashion history, packed with solid research, a plethora of pictures, and, well, death.

I really enjoyed this book. I always like to hear about fashion and how it can be dangerous. I really like that this didn't just include the fashion wearers. This book takes into account those who create them and what happened to them. I love the photos include; many of tem really drove the point home.I hvae a macrbre sense of humor, so I loved this.

Did you know a woman was trampled because of her dress?
Did you know women glowed in their caskets because of their job?
Did you know six ballerina’s died because of their dresses?

Killer Style takes the reader on a journey through history and the chaos caused in the name of fashion. Bringing in elements of child labor, disasters, and subsequent social change, the authors connect the past, present, and the reader in an interesting way.

Some of the more interesting stops the authors make include killer hair combs (celluloid is very flammable, yet manufacturers insisted on making hair combs with it), hair dye that caused blindness and liver damage, the quest for the best and brightest colors, and the hobble dress. What some women went through in the name of fashion.

The book is filled with facts, deaths, pictures, and everything that will keep kids interested till the end. The authors provide just enough information to pique interest, which will encourage readers to ask questions and search for their answers.