Fashion Victims: The Dangers of Dress Past and PresentFrom 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. |
Other editions - View all
Fashion Victims: The Dangers of Dress Past and Present Alison Matthews David No preview available - 2015 |
Fashion Victims: The Dangers of Dress Past and Present Alison Matthews David No preview available - 2017 |
Common terms and phrases
19th century accidents Albert Museum American arsenic artificial silk Author’s collection ballerina Bata Shoe Museum beauty beaver body British burns called caught caused celluloid cheap chemical chemist clothing colour comb consumer costume cotton Courtesy crinoline dangers deadly death disease doctors dress Duncan’s early emerald Emma Livry fabrics factory fashion plate female fire flames flannelette flowermaking flowers France French fur felt garments girl gown green hair harmful hats hatters hazards historical hobble skirt industry Isadora Isadora Duncan Journal killed ladies Lancet Lancet vol Livry Manchester manufacturers mauve men’s mercury poisoning Musée du Peigne Museum of London nitrobenzene Oyonnax Paris Perkin’s photograph Plastics Plasturgie potential Punch Rayon Royal Ontario Museum Ryerson University shawl skin social socks tested textile Toronto Photo tortoiseshell toxic toxins trade typhus University Press Victoria and Albert Victorian wearers wearing Wellcome Library woman women workers workshops worn York