I love historical fiction. The drama, the intrigue and, oh– the fashion. I just assume all the period details regarding clothing are accurate. Or I did until my friend Liz shared it was her secret delight to troll the adult fiction section and find anachronistic apparel. Curious to know how Liz knows all that she does about fashion? Read her bio found in our first two collaborative blog posts for The Hub:
- Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers
- Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers, Part 2
- Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers, Part 3
Turns out a lot of books from specific dates and locations feature outfits as cover art that either haven’t been invented yet or were way out of fashion. I was eager to know if these same mistakes were being made in Young Adult historical fiction. After all, how was I to know? Here are some examples of books that got it right and those that got it wrong.

Hit: The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare. This series takes place in Victorian London, 150 years before Clare’s popular Mortal Instuments series. The first book, Clockwork Angel, is a 2011 Teens’ Top Ten winner. The Victorian Era runs from 1837 to 1901 spanning the entire reign of Queen Victoria, and despite the inherent vagueness of generalizing fashion from one monarch’s rule, examples for men’s dress and women’s dress on these covers are very typical of the 19th century and are therefore good examples despite being in a magical fantasy setting. Continue reading Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers, Part 4