Elizabeth Arenaro

Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers, Part 4

I love historical fiction. The drama, the intrigue and, ohâ€“ 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:

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.

clockworkseries — The Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare

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

Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers, Part 3

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? Check out her bio in the first post Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers.

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters — In the Shadow of Blackbirds
by Cat Winters

The jazz age of American history is very popular right now in TV and books. Recent Hub posts like Get Ready for Downton Abbey Season 4 With These Books, The Glamour and Greed of The Great Gatsby and Prohibition Era: Ohio Roots in History and YA Lit highlight our current fascination with the 1920s and 1930s. While imitation is meant as a sincere form of flattery, this only works if the copy is accurate, no matter the intention.

Here are some Young Adult historical fiction novels sent during the Roaring Twenties with covers that try and sometimes fail to reflect accurate costuming/

Hit: In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters (Morris Award Finalist: In the Sh adow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters)

Set in 1918, bombarded by the war and Spanish Influenza Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black is mistrustful of popular fad spirit photography until a seance takes on personal meaning. This dress is a bit short length-wise, at this time you would expect to see a longer hem. Overall style is decent. The fashion of the time often featured a waist that was accentuated with a belt or sash.

This cotton dress was a gift of Mrs. Edwin Stewart Wheeler in 1956 to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This costume is not on display and can only be viewed online. Continue reading Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers, Part 3

Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers, Part 2

In Mozart's Shadow by Carolyn Meyer — In Mozart’s Shadow by Carolyn Meyer

Hit, sort of – In Mozart’s Shadow: His Sister’s Story (alternate title In Mozart’s Shadow: Nannerl’s Story) by Carolyn Meyer

The novel In Mozart’s Shadow: His Sister’s Story is set in eighteenth-century Europe. Older sister Nannerl remains home in Salzburg, Austria while her brother Mozart travels and performs. How does the cover art compare?

The idea of the appropriate style of dress is there, but the quality of the fashion is poor and ill-fitting. This particular dress looks like one you would wear for an â€œold-timeyâ€ photo. The style of the time was a low-necked gown made from woven silks in elaborate patterns worn over panniers, a cage-like garment which extended the hips at the sides. The bodice would be tightly fitted over a stiff pair of stays, known by modern terminology as a corset. The front of the bodice exposed a stomacher, which was a triangle-shaped piece which was elaborately decorated. Sleeves were normally close-fitting and worn to the elbow with ruffle and lace embellishments. The skirt was often open in the front to expose the petticoat which was decorated to match. There were several different types of dress worn at the time, but most did follow the same silhouette as described here. Continue reading Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers, Part 2

Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers

I have had an interest in fashion history since I was young. My mother would take me to estate sales and auctions where I would buy vintage fashions with my allowance. After graduating from high school I found I did not know exactly what I wanted to do and ended up going to Miami University for costume design. While studying I found the thing I loved most about designing costumes was actually doing the research that went into the design. After this discovery I finished up my Bachelor’s Degree at Miami and moved to New York City to study what I loved most. I got my Master’s Degree in Costume Studies at New York University and have been working in museums since.. Being with the objects in such an intimate setting has allowed my passion to continue to grow and for me to learn more about every aspect of fashion and clothing construction.

Hit: His Fair Assassin Trilogy. Grave Mercy (2013 Best Fiction for Young Adults) and Dark Triumph (2014 Best Fiction for Young Adults) by Robin LaFevers

This series is set in Brittany in 1485. Brittany is a region of North West France. The book covers features the main character Ismae and Sybella. Both of these costumes are acceptable imitations of clothing found in 15th century France. The v-neck style does appear to be more indicative of middle 15th century fashion instead of what you would find in the later half of the century. But because fashion didn’t change as fast at that time it would have still been common later in the century, especially for the masses. Fashion was fairly limited at the time due to the production method and dyes used to make textiles. Nicer textiles would have been astronomically expensive and impossible for commoners to own because of strict sumptuary laws that restricted the clothing that could be worn by different classes. The hair, on the other hand, is very inaccurate as you can see from the comparisons below. Continue reading Fashion Hits and Misses from YA Historical Fiction Book Covers