Carlyn Cerniglia Beccia is the award-winning author and illustrator of three children's nonfiction books: Raucous Royals, Who Put the 'B' in the Ballyhoo, and I Feel Better With a Frog in My Throat. She has received the Golden Kite Honor, the Cybil Award, and the International Reading Association's Children's and Young Adult Book Award. She teaches digital painting throughout the United States and is the author of the bestselling Digital Painting for the Complete Beginner. She lives north of Boston. You can find out more via her website at CarylnBeccia.com.
Beccia spotlights influential women from 69 B.C.E. to today who
"didn't just change the world of fashion" but "used fashion to
change the world." Hoping to enlighten young readers to the fact
that women weren't always as free as Lady Gaga to "wear slabs of
meat or Kermit the Frogs" and "call it a dress," Beccia looks to
women who changed the course of history by what they famously
chose--or refused--to wear. What sets Beccia's inspirational annals
of fashion apart from similar biographical collections is the
interactive nature of her account, which includes a lighthearted
quiz to determine what style icon one most identifies with (say,
Ellen DeGeneres or Audrey Hepburn), DIY instructions on how to
craft an 18th-century choker � la Marie Antoinette, and directions
to re-create famous hairstyles like those of Josephine Baker or
Marilyn Monroe. Add in fascinating illustrated histories of iconic
garments, such as pants or the little black dress, and riveting,
take-no-prisoners fashion tales, such as how Katharine Hepburn
walked out of her dressing room in only her silk underwear after
studio executives stole her pants in a vain effort to make her wear
a skirt, for an exceptionally engaging experience. From Cleopatra
to Brittney Griner, Beccia's empowering snapshots show how women
from all walks of life can and have used fashion to command; not to
be missed. (notes, bibliography, glossary)(Nonfiction. 8-14)
--Kirkus Reviews "7/15/16"
Cleopatra and Elizabeth I wielded power that allowed them to dress
as they wished without much opposition. Marie Antoinette, with her
mile-high hair, discovered that there was a downside to that.
Today, pop stars have created a world where pretty much anything
goes, often to the distress of parents. Good news! Aimed at grades
4-6, this book is designed to be informative and interactive, as
well as very "cool". I found it fascinating and fun, and I think
lots of parents will find it to be common ground with their young
rebels. Fashion guru Iris Apfel moves the contents into the world
of philosophy: "When you don't dress like everybody else, you don't
have to think like everybody else." Lemons into lemonade?
--Retailing Insight
Students who pick up this book will find a treasure trove of
history and fashion advice within its pages. Beginning with the
original fashionista, Cleopatra, and spanning history to modern day
style icons Tavi Gevinson and Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, this book
hits all the biggies. Much of the book contains brief fashion
histories of 25 figures, but there are also special instructions on
how to replicate certain styles, a full page layout of each
person's most iconic looks, and individual style tips from some of
the women. Illustrations are provided in b&w sketches
reminiscent of couture drawings. The book places a heavy emphasis
on finding one's own style, one that reflects one's inner core. The
greater message is that fashion is only as important as the way it
is used, and that a person's sense of style should not in any way
define that person. The only addition that might have contributed
additional interest would have been some color plates, especially
for the fashion breakdowns. However, a detailed footnote section
provides more than enough additional resources for readers who want
to dive further into the world of fashion. Bibliography. Glossary.
--School Library Connection "10/01/16"
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