An engaging look at men who helped make and break fashion history.Following her critically acclaimed study of key women in the history of fashion, Bad Girls of Fashion (2016), Croll again joins forces with illustrator Pacholska to introduce "bad boys" through the ages who have had iconoclastic effects on fashion. Instead of featuring only major designers, Croll again spotlights 30 diverse rebels who used fashion to make their renegade marks in the worlds of entertainment (Marlon Brando, David Bowie), sport (Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Andre Agassi), politics (Jawaharlal Nehru, Mao Zedong, Malcolm X), and art and design (Jean-Michel Basquiat, Waris Ahluwalia, Karl Lagerfeld). Aided by arrestingly bold illustrations and copious photographs, Croll provides a tantalizingly detailed chronicle of these dashing figures, including both florid descriptions of their sartorial choices as well as the historical context behind them so readers better appreciate how these men broke boundaries. Back in 17th-century France, for example, Louis XIV simultaneously turned courtly fashions on their ear and tightened his grip on the throne by sporting long, curly wigs and restricting red high heels to members of his court (a sidebar explains that high heels were only later adopted by women in order to appear more masculine). Readers will understand fashion's pivotal role in shattering and challenging gender, racial, and other constraints.With its richly accessible prose and visually captivating subjects, this will inspire and challenge readers to follow in these trendsetters' footsteps. (references, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

This companion to Croll's Bad Girls of Fashion (2016) now focuses the spotlight on gentlemen, considering 30 diverse dandies, designers, and truly creative trendsetters from Beau Brummell to Karl Lagerfeld to Puff Daddy. Ten luminaries receive lengthy profiles, each averaging about 15 pages. One such article on Marlon Brando fills in basic biographical and career information, explaining how his macho on-screen presence led to a spike in national white t-shirt and black leather jacket sales, while briefer profiles link his influence to Elvis Presley and James Dean. Louis XIV, whose outlandish wigs and outfits were meant to intimidate audiences and foster awe, is compared to modern-day leaders Nelson Mandela and Jawaharlal Nehru, both of whom adopted iconic styles to make their own political statements. Even athletes get a chapter: they're represented by Clyde Frazier, David Beckham, and Andre Agassi. Eye-catching graphics, plenty of sidebars and illustrations, and chapter notes round things out, making this a whole lot of fun for browsers and researchers alike.

An engaging look at men who helped make and break fashion history.Following her critically acclaimed study of key women in the history of fashion, Bad Girls of Fashion (2016), Croll again joins forces with illustrator Pacholska to introduce "bad boys" through the ages who have had iconoclastic effects on fashion. Instead of featuring only major designers, Croll again spotlights 30 diverse rebels who used fashion to make their renegade marks in the worlds of entertainment (Marlon Brando, David Bowie), sport (Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Andre Agassi), politics (Jawaharlal Nehru, Mao Zedong, Malcolm X), and art and design (Jean-Michel Basquiat, Waris Ahluwalia, Karl Lagerfeld). Aided by arrestingly bold illustrations and copious photographs, Croll provides a tantalizingly detailed chronicle of these dashing figures, including both florid descriptions of their sartorial choices as well as the historical context behind them so readers better appreciate how these men broke boundaries. Back in 17th-century France, for example, Louis XIV simultaneously turned courtly fashions on their ear and tightened his grip on the throne by sporting long, curly wigs and restricting red high heels to members of his court (a sidebar explains that high heels were only later adopted by women in order to appear more masculine). Readers will understand fashion's pivotal role in shattering and challenging gender, racial, and other constraints.With its richly accessible prose and visually captivating subjects, this will inspire and challenge readers to follow in these trendsetters' footsteps. (references, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

A companion to Bad Girls of Fashion focuses on the distinctive clothing styles of famed male figures in the arts, politics, sports, and fashion design. Organized with broad descriptive monikers, the style icons include Marlon Brando (-Fashion Macho-), and David Bowie (-Fashion Role-Player-), along with today-s influencers (David Beckham, Jean-Paul Gaultier). Croll includes examples of modern men dressed in the style of their forebears; Russell Brand mimics Oscar Wilde-s -dandy- style. Pacholska captures the men-s quintessential qualities through bold, eclectic digital portraits. Readers may be surprised by the inclusion of figures whose fashion choices may not seem among their chief accomplishments (Malcolm X-s suit and rimmed glasses), but Croll makes the case for how an individual-s look can become iconic due to the indelible impression left on public consciousness by their actions. Ages 12-up. (Apr.)