Dressed to Fail

From electrified hats to surveillance underwear, Dressed to Fail explores the fascinating graveyard of wearable inventions that tried-earnestly, expensively, and sometimes hilariously-to merge fashion with function.

This fact-packed book dives into real, verifiable attempts throughout history to turn clothing into tools: garments that promised health, safety, productivity, beauty, or social advantage... and delivered discomfort, ridicule, or outright danger instead. These were not jokes or hoaxes-many were patented, marketed, sold, and worn by real people who truly believed they represented the future.

Told in a punchy, witty, and relentlessly factual style, Dressed to Fail uncovers why these inventions existed, what problem they were trying to solve, how they actually performed, and why they vanished. Equal parts design history, technology cautionary tale, and fashion disaster archive, this book proves that just because something is innovative doesn't mean it's a good idea-especially when you have to wear it.

Perfect for fans of odd history, failed inventions, fashion trivia, and "what were they thinking?" nonfiction.