This is NOT the cover: it’s a portrait of Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset, c. 1613. I just liked his outfit.

Regular frequenters of this blog know that I have been working on a book about the history of crazy/wacky fashions. It’s going to be published by National Geographic Kids next February (2015). And at long last, I have a cover to show you. Are you ready? I wanted to give you the “ta-da!” moment, so I’m going to make you scroll down . . .

down . . .

down . . .

Ta-da!! So what do you think? This is my first time working with Nat Geo, and they’ve been awesome, but perhaps because it’s Nat Geo, about a billion people have had to weigh in with opinions about the cover, way more than I’ve been accustomed to with my other books. And this final version was not completely what I had imagined the cover would look like. But the more I’ve looked at it, the more I’ve appreciated how much my opinion was listened to. I wanted it to say “history,” because the book is history-through-fashion (as opposed to the history of fashion). I asked for a mix of genders, for the inclusion of people of color, and that women not pose in coquettish poses. And they listened. So I’m happy. I’d love to hear what you think!