From Jackie O.'s pink suit to Mao's signature blue jacket with tidy collar, fashion has been a catalyst, a lightning rod, even a dominant player at many of the central events in history. While critics and moralists through the ages have raged against fashion's essential frivolity, many cultural and political leaders have intuitively understood its centrality to human concerns. Dressed to Kill puts style in its rightful place at the center of the historical stage.

Nan Richardson is the editor of Umbrage Editions, and the author of numerous books, including Wild Love, Pandemic: Facing AIDS, and others.