Cover Characteristics: Book Covers featuring Impeccably Dressed Characters

 
 

You know what I learned about myself while making this post? I apparently have a thing for layers. I also have a thing for corsets, but I already knew that.

Oddly enough though, I never dress anything like the way the characters on these covers dress. Seriously, basic Kristen style is solid colored shorts, a solid colored tank top, t-shirt, or long sleeved shirt, and a scarf through my belt loops to tie the whole thing together (that was kind of a pun lol). And usually either the shorts or the shirt is black. Oh, and you can’t forget the flip-flops! Or boots if it’s cold enough to get away with wearing them.

I do own a few corsets, but I’ve only worn one of them once o.0 Also, two of them are red. Why would anyone who doesn’t even wear corsets ever need two red ones? They wouldn’t. But when given the choice between red or black that day I bought the second one, I just couldn’t help myself, damn it. The third corset is teal, and it’s gorgeous, and it was a gift of sorts, so I cannot really be blamed for owning that one.

Is anyone else the same way? Do you all actually dress in the style that you like, or is what you like and what you actually wear completely different? It cannot just be me. But enough about my fashion sense, or lack thereof. Onto the covers!


Cover Characteristics is a weekly meme hosted at Sugar & Snark. I went rogue this week, so my topic is:

Books Covers featuring Impeccably Dressed Characters

 
Once Upon a Time in the Weird West by Various Authors
Incarnation by Emma Cornwall
The Diabolical Miss Hyde by Viola Carr
Her Majesty's Necromancer by C.J. Archer
Cloudy Climes and Starless Skies by Alexis Hall
Treasure & Treason by Lisa Shearin
The Perilous Journey of the Not-So-Innocuous Girl by Leigh Statham
Dance with a Vampire by Ellen Schreiber
Inquisition by Taran Matharu
Courting Darkness by Yasmine Galenorn
 

Pin the Collage!


 

Courting Darkness by Yasmine Galenorn

Courting Darkness by Yasmine Galenorn | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
 

Not only do we have the woman in her gorgeous green corset in the foreground, there’s some awesome-looking guy in a kickass white suit posing in the background. I mean really, what’s not to love about this cover?!

 

Dance with a Vampire by Ellen Schreiber

Dance with a Vampire by Ellen Schreiber | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
 

That red dress and black and red corset is totally something I’d want to wear! But she really rocks the look with the gloves and parasol making the complete package.

 

The Perilous Journey of the Not-So-Innocuous Girl Series by Leigh Statham

The Perilous Journey of the Not-So-Innocuous Girl by Leigh Statham | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
The Perilous Journey of the Much-Too-Spontaneous Girl by Leigh Statham | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
 

A totally quirky steampunk look, but she pulls it off. Love all her buckles and buttons!

 

Treasure & Treason by Lisa Shearin

Treasure & Treason by Lisa Shearin | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
 

Ok I have no idea if pirates in the past actually dressed like this, but I love the way they’re always portrayed. There’s always so many belts and straps and buttons and frills and layers of fabric, and it’s awesome.

 

Prosperity Series by Alexis Hall

Cloudy Climes and Starless Skies by Alexis Hall
Liberty by Alexis Hall
 

Do you see that pirate’s coat?! It’s like a rainbow oil spill! Add that to all the other pirate garb I just mentioned about the last post, and damn, this is one fabulous, well-dressed pirate!

 

The Ministry of Curiosities Series by C.J. Archer

Her Majesty's Necromancer by C.J. Archer | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
Ashes to Ashes by C.J. Archer | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
Grave Expectations by C.J. Archer | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
 

I have actually wanted a dark green corset since I was a teen. Actually, I’ve wanted a whole dress just like the one she’s wearing in the first book there. No clue where I’d wear it, but damn it, I want it! But the guy is not to be outdone with his equally gorgeous green vest (waistcoat?)!

 

The Diabolical Miss Hyde by Viola Carr

The Diabolical Miss Hyde by Viola Carr | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
 

Another corset! And hers is red! I WANT IT. Again, no clue where I’d wear it, but who cares? I also love her whole look here with the belt things and choker tie and hair piece.

 

Incarnation by Emma Cornwall

Incarnation by Emma Cornwall | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
 

More red because I can’t help myself. But also, she is rockin’ that outfit, and it’s just so pretty!

 

Once Upon a Time in the Weird West by Various Authors

Once Upon a Time in the Weird West by Various Authors | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
 

He looks so badass! I love the coat and the layers and he really knows how to pull off that hat and all that ammo strapped to his body 😉

 

My Favorite:
The Summoner Trilogy by Taran Matharu

The Novice by Taran Matharu | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
Inquisition by Taran Matharu | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
The Battlemage by Taran Matharu | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
 

I don’t what it is about these covers, but I just LOVE them. And honestly I’m pretty sure half the reason I want to read these books is because this character has amazing fashion sense. He looks so put-together, the blues and browns are a great color combo, he rocks that quiver like it’s nobody’s business, boots are just plain awesome, and I do love long coats that blow in the wind!

 
 
 
 

Talk to me!

Which book cover featuring impeccably dressed characters is YOUR favorite?
And which outfit in particular is your favorite?

Book Covers featuring Impeccably Dressed Characters | reading, books, book covers, cover love, fashion
 
 
[shared_counts]
 
 
 

Your Thoughts

 

46 thoughts on “Cover Characteristics: Book Covers featuring Impeccably Dressed Characters

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  1. Greg

    I love how elaborate the characters are. You have to have style if you’re gonna slink down a fog- shrouded alley in the dead of night or perch on top of a cathedral overlooking the city. Corsets would seem kinda impractical to fight undead, but so what? I’m liking that Galenorn cover for exactly your reasons- plus the green lettering. The statham books because steampunk, and I love her bracers in the second one. And goggles. Always goggles.

    The Hall covers are doing cool things w/ color, not just that coat but even the northern lights (?) in the second one. Yeah I don’t know about pirates either, but you gotta have some frills and lace, and then a coat, maybe some velvet? Incarnation IS rockin that outfit, and Miss Hyde- damn. That’s a cover.

    Love Weird West! And The Ministry of Curiosities covers- love all of em, especially the third with the moon and the tree overlokking the green in the cemetery. Her dress, gloves, and choker… and dude’s looking good too.

    1. Kristen Burns

      LOL definitely not practical, but you got to have good style if you’re going to do Shady things in the middle of the night 😉 I love that Galenorn cover, haha. And you’re right, those Hall books do have good colors on them all around. All the corset ones are just fantastic. I especially love the ministry of curiosity ones because I love that dark green color in clothes like that, and I imagine the green is why you like that one so much too LOL.

      1. Greg

        Yup, it’s like an eerie green and I like the guys green vest too. And even the moon is green lol in that second one. Those covers are actually fabulous (the green helps yes lol)…

  2. Karen

    Gorgeous covers!

    For my own sense of style – it’s whatever fits (usually in some sort of neutral brownish color) and buy 10 of them lol

    I hate shopping.

    I am a tad more adventurous with shirts but I’ll never be accused of being a fashionista lol

    For What It’s Worth

    1. Kristen Burns

      See, I regret that I didn’t buy 10 of all the clothing items I love because now I can’t find them anymore LOL. And don’t worry, I’ll never be accused of being a fashionista either.

  3. chucklesthescot

    I like a lot of the steampunk style covers though I would have no interest in being lifted, stretched and strangled by wearing those clothes! Like The Summoner covers for the vivid colours.

  4. suzanna

    I love your style on these covers. The Ministry of Curiosities have gorgeous costumes. It would be great to dress up in costumes like this and swish about. My personal fav look would be steampunk. However, in practice they would be impractical for fighting – or even just living in – and sadly I don’t own any remotely clothes. One day …

    1. Kristen Burns

      Seriously, I would love to dress up in clothes like the ministry of Curiosities covers just for one night! But I don’t own anything like these covers either, and most of these would definitely be really impractical and uncomfortable!

  5. sjhigbee

    Oh these are all fabulous, Kristen! I particularly love Treasure & Treason and Dance with a Vampire, but they all are wonderful… I don’t own a corset, but these would certainly tempt me if frills suited me – sadly they don’t!

  6. Let's Get Beyond Tolerance

    You know, I’ve never thought about this cover trend but it’s great! i love seeing what people wear on covers. As for my own style, I’m a mix. I’m starting to wear more of what I like – since I’ve been losing weight, etc. – but I still like a lot of things that I don’t regularly wear.

  7. Christy LoveOfBooks

    I love so many different styles and do change it up depending on how I feel. I love the styles on these covers too. Courting Darkness is my favorite. You should model your corsets for us! 😀

    1. Kristen Burns

      I love so many different styles too, I just don’t have the guts or the body type to where most of them LOL. Ha, no, I think I’ll pass on modeling the corsets 😛

  8. Ioana

    Pirates and coresets?? I am so here for it. Also my favorite type of badass character is a pirate WEARING a corset. Like those are sooo cool. Also impractical but soooo coool. And the fact that you own corsets also makes you cool by default btw.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Fictional pirates just have the best style, right?! I wonder how they actually dressed in real life though LOL. Not sure the corsets make me cool if I don’t actually wear them, but I still love them!

  9. Danya @ Fine Print

    Steampunk covers feature some of the best bookish outfits around, I swear to god. I adore the outfit featured on Incarnation’s cover — the dress, jacket, and blouse layered beneath is such a killer look. The book cover outfits that best describe my style…hmmm. I guess they’d be sort of rockabilly? Maybe a fantasy noir. I wear a LOT of poodle skirts.

  10. Barb (boxermommyreads)

    I love ALL the covers of C.J. Archer series. I own the first one on my Kindle, but never picked the rest up – I will one day. I love almost all the covers on the Galenorn books. I read pretty far in one of her series and really must pick them up again. They were so much fun. Without realizing it, I just discovered I’m drawn to covers like this A LOT!

    1. Kristen Burns

      I think I might have the first CJ Archer book too. I can’t remember what the other galenorn covers look like though, and I haven’t read any. But maybe I should if they’re so much fun!

  11. Rachel @ Chocolate and Chapters

    As far as my personal style, I usually wear really casual, loose dresses when it’s warm and leggings with boots and long sweaters when it’s cold. That being said, though, I REALLY feel like my style comes out best in the Fall. I love all things Fall and the cold-weather clothes are no exception. If I could live somewhere chilly year round, I’d do it.

    Also, these covers are gorgeous. A lot of them have a steampunk vibe to me. And yes to wanting a beautiful dress and corset and never wearing them anywhere… haha

    1. Kristen Burns

      That sounds like a pretty style! I almost never wear dresses myself. They make me feel really uncomfortable and like him going to flash someone by accident lol. Winter clothes can be soooo cute though.

      I guess a lot of these do have a steampunk vibe. But seriously I just want to own these things even though I know I’d never wear them, haha.

  12. Wattle

    I used to own two corsets – one black, and one covered in Marvel characters. I gave the black one to a friend for photoshoots (I didn’t think I’d wear it again for my Victorian era Cheshire Cat costume…) and have worn the Marvel one a few times (to nerdy things like comic con haha). I really want a Ravenclaw one, but I need a better reason than ‘I want it’, you know?

    I live in jeans and nerd t-shirts for the most part (except at work, where it’s plain tops and black trousers ugh), and in summer I rotate a few retro style dresses.

    I love The Ministry of Curiosities covers! Greeen! I reckon living back then would have totally sucked fashion wise though. I’m no fashionista but you’d have to wear dresses and layers of stuff and move around in it all?

    1. Kristen Burns

      Victorian era Cheshire Cat?? Now that sounds interesting! The Marvel corset sounds really cute! And psh, no, you never need a better reason than “I want it” 😛 (I’m such an enabler lol.)

      Retro style dresses are so cute. I always see them in ads and want them.

      Oh, def would’ve sucked lol. Like, it looks great, but it would’ve been so uncomfortable and impractical.

  13. Becky @ A Fool's Ingenuity

    It totally depends on the day when it comes to my own style and that which I like. I mean, given a choice I would dress in pyjamas permanently as they are so damn comfortable but my work frowns upon that for some crazy reason. Half my problem is a lot of the clothes I like aren’t suited to my body… or the UK weather. Like, I would love to be a skinny waif wandering around in these floaty dresses and sandals but I would be cold and I would look like I was wearing a sack. I have mostly accepted this fact, though. I am short and have podgy bits so I dress for that fact, no floaty maxi dresses which would drag along the floor, more shorter dresses that actually fit. I think we all have times where our fantasy wardrobe is very different from reality.

    I do love The Summoner covers, I think it’s the coat I love because I also like that western cover. Long coats are obviously my jam.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Psh stupid work. Not letting you wear pajamas. I totally get it, I also think a lot of things are cute but know that I could never pull it off with my body type. On the one hand, it’s like, you should wear what you want and not care? But on the other hand, I’m not going to feel confident if I know I look awful lol.

      Seriously, long coats are just the best. I own one trench coat (or whatever it’s called, I call them all trench coats), and I swear it was like the best piece of clothing I ever, well, begged and pleaded and convinced someone else to buy for me lol.

  14. Lola

    I usually don’t really dress in the clothes I really like normally, as I prefer to wear comfy clothes as opposed to things that look nice. Sometimes if I got out I do make an effort to dress up, but that’s very rarely. I do own one fake corset that’s pretty comfy. During summer I usually wear a long skirt and a tank top while in the winter I usually wear pajama pants and then a shirt with a sweather or vest over it. And that’s usually it.I do have one dress that I love, but only wore once during my mom’s wedding.

    These covers are great and I like the clothes of most of them. i also have no clue if pirates really dressed that way, but the clothes do look fancy. The women on the cover of Incarnation sure is rocking that outfit and the red nicely matches her hair.

    I never paid as much attention to what people are wearing on covers, but now I have the urge to look through covers and check out the outfits on them, lol.

    1. Kristen Burns

      Same, I dress for comfort most of the time. I actually *own* a whole bunch of dresses, I’ve just never worn most of them, haha.

      I feel pirates prob didn’t look that good lol. But fictional pirates always have the best style. And seriously, that outfit on Incarnation looks fantastic and does match nicely.

      Lol now you’ll start noticing 😛