| 1900-1909
Farid Chenoune
History
of Men's Fashion
Abbeville
Cloth
From 1760 to 1990, this lavishly illustrated book follows men's
fashion. Published originally in France, this book has a tendency
to focus on French men's fashion, but it's big and has lots of black
& white photos. Available through Amazon UK
Frances Grimble, (Editor)
The
Edwardian Modiste: 85 Authentic Patterns With Instructions, Fashion
Plates, and Period Sewing Techniques
Lavolta Press
Paper
Frankly, as with most Lavolta Press books, The Edwardian Modiste
is way beyond my sewing skills. However, if you are adventurous
and you require rigorous authenticity, this is the book for you.
The patterns are reprinted from a professional dressmaker's manual
and require drafting skills in addition to sewing skills. The clothes
I have seen reproduced using this book are a treat to behold. I
recommend this book for the strong of heart. Amazon
UK link
Frances Grimble, (Editor)
The
Voice of Fashion: 79 Turn-Of-The Century Patterns With Instructions
and Fashion Plates
Lavolta Press
Paper
Another excellent book for constructing period clothing with rigorous
athenticity. Amazon
UK link
Jno.J.Mitchell Co.
Men's
Fashion Illustrations from the Turn of the Century
Dover
Paper
Published between 1900 and 1910 in The Sartorial Art Journal
the illustrations in this book features the sort of sophisticated
custom-made garments that the upper class man would wear. Amazon
UK link
Kristina Harris, editor
Authentic
Victorian Dressmaking Techniques
Dover
Paper
An unabridged republication of Butterick's Dressmaking, Up to
Date (1905 edition). This excellent sewing book for the home
sewer gives information on altering patterns, embellishing clothing,
mending, and proper sewing techniques. There are two short chapters
on infants and boy's clothing that could be useful for recreationists. Amazon
UK link
Dover Pictorial Archive Series
Elite
Fashions Catalog, 1904
Dover
Paper
Another of Dover's excellent catalog reproductions, this time of
the Elite Styles May 1904 catalog. The Elite Styles Company
was a pattern making company specializing in women's and girls clothing.
The patterns are not illustrated, but the dresses shown look to
be somewhat complex. I would assume that these patterns were not
originally for the home sewer, but rather for professionals. Lots
of tea gowns, at-home gowns, and the like are pictured. Amazon
UK link
Kristina Harris
Victorian
& Edwardian Fashions for Women 1840 to 1919
Schiffer
Paper
Intended for the collector, this book features a great many photographs
of vintage clothing. With minimal text explaining the modes and
features of the clothes portrayed, this book is a useful addition
to a costumer's library. Includes vintage fashion price list. Amazon
UK link
John Peacock
20th
Century Fashion
W.W.Norton
Cloth
This book is a visual overview of women's fashions of the 20th century
to date. Illustrated by the author, this book's format is that of
a timeline. Drawing after drawing of women in clothes ranging from
workaday wear to formal. Interspersed with illuminating text, this
book is an excellent visual overview. Amazon
UK link
National Suit & Cloak Co.
Women's
Fashions of the Early 1900s
Dover
Paper
Despite the all inclusive title, this book is a reprint of the National
Suit & Cloak Co.'s 1909 catalog. This, like all the Dover books
in this catalog reprint series, is an excellent source for fashion
ideas and history. This catalog was aimed at the middle class woman
and includes clothing for babies and very young boys and girls. Amazon
UK link
JoAnne Olian, Ed.
Everyday
Fashions 1909-1920
Dover
Paper
The Sears Roebuck Company was America's largest clothing retailer
in the early part of this century. The clothes they manufactured
reflected and defined middle class taste. This book illustrates
the decade with pictures from the Sears Roebuck catalog. Amazon
UK link
1910-1919
Martin Battersby
Art
Deco Fashion
St Martin's Press
Paper
Martin Battersby traces the development of Art Deco fashion design
and drawing in this illustrated survey which spans the period from
1908, with the emergence of Paul Iribe, to 1925 and the influential
age of Erte. B&W illus. This book is scheduled to go out-of-print,
but appears to have come back for another printing. It is a lovely
pictoral archive of French high fashion of the period. Amazon
UK link
Home Pattern Company
Home
Pattern Company 1914 Fashions Catalog
Dover
Paper
The Home Pattern Company specialized in Patterns for the adventurous
needlewoman. Stylish up-to-the-minute fashions, children's clothes,
and general household needle projects fill the pages of this catalog
reprint. It also features vintage essays rating corsetry and other
ready-made articles of clothing for the 1914 consumer. Amazon
UK link
B.Altman & Co.
Altman's
Spring & Summer Fashions Catalog 1915
Dover
Paper
Published just before World War I, this catalog illustrates the
sort of clothes a stylish middle and upper-class clientele might
be inclined to buy. Focusing on women's clothes, this catalog also
has babies, childrens and about 3 pages of men's clothes. Amazon UK link
Gimbel Brothers
Gimbel's
Illustrated 1915 Fashion Catalog
Dover
Paper
This complete reprint of Gimbel's 1915 catalog provides a revealing
glimpse of what middle-class Americans of 1915 were wearing. Women,
babies, girls, young boys, and assorted household goods are included
in this catalog. Amazon UK link
Stella Blum
Designs
by Erte
Dover
Paper
From 1915 to 1936 Erte was associated with Harper's Bazar, furnishing
readers with fashion designs, cover art and word-pictures of the
European fashion scene.This book is a selection of Erte's remarkable
work for Harper's Bazar, including 310 of his line drawings and
14 covers, 8 of which appear in full colour, and selections from
his letters and commentaries for the magazine. Amazon UK link
Erte
Erte's
Fashion Designs
Dover
Paper
Alright, so most of Erte's clothes are unwearable. These early illustrations
from Harper's Bazar show some that could be worn if you felt adventurous
enough (and were prepared to walk around with your arms outspread
at all times). The illustrations shown cover the years 1918-1932. Amazon UK link
Perry, Dame & Co.
Women's
& Children's Fashions of 1917
Dover
Paper
The clothing shown in this catalog reflects popular rather than
high fashion, although the fashions are far from dowdy. The variations
on a simple a-line skirt are fabulous. Amazon UK link
Phillip Livoni, Ed.
Russell's
Standard Fashions 1915-1919
Dover
Paper
Russell's was a small company in Pomona, California that sold a
brand of patterns named Standard Patterns. The clothes were for
the needlewoman who wanted to be stylish, but not too stylish.
Excellent line drawing illustrations show the fronts and the backs
of the clothes. Amazon UK link
Gazette du Bon Ton
French
Fashion Plates in Full Color
Dover
Paper
The full-color illustrations in this volume are all taken from the
Gazette du Bon Ton between 1912-1925. All the major french
designers are represented. If you like this period, this is a beautiful
and cheap book to have. Amazon UK link
1920-1929
For an essay with examples of 1920s women's clothing, visit
my flapper fashion page.
Ellie Laubner
Fashions
of the Roaring '20s
Schiffer
Paper
Filled to the brim with good clear colour photos of a wide variety
men's and women's clothing and accessories of the 1920s. With explanatory
text, and values, this book is aimed at collectors, but would be
very useful for the reenactor. Amazon UK link
Ruth Countryman, Elizabeth Weiss Hopper, William-Alan Landes
Women's
Wear of the 1920's: With Complete Patterns
Players Press
Paper
Not for the novice sewer, the patterns are regular book pages printed
on the grid system. Excellent if you are up for the challenge. Amazon UK link
Kristina Harris
Vintage
Fashions for Women 1920s-1940s
Schiffer
Paper
Dozens of clear colour photographs of contemporary women (the author
's friends) wearing a variety of clothing from the 20s to the 40s
make this a worthwhile book. Slightly marrred by the obvously incorrect
underpinnings on much of the 20s clothing, it still gives a pretty
good idea of how the clothes fit and would appear. It includes a
price guide and some informative text. Amazon UK link
JoAnne Olian
Authentic
French Fashions of the Twenties
Dover
Paper
In the 1920s, fashion magazines were the principal source for news
of the latest Paris couture. One of the most famous and long-lived
of these journals was L'Art et la Mode, published form 1880
to 1967. L'Art et la Mode captured the glamor that was Paris
in the Twenties, from days at the races to nights at the opera,
from Sundays at the Ritz to Saturdays at the Folies-Bergere, and
it followed the glittering circuit that flourished from Longchamps
to Deauville to Cannes to Biarritz. The magazine was read avidly
not only by the rich who patronized the couture, but also by the
woman who relied on her "little dressmaker" to copy the styles depicted
in the periodical. Amazon UK link
Stella Blum, Ed.
Everyday
Fashions of the Twenties
Dover
Paper, $12.95
The twenties roared. From the sweet chic of the early twenties to
the sleek sophistication of the late twenties, women were wearing
clothes radically unlike anything that had been worn for centuries.
This overview of the twenties illustrated by pages from mail order
catalogs accurately depicts what the average American was wearing
during this tempestuous decade. Womens, mens, and childrens clothes
are all illustrated here. Amazon UK link
Carol Belanger Grafton
French
Fashion Illustrations of the Twenties
Dover
Paper
Carefully selected from rare issues of the famed French periodical
La Vie Parisienne, over 630 copyright-free illustrations
comprise a pictorial display of the sophisticated couture of the
twenties. This book is packed with line cuts depicting women's fashion
from 1918 to 1928. No text. Amazon UK link
Franklin Simon & Co.
Franklin
Simon Fashion Catalog for 1923
Dover
Paper
A prominent Fifth Avenue department store that catered to an upscale
clientele for much of its lifetime, Franklin Simon & Co. also offered
customers fashionable wearing apparel through splendidly illustrated
catalogs. Using photographs of live models in its 1923 edition,
the famous New York emporium promoted an extensive line of
finely crafted clothing and accessories for men, women, and children. Amazon UK link
Desire Smith
Vintage
Style 1920 - 1960
Schiffer
Cloth
This book is marred by not having any specific subject. It doesn't
have enough information in it to act as a costume history book,
it just has a disparate assortment of pictures of pretty dresses
and accessories (350 of 'em in colour), mostly from the '50s. Not
worth the price. Amazon UK link
1930-1949
In the the late twenties and on into the thirties, the silhouette
got longer and more shapely. By 1933 dresses had definate waists
and busts. Prints became larger and bolder as did the colours. Fabrics
used were naturals and a great many man-made materials.
One of the more obvious changes was the increasing use of bias
cuts and goring. Collars and cuffs were also given more empahsis.
As the decade drew to an end clothes were assuming a more boxy shape,
with strong shoulder lines.
When the WWII started in 1942, fashion reacted by becoming very
spare (shortages) and conservative (fear). Dresses were shorter
in length than the thirties, but not so short as the twenties. Skirt,
jacket, and blouse combinations ruled. But as conservative as dresses
became, the over all effect of the war was to popularize trousers
and casual wear for women as never before. During the twenties and
thirties, when women wore trousers great effort was made to feminize
them. The crotches often hung down around mid thigh in a sort of
baggy skirt effect. In the forties, practicality reigned as the
demands of war work required no-nonsense work clothes. As a result,
womens' casual wear never quite retreated to the earlier "it's ok
I'm really a woman" mentality of the thirties.
After the war, fashion languished until January 12, 1947 when
Christian Dior presented his first collection. Dubbed the "New Look"
the collection featured an incredibly lush selection of dresses
that had hourglass figures and wide full skirts that reached well
below the knee. The collection, immensely flattering to many women,
was an immediate, albeit contoversial, success.
Maria Costantino
Fashions
of a Decade: The Thirties
Facts on File
Cloth
Packed with pictures and some text, this book gives a good overview
of American fashion and it's historical/political influences during
the thirties. 64 pages with index. Amazon UK link
Carol Belanger Grafton
Fashions
of the Thirties
Dover
Paper
In the 1930s, the Fashion Review Service offered a wide selection
of advertising spots to small clothing and department stores that
had no art staffs of their own. The cuts provided an accurate depiction
of the latest fashion trends-- hemline lengths, use of fur trims,
sleek silhouettes, lapel widths and much more. Depicting women's,
men's, and children's clothing, this book has no text. Amazon UK link
Stella Blum
Everyday
Fashions of the Thirties
Dover
Paper
For this historically accurate sampling of authentic 1930s American fashion,
Stella Blum, former Curator of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan
Museum of Art in New York, selected for reproduction 133 representative
pages from rare Sears catalogs of the period (fall and spring catalogs
for each year from 1930 to 1939). Hundreds of illustrations record
what American men, women, and children were actually wearing in the 1930s
when, as a copyline from the Fall 1930 catalog proclaimed: "Thrift
is the spirit of the day. Reckless spending is a thing of the past." Amazon UK link
Ruth Countryman, Elizabeth Weiss Hopper, William-Alan Landes
Women's
Wear of the 1930's: With Complete Patterns
Players Press
Paper
Not for the novice sewer, the patterns are regular book pages printed
on the grid system. Excellent if you are up for the challenge. Amazon
UK link
Betty Kirke with a forward by Issey Miyake
Madeleine
Vionnet
Chronicle Books
Cloth
Even though Vionnet started her career in the 1920s I have chosen
to place this book in the 1930s section because Vionnet was the
mistess of one of the most important features of 1930s fashion,
the bias cut. This book is the eagerly awaited reprint of a 1991
book first published in Japan.
The book has a biography of Vionnet placing her in the context
of her time, but what is special about this book (aside from its
oversized dimensions of 10 3/4" X 15") are the fantastic patterns
that are included for several of her dresses. With great big clear
photos of the dress on one page and the pattern drafted in scale
on the facing page this book is the adventurous dressmakers delight.
Some of the patterns are so complicated that I couldn't even figure
them out! With most patterns you can visualize how they work. With
Vionnet's you can't always find where the shoulders are supposed
to meet!
Vionnet is one of my favorite designers. With this fantastic book
you will be able to see why she was one of the fashion geniuses
of the 20th century. Amazon UK link
Howard Gutner
Gowns
by Adrian : The MGM Years 1928-1941
Abrams
Cloth
During his years with MGM Adrian had the opportunity to dress some
of the most beautiful women in the world in clothing that stretched
the boundries of fashion and extravagance. While most of the clothing
he designed may not have been seen on the average woman on the street,
it certainly influenced her fashion choices. Gorgeous and well-researched
this book is a treat for those who want the definitive reference
work on Adrian's earlier career. Amazon UK link
Elizabeth Leese
Costume
Design in the Movies
Dover
Paper
Although this book is a general reference on movie costumers from
the teens to the '70s, most of the photos in it depict clothing
from the 20s and 30s, so I've included it here. There is an illustrated
alphabetical listing of designers with short essays and their screen
credits. Amazon UK link
Patricia Baker
Fashions
of a Decade: The Forties
Facts on File
Cloth
Part of the same series as Fashions of a Decade: The Thirties, this book is packed with pictures
and some text, this book gives a good overview of American fashion
and it's historical/political influences during the thirties. 64
pages with index. Amazon UK link
Amy de la Haye, ed.
The
Cutting Edge : 50 Years of British Fashion 1947-1997
The Overlook Press
Cloth
This handsome hardcover is the only book I've seen on the subject.
From Hardy Amies to Zandra Rhodes, this book covers all the important
British Designers and fashion trends for the past 50 years. Packed
with illustrations, essays and interviews with all the top players,
this is a fine sourcebook on post-WWII British fashion. Amazon UK link
Jan Lindenberger
Clothing
& Accesories from the 40s,50s, & 60s
Schiffer
Paper
The primary focus of this book seems to be American fashion of the 50s. Lots
of clear colour photos, little text, and a price guide make this
a book intended primarily for collectors. Amazon UK link
JoAnne Olian
Everyday
Fashions of the Forties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs
Dover
Paper
Here is a richly revealing and very useful costuming tool. For all
those who thought they knew how Americans of the 1940s dressed, here is the real
thing. Men's, women's and children's clothing is illustrated. Amazon UK link
Daniela Turudich
1940s
Hairstyles
Streamline Press
Paper
Part of Turudich's wonderful series on vintage hairstyles. With
lots of simple illustrations and instructions this is the only book
I know on the subject. Out of Print
Wade Laboissonniere
Blueprints
of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s
Schiffer
Paper
Optimistically asserting that "most clothes were sewn at home"
this book is a cornucopia of images from the fronts of pattern envelopes.
This is a good reference for 1940s clothing as popularized by the
major pattern companies. While this is a great visual resource,
no actual patterns are included. Amazon UK link
Deirdre Clancy
Costume Since 1945
Drama
Paper
Sub-titled Courture Street-style and Anti-Fashion, this book
tries to include all within it's grasp. It is strongest on the sections
for 1965 onward. It focuses on English, middle class clothing. Illustrated
with line drawings by the author. Out of Print.
Michael Jay Goldberg
The
Ties That Blind ; Neckties 1945-1975
Schiffer
Paper
Perhaps as a compensation for the overall sobriety of men's clothing
during the postwar years, rather spiffy neckties were in fashion.
Concentrating on the more colourful ties, this book is still a pretty
good reference for men's neckwear. Amazon UK link
1950
- Present
From the New Look (which Dior introduced in 1947, but which influenced
street style well into the 50s) to Granny Dresses, here are the
fashions most of us (and our parents) grew up with.
We don't have much on the 80s or 90s yet, the nostalgia market has
yet to attach itself to those decades, your best bet for books on
those fashions would be to check used book stores for outdated books
on fashionable dressing.
Annette Tapert & Diana Edkins
The
Power of Style
Crown
Cloth
It was hard to know just where to put this book. I have put here
at the beginning of the 50s because that is when the majority of
the women in this book were most active. This is one of the few
books I've seen shows haute couture as it was actually worn by the
women who bought it. The Power of Style is a pictorial-biography
of fourteen of society's most fashionable women. From Rita Lydig
at the turn of the century to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, these
women were all known for their devotion to dressing well. Elsie
De Wolfe, Mona Bismark, Millecent Rogers, Pauline de Rothschild,
Coco Chanel, Diana Vreeland, Daisy Fellowes, the Duchess of Windsor,
Slim Keith, Babe Paley, C.Z. Guest, and Gloria Guiness are included.
If you enjoy social history and gossip, this is a great book because
it is very social.
Daniela Turudich
1950s
Hair: Hairstyles from the Atomic Age of Cool
Streamline Press
Paper
Here are the 1950s as presented by Turudich's wonderful series on
vintage hairstyles. While vintage information is still available
if you are willing to look, you may as well save time and invest
in this book. With lots of simple illustrations and instructions
you will be looking properly 50s in no time.
Desire Smith
Fashionable
Clothing: From the Sears Catalogs, Early 1950s
Schiffer
Paper
Lots of photo reproductions from the Sears Catalogs of the early
50s. Minimal blurbs - mostly photo after photo of blouses, skirts,
etc. Women's, men's, and children's clothing included.
Joy Shih
Fashionable
Clothing from the Sears Catalogs, Late 1950s
Schiffer
Paper
Lots of colour photo reproductions of all those fabulous Sears Cloths
from the late 50s. 160 pages, with accompanying (minimal) blurbs
by Joy Shih. Women's, men's, and children's clothing included.
Wade Laboissonniere
Blueprints
of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1950s
Schiffer
Paper
Another in Laboissonniere's series of pattern envelope image collections,
this is a good reference for 1950s clothing as popularized by the
major pattern companies. It also includes images for the incredibly
complex couture patterns that appeared to vex the unwary in the
1950s. These images should furnish lots of ideas for your own projects.
No actual patterns are included.
Kristina Harris
Vintage
Fashions for Women from the 1950s and 60s, with values
Schiffer
Paper
A combination of vintage photos and pictures of modern people in
vintage clothing, this is another of Kristina Harris's books on
vintage fashion. Lots and lots of pictures with a few informative
short essays make this a pretty good book on the (slightly nicer)
fashions of the times.
Bosker, Mancini, and Gramstad
Fabulous Fabrics of the 50s
Chronicle Books
Paper
The title of this book is midleading, there are wonderful fabrics
of the 20s, 30s, and 40s in here as well. With a large variety of
clear colour photos and brief informative paragraphs, this is the
best book we have on the subject. Sadly, this book is out of
print.
Joy Shih
Fun
Fabrics of the 50s
Schiffer
Paper
No text, index, or commentary, but lots of colour pictures of assorted
novelty prints of the 1950s.
Joanne Olian
Everyday
Fashions of the Fifties As Pictured in Sears Catalogs
Dover
Paper
Another excellent catalog anthology by the Dover Press. Lots of
pictures arranged chronologically from the early fifties to the
late fifties. This is an excellent visual resource for middle class
American clothing of the decade.
Joanne Olian
Everyday
Fashions of the Sixties: As Pictured in Sears Catalogs
Dover
Paper
As the title says - everyday fashions of the 60s. In the 1960s Sears
Roebuck was a mercantile force to be reckoned with, every decent
sized city had a Sears department store and nearly every household
received their massive catalogs. With lots of pictures arranged
chronologically from the early sixties to the late sixties, this
provides a good overview of the clothes ordinary people were wearing..
Minimal text, just the catalog pages themselves.
Joy Shih
Fashionable
Clothing from the Sears Catalogs, Mid 1960s
Schiffer
Paper
Inundated as we are with images of the 1960s, it's hard to remember
that most of us really didn't dress like Janis Joplin or Jimi Hendrix.
For the majority of Americans, clothing was a great deal more conservative
(although we at the time thought it daring) than many of us remember.
The Sears catalog books are excellent reminders of what most Americans
were wearing from 1964 to 1966.
Joy Shih
Funky
Fabrics of the 60s
Schiffer
Paper
Companion volume to Fun Fabrics of the 50s. Once again, no
text, index, or commentary, but lots of colour pictures of assorted
novelty prints of the 1960s. Although I thought Funky was more an
early 70s word.....?
Joy Shih
Cool
Hot Colors, Fabrics of the Late 60s
Schiffer
Paper
Another in this nifty series of picture books. Photo swatches of
the text and accompanying (minimal) blurbs. 112 pages.
Trina Robbins
Tomorrow's
Heirlooms: Fashions of the 60s & the 70s
Schiffer
Paper
Mini skirts, go-go boots, polyester (you never have to iron
it!), Midis and Maxis, granny dresses, Gunne Sax, and all those
wonderful clothes of the 60s and 70s! Mostly colour photo illustrations
with a bit of well written and informative text.
I would like to thank The
Louise Brooks Society for their contributions to this page. |
