Product Description
From the momentous invention of the needle some 40,000 years ago to the development of blue denim; from Neolithic weavers to the biggest names in the fashion industry today—this classic guide covers the landmarks of costume history, the forms and materials used through the ages, as well as the underlying motives of fashion and the ways in which clothes have been used to protect, to express identity, and to attract or to influence others. The concluding chapter by Amy de la Haye, covering the second half of the twentieth century, has now been updated by Andrew Tucker. He discusses the reinvention in the 1990s of the luxury label Gucci, the rise of houses such as Prada and Tommy Hilfiger, and the appointments of relatively avant-garde British, American, and European designers to head classic French houses. All the late-twentieth-century and turn-of-the-century style innovations are included, such as the appropriation of utility clothing by designers like Helmut Lang—who spearheaded the predominantly unisex urban sportswear look—and the impact of workplace dressing down on masculine fashion. The phenomenon of the must-have accessory—the pashmina shawl and the Fendi baguette, for example—is also considered. 345 illustrations, 80 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent overview
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, especially as I enjoy European history so much. It was full of interesting historical details and how fashion influences the world, and how the world influenced fashion (ex: architecture changed because of the skirt size). The one thing I would have liked to see more of was a discussion on Eastern Fashions. The book did a great job explaining how the West was influenced by the East, but had no stand alone history of the East. The authors are seamless, and as Laver's narration ends, the others pick it right up without the style of writing changing much.

Pretty basic, very trustworthy--a good start
Using only primary resources (paintings, statues, etc. from the periods being shown), this book is both concise and trustworthy. Unlike other books that try to cover an expansive period of time in Western costume, this one never uses original or after the fact illustrations, which can be misleading and/or inaccurate. The only downside is that there are only a few samples from each period, so the reader doesn't get as broad a sense of the time as one might hope. Still, if the idea is to get a broad understanding, the text with the pictures combine to make a decent starting point for Western fashion from Ancient times to the 1990's.

A basic intro to fashion and costumes
This book is aptly titled.It gives just a little bit about everything from ancient Egyptian styles to fashion in the 1990s.Those of you looking for photos and descriptions with great attention to detail should look elsewhere, but those of you looking for just an overview of fashion, this would be a good introduction.

The author discusses the rise and fall of fashion trends through the ages, and how society, industry, and particular people influenced them.The text in this book seems as informative, as it is concise.However, other reviewers seem to think that the author's information about pre-20th century costumes is inconsistent with other sources, but the post-20th century information is consistent with what I have learned from other sources.

Therefore, I recommend this book with some hesitation.If you want a good overview of fashion history, especially a pictoral history, I would recommend this book.On the other hand, if you are looking to learn more about a particular era, especially ancient costumes, I would recommend choosing a book specifically written about that era.

Great introductory read.
An easy read.Covers from 2900 B.C. to the 1990's with a particular emphasis on the 1800's.James Laver's writing style is wonderful, describing not only the clothing but the historical and social context for each style of dress. The fashions of each period are illustrated by a variety of historical evidence, including statutes, famous works of art, fashion drawings, diaries, cartoons and photographs. The book is not an in-depth study of each period but rather a very brief overview.The last chapter covering from 1940 to the 1990's was writen by Amy de la Haye and is markedly different in writing style.She does not discuss the social and historical context to the extent that Laver does but rather gives an overview of the major designers of each decade and their respective styles.As there is a lot to discuss in the last 50 years of fashion, I wish that this book had dedicated more than 31 pages to modern fashion.

An excellent place to start
This classic by James Laver is a very good introduction to the subject. This is not an exhaustive history of clothing that one should consult for lengthy descriptions, or pinpoint accuracy tied to the latest scholarship. But what this book is (and is wonderfully) is an overview of a very vast subject distilled into one portable volume. The illustrations are excellent and worth the price of the book in themselves. Great amounts of detail are lacking, but the student of costume history can look elsewhere for in depth information in the works of Boucher, Davenport, Ribeiro, and others. This book can provide the basic knowledge one needs to approach the more advanced publications.

There are discrepencies of terminology in comparison to other texts. This is especially true in his descriptions of Byzantine court costume; Laver uses some Greek terms as opposed to the Latin terms used by most other historians. Laver also has an ethnocentric bias and gives much information from an English point of view. As with Contini's "Fashion: A Social History" and Batterberry's "Fashion: The Mirror of History" (both sadly out of print), Laver's prose and scholarship are a little dated, and he predates political correctness. But the history of clothing is heavily tied to religion and superstitions, public morals and sexuality, gender and social hierarchy. To tell a politcally correct history of clothing is to apply a bias as skewed as the biases it would seek to rectify.

This is a highly readable and succinct account of its subject and is strongly recommended. Given that the wonderful Contini and Batterberry books are not available, Laver's very accesible text is an excellent introduction for the beginning costume historian. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Following 150 years of fashion, Christopher Breward offers a catholic view of this colorful and flamboyant universe, describing its trends, products, and inhabitants. From Haute Couture, High Street, and developing fabric technology to such stars of the fashion heavens as Coco Chanel, Giorgio Armani, and Alexander McQueen, Breward explores territories far beyond style and function. He sees more than just an industry, giving voice to the larger cultural phenomenon fashion has become. Breward's discerning view captures the glamorous world of Vogue and advertising; the relationship between fashion and film, and fashion as a business; and goes beyond the surface to consider individual interaction with fashion. How have ideas about hygiene and comfort influenced the direction of style? How does dress create identity and status? Framing details of dandies, flappers, and punks within a clear overview of their respective periods, Breward takes a second look and casts everyday wear in a much different light. In addition to all the glitz and glamour, the book includes suggestions for further reading, a timeline marking important events in fashion, and a list of relevant museums and galleries. In all, it is the most valuable, accessible, and modern text on fashion today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderful book!
It is far deeper than the average history of fashion. Covers not only the main designers, but also fashion as an industry and its promotion and relation with mass culture.
Very informative, well written and thought provoking.

Excellent Resource
Fashion Primer for the serious student/follower of womens couture, costume design, and ready to wear. Concise and informative. ... Read more

Product Description
The Complete History of Costume and Fashion is a comprehensive illustrated guide to the history of clothing and fashion. At different times in history, fashionable dress has taken very different forms. From the first fashion style of the Egyptians to the extravagant clothes of the Romans, from the birth of the Dandy to haute couture in the twentieth century, this book chronicles the evolution of style for both males and females from a social, cultural, and historical perspective.

Organized by specific time periods, coverage includes:
The Ancient Egyptians: Noble garments, wigs and hairpieces, eye make-up, jewelry
Greece and Rome: Classical elegance, the Etruscan wardrobe, bright colors, the toga
Middle Ages: Medieval Europe and Byzantine fashion, age of chivalry, trains and sleeves
Early Renaissance: Damask, taffeta, velvet, tight-fitting bodices
Sixteenth Century: Flowering of the arts, science and fashion, doublets and ruffs, bodices
Seventeenth Century: Influence of the Baroque, ribbons and embroidery, wigs for men
Eighteenth Century: Extravagance and excess, masks, buckled shoes, three-cornered hats, hoop skirts
Nineteenth Century: Victorian values, crinolines and bustles, artificial hair color, double-breasted jackets
Twentieth Century: The age of diversity, global style, mini-skirts, supermodels, street fashion, new fabrics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

mixed feelings
So, I gave this book 3 stars because I couldn't figure out how to do 2 1/2. Mixed feelings. On the plus side, I really enjoyed the pictures and some of the book was informative.
On the minus side, I feel that the author may have just peiced this book together too quickly without doing her research. Some of her dates for different eras were wrong. And while she may have an interest in fashion, part of fashion history is HISTORY, which she doesn't seem to have a grasp on. This was evident in the beginning right from the chapter on egypt. I kept cringing every time she confused Nefertiti for Nefertari, it made me wonder what else in the book she got wrong.

I definately would not recomend this book to anyone that already has a lot of knowledge of fashion history, her inaccuracies will probably piss you off (and her partiality to Byzantium).
I also would not recomend this book if you are just getting started in studying fashion history because why start out with misinformation.
But if you are like me, neither an expert or compkete novice, you don't work in the industry, like me you are just obsessed with clothes, and if you find this book on sale for less than 5 dollars, have at it(really, don't pay more than 5).

Amazing, Colorful and Bright
This book is a truly dazzling feast for the eyes and would be a perfect addition to anyone's coffee table collection.I bought this booking thinking that it was more like a textbook and have found it to be much much more.Full size colorful illustrations make for very interesting and stimulating viewing.

One of the worst I've ever seen
The information is just plain wrong in hundreds of instances and the images and text are frequently not connected.In general if a book says it is a Complete History of Costume from the dawn of time to yesterday, it is probably to be avoided, but this one is truly, truly bad!

There is nothing complete about this book.
The most complete book of History of Costume I have found is "Survey of Historic Costume" by Phyllis Tortora and Keith Eubank. The title of this book "The Complete..." and the lack of content simple don't belong together.

This book is a beginners basic introduction to costume. It needs to be reviewed and mistakes need to be fixed.

didn't like it
There are cool pictures and all but seriously you cannot cover the whole egyptian, etruscan, greek...periods in 3-4 pages. The book plainly describes what people were wearing in these periods (and it does not give you the complete info) and it does not tell you much about the story behind these costumes which I found pretty lame. ... Read more

Product Description
The broader Regency period 1795-1820 stands alone as an incredible moment in fashion history unlike anything that went before or after. It was the most naked period since Ancient Greece and before the 1960s, and for the first time England became a fashion influence, especially for menswear, and became the toast of Paris. With the ancient regime deposed, court dress became secondary and the season by season flux of fashion as we know it came into being, aided and abetted by the proliferation of new ladies' magazines.

Such an age of revolution and innovation inspired a flood of fashions taking influence from everything including the newly discovered treasures of the ancient world, to radical new ideas like democracy. It was an era of contradiction immortalized by Jane Austen, who adeptly used the newfound diversity of fashion to enliven her characters, Wickham's military splendor, Mr. Darcy's understated elegance, and Miss Tilney's romantic fixation with white muslin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A little glistening jewel of information on British fashion during the Georgian and Regency periods
"Revolution had changed the world and fashion had dressed it accordingly." Sarah Jane Downing

It is hard for me not to think of a Jane Austen movie adaptation and not remember how fashion influenced my enjoyment of the film. Some of my most vivid memories are of Elizabeth Bennet walking the verdant countryside in her russet colored spencer jacket in Pride and Prejudice 1995, Marianne Dashwood spraining her ankle and being carried to safety by Willoughby in her rain drenched white muslin frock in Sense & Sensibility 1995, or Mary Crawford ready to pounce like a black widow spider in her cobwebby evening dress in Mansfield Park 1999. Much of how we perceive Regency fashion today is from film costume designer's interpretations of the fashions during Jane Austen's time. I admit to admiring the fine cut of a gentleman's tailored redingote or the elegant flow of a ladies formal evening dress as much as the next Janeite, but am totally clueless about why and how fashion changed so drastically since the heavy brocades, embroidered silks and powdered wigs of pre-revolutionary France.

As an introduction to Georgian and Regency fashion, this slim 63 page volume answered many questions and gave me a better understanding of the evolution of fashion, its importance in society and how English style influenced the world. The chapters are neatly broken down into seven significant categories: The Age of Elegance, The Rise of English Fashion, A Fine Romance, Beau Brummell and the Great Renunciation, Rousseau and Fashion Au Natural, Reticule and Ridicule, and After the age of Elegance. Throughout are beautiful (but small) images from original sources such as the popular women's fashionmagazines Ackermann's Repository and La Belle Assemblée, portraits by the leading painters of the day Sir Henry Raeburn, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres and Sir Thomas Lawrence, and photographs of vintage clothing from the era. Interspersed throughout the text are references to Jane Austen, her family and characters in her novels to tie into a description of clothing or styles. A brief index at the back allows for quick reference by topic, person or place.

As part of the popular Shire Library series, FASHION IN THE TIME OF JANE AUSTEN is a little glistening jewel of information on British fashion during the Georgian and Regency periods. For the novice historian it will inform and whet your appetite. For the veteran it will be a great refresher. For each, you will appreciate Downing's straight forward presentation of material and her handling of the sense of the ridiculous that fashion can take by including Gillray caricatures and comical anecdotes. From the perspective of a Jane Austen enthusiast, Downing does state some eyebrow raising facts that to my knowledge have yet to be proven. As much as the Austen descendants would like the "Rice portrait" to be of Jane Austen, even my rudimentary knowledge of Regency fashion styles and math calculate the portrait to be much later than the 1792-93 range evaluated by experts, and the James Stanier Clarke portrait of a lady with a fur muff could be Jane Austen, but we shall never know for sure. (Best to say possibly Jane Austen to be safe and raise your credibility.) A small quibble in an overall splendid little treasure trove sure to please the Austenista in all of us.

Laurel Ann, Austenprose

size is not everything!
I bought the book for specific purposes. I needed material that could be related to Jane Austen's living time. My only concern was about the size of the book - so tiny, I thought! But it was a great surprise, in the best way! The book not only contains a LOT of information, but also a lot of really good pictures that makes possible not only understand the behave of that time but visualize it. So, I truly recommend it!

Useful Book for Janeites
Ever since I learned that this book would be coming out in the spring, I couldn't wait for its arrival. The title alone told me that it was tailor made to my interests. Slim and more a monograph than a book, Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen's 62 pages are jam-packed with information and images. Some of the material that author Sarah Jane Downing wrote about was familiar, but much of it was new. While I finished the book in two sittings, I know I will be using it frequently for future reference.

Until the Napoleonic Wars, France had influenced fashions in Britain and Europe. It was the custom of messengers known as les grandes couriers de la mode to deliver the latest French fashions to the great courts of Europe in person. Wearing designer creations, their costumes were analyzed from head to toe and then tried on and taken apart. Patterns were made from the resulting pieces. People who visited cities and returned home were plied with questions about the latest trends in fashions by those who stayed behind. Soon, fashion journals appeared showing images of fashions, home furnishings, and architectural plans, and new styles trickled down to even those who lived in the farthest reaches of England.

The French Revolution marked a radical shift from the elegant, wide-skirted brocade gowns so prevalent for most of the 18th century to the streamlined, body-hugging, empire-waisted silhouettes of the Directoire Period that were inspired by classical antiquity. Wide hooped skirts were still worn for appearances at court, but gowns became simpler, narrower, and more vertical. In fact, the change in dress silhouettes was so dramatic that such a radical shift in style would not occur again until the flapper era and the jazz age over a century later.

Jane Austen's books were written during the narrow time frame when empire dresses with their high waists, short sleeves and décolletté necklines reigned supreme in the fashion world. When long sleeves were introduced in evening dress, she wrote Cassandra:

"I wear my gauze gown today long sleeves & all; I shall see how they succeed, but as yet I have no reason to suppose long sleeves are allowable. Mrs. Tilson has long sleeves too, & she assured me that they are worn in the evening by many. I was glad to hear this. - Jane Austen, 1814"

Male attire also went through a dramatic change. Ruffles and ornate brocaded fabrics gave way to intricately folded neckcloths, simple shirts, stark jackets and leg-hugging breeches. The emphasis was on the neckcloths, but not the shirts, which were sewn by women, not tailors. Jane was known to be an excellent seamstress, and she wrote about completing a batch of shirts for her brother Charles: "[I] am to send his shirts by half dozens as they are finished; one set will go next week," and "In Mansfield Park Fanny price works diligently to ensure that her brother's linen is ready when he goes to sea." - p 13.

There are so many other interesting tidbits of information. Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen discusses accessories, underwear, half dress, full dress, court dress and more. I wish a timeline had been included of when hems were raised and when they became decorative; precisely how the Napoleonic Wars affected fashion in both England and France and who influenced who and when; and when waists when up, then down, then up and down again. Another quibble I had was with the book's cover, which John Pettie painted in 1887. With all the lush images and paintings available of regency misses and their chaperones and suitors, why choose a Victorian painting?

Definitely mixed
One does not expect comprehensive detail in one of the Shire albums, but one does expect what is there to be accurate. This book has absolutely wonderful illustrations (some, unfortunately, uncredited), but the text is mixed.Seems to have been written in a hurry, and without adequate verification.For example, Ms. Downing writes of men's fashion, "it was the 'battle between broadcloth and silk' as Balzac had termed it in 1798."Since Balzac was born in 1799, he clearly was looking back when he wrote this, rather than writing it in 1798!And, however much the Austen family wishes that the Rice portrait (p. 11) is Jane herself, that is extremely unlikely. A teen-aged Jane, even a fashion forward one, would not have dressed like that in 1792-93. The portrait is almost certainly someone of the next generation.

The price of the volume is low, so it worth buying for the pictures alone, but please do further research before accepting what is in the text. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1999 and now fully revised and updated, Fashion is a photographic celebration that surveys all the preeminent couturiers and fashion houses from the era before the Great War through the revolutionary changes wrought by the Jazz Age and the Swinging Sixties to designers at work today. Everything is included in this authoritative volume, from Chanel's little black dress to the latest Prada or envelope-pushing boutiques.What distinguishes Fashion from other overviews or histories of the subject is that it also examines the ancillary driving forces that have propelled fashion trends and fuelled the rise of styles.In many ways, this book makes clear that these supposedly secondary influences (fashion editors, advertising, newspapers, magazines, department stores, boutiques) became increasingly important during the course of the twentieth century.Included in the book are overviews of key figures in the fashion industry and design community. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Pretentious and incomplete
It's a Rizzoli; light on the text, heavy on the graphic. But vastly incomplete and devoted to high fashion only.No trickle-down here, which is a shame.When will someone publish a historically complete book on fashion encompassing couture to K Mart?

great book
So jam-packed full of information and pictures, great for history, trends, great source book in a compact easy-to-carry size.

insight into 20th century fashion trends
'Fashion - The Twentieth Century' by Francois Baudot is the book to read if you really want to gain an insight into 20th century fashion trends. Its five page bibliography is the most comprehensive list of any fashion book we have come across. Baudot is an expert and this is what makes the book so enjoyable. There are many pictures and the text flows and is very informative. There are also separate features on the important designers/couturiers of the 20th century. A historical review of fashion is presented at the beginning of the book and at the start of each of the eleven sections.

Comprehensive!
Fashion books tend to focus in on one subject or personality, or sometimes a series of related subjects. Fashion, the Twentieth Century is an entirely comprehensive look into the world of fashion and how it has developed over the past century. The book is divided into two "chapters", and delves into many different sub-topical areas of fashion interest. It focuses on different fashion eras, as well as different popular (and avant-garde!) designers over the past 100 years. Although I tend to enjoy a more single subject type of fashion book, I found this book useful for its depth of many topics, not to mention some interesting and gorgeous fashion photography. As a sort of fashion encyclopedia, it will make a useful addition to any fashionista's library. ... Read more

Product Description
An updated edition of Joan Nunn's detailed survey of costume in the Western world over the past eight centuries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Fashion in Costume 1200-2000, Revised
This book is very interesting if you are interested in Fashion through the years 1200-2000 and seeing how the fashion has changed through the years.Whether you sew for cloth dolls or minidolls like I do or just for yourself or the stage I would highly recommend this book.Even if you don't sew and want to find out for yourself what changes in fashion were made, it is a book you won't want to put down and I highly recommend it.

Essential Resource
Possibly the best resource for researchers.Unlike other books which abound with pictures and little or no text, this book contains not only excellent illustrations, but critical descriptions.
While the "little or no text" books may be of some value to artists, for researchers and writers, it is essential to not merely know what a garment or hair style looked like, but what it was called.And, the detailed evolution of one style to another within a time period is invaluable.

Bueno para consultar
Es un libro de mucha ayuda para consultar sobre los diseños de los diferentes períodos de la historia, lo mejor es que no sólo tiene dibujos de la vestimenta de hombres y mujeres , sino que incluye además la de los niños en varias época, lo que es muy educativo.

pretty good, descriptions of drawings confusing
While the text and drawings are separately very detailed and fairly descriptive, there is very little correlation between the text and drawings. At times it is unclear as to what kind of dress the author is talking about, making it useful that the picture of the dress should be right next to the text. The short descriptions of the costumes included with the drawings are also difficult to read due to the text they're written in. I also found that the sections for clothes from about 1930-2000 did not really cover the full scope of styles and fashions worn in that period of time.

However, despite these small difficulties, this is a great book, with abundant information and fairly detailed drawings. I've only had the book a week, and it has already been immensely helpful to me. :)

Fashion in Costume 1200-2000
Throughout history, clothes have been worn not only for warmth but also, with constant variety and innovation, to convey status, wealth, occupation, personality and social and more values. Joan Nunn's detailed survey of costume in the western world over the past eight centuries not only gives the reader a vivid visual impression of the clothes themselves, but also out lines the historical and social background and the changes in manufacturing techniques the way costume has developed and the manner in which it has been worn. Each of the nine chapters covers a certain period, with an introductory section followed by descriptions of the underwear, outer garments, hats, footwear, hairstyles, accessories, jewelry, fabrics and colours worn by men, women and children. There are over 800 line drawings, specially made by the author from contemporary sources (carvings, paintings, portraits, fashion plates and photographs). This is an invaluable, copiously illustrated reference book for students of costume, social history and the visual arts and for those concerned with designing costumes for the theatre. It is also a fascinating book for general reader interested in fashion and the art of dress. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (21)

pretty darn sweet
As a costumer, this is an essential library piece.Not only does it have pictures of some lovely details, the explanations also have some good tips on how some of these decorations were accomplished.I would have liked to have seen a picture of the entire garment the detail came from, and sometimes the blurb wasn't very specific.All in all, a good book to own!

A "must have" for lovers of the 18th century
Anyone with a love of the 18th century will drool over the many detailed photos and illustrations in this book.

Those who Rendezvous often painstakingly work to recreate the fashion of the period. Though these fashions are more fitting for the drawing room, the lines and details can be translated into dressing for the common man as the lines of each of the garments are included for reference.

Fans of embroidery will enjoy this book as well because of the close up photographs of actual 18th century clothing and embroidery techniques. It's eye candy for lovers of history and good design alike!

LOVE IT!
"I received this for my B-day from my in-laws! They check my 'Wish List' AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME, book!"

I have made costumes for shows...and, I am fascinated by 'period' clothing!Great source of info!

Stunning!Incredible!
In one book, I learned how impossible it is to re-create past fashions, and yet much I needed to know in order to attempt a re-creation.I have searched for a copy of a book that includes swatches of fabric from the Colonial era.This book actually gives me more information, and covers everything I ever wanted to know about fashion in past centuries.All costumers can do is "fake it!"

Same Book, Different Title
This is an incredible book chock-full of gorgeous photographs of exquisite clothes. But, caveat emptor: This is the same book as "Historical Fashion" by the same authors. So, if you happen to have "Historical Fashion" do not buy this book thinking it is new and different. I wish I had known. ... Read more

Product Description
Meticulously reproduced selection of pages from rare Sears catalogs chronicles what youngsters, ages 4 to 16, wore during the first half of the twentieth century. Descriptive captions accompany more than 300 illustrations--from flattering dresses with plunging necklines to men's wide, hand-painted ties. This is a rich social document that will be prized by historians, fashion enthusiasts, and anyone fascinated by clothing from a bygone era. 1914--knickerbocker suits for boys--less than $2.50; 1917--elegant organdy and chiffon party dresses for girls for $1.43; 1935--cowboy outfits and baseball uniforms for less than $2.00; 1941--sanforized overalls 3-piece playsuit and a pinafore dress for only $1.00!
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Resource
Children's Fashions 1900 - 1950 is a great resource for the history of how clothing has changed in America during that 50 year period.It is valuable to me as a maker of doll clothing to get some ideas of period pieces for that time.

Great source for historic clothing!
I've truly enjoyed this book as I'm in the process of writing my own novel and needed a good source for period clothing. This book gave me some great ideas on how styles were designed for one of America's most famous catalogs, Sears. Also has great pictures of hats/bonnets. What's even more fun is how much stylish clothing cost in those days! A definite recommendation! ... Read more

Product Description
In Vogue is a fascinating look at the history of the world's most influential magazine. The complete compendium is illustrated with hundreds of covers and archival interiors of past Vogue editions, featuring the work of some of the twentieth century's most respected artists, cover illustrators, and photographers—from Edward Steichen, Toni Frissell, and Erwin Blumenfeld to Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, David Bailey, Helmut Newton, Annie Leibovitz, Mario Testino, Steven Klein, Bruce Webber, and Herb Ritts. In 1909, an entrepreneurial New Yorker named Condé Nast took charge of a struggling society journal and transformed it into the most glamorous fashion magazine of the twentieth century. In Vogue traces the history, development and influence of this media colossus—from its beginning as a social gazette in the late nineteenth century, to the exploration of modern fashion photography and new visuals in the mid-twentieth century, to its status as the top style magazine today. The book explains the makings of the magazine—from runways, to editorial meetings, to the pages of Vogue.The thoroughly researched story incorporates first-person accounts, interviews with editors and photographers, and excerpts from stories written in the magazine by many world-renowned writers, including Truman Capote, Aldous Huxley, Richard Burton, Federico Fellini, and Marcello Mastroianni. Unparalleled in its scope and exceptionally illustrated,In Vogue is sure to be among the most important publications on the subjects of culture, art, fashion, photography, and media. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Brilliant purchase
Thoroughly brilliant - beautiful book, great photos of decades past, brilliant text and one for the mantlepiece

Horrible Shipping
The book is AMAZING! However, the shipping took forever! I ordered it on Dec 14, hoping to get in for a Christmas gift for a friend. However, it didn't arrive until Jan. I was extremely disappointed in the provider.

In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine
Great book ... a lot of text and outstanding pictures. Now laying in the on board a superfast ferry between Scotland and Ireland - in the business class. Ladies love it.

FANTASTIC BOOK
I ORDERED IN VOGUE FOR MY DAUGHTER AND SHE JUST LOVES THIS BOOK IT IS A GREAT BOOK FOR WOMEN AND MEN INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY OF VOGUE AND FASHION. VERY ENJOYABLE SHE SAID.

In Vogue
Thanks so much the book was perfect for my daughter's christmas present - just what she asked for and hoped it would be. ... Read more

Product Description
A History of Men's Fashion is divided into four parts that follow the sartorial evolution of the male wardrobe from the era of Beau Brummell, which created the model of the gentlemen and the dandy, to the "anti-fashion" trends of the early 1990s.

Part One (1760-1850) traces the era of tails and the frock coat, the emergence of the pantaloon and the influence of Anglomania on European fashion. Men's fashion in Europe's fin de siecle climate, and the impact of ready-made garments are discussed in Part Two (1850-1914). Part Three (1914-1940) introduces the aesthetic of the sweater and the variations on the suit and vest as part of the post-World War I moral liberation and economic euphoria, and traces changes all the way through to the New Deal and the new American elegance. The post-World War II fashion revolution is described in Part Four (1940-1990) from zoot suits, spurred by the black American jazz scene, to London's Mod fashion of the 60s, Pierre Cardin and the new French style, the emergence of Italian chic, and the hippie and punk styles of the 70s. The book is completed by a perceptive discussion of contemporary designers such as Jean-Paul Gaultier, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Comme des Garcons, and Yohji Yamamoto.

Farid Chenoune's lively and accessible text is filled with amusing anecdotes about male dress and grooming. He vividly places style transformations in the context of contemporary fashion criticism, history, social etiquette, manufacturing and marketing revolutions, and highlights public and private responses to fashion trends. By analyzing fashion's symbolic, social, and economic frames of reference he lays before us the entire fabric of the intellectual, spiritual, and material forces of the modern era. The copious illustrations for this book, many reproduced here for the first time, are drawn from fashion designs, paintings, drawings, cartoons, tailor's model books, magazines, and rare, impromptu photographs of masculine style in city streets.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The best and most concise book on Men's Wear
If you can only afford one really good book on Men's Wear, this is it. To accurately cover the vast span of American and Western European Men's Wear in one volume is a monumental achievement. While some things are omitted, I am in awe at how much is in this book. The details of style and subcultures are explored, though briefly. The text is intelligently written, and the photos are clear and abundant. I can't recommend this enough!

Absolutely the best history!
This is a masterpiece of social history.Wonderful illustrations, by paintings, drawings, and photographs.I actually read the text cover to cover because the socio historic context of the clothing was so fascinating, and well written.Until I read this book I had no idea that men's clothes had so much meaning.Also, kudos to the author for being expansive and inclusive about the class context and the class consciousness of clothing, and covering what working men wore.

My only regret that there isn't something as well written about women's fashion.The only books seem to be about haute couture, about what the top 1 or 2% wealthy society women wore (Chanel, Vionnet, Charles David, ad nauseum) at a given time in history.Who cares.What did real women wear, and what were the class differences, that is what I would like to know.Mr. Chenoune, it's up to you, if you are interested at all in women's fashion.

An excellent overview of 1760-1990
This weighty book is a wonderful source of primary research-- paintings, drawings, period designs & photographs, even political cartoons of thetime.Unmarred by drawings-of-paintings or other unhelpful secondhandimages, it details Western European and American fashions, with awell-written emphasis on the connections to status, politics, & otherissues of the day.

While you understandably won't see exhaustive materialdevoted to each of the 230 years, the coverage is consistent andconnectable.There are also substantial forays into fun things like ZootSuits & pinstriped gangster chic, yet there's room for esoterica;buttoning up one's gloves to indicate anger fashionably, why striped shirtswere low-class & shirt ruffles were not, & the late-Victorian wayof exhibiting a gentlemanly manner (gently wrinkled clothing, little signsof wear, & a stammer!)

Rather touchingly, it also shows that nothingis truly new under the sun...did you know that bell-bottoms, called"Oxford bags", were a hot look in 1925?

This is a greatdepiction of men's fashion evolution, broad without being simple.

A Great Book
Although I did not purchase this book, I checked it out for a project I was doing in History class.This book contains hundreds of pictures, along with them there are details on the history of them.I would suggest thisbook to anyone interested in fashion and in need of a book for a project! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Hard to Find Book
Thank you so much.I was especially lad to find it in hardbook.Condition just as you described ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

Mixed?
I am a costume student and I adore this book. However my professor said that is simply the authors renderings of historic costumes. So if you are looking for secondary research it is helpful. But do not use it for primary research.

Better then most
I have purchased this book with other publications covering the same topic. Among them this is the best, providing good illustrations, some in great colors and specifics. I can still think of improvements, but I guess this is not a very popular subject and not many collective sources exist, specially in English. I would hope the publication will get an upgrade in the near future to include further discoveries in recent times about what and how people wore in the past centuries and where. There is a great lack of material covering the VII - XI. Centuries in Europe and Asia.

Great Book
This book has pictures and descriptions of costume from Anatolia to South America - it's really worldwide. Unfortunately, the major focus is on Europe, since it's based on two classical european illustrators. But it's a good choice for those who want to have an idea of different and non-european's costume through the ages.

Stunningly useful book on costume and dress
This is the best one-volume illustrated history of costume and dress I've ever seen.An invaluable resource for writers, historians, actors, directors, and anyone trying to get a sense of what people wore when.Beautifully produced and incredibly useful.

great ref book
this book is much better organized than the older historical costume books that I have.The drawn lines are clearer, plus there are explainations of the different parts of the clothes rather than just the illustrations.I'm glad i found this! ... Read more

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Comprehensive and lavishly illustrated -- a who's who of fashion.

Published in association with Vogue magazine, Vogue Fashion is the definitive style bible for everyone interested in the past, present and future of fashion. It takes a fresh look at fashion history, charting the evolution from corsets to 21st-century trends.

This stylish book chronicles all the significant designers, developments and movements of more than a hundred years of fashion -- from the 1920s flapper through the war years, from Christian Dior's New Look to the Swinging Sixties, from New Romanticism to punk to postmillenium styles. Among current designers featured are Vera Wang, Roberto Cavalli, Luella Bartley, Zac Posen, Roland Mouret and Viktor and RoIf.

An A to Z section highlights over 250 of the greatest designers of all time -- the men and women who have inspired, created and altered the course of fashion. Illustrated with many eye-catching archival images, Vogue Fashion also features the work of the photographers who have helped immortalize seminal fashion moments.

Vogue Fashion is an informative and inspirational look at how fashion reflects and projects social mores and individual values.

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OK, but the writing is awful, it's about BRITISH Vogue, and there are a LOT of typos.
It's interesting to read about fashion decade-by-decade (first part of the book), or to look up your favorite designers to see their personal and professional histories. However, this book is very poorly written, and even more poorly edited. There are a host of annoying typos. Furthermore, American readers might not realize, as I didn't, that it refers to BRITISH Vogue. Though it's about the fashion and not the magazine, the entire book is written from a British point of view. Still, makes good bathroom reading. Just don't drop it in the toilet. Oops. ... Read more

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This colorful book looks at the practical clothes worn by people through the ages.It also examines the distinctive styles, fashions and materials adopted by different cultures throughout the world.Try creating your own Roman toga or a Japanese Netsuke Fox, and discover the fashions of the past. ... Read more

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A person's clothing is an essential key to his or her culture, class, personality or even religion. This text shows how our ancestors dressed, considers the amazing accomplishments of contemporary fashion and shows how our descendants may dress in the distant future as clothing design evolves. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Magnificent, beautiful, and well put together
I have owned this book for a while now and would like to highly recommend it as one of the best picture books on costume history. The photographs of extant period costumes are stylish and detailed, with a strict attention to accuracy and art. Because one cannot trust later renditions of costumes, having a contemporary resource is crucial, and with such lovely examples as these, this is a fantastic book to use.

It captures the essence of each period, shows off details, and does so with taste and care. Every page is in full color, covered with pictures of groups of mannequins, posed to look like portraits with abstractions of hair in the shape of the period. Anyone can read its gorgeous images and find inspiration in its pages.

A Book that deserves its hype (and more than 5 stars)!!!
Many costume history books emphasize the historic aspects, or the costume aspects, of a collection's garments but "Fashion" presents the garments, as the title implies, as fashion. It is easy to envision these garments being worn by real people living real lives (the period accessories -shoes, hats, gloves, reticules, fans, stockings etc. - don't exactly hurt) and the presentation, right down to showing the garments on mannequins of the contemporary fashionable body shape help make the clothing `real'. The book definitely lets the garments speak for themselves; each century has a brief introduction, but besides those few pages, text is restricted to garment description and short `blurbs' here and there.

Costume historians tend to get really excited about books that bore other people to tears. This is not one of those books. Every one of my friends who has seen this tome has found in it something fascinating. The beautiful presentation of the garments, the large images and clear colors make this an ideal coffee-table book and an ideal gift for anyone interested in fashion, history, or the art of clothing. I saw the "Fashion in Colors" exhibit at the National Design Museum in New York (check out the book!) which featured many garments from the KCI, and I was happy to find they are as beautiful in the book as they are in person.

My main interests lie in pre-WWII clothing, but the arrangement of many of the collection's contemporary Haute pieces had my nose to the page. I reference this book constantly for inspiration (I'm a fashion major), for education, and simply for my entertainment. The KCI's publications can go out of print pretty quickly so beware! There is also a new book out "Fashion: A History from the 18th to the 20th Century, Volume 1", I've been having trouble getting it but it is supposed to be as beautiful and detailed as "Fashion".

Fashion
This is a WONDERFUL Book!!!!
Thanks SO much!!
It arrived just in time!!

Super
this is a great book! it has so many wonderful pictures. it's perfect for anyone studying fashion or costume related interests.

Fantastic Fashion
This is an exquisite book filled with highly detailed images of beautiful garments.It is a refreshing look at western fashion through the ages since the clothing featured hasn't been photographed in every other book out there.Of particular interest to me were some 18th & 19th century paintings showing a garment paired with a photograph of the actual piece (or of a similar piece) now in the collection of the museum.

The span of time the book covers is from the 18th century to the 20th century.This not-too-tight focus enables the reader to see a good selection of garments from different time periods without running the risk of becoming boring.It also makes it easy to see the progress of fashion during those years.

As other reviewers have mentioned, this book is a great value.Nearly every page contains large, brilliant photos.A must-have for any fashion student or costumer. ... Read more

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Luxurious textiles, exacting tailoring, and lush trimmings abound in this glorious volume that celebrates the evolution of European dress through two centuries.
Fashion is in the details. The textiles, tailoring, and trimmings all work together in the creation of the finest pieces. Drawing on the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's internationally known fashion collection, this gorgeous book tells the story-in words and beautiful pictures-of fashion's aesthetic and technical development from the Age of Enlightenment to World War I, a period when fashionable dress underwent sweeping changes. Many remarkable examples of men's, women's, and children's garments are featured here for the first time, including an extraordinarily rare 1790s man's vest designed to promote sympathy with the French Revolution; a stunning 1845 black satin gown from the royal court of Portugal heavily embroidered with gold; and an 1891 evening mantle with silk embroidery, glass beads, and ostrich feathers designed by French couturier Aemile Pingat. An invaluable resource for anyone interested in the evolution of fashion, this generously illustrated book provides a rich visual history of the changes that occurred in fashionable dress spanning a period of more than two hundred years.

Every detail matters, whether you are telling a story or creating a collection or starting a revolution. Fashioning Fashion takes you through fashion and time with the sumptuous variety of an extraordinary collection. I promise, it cannot fail to inspire you.--from the preface by John Galliano ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Beautiful book
This book is outstanding! It's very informative and well-written, but of course the best part is all the great pictures of gorgeous clothing! I'd highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in historical fashion. ... Read more

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This comprehensive, profusely illustrated book--with over 800 illustrations--documents chronologically, by century, more than 2,000 years of head coverings--a subject that encompasses many eras and nationalities. Used as protection against the weather (or against an enemy's weapons), as a badge of office, or as something to enhance the wearer's self-esteem, headgear not only includes hats of all shapes and sizes but also comprises crowns, wigs, tiaras, and helmets. The author's own drawings, deriving from period paintings, sculptures, and illustrations, accurately depict varied forms of headdresses, among them, conical shaped leather caps worn by the Danish in 70 b.c.; metal Viking helmets with horns; Flemish berets (1410) enhanced with a large feather; petite straw hats adorned with a rosette and narrow ribbons (1870); handsome English top hats (1957); as well as ecclesiastical headdresses, traditional and national styles, and non-European hats and head-adornment. An invaluable reference for designers, art students, and costume historians, this entertaining and literate survey will delight anyone with a special interest in headgear. Unabridged republication of the edition published by Richard Sadler Ltd., Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, Great Britain, 1974. Glossary. List of Sources. Over 800 black-and-white illustrations.
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Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent resource for anyone interested in the history of hats
An another great Dover publication, this one from 2003.The chapters are grouped by century and then divided into Men, Women, Children as well as some speciality sections such as Military, Crowns, Ecclesiastical.Differences between various European countries at various times is included, with a chapter on 20thC non-European countries as well.Utilises detailed b/w sketches, though usually only the front of side view.Great dialogue on each era provides context.An excellent resource for anyone with an interest in this topic.

Gift
this book was bought as a present for another party and has been accepted as a gift, I myself have only glanced at it.The recipient asked for this title.

gives some overwiev but is not for the serious student
This book may give some overwiev of the history of hats but it is not to be recomended for serious studies of costume history.
The illustrations are drawn after works of art and other sources. In the cases where I'm quite certain which work of art it is drawn from I must say that the drawings are often more or less inaccurate. As for the text, I'm from Scandinavia and familliar with the custom "Lucia" on the 13th of december. Reading Amphletts explanation accompanying the illustration of a Lucia crown from Norway I'm amased as it's total nonsense! Belive me, fertility rituals and witches was not the explanation given when i read cultural history at university! [It is a mix of seweral older customs among them serwing an extra breakfast as this was belived to bee the longest and darkest night of the year,and youngsters dressing up and going around singing and begging for food contributions to either their studies or a party. One of the dress up costumes being the christ child with a halo of candlelight around the head. Nowadays (and since about a 100 years ago)the lucia crown on a girl or woman serving ginger snaps and saffron bread together with coffee as she and her followers sings!} If the rest of the text hassome more faults as big as this i don't know but it certainly makes me very suspicuios.

Hats in History
This is a rather scholarly work on the history of hats covering the past two thousand years. The arrangement is chronological, by century. If one's interest is identifying or organizing headdress by country of origin, this book is particularly useful as the illustrations include the country where the hat was worn along with the drawing. I am always impressed when the same author does a book's text and illustrations, as is the case with this work (see Sibley's bird book if you really want to be blown away).

Headwear history
This book has alot of printed information in it. A great deal of history. If you are looking for a book to teach you how to make head wear and hats then this isn't the book you need. However for a historical aspect I reccomend it, as long as you can visualise the written word. Its an ok book, not great but not the worst either. I bought it expecting it to contain more practical information, so from that point of view I was disapointed. ... Read more

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From medieval times to the present, "Fashion for Men" describes the development of male attire, with the aid of nearly a hundred illustrations. Diana de Marly offers a lively discussion of the male ideal and its relationship to the clothes people wore. What was it that was considered so shocking about the ever-receding short skirts of fourteenth-century fashionable man? What was the significance of the rise - and later the decline - of the codpiece, so blatantly drawing attention to what later centuries were generally at pains to hide? The history of men's clothing is set in a wide social context, and the author shows above all that views about 'masculinity' are subject to change, and that preoccupation with dress is not exclusively a female preserve. "Fashion for Men" will not only be invaluable to students of costume history and fashion design, but will also appeal to the general reader fascinated by the intricacies of costume and its development. ... Read more