400 Years of Fashion [Paperback]

Natalie Rothstein (Author)

Book Description

Series: Fashion | Publication Date: October 1, 2010

Now with a new jacket, this breathtaking overview of 400 years of Western dress is a lively history of fashion that stands as a classic in its field. With 120 illustrations, the book is a visual delight that draws on the V&A’s unrivaled apparel collection. From a dress worn at the court of George II in the 1700s to Vivienne Westwood’s contemporary Pirates Collection, to pieces by leading designers such as Fortuny, Poiret, Charles James, and John Galliano, this book is an outstanding resource that also features a wide range of accessories, including shoes, fans, and hats.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Natalie Rothstein was formerly keeper of textiles and dress at the V&A.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: V & A Publishing; 3rd edition (October 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1851773010
• ISBN-13: 978-1851773015
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,005,559 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful gowns, wonderful pictures, not enough detail..., May 17, 2001

By 

icbleu "icbleu" (Lemon grove, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 400 Years of Fashion (Paperback)

100 years of Fashion was an excellent read for the more scholarly-minded costumer in need of an accurate source book for their historical costuming. Although it provided plenty of close up pictures and trim details about the garments profiled in the book, it didn't cover sufficient enough details about the garment's construction for one to reconstruct a replica from this book alone. I highly suggest owning this book as an addition to one's library of period sources for research, but if you need a book on how to actually construct a period garment, I suggest using a Janet Arnold book.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent reference book..., July 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: 400 Years of Fashion (Paperback)

I was very pleased with this book. It is all about the costume (dress) collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The book shows both color and black and white photos of virtually every costume on display with detailed captions (a hole section is nothing but photos and descriptions of the collection). The photos are amazing. The book covers the years in which the garments were made as well as the history surrounding each item. It is one of the most accurate references you can find on historical costume. I highly recommend it.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Historical Costume collection..., January 18, 2002

By 

Janet Zupko (urban USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Four Hundred Years of Fashion (Hardcover)

Colored and black & white plates from the historical dress collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. William Collins, 1984. 8 1/2x11 in. softcover. Many plates are full-page and color, and high-quality paper was used. Construction details and historical annotations are provided. Discussion of the fashion background of each piece is provided.