Customer Reviews

The Art of Dress: Clothes and Society 1500-1914

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a wonderful book with and opportunity to see how the physical period clothes actually drape on a form. Close-ups on the weave and details of the garments are also informative. This is a great book for costume designers who are tired of guessing from paintings on the historical accuracy of how things fit. Made for the designer not the seamstress, I'm afraid.

This is a wonderful book! And I'm not saying that just because I'm English and I know intimately the Paulise de Bush collection (one of the collections featured in this book.). It deals specifically with the history of European costume (not American or ethnic costume - sorry, US of A'ians!) as reflected in the collections of English houses and collections in the National Trust, and has mouthwatering images. A MUST for all costume historians and fans of the art of antique costume. It is unfair to complain that this will not be of any help to the seamstress, because that was not its aim. It is intended to overview the changes in English fashion as reflected through the contents - paintings, engravings, drawings and actual textiles - of Stately Houses and holdings belonging to the National Trust. WONDERFUL book for the social historian of English fashion, and of interest to anyone who appreciates costume for its own sake.

Ashelford's book is a must-have for the serious costume historian and for those who just enjoy looking at historical clothing. The photographs are beautifully executed so that the details of fabric, embellishment, color and form are easy to see and appreciate. The accompanying period portraits, fashion plates and illustrations are helpful for establishing time periods and decades of fashion styles. Ashelford's text is most insightful and fun to read. Clothes and culture go hand-in-hand, as Ashelford ably demonstrates. Don't miss adding this delightful volume to your personal library!

I expected this book from its description to have far more photos of original garments; it's primarily illustrated with plates of paintings. This is understandable for the earlier period that the book covers, as very little clothing from that time still exists, but paintings and drawings seem to outnumber photos in the later periods as well.

As the first reviewer noted, I don't think this would be particularly useful to someone wanting specific details or photos as a sewing reference (that was my purpose in ordering it, and I am considering a return). It does, however, seem like a well-written overview of fashion history during this time.

My first encounter with this book was in giving myself a crash course in the dress of Amer. women of 1830-40 so I could sew for a Living History program. Basically, each image has a depth of information when you leave all other images aside. The book as a whole takes in a lot of different cultures across time, giving a breadth of exposure to the reader or historian. But if you come from a costuming background and want to know, for example, were waists high or dropped during the 1860's in the US, you do not have enough variety in the images of that period to answer the question. In addition, I felt the images were too small given their level of detail to make the book something you would sit down and browse through. A magnifier is helpful in this case, but not relaxing. It is a great coffee table book, but do not give this to anyone who sews, particularly period clothing, because their usual questions will go unanswered.

This is a beautiful book which provides an interesting view of clothing and society. The book is full of paintings, primary resources, and best of all, wonferful photographs.

I first read this at the shakspearen festival in ceader city, and WOW! I didn't even know such old dresses could survive that long! This is an excellent cofee table book!