Customer Reviews

Authentic Victorian Fashion Patterns: A Complete Lady's Wardrobe (Dover Fashion and Costumes)

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

 

 

This book contains sewing patterns drawn from the same issues of the magazine _The Voice of Fashion_ as Dover's earlier collection _59 Authentic Turn-of-the-Century Fashion Patterns_. Both books contain patterns for the 1890s. This book focuses more on women's patterns; the other book contains many children's. I collect original issues of _The Voice of Fashion_. This magazine was published from 1886 to 1909. Every issue mirrors the season's changing styles. I am glad to see an anthology that makes the 1890s patterns more widely available. One note for seamstresses enlarging the patterns--the measurements on them are not inches, or metric. They are for a patent drafting system that is not included with either book.

A must have book for anyone interested in Late Victorian clothing. The introductions gives a basic review of drafting methods, with careful reading and patience (lots of it!) the patterns are easily drafted to modern measurements. You can't beat the price for the number of patterns you get.

Have you ever wondered how they made those lovely turn-of-the-century gowns? This book tells you how they did it! A reprint of a 1905 Butterick sewing book, it is intended for readers who aready know how to sew, as no beginning techniques are included. Full of vintage photographs and detailed instructions, this book gives step by step procedures for many tailoring techniques which we rarely see on anything but designer wear. These techniques can be applied by any seamstress to produce a more fitted and tailored look to their fashions. Definately worth owning for any costumer or fashion designer looking for a more romantic and tailored look in their fashions.

I like how easy it is to draw out the patterns. The instructions are very basic (more detail might be needed for the less experienced like me). The only thing that bothered me is that I wanted some victorian bustle dresses. All these patterns are from the 1890s. Many have the big sleeves, which I am not fond of. I did find some dresses I want to make though. Also, I wish the yardage was given.

The book apparently is a copy of original books used by dressmakers in Victorian times. I was actually looking for patterns to scan and enlarge for doll cloths making.
The diagrams and measurements were confussing but I was able to get some ideas and was able to use doll patterns I had and adjust them to the configurations in the book. Wasn't an easy matter however.
As a pleasent book to view and reflect on the fashions of that day and for ideas it was very nice. As an actual workable book for dressmaking I found it confussing and I've sewn for over 50 years.
Still in all, worth the price for the lovely designs.

Authentic Victorian Fashion Patterns contains 7 patterns from 1890, 5 from "1890-91," 3 from 1891, 14 from 1893, 7 from 1894, 9 from 1895, and 5 from 1896, or a total of 50. Despite its title, this book contains no patterns from before 1890 or after 1896. Four of the patterns are for misses or young misses, and the rest are for women. Almost all the patterns are for day dresses, although there are a few for lingerie and two for evening dresses. No pattern is included for the riding habit shown on the book cover. Most of the pattern diagrams are accompanied by engravings of the garments, which show the styles to be middle-class, reasonably current, but not ostentatious.

The patterns are meant to be enlarged to the wearer's size with apportioning scales. The original instructions for using the scales are included, but the scales are not (although they have been published in two other pattern books, Bustle Fashions 1885-1887 and Directoire Revival Fashions 1888-1889). The introduction says you can enlarge the diagrams with a grid. But in my experience, because the diagrams were not drawn to true scale, after enlargement you must adjust gridded patterns significantly to make them work. Using apportioning scales produces a much better fit. Most patterns include only a few sentences of sewing instructions, if any. Therefore, this book is most useful to people who are already experienced in Victorian dressmaking. 1890s fashion magazines can give you ample ideas for fabrics and trimmings. With the aid of those other resources, you can use this book to create many different women's day outfits from the first half of the 1890s.

The pattern illustrations in this book are magnificent as are the instructions on how to draft up the patterns to fit as a tailor made garment. This book has turned out to be everything that I had hoped it would be and more. As someone who would consider herself to be intermediate in her sewing skills at best and completely new to drafting patterns, it was clear enough for me to attempt the drafting process almost immediately after reading the instructions on "how to". Thoroughly recommend this book.

Not much variety in this book. If one is making a wardrobe for one person, this would be okay, bur for a variety of looks, look elsewhere. The riding habit is probably the only patterns that I would take from in this book.

A must have book for anyone interested in Late Victorian clothing and who enjoys sewing authentic Victorian clothes, not just Victorian-styled clothes. The introductions gives a basic review of drafting methods, with careful reading and patience (lots of it!) the patterns are easily drafted to modern measurements.

Good techniques for a lost art. Anyone who enjoys sewing authentic Victorian clothes, not just Victorian-styled clothes should buy this book.