Dress in Eighteenth-Century Europe 1715-1789 (Revised Edition) [Hardcover]

Ms. Aileen Ribeiro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2002

A survey of the clothing worn by the middle and upper classes throughout Europe in the 18th century, and a discussion of what this meant in terms of social definition and identity. Aileen Ribeiro, a historian of dress, also looks at such subjects as developments in retailing and distribution, etiquette, the rise of the dress designer and couturier, the evolution of ready-made clothes, fancy dress, and the masquerade. This revised edition takes the text and bibliographic material in the previous volume and adds many new illustrations in colour.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

If you wonder why people used to dress as they did and how changes in dress relate to broader issues of social history, this is the kind of book you will enjoy. It will also appeal to anyone interested in either the time period covered or the evolution of fashion in general. Many fashion histories are so broad that they fail as anything but catalogs of style changes. This volume, however, captures the reader's interest because it focuses on a relatively narrow time period (1715-89), a coherent locale (Europe), and a small segment of society (the nobility and the wealthy). In addition, it is a readable, thorough, and intelligent treatment of the excessively elaborate style of the day. The author of several books and many articles on the history of dress, Ribeiro (art history, Univ. of London) originally published this book in 1985, and though he did no significant revisions, he corrects some errors of fact and offers many new illustrations and an updated bibliography. Beautifully produced (with about 200 full-page color and black-and-white images) and reasonably priced, this book will appeal to both scholars and casual readers and is recommended for most libraries.
James F. DeRoche, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

'Aileen Ribeiro's study of 18th-century fashion is an excellent account of what it was like to dress before the age of shame, when, as Baudelaire said, women decorated themselves in order to eradicate the traces of original sin.' Anita Brookner, The Sunday Times 'This is an important book, certainly the most scholarly account of eighteenth-century dress ever to have been published.' Celina Fox, Times Literary Supplement '... a pioneering work in analyzing the wider range of dress in the study of the past.' Paul J. Korshin, Journal of Eighteenth-Century Studies 'The author's affection for and understanding of the eighteenth century illuminates this challenging and important book. She argues persuasively for a reassessment of eighteenth-century dress in the widest of contexts.' Valerie Cumming, Costume

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press; Rev Sub edition (August 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300091516
• ISBN-13: 978-0300091519
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,633,024 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fop 'til you drop, September 3, 2005

By 

The Costume Girl (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dress in Eighteenth-Century Europe 1715-1789 (Revised Edition) (Hardcover)

It's hard to encapsulate everything that the 18th century was into a single volume, but as far as fashion goes, this book gives a darn good try. The pages are filled with period paintings and portraiture - excellent primary resources for research, but it would have done better to have photos of actual garments to survive the era (there are plenty in excellent condition in museums and private collections around the world), but that's just me being nit-picky. It's an excellent volume and an important resource for anyone studying the period.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime, fantastic illustrations, interesting text, May 15, 2007

By 

Hedera Femme (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Dress in Eighteenth-Century Europe 1715-1789 (Revised Edition) (Hardcover)

One of the most beautifully illustrated books I have read, the text and gorgeous images combine to create a fascinating, informative, detailed book. Ribeiro does a magnificent job explaining the portraits and the era, explaining trends, exceptions to the general fashions, discussing icons that changed styles, and getting into the nature of fashion and costume. The myriad of color illustrations show differences between French and English fashions, middle and upper-class looks, day and evening wear, and some fantasy and extreme costumes of the era.