Customer Reviews

Everyday Fashions, 1909-1920, As Pictured in Sears Catalogs (Dover Fashion and Costumes)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book provides a comprehensive series of illustrations that immerse you in the world of fashion from this era. It is authentic and beautifully laid out, and depicts numerous costume items from the early 20th century, though mostly focusing on women. The pictures depict everything from dresses to shoes, hats to gloves; the women's hairstyles, makeup, undergarments, and overall looks give the reader the most authentic possible view of fashion and the aesthetic ideals of the time. The catalogue also shows the prices and features descriptions that include fabric and color. There are some pictures of men's and children's fashions. This book is thorough and unbelievably beautiful. The whole series of Sears catalogue fashions by decade is amazing. I recommend them all!

Thru illustrations created for the Sears Catalogs of the early twentieth century, clothing--functional, extravagant, glamorous, practical--is reproduced for visual inspection. Great for research, for curiosity seekers who wish to know what our foremothers wore, or in the case in which I used it, this is a perfect reference book to give to a dressmaker to let her see an example of an outfit you'd like to have made. An great book!

I am totally hooked on this series and hope Dover continues it for 1899-1909 and the '50s and '60s, as well. Note in this volume that the brilliant folk at J. Peterman have copied some of the c1913 skirts in their mail order catalog (I now own two, and they're gorgeous). Thank you, Dover, and thank you, J. Peterman!

I am doing an inventory for a museum collection and found this series of books very helpful, as Sears was actually very 'up to date' with the French (and Hollywood) fashions of the eras. Sears would come out with affordable copies of the latest and greatest, so this fashion repository is a perfect one as it not only covers the more elegant fashions which are easier to find, but includes day dresses, work garb for both men and women, bathing suits and children's as well.

In 1909-13, wasp waists, pouter-pigeon bosoms, and large ornate hats were still the height of female fashion, and hems came just short of the floor. In 1915 the whole foot appeared, though still modestly encased in a button shoe. By 1916 ankles were on view, and in 1918 even Sears--always a bastion of mass taste and mores--was portraying its female models in skirts that showed the leg to mid-shin, overalls with full bloomer-like trousers, and one-piece bathing suits that displayed the arms and lower legs. These are just a few of the things this book will teach you about the dress of the second decade of the 20th century--women's, girls', men's, boys', small children's. The reproductions are clear and sharp, and most of the pages include descriptions and prices; unfortunately several that would have been improved by it don't, editor Olian having chosen not to include the "opposite page" or following one that provided them--"dainty waists" and women's bathrobes from 1919, "smart spring styles" from 1920, girls' dresses and coats from 1918, men's suits from 1915. Still, enough supporting detail is given that the lack of full-color reproduction isn't a terrible loss, and the book will provide a sound overview of both clothing and hair styles for its era.

As a Trade researcher they are excellent beginning tools for finding the era of a specific product I am researching at any one time. Once i get the feel for dating a specific product it enables me to move on to more specialised reference material. The prices are so good every design school or major brand should carry the series. Each season i always seek out new material for my library. Phillip Nutt

I'm writing a historical novel set in 1917-1920. This book is an invaluable resource for learning what people wore in those days. Highly recommended.

Crammed full of illustrations and descriptions of dresses, coats, hats, footwear, lingerie, and accessories such as jewellery and handbags. Menswear and children's clothes are included, but the focus is on women's wear. We can see changes in the desired silhouette, the movement of hemlines upwards and downwards, and the influence of the war on styles and trims. JoAnne Olian's introduction provides an excellent summary of the trends in the period covered.

A useful reference book that's also a pleasure to dip into.

This book (and the others in the series) are absolutely fantastic.
As a costumer, i've found these books to be extremely helpful in recreating costumes of the period. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in vintage clothing styles.

This book is an excellent resource for studying period fashion. Unlike so many period fashion books, which focus on evening wear or the clothing of the wealthy, this book gives great examples of what the general population wore every day. It will be extremely useful to costumers and fashion students.