Customer Reviews

Historical Fashion in Detail: The 17th and 18th Centuries

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have a copy of the book. I love the photos with every page close up detail.

Biggest and only complaint I have is that the book has images of garments clumped in each chapter, like "Stitching, Seams, Quilting and Cording", Buttons, Trimmings, "Applied Decoration", etc. What bothers me is that you don't get the overall image of a garment, but a lot of close up fragments of a garment. It would have been nice to see an overall image as well.

The book also provides a basic sketch of each garment, even if the original garment is missing a section.

This is not my time period for historical garments as a costumer, but the details just get me drooling every time I look at the book. Close ups of the embroideries are just to die for. All in wonderful full color large images the size of the book itself. The left page has the description, and the right page has the full image, and it is larger than 8.5" x 11". I don't have my ruler handy or I would measure it right now.

Anyway, I think it was worth the full price I paid when it first came out in hb. I love it.

The historical detail of pieces from the Victoria and Albert Museum costume collections is incredible. The photography does justice to the intricate embellishment and contemporary textiles.

The only things missing are diagrams of the patterns from the various items represented, but the line drawings are precise enough to provide plenty of information on pattern and construction.

With only a couple of editorial errors, the writing is interesting and informative, adding to the detail of the photography and line drawings. This book and it's companion, Dress In Detail (also from V&A Publications), are a good combination to add to a costume or fashion library.

I can not find a better expression to describe this book than this one: a real visual feast for readers.

I am amazed by the intricacies and delicate details of those fashions dating 300 years ago. And I am fascinated with the fine quality of the silk fabrics reflecting the elegance of that time.

Highly recommend to anyone who loves fashion.

This is a beautiful book. The quality of the photography, and the full page pictures are great. If they had zoomed in any closer you would see what it was like to be inside an individual stitch. The descriptions are short and simple. There are some diagrams done in line drawing about draping and pleating. It looses a star only because they didn't include a single zoomed out picture of any of the items. Imagine trying to get an idea of what a person looks like from head to toe, and the only thing you have to go on is a zoomed in color photo of one of their eyes and a line drawing of their frame. It is still a fabulous book. Certainly worth every penny!

This is my favorite book of all the books that I own on historical fashion and I own a quite a few. Oh my - the detail - the photography... It's a 'must have' for anyone who appreciates or studies historical fashion. I'm an interior designer who designs elaborate custom passementerie for interiors and this book actually gives me a lot of inspiration for details on tassels and various passementerie. I do have to say that I wish this book was available in hardback. I would have paid much more to have it in hardback. I will treasure this book for many years to come.

It really makes me mad when an author comes out with a book that has a different title and cover but the content is exactly the same as a previous book. If you own Fashion in Detail by the same author don't buy this one because it is exactly the same inside. If you want an amazing book on fashion that covers a lot of the content in this book plus an amazing collection of other fashion photos check out Fashion (Taschen 25th Anniversary)it costs a little bit more but you get two hard cover coffee table books and it is a feast for the eyes.

Stunning images, close-ups that are almost touchable. This is excellent for research as many of these early costumes are not available for research. This book can be appreciated by the advanced collector, costumer, textile person, fashion lovers, historians......and is so beautifully illustrated that it makes a great coffee table book too.
A must for your library and the price is right!

I'm not a costumer but I am an avid embroidery fan and needleworker. Get this book for the embroidery alone! So many gorgeous examples and the close-up photography is outstanding. So many different ways and opportunities for embellishment due to the extensive folds, pleats, volume of pieces and layers to the formal clothing of these eras. Birds, flowers, borders, in colored silk or cotton threads on silk or linen backings, padded embroidery, covered buttons and embroidered buttons!, cutwork and eyelet, and some incredible & extensive metal thread (goldwork and silverwork) embroidery. Refreshing to see so much elaborate embroidery work apart from religious or ecclesiastical pieces- which is where I've found the bulk of historical metal thread embroidery examples. The buttonwork alone is dizzying. Fabulous ideas for starting small in dressing up a collar, cuff, pockets, tucks, buttonholes, pleats, or hems on your everyday coats and blouses with an extra fine tailored touch, if that interests you.

Yet another fabulous book from V&A. If historical fashions inspire you, this is a must have. Put it together with "The Art of Manipulating Fabric" and you have a pair of books that will bring a flood of ideas.

The fashion in this volume range from cuff & shoe details to pleating and stomachers. The pictures are well used to document the detail area and are accompanied by diagrams of the actual garments/accessories from which the detail was drawn.

I loved this book! The pictures really shows all the interesting details needed to make your own gown or waistcoat as correct as possible.