Patterns of Fashion 1: Englishwomen's Dresses & Their Construction C. 1660-1860 [Paperback]

Janet Arnold (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 76 pages
• Publisher: Drama Publishers; Revised edition (December 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089676026X
• ISBN-13: 978-0896760264
• Product Dimensions: 14.3 x 10.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,926 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No historic costumer's bookshelf should lack this volume!, October 11, 2001

By 

Jennie Chancey - See all my reviews

This review is from: Patterns of Fashion 1: Englishwomen's Dresses & Their Construction C. 1660-1860 (Paperback)

The late Janet Arnold can certainly be called the mother of historical accuracy in costume research. Her meticulous sketches of extant garments, coupled with her carefully drawn graphed patterns, make her books indispensible both for students of historical costumes and for those who wish to reproduce them. Each drawing includes a brief description of the garment, including which materials were used and any types of embellishment. I found it very easy to scale up the patterns I wanted to use with one-inch pattern graphing paper (available through most fabric outlets). This particular volume in the _Patterns of Fashion_ series includes my favorite era -- the English Regency. The patterns provided include long gowns, a crossover bodice shortgown (a version of which was made for Kate Winslet in "Sense and Sensibility"), a riding habit and a 1790s pelisse (overdress). This book is worth every penny and will become a dog-eared favorite on your costuming shelf!

50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Details., September 1, 2002

By 

Brian L. Reinhardt "Glo Reinhardt" (Aurora, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Patterns of Fashion 1: Englishwomen's Dresses & Their Construction C. 1660-1860 (Paperback)

This book goes into details that others leave out. What type of lining was used, how the embrodery was done, drawings of the hooks and eyes used to hold some garmets closed. Where many books on historical dress will tell you a garmet was laced closed up the back Janet Arnold will expand and tell you that the holes were reinforced with metal rings sewn on with thread and what color and type of thread. In addition, the clothing of the men of the time is not just given a passing nod, but every bit as important. Her attention to detail extends to giving the information on where she obtained her information, allowing yet more research to be done on your own. Not for anyone new to sewing but a must for the person who wants to understand the details of historical garmet construction.

40 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great resource!, November 21, 1998

By 

Margretta de Vries ([e-mail]) (Lawrence, Kansas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Patterns of Fashion 1: Englishwomen's Dresses & Their Construction C. 1660-1860 (Paperback)

All three of Janet Arnold's books are a really good resource for people who want to make a period gown/outfit from the late 1500s through the 1940s! The person should, however, have a fairly decent knowledge of how to put these garments together an how to resize the patterns to scale and for the person wearing them. These all include a description of the original garment, but all of the patterns could be used to create something original. If you sew a lot of costumes, or are researching to make your own, this is a great book!