Customer Reviews

Patterns for Theatrical Costumes: Garments, Trims, and Accessories from Ancient Egypt to 1915

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

At first glance, a costume historian would not be impressed by this book's oversimplified patterns and lack of detail. Its renderings of the human figure are cartoonish, and no instructions for esoteric closures and construction are provided.

However, the Holkeboer directed her opus toward the theatrical costumer: an individual who must cobble together a volunteer staff, construct garments for modern bodies, and adapt to quick-changes between scenes. The patterns are necessarily basic; the cuts are nearly authentic; and the suggestions of embellishment design save the costumer much time. This book is not some tome to be displayed on a shelf; it belongs in the studio, its spine creased, its cover dog-eared, and its pages scribbled with measurements and notes. This book is a workhorse. An added bonus is its illustrative use of labels for describing many weird terms, among them: simar, barbette, picadils.

I have found in no other book of scaled patterns but this one, the instructions for THREE methods of enlargement: optical projection, grid method, and radial projection. This book also includes headgear, specialty costumes like kimono, ecclesiastical garb, and a LION! This book also prevides a wonderful equity of both men's and women's clothing which is unfortunately not represented in the body of dramatic literature. (Why are there so few women's roles? But I digress.)

The introduction and final chapter contain essential information on fitting and draping (remember: you must add your own seam allowances) and millinery and corsetry. I'd have given this book another star if I felt that it did justice to constructing corsets -- these items are too complex to build from Holkeboer's 1/8" = 1" scale. But she is absolutely correct in providing undergarment patterns if only to emphasize that they are necessary for achieving a true period look. Also, this book needs either a durable sewn or spiral binding to lie flat for usage. The glued softcover is impractical.

This book cannot function as the only book in a costumer's library; supplement your collection with costume books on period styles to achieve variety in design. As far as PfTC being indispensible to a costume shop, I don't recommend buying a copy of this book; buy TWO!

This book is the most comprehensive, single-volume collection of historical patterns (from Ancient Egypt through 1915) available today for men's and women's costumes. While the pattern designs are very simplistic, present little detail on closures or embellishments and present only general instructions on construction, they are functional and very easy to make, represent nearly authentic cuts and effectively achieve the intended essential look for their specific period.
Each pattern in the book is presented in three sizes, and for each individual piece of a complete garment a label is often attached, giving its historical name and a brief description of its appearance or use. As a bonus, patterns for specialty costumes (fantasy, religious, Chinese, Japanese, and animals), undergarments, hats, wigs and masks are included, and its Introduction explains, in a step-by-step format, costuming techniques such as enlarging patterns, fitting designs, and draping.
This book can also serve, with just a little imagination, as an infinite source of ideas to help you create your own patterns, although you will have to refer to other books on period specific costumes to give your work finishing details like ornaments, trims, and other accessories.
The only weak point of the book is its glued soft-cover binding, which is completely inadequate for the spine-creasing use to which it's sure to be subjected.
If you either work for the theater or just enjoy making your own costumes, you will find this book to be an indispensable part of your library.
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar

I have to agree with the other reviews, this book is great for Halloween costumes, general period silhouette, and for the novice costumer. Instructions are not included, and seam allowance is not included in the patterns. Patterns are 1/8 scale unless otherwise noted (so they must be enlarged), and in sizes S-M-L (But I question the grading).

I teach Period Costuming from this book, and as a instructor, this book can be extremely frustrating at times.
The illustrations that accompany each era's patterns do not always reflect the pattern pieces.
My students enlarge these patterns by hand or take them to Kinko's to enlarge. As a patternmaking instructor, I give the patterns from this book a "C" grade. The patterns are not trued, seam lines are not walked, and skirt, bodice and sleeve patterns are not balanced. My students spend as much time correcting these patterns as they would starting from scratch with a set of blocks.

But it is a great instruction tool showing differences in silhouette and cut over the centuries.

I've been a costume designer for over 25 years. 18 years ago I picked up a copy of this book. Little did I know what a Godsend it would be to me over the years. This book is great for the costume designer, who has a small budget, a big cast, a flaky volunteer crew, and a month to put together a peroid show. This book is to be used and doggear with a broken spine. I costume six to ten shows a year, and this book is always at my side. The simple drawings give directors a quick idea of the period, the patterns are amazing and easy to draft.

I will often times give my costume interns a copy of this book for a going away present. It is an invaluable resource. One warning, it is not for the picky historical reinactors. This book is for the "down and dirty" theatrical costumer.

A good book to use as a starting point in the building of costumes. It gives great detail on how create masks, millinary, drafting a pattern, radiating a pattern and so on. Gives a good basic idea of the styles for specific periods and the names of the different pieces. The historical accuracy is also very good too. Nice variations on how to give a different shape to sleeves, and hems and decorative borders that are accurate for the period. I have created sucessfully the early 16th and 17th century costumes as well as early mantles. Sizing is not always true to modern sizes and some adjusting may be neccessary. I really enjoy this book and it is often the first place I look in getting ideas for a new costume. Stephanie Carrig

I chose 4 stars for this because it Should come either spiral bound or with some other plastic binding. I ended up takeing it in to OfficeMax and get it bound with spiral binding. The binding it comes with would not allow the book to lay flat on a photocopier. I could not get a accurate copy, and therefore 800% was not giving me a true shape. However other than the binding this book is great, it is Just patterns though, no assembly instructions. The more complicated pages would be easy for a intermediate, and the simple underclothes would be a great starting project for a beginner. I would buy this again, you get great value for your money, even if you end up getting it bound (binding cost me about 5 dollers). This book would be great for any one; Teachers, theatre costume people, SCA garb, Halloween, ect.

I recently discovered that I had lost this pattern book (probably loaned to someone who also loved the book) and just couldn't do without it. I direct an early music group that frequently needs to quickly create authentic-looking costumes. This book is an invaluable resource.

This book is so very useful for my business. We work in the amateur theatre industry, mainly dealing with period costume. Often we are called on to create some garment from a particular period and we usually run straight to this book to get our ideas. I especially like the fact that it shows costumes from SO MANY periods in history. Anything else wirtten by this author, I would buy without hesitation.

This book was very detailed and contained helpful information. While a begining sewer probably would not be able to scale the patterns up correctly, a seasoned sewer shouldn't have any trouble. If nothing else, you can use this as a refferance comparing modern patterns to their originals. This even contains a section on making corsets, wigs (the fake-looking kind, tinsel for example) and masks! Great buy, I love it!

This simple book is the ultimate on basic construction in period costumes for the stage from ancient Egypt to the early 20th century. This goes through history and shows for each look the following: male and female sketch of the final costume, labels that name important parts of the costume, undergarments (where relevant), scale patterns on each piece shown (except some hats), decorative patterns to help with the selection of trims, and instructions on how to wear (when needed). There is also a section on pattern drafting and draping methods, sizing, millinery (hat making), and special costume pieces (hats, wigs, corset sizing, animal faces, masks).

My book is worn and torn though I care for my books like some people do fine china. It is the most useful reference for a costumer, and as a designer, it is important to see what goes behind a design. The designs cover a narrow enough amount of time to show distinct and fairly subtle changes, while remaining general enough to give the feel of an era, but allow complete creative license. (And think of how much you save by not buying dozens of patterns, many of which lack the accuracy for shape found in this book!)