Victorian Costume for Ladies, 1860-1900: With Price Guide [Paperback]

Linda Setnik (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000

Lavishly illustrated with 350 engaging nineteenth-century photographs, this book provides irrefutable documentation of Victorian ladies' fashions worn in America from 1860-1900. Extensively researched using period studio photographs and documents, the author thoroughly explores the fluctuations in Victorian fashions including casual wear, sports clothes, common dress, evening attire, hairstyles, jewelry, and clothing manufacture, while tracing the fascinating impact fashion had on the mental, physical, and social lives of our Victorian ancestors. Chapters on laundry, personal hygiene, cosmetics, and the dating of vintage photographs are included, along with a price guide and index. The authentic photographs and detailed analysis provide a unique picture of the lives of Victorian women through their styles of dress. This comprehensive and understandable visual guide is an invaluable resource for historians, scholars, theatrical costumers, and fashion and photography enthusiasts.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Linda Setnik lives in historic Folsom, California, where she has worked as an antiques dealer for the past twelve years and owns, along with her husband, Setnik's in Time Again antiques.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Pub Ltd (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764310542
• ISBN-13: 978-0764310546
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #127,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some Real Strengths, but Also Some Weaknesses, January 25, 2006

By 

Jennifer Bunting "documentary historian" (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Victorian Costume for Ladies, 1860-1900: With Price Guide (Paperback)

This relatively inexpensive book still features crisp, beautifully reproduced illustrations. A real strength is the frequent inclusion of the full photographer's mount instead of cropping to the image. Setnik also finds it important to record where an image is taken, showing that she is aware that there were geographically specific fashion trends. The author attempts to combine her knowledge of costume with the history of photography. (These topics are often published separately.) The result is helpful. A major weakness is the lack of strong, dated examples. The author instead has written the history, and then found pictures to illustrate it. Consequently, the book is really the history of costume of the middle to upper class. Lower income groups, trades and ethnicity are not the subjects of this book. In my opinion, Setnick also over-generalizes when it comes to "poses" and "backgrounds". It is very difficult to rely on either for dating.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for students of fashion and costuming., May 3, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Victorian Costume for Ladies, 1860-1900: With Price Guide (Paperback)

Victorian Costume For Ladies 1860-1900 is a photographic compendium of 350 nineteenth century images capturing yesteryear ladies' fashions worn in America. Author Linda Setnik thoroughly explores the fluctuations in Victorian fashions including undergarments, casual wear, sports clothes, common dress, evening attire, hairstyles, and jewelry -- and tracing the impact of fashion on the mental, physical, and social lives of Victorian ladies. Comprehensive, reader friendly, Victorian Costume For Ladies 1960-1900 is a welcome and impressive contribution that will be greatly appreciated by theatrical costumers, fashion historians, students of Victorian culture, and photography buffs.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have reference. . . ., August 27, 2003

By 

R. Willruth "vintage lvr" (MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Victorian Costume for Ladies, 1860-1900: With Price Guide (Paperback)

What a wonderful reference book to have! It is well thought out and researched and the text is illustrated perfectly with beautiful period photographs. So much detail about period costume is included and organized, decade by decade, that this is a must have reference for any collector of antique clothing. Both the novice and experienced collector will find new information here!