Customer Reviews

What Clothes Reveal: The Language of Clothing in Colonial and Federal America

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What? I can't believe this book hasn't been reviewed yet. Everyone who has it must be too busy reading it!

Linda Baumgarten, who has produced at least 2 other attractive books on 18th-century American clothing, has finally come out with this fine volume based on the recent Williamsburg, Va. exhibition that examined clothing from the inside out. This is particularly interesting to those of us who recreate garb of the period (for reenactment or theatrical purposes), as it contains detailed information on construction & materials; however, even someone with scant knowledge of costume & history will find it an engaging book. Ms. Baumgarten's text is "user-friendly"-- probably her association with Williamsburg has given her a good understanding of how to speak to ordinary non-costume-fanatical folk.
Lots of excellent photos and text. I was delighted to find a glazed woolen gown, among other treats. The chapter on clothing for christenings and mourning wear is an unusual feature, and the clothing timeline at the end a good visual account of the evolution of style.

My one criticism: The photos of mid-19th-century clothing and reconstructions don't belong in the book. I wish some of the thumbnails of 18th-century clothes shown in the timeline had been featured in their place.

At first glance, this book is amazing just for the feast it provides for the eyes just looking (and drooling) at the professional photographs of the costumes in the Colonial Williamsburg collection. When the reader really sits down and is able to read the text, the reader will find that the detail of the book is also amazing. The book does a marvelous job of explaining how clothing was used as a symbol of status, from the slave to the wealthy. It goes into deep detail the type of fabrics used, and the cut of the clothing used to achieve a certain look. It goes on to show what construction techniques and trims were used on some of the garments. A chapter on clothing from infancy to old age is also a treat and I was amazed to see that the cut of infant's clothing mirrored the cut of adult clothing very closely. I am most impressed with the use of cross-reference in the book. If a type of material or a cut of clothing is referred to in the text, a cross-referenced photo always accompanies it. Since purchasing this book, I have been able to date many items I have seen on eBay and in private collections. It is a really well written book and a must-have reference for the collector of antique fashions, designers, and museums.

This remarkable reference book consists of six chapters and a conclusion segment. So much information is included in this work that one can review it on many levels. My interest in this book is 18th century embroidery. The work of an 18th century surface embroiderer is foretold in this book and is portrayed in many venues. Embellished textiles such as stomachers, heavily embroidered pudding caps, women's cord quilted waistoats, swaddling bands for the new infant, and a yellow silk infant gown with a matching embroidered satin cap. Also, stunning embelishments on items such as spangled men's waistcoats, still unmade but outlined, on a large piece of silk are displayed with magnified detail allowing stitch colors, patterns, and directions to be studied. Included in What Clothes Reveal are beautiful examples of embroidered aprons for both the gentile ladies and the common women, different styles of pockets, covered and embroidered buttons, men's embroidered bargello wallets, and impressive men's caps. Baumgarten also included beautiful examples of ladies' fans, a wedding gown, and full maternity and nursing gown details including stays.

I ordered this book upon its release and studied it relentlessly. Afterwards I went to Colonial Williamsburg and experienced first hand this entire collection. With knowing and understanding the inside workings of this display, I was able to totally appreciate and understand the items in front of me.

After spending a whole day at a Living History event, trying to justify spending that sort of money on a book. Which at the time was sealed and the vendor would not allow it to be opened. I finally bit the bullet and made the purchase. It is one of my all time favorite clothing books. The images are stunning, both full shots of pieces and close-ups. There are accessories, undergarments, et cetera. It includes a range of styles in the 18th century for men and women. Some children's garments. It is not all just aristocratic or high fashion, though it isn't lacking it either. But, the uberness of this book does not stop there. After I stopped devouring the pictures like a kid in a candy shop I started reading. I was impressed with the practical approach to fashion history that the author took. Instead of focusing on the outrageous and bizarre fads of fashion. The book also touches on how historians have identified, classified and labeled garments. And how they have been right or wrong in their theories, going on to explain the current position of opinion today with scholars in the field. The text flows with interesting facts and a keen wit and humor. There are quite a few amusing side bars, and a lot of "myth busters". I think this would be a welcome addition to any collection.

"What Clothes Reveal" is first and foremost a history of American and British wearing apparel from the 18th and early 19th centuries found in the Colonial Williamsburg collection. It is also a social history of the period illustrated by garments and accessories that allows the reader to delve beneath the outer surface silhouette seen in paintings, prints, and on museum mannequins to reveal garment construction, fit, underpinnings, alterations, and simple thrift. While many costume histories focus on a single gender and social class, "What Clothes Reveal" includes examples for men, women, and children--not only gentry but also common folk. While author Baumgarten's "Eighteenth Century Clothing at Williamsburg" was intended to be a catalog of the collection, "What Clothes Reveal" goes several steps further. Baumgarten explores the deeper meaning of individual items and their construction, offers an curatorial interpretation of the garments and objects, and places them in a historical context by identifying details about the original owner where possible. While not intended to be the minute examination of garments in her "Costume Close-up: Clothing Construction and Pattern, 1750-1790," it is an important companion. While the general photos are typical, the detail photos are rare in costume histories. Readers shouldn't ignore the sidebars, the timeline, or the footnotes. The extensive bibliography offers a superb list of additional titles to assist with further research. This book is a must for costume historians, curators, collectors, re-enactors, and others who seek to understand 18th and early 19th century garments and the lives and times of those who wore them. Baumgarten unbuttons many mysteries in a thoroughly readable style, leaving the reader anxious for her next contribution to the field of costume history.

I am a historical seamstress that uses this book to copy the shape and style of Rev.War garments. I really love this book and go back to it over and over. It is a very useful book in my reference library.

If anyone needs to be convinced of the importance of clothing as historical documents, this is the book that will take care of it. Clothing, or dress, and textiles relate to so many other aspects of culture besides covering the body, they should be required topics in the training of museum and history professionals. Yes, this is more than a pretty book, or a how-to book, or a whatsit book-- it is ground-breaking in its treatment of the subject as a broadly meaningful body of knowledge. It is clearly thought-out, accessible, enjoyable and enlightening. I consider it a required possession, worth whatever you have to pay for it if you are not one of those who snapped it up hot off the press!

I haven't finished reading this book, but it's a real treasure. The pictures even brought me to tears at a couple of points -- yes, I'm a sap. Truly, though, the clothing just seems to resonate with lives long past. They were painstakingly made by hand and worn by men, women and children of varying walks of life, not just the wealthy, although their clothing survived most often, of course. The clothes have stories to tell that in most cases the people who wore them never put to pen and paper.
The book is exactly what the title says -- a look at how surviving articles of clothing (including shoes, hose, etc.) reveal the circumstances and stages of a person's life in colonial and federal America, not to mention the wider forces at play around them.

I can definitely recommend What Clothes Reveal for history buffs and writers -- not sure about costume designers, but perhaps that's covered in another review.

This is a beautiful work as others have explained. My review is just to inform anyone that may be interested that the book is still available from the stores in Colonial Williamsburg for about $65. Just contact the store there and they should be able to mail it to you.