Men's Fashion Illustrations from the Turn of the Century (Dover Pictorial Archive Series) (Paperback)

~ Jno. J. Mitchell Co. (Author), Jean L. Druesedow (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Over 100 full-page, copyright-free illustrations document what well-dressed American men wore in early 1900s: checked and striped business suits, sporty knickers and jackets, elegant formal wear, long fur-trimmed coats, more. Includes variety of accessories (canes, gloves, spats).

Product Details

• Paperback: 103 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (July 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486263533
• ISBN-13: 978-0486263533
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #104,728 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Costume enthusiasts should grab this one., June 6, 1999

By A Customer

What would designers and collectors ever do without Dover Publications? This book is a little gem for costumers because it consists of "repro" fashion plates that are very rich in visual information. The plates are of Edwardian gentlemen modelling all the appropriate clothing for conducting business, strolling, motoring, and even cycling. Also included are overcoats and formal dress. Best of all, because the illustrations were originally intended as an aid to tailors, they clearly show such details of construction as pocket placement, lapel styles, pleats, and darts. Furthermore, the outfits are accessorized impeccably with ties, gloves, hats, collars and even canes. Although it covers a rather brief period in men's fashion (1900-1910) and depicts only the most affluent men of the time, this book could be a great resource for a costume designer, costume shop, or fashion enthusiast. And since in my estimation books on menswear are rather scarce, it is all the more valuable. Don't pass it up.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Extraordinary, December 6, 2006

By	Sator (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This must be one of the most extraordinary publications on men's dress history available even if it only covers the Edwardian period in American. The sheer imaginative depth displayed in the subtle details is quite stunning. The illustrations were intended for use by customers to show to his tailor to draught a pattern off them. As a result, details of construction are shown, usually from front and back.

Sack Suits: Differing from the British lounge suits by the lack of a dart in the coat, they were starting to gain widespread acceptance as business wear in this period. The rather conservative illustrators takes pains to show them being worn only at the seaside and country resort. Striking variations in the cut are shown, often much more daring and tastefully imaginative than anything seen today.

Cutaway Coats: Every conceivable variation of them is shown as a more stylish town wear, although it was still being worn as a more informal alternative to frock coats which were the standard form of daytime 'full dress' for the period.

Full Dress: in the form of evening dress coats as well as frock coats for daytime wear are all displayed. Fascinating variations such as casual frock coats with check/plaid fabrics are on display along with tail coats with shawl lapels - fascinating if you know anything about men's dress.

Overcoats: Some of the cuts shown are truly stunning to behold for sporty day wear, day time full dress and evening full dress. The most fascinating thing is the profusion of overcoats cut with a waist seam including overfrocks, as well as variations on the Ulster overcoat and Inverness cape.

Footwear: even this is shown in some detail. Button boots are ubiquitous as are the occasional pair of Oxford boot, and riding boots in the country equestrian scenes.

Accessories: cravat, ties, cravat pins, hats, riding accessories, as well as walking sticks are all shown - each example a shining example of how a well presented Edwardian dandy would dress.

This is a treasure trove for anyone with an interest in dress history or Edwardian/ late Victorian period costume, but it is more than that for the dashing cuts of many coats make the cuts of modern menswear seem dreadfully uninspired and mass-produced by comparison. Any tailor will tell you that the level of skill required to realise some of the more difficult styles is extremely high.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Costuming Resource for Men!, June 26, 2006

By	SD Costumer (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

Anyone who does costuming knows that there are plenty of pictorial resources for women, primarily drawn form Harper's Bazaar. What has been lacking is a comparable resource for men. This book fills that need nicely.

Since these are period illustrations, they show not only the main articles of clothing, but also good detail of accessories, such as shoes, stickpins, collars and cuffs, hats and canes. The style is fairly realistic, with a wide variety of clothing types, from formal to casual. Since the poses are intended to be natural, they are more useful that period photos, which are frequently only of formal wear, and always stifly posed.

The only thing that keeps this from being a perfect resource is that these are drawings, and may not exactly reflect actual colors and clothing details (showing construction and finish). They do an admirable job of showing fabric patterns and finishes, however, and is the most useful refernce work for this subject that I've found.