French Fashion Plates of the Romantic Era in Full Color: 120 Plates from the "Petit Courrier des Dames," 1830-34 (Paperback)

by Judy M. Johnson (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Excellent reproductions of high-fashion illustrations from rare issues of French periodical devoted largely to "Paris fashions" for women. Lavish costumes exhibit innumerable variations of "open" and "closed" types of bodices, plus hats often startling in size and color. Descriptive captions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (June 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486267342
• ISBN-13: 978-0486267340
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,257,442 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Resource!, August 31, 2001

By	Elayne Hoover "ghiasword" (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a great resource for the re-enactor or costumer. It can be considered primary documentation, as it is directly reprinted from the original. There's a very handy glossary in the front, in case you are not already familiar with mousselain-de-soie. I wish I could make every dress in the book--it's so hard to choose only one of these delightful gowns!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Source of Color Images, September 16, 2005

By	Medieval Peach "Art Historian & Educator/ Pai... - See all my reviews

This book is really useful to me for the color patterns in the fabric as well as the colors for period fashion. Also, hairstyles, hats, and even shoes are detailed enough to reference for my own illustrations.

The original journal, "Petit Courrier des Dames", was for the wealthy and fashionable woman. It was so popular in Paris that the English translated it for the fashionable Englishwomen who looked to France for the latest styles. The plates feature fashions for both wealthy women and men with captions that generally state the type of material used or some brief descriptive detail
(ie: "Rice-straw hat, jaconet dress, French cashmere shawl. [No. 835; September 25, 1831.]")

Pictures show costumes front and back views, standing and seated (mostly the women). There is 1 plate of young boys' costumes, 5 of Gentlemen, and the rest are of Ladies with 1 small collection of bonnets.

Each page offers two separate costumes.

There is a two page Introduction that explains the original French source material for Dover's edition, brief summary of characteristics of Men's, Children's and Women's fashion in the Romantic Era, and a compact glossary of materials and garments now with a loose English equivilent material.

The one tiny issue I have is that the edition I received sported a different cover than the pink one above. The interior content is the same.