The Cut of Women's Clothes: 1600-1930 (Hardcover)

by Norah Waugh (Author) "Women's fashions of the last years of Queen Elizabeth's reign continued to be worn for a time after James I came to the throne; yet..." (more)
Key Phrases: robe battante, boned lining, corselet skirt, London Museum, Contemporary Sources, Practical Guide (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Most useful. . . Recommended." -- Times Education Supplement

"Rewarding to anyone interested in the history of women as people." -- Christian Science Monitor

"Serious and beautifully illustrated." -- Observer

Most useful. . . Recommended. -- Times Education Supplement
Serious and beautifully illustrated. -- Observer
A definitive work. . . Highly recommended. -- Library Journal
Rewarding to anyone interested in the history of women as people. -- Christian Science Monitor
The method is impeccable, the presentation flawless and the information fascinating. The scaled cutting diagrams are readily useable. -- Educational Theatre Journal
For more than 30 years Norah Waugh lectured and taught practical work in the Theatre Department of the Central School of Art and Design, London . . . Words cannot describe the completeness of this text. 75 cutting diagrams, 54 tailors patterns and 71 plates of illustrations are so well aligned and explained that accuracy of both historical choice and technical construction can readily be achieved . . . A necessity for costume departments, its inclusion of delightful comments by `contemporary sources makes the book pleasant reading for anyone. -- Choice: Books for College Libraries
When did long and slender replace static curves? Why didnt France ever adopt the mantua, which was all the rage in Spain? What impact did `ready-made have on fashion? What did the growing independence of women in the late 1800s and beyond have on womens, and mens dress?. -- News Advocate

Most useful. . . Recommended. -- Times Education Supplement
Serious and beautifully illustrated. -- Observer
A definitive work. . . Highly recommended. -- Library Journal
Rewarding to anyone interested in the history of women as people. -- Christian Science Monitor
The method is impeccable, the presentation flawless and the information fascinating. The scaled cutting diagrams are readily useable. -- Educational Theatre Journal
For more than 30 years Norah Waugh lectured and taught practical work in the Theatre Department of the Central School of Art and Design, London . . . Words cannot describe the completeness of this text. 75 cutting diagrams, 54 tailors' patterns and 71 plates of illustrations are so well aligned and explained that accuracy of both historical choice and technical construction can readily be achieved . . . A necessity for costume departments, its inclusion of delightful comments by `contemporary sources' makes the book pleasant reading for anyone. -- Choice: Books for College Libraries
When did long and slender replace static curves? Why didn't France ever adopt the mantua, which was all the rage in Spain? What impact did `ready-made' have on fashion? What did the growing independence of women in the late 1800s and beyond have on women's, and men's dress?. -- News Advocate

Product Description
Each period in the history of costume has produced its own characteristic line and silhouette, derived from a cut and construction which varies considerably from age to age. Here are patterns taken from actual dresses, many of them rare museum specimens, illustrated by sketches of the dresses. There are notes on the production of women's dress, with references to early technical books and journals, together with diagrams from some of them. Numerous illustrations show the dresses as worn complete with their hairstyles, jewelry, decorations and accessories.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 394 pages
• Publisher: Theatre Arts Book; illustrated edition edition (January 7, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878300260
• ISBN-13: 978-0878300266
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #510,718 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If I had to rescue one book..., December 18, 1999

By	cynth (San Diego) - See all my reviews

...from my library if my house were on fire, it would be this one.

I didn't know what "bombazine" was until I read its Glossary; I had never heard of Lucile until I turned to Diagram 67; I had never seen the accounts of Poiret and Lucile claiming to have both abolished the corset until I read the Quotations from Contemporary sources. Reading Jane Austen's descriptions of what her modiste planned for her next gown is amusing, as well as the anecdotes involving long trains.

This book is about more than the cut of women's clothes; it is an exegesis of costume history as seen through the eyes of its wearers and makers. It exalts the humble professions of seamstresses and patternmakers, and inspires modern designers through a scholarly reverence for technique.

I have graded up several of the patterns to usable working specs, but I don't recommend this to the casual sewer; one must have a solid background in pattern drafting to attempt this. (Although the Vionnet "flapper" dress is a good project for the beginner.) If you're a hard-core pattern collector and enthusiast, you need this book. If you're looking for EZ instructions for a period costume, buy a Folkwear pattern.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice to Have book rather than a Must Have , March 8, 2006

By	OzReader - See all my reviews

From a broad perspective this book is helpful in delineating the various periods of costume. The patterns are useful, but not plentiful.

However, the book has several shortcomings. Firstly it is printed on very cheap paper (this is a reprint version) and the black and white pictures/prints of paintings are very murky and badly reproduced on even thinner cheaper paper than the text.

The content of the book is fine for beginners but clearly the book has not been updated to reflect recent study on costume. The writing style is in the form of an endless stream of tit-bit information patched together making this book a boring read. Furthermore, the book is padded out with period quotations about costume, mainly in the form of inventory lists of costume. This adds little to the understanding of costume and the book should have been more tightly edited. Finally there are just not enough patterns in this book to make it a "must have" title - the patterns are not drawn on a grid so inaccuracies are inevitable. Anyone looking to find a variety of patterns for the period 1600 to about 1850 are going to be disappointed, but admittedly the period 1850 to 1930 is better covered by the book in terms of pattern variety. I will probably donate this book to my local library as it is not a keeper for me. Readers wanting up to date costume information are better served by acquiring texts from the various costume institutes in England.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Basically Important, May 25, 2004

By	ReeQueen (Salt Lake City, UT United States) - See all my reviews

This is the first costume text I purchased (even before knowing I was going to go to school for costume design), and even after receiving and collecting loads of other texts on costume and the history thereof, this is still the best basic book I've come across. And, yes, I actually read it instead of just looking at the pics (of which there are many, many, great examples of historical dress). Although not entirely scintillatingly written (hard to do with a sometimes dry subject such as costume history, it has to be said), it is full of information that I wouldn't have otherwise known (and I've been fascinated by clothing all my life).

Across the arc of the book, one can discern the evolution of clothing, and it provides a good background for noting the changes across the years and why they were made. There is a lot covered within, and I feel it's a great source from which to start any kind of costume research.