Reviews (5)

i loved it
great book. excellent pictures of all types of lingerie. a must for any lingerie or fetish designers.

A Lingerie Lover's Must Buy
If you like sexy lingerie, this book is a must-have.

1000 Dessous, interesting, but risque
This is an interesting book with lots of full color and contemporary depictions of historical lingerie, but tends to rely too heavily on the pornographic aspects of women's underwear, and includes many photos which are purely historical pornography and bear no connection to lingerie. Maybe I'm just a prudish American, but I expected more history, and maybe a little text.

A must have for lingerie lovers
This softcover book has very little text and lots of fantastic photographs which tell the history or timeline of women's lingerie.

Full of B&W and color photographs, illustrations, designs, ads, and glamour shots. A great gift for lingerie lovers.

Also see: 1000 Nudes; The Male Nude; 1000 Tattoos

historia de la lenceria (ropa intima femenina)
necesito un libro que trate de la historia de la lenceria (ropa intima femenina) tanto del bloomer como del brassiere, body, entre otros. ... Read more

Book Description

The time when "fashion" was defined by French designers whose clothes could be afforded only by elite has ended. Now designers take their cues from mainstream consumers and creativity is channeled more into mass-marketing clothes than into designing them. Indeed, one need look no further than the Gap to see proof of this. In The End of Fashion, Wall Street Journal, reporter Teri Agins astutely explores this seminal change, laying bare all aspects of the fashion industry from manufacturing, retailing, anmd licensing to image making and financing. Here as well are fascinating insider vignettes that show Donna Karan fighting with financiers,the rivalry between Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, and the commitment to haute conture that sent Isaac Mizrahi's business spiraling.

Reviews (8)

Fashion books tend to be vapid. This book packs a wallop
Teri Agins did a terrific job with her book "The End of Fashion". The title sounds a bit fatalistic, but the content and tome is fantastic. I've always wanted to know the history, business practices, personality and profiles of accomplished designers and Teri Agins delivers all this beautifully. No malice is detected and Ms.Agins' professionalism is evident throughout. No catty swipes are made, even when she discusses Donna's exorbitant overhead and sample process or when she discusses Tommy's obsession with everything Ralph Lauren. Remember Ralph: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I'm so glad to know what really happened to Mossimo and Zoran. This book about fashion designers and the fashion industry is a great read. I highly recommend it to fashion and garment industry types as well as for the informed or curious customer.

In-depth research plus great writing
This book will be a great read for anyone interested in fashion, and frankly it's a good read for any consumer who spends more than a few hundred dollars a year on clothes. It explains not only the rise and fall of the Paris couture houses, but also the impact of licensing and retail giants such as Tommy Hilfiger and the Gap. If you're at all interested in the fashion industry, this provides fabulous insight. Agins did a good job of organising a lot of information, and then writing it in a way that remains engaging and meaningful. I bought this to do some research on a story, but then I found it so interesting that I finished this book in a couple of days!

Great and awesome!
For people who want to know in Fashion Industry. Great.

Got Fashion? Read This.
As owner of a budding accessories company, I found Terry Agins' "The End Of Fashion" an excellent book that is very well written and highly informative. After reading her profound insight about the industry's hits and misses, I was propelled to rethink my vision of creating a fashion house to strategically building a company driven by style and numbers. I highly recommend this book for any one looking to get into the fashion business and retailers alike.

A "Must Have" Book for Fashion Designers
I bought this book 2 years ago and I still read it over and over again. When you're in Fashion Business, you always want to know what others - "your competitors"- do at the same time. How they react to the same trends, how they manage their works, how they do their fashion shows, what they think of, etc. This book tells all the backstage, all the things about Fashion Designers, all you wanna know and things you'd never think of. It's easy and fun to read. If you're a beginner in Fashion, you must have this book. This book is like a kitchen and every single page is a recipe... ... Read more

Book Description

A fascinating read of personal experiences from the famed fashion designer that showcases the lives and contributions of iconic women -- from Jackie Kennedy to Elizabeth Taylor to Laura Bush to Princess Diana

Arnold Scaasi has been dressing legends for almost five decades. His enduring tenure as one of the world's premier fashion designers and tastemakers has afforded him vast stores of insider knowledge and firsthand perspectives on an array of illustrious personalities who -- in their disparate arenas of high-wattage celebrity and influence -- have defined our contemporary notions of female power and glamour. Here, for the first time, Scaasi invites readers into his glittering A-list realm as he recounts his intimate experiences and interactions with larger-than-life female icons who made their mark in spheres as varied as politics, Hollywood, the music industry, and high society.

Scaasi devotes each chapter to a specific woman or to a group of women, including "Broadway Girls," "New York Girls," and "Hollywood Girls." He shares dozens of behind-closed-doors anecdotes exploring what makes these women tick. In candid prose, he recalls what they said and how they acted, and most important, offers keen observations of who they really are underneath his creations. Using a privileged entrée into their private and public lives, Scaasi takes the measure of their impact on the world at large.

Here, readers will discover: Joan Crawford's fetish for cleanliness; the dazzling Barbra Streisand's famous Oscar night outfit and her obsession with perfection; Mamie Eisenhower's staunch refusal to wear a bra; the bountiful charms of Joan Sutherland, the opera legend; Mary Tyler Moore's and Sophia Loren's unique glamour; Rose Kennedy's prediction of a future woman president; Aretha Franklin's fear of flying; Scaasi's visits to the White House to his good friend and client Barbara Bush; his confrontations with Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe; and much more!

Scaasi dresses only women he genuinely likes, so his tales are never mean-spirited. Instead they spotlight the designer's surprising interactions and often poignant perceptions of Eleanor Roosevelt, Joan Rivers, Louise Nevelson, Natalie Wood, Hillary Clinton, and many others. The book is filled with photographs from the author's personal scrapbooks and fond recollections of some of the world's most beautiful, accomplished, and powerful women.

Women I Have Dressed (and Undressed!) is a trove of irresistible insider dish and a tender, humorous memoir of the most influential women of our time. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (5)

for photos...
well... it's a hard cover.. nicely designed... neat book..
nice to have at home... to flip thru look @ different shoes..
for that purpose, a very nice book.. for the sheer joy of looking at the photos.... and i think that's enough..

but certainly not a book w/ extensive info on shoe history and all that.

Another Disappointed Reader
Although I rate this book somewhat higher than one star, I would have to agree that, given Valerie Steele's reputation and credentials, I had hoped for something more than a composite of fashion magazine photos. Particularly disappointing since this book was loosely considered a catalog in conjunction with the small, but interesting, exhibition held at Fashion Institute of Technology. Like the two earlier reviewers, I would agree that it contributes little to the scholarly history of footwear, still, I am glad to have it in my collection.

I agree with the May 23 reviewer from Manhattan
The review from dated May 23rd from Manhatan expressing a disppointment expressed my feelings exactly.

Shoes- a contemporary look
This stylish book has more of a contemporary focus than most books on shoes, making it a "must-have" even if you already have several shoe books on your shelf. Stunning photographs by top fashion photographers, like Helmut Newton and Mario Testino, depict playful, sexy, sometimes fetishistic shoes by today's most innovative designers, including Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik. The text explores the link between clothing and shoes, showing shoes by Bella Freud, and other fashion designers and exploring the role that trainers, sneakers, and sports shoes have on our contemporary conceptions of 'cool.'

Absolutely nothing new to learn about shoes in this book
Isn't Valerie Steele supposed to be an expert or something on fashion? I am shocked first of all how poorly written this book is, and second of all how there is absolutely nothing new in it. Everything is rehashed from what other people have said or what is common knowledge. I couldn't believe it. Where is the insight? The fresh information? ... Read more

Book Description

"There are really only two kinds of clothes in the world--those that make you look fat and those that don't. All the rest is just details," writes style maven Leah Feldon. "If you really want the answer to 'Does this make me look fat?' this is where you'll get it--whether you're an ultra-size diva on a mini-size starlet. Here, clothes that add heft are taken to task and those that diminish it are cheered. In these pages you will find out exactly what you need to know to make you look slimmer, taller, and better-proportioned in your clothes."

Feldon both enlightens and delights as she takes on old clichés, details common mistakes, and shares the fine points of "Camouflage Chic." "It's about artfully disguising figure challenges while highlighting your assets and adding a dash of real style." Packed with practical, easy-to-implement tips, celebrity quotes, and illustrations, Does This Make Me Look Fat? gives you all the information you need to pull together a totally slimming wardrobe--and help your favorite man do it, too.

Feldon has been at the forefront of the fashion industry for more than twenty years, as a stylist, designer, image consultant, journalist, author, and television commentator and host. She has dressed models, celebrities, and "real people" alike, and in the course of her career has learned that any figure can be improved with the right clothes.

Does This Make Me Look Fat? covers such topics as:

* design details that pack on pounds
* the "yes" and "no" colors
* slacks--pleated versus unpleated
* shapewear that really works
* which fabrics slim and which ones plump
* outfits guaranteed to make you love your thighs again
* styles that have to go--what to toss and what to keep

If you follow the clever advice in this book, the next time you ask, "Does this make me look fat?" the answer will be a resounding "NO!" You'll never again waste money on things you'll never wear, or waste time trying on every-thing in your closet to find the least fattening outfit. You'll buck the trends and will know the distinction between fad and fashion.

But this book is also about finding your personal style. "When your clothes are in perfect harmony with your body and your personality and the special qualities that make you unique in this world," says Feldon, "you've crossed the line from ordinary fashion to great style. My goal is to help you cross that line--looking fabulous all the way!"

Jacket design: Daniel Rembert
Back of jacket photograph: Cindy Pitou

Villard Books, New York, N.Y. S.A. 5/00
© 2000 Random House, Inc. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

An Excellent Fashion Book!
I Really loved this book! I found the information extremely useful and wonderfully accessible. (The illustrations and quotes are great fun too.) I'm recommending it to all my friends! I Can't believe the reviewer who was going on about how superficial it is to care about what we wear. What planet is she from? She totally missed the point of this book and what the author is trying to say. In fact, it doesn't sound like she read the book at all. The author clearly points out that of course, we should love ourselves as we are, but that it only makes sense to choose the clothes that make us look our best. How we dress clearly reflects the way we feel about ourselves. Why would anyone---execept, of course, the reviewer---want to wear clothes that are not flattering? If she wants to look unsightly, that is certainly her priviledge and she has my blessings. But for the rest of us, who would like to put our best foot forward---no matter how fat or skinny we are--and present ourselves in the best light, this book is a treasure. It really helps you figure out which clothes will make you look great and which clothes won't. It's as simple as that.

Highlight your assets and add zip to your look!
Your husband wouldn't dare tell you. Your girlfriend might not either. But Leah Feldon will! Filled with refreshing anectodes and jammed with information, "Does This Make Me Look Fat" gives you all the information you need to make good fashion decisions! You can look slimmer, taller, more elegant and better proportioned. Leah explains what styles work best for different body types, colors that slim, optical illusions that add sleek elegance, selecting a bathing suit without angst and much more! Her section on accessories covers everything from shoes that make your feet look clunky to belts that pack pounds on your waistline! She even includes information on what to look for in a quality garment and how to wear your hair for best effects. But Leah goes beyond telling you what will look best she explains in great detail why it will look best. So when you go shopping you will know what to look for. Interspersed throughout the text are interesting quotes from celebrities like designer Isaac Mizrahi and actress Minnie Driver. I would like to have seen some actual photographs of clothing but the line drawings included are helpful. The book is informative and an enjoyable read. I recommend it. But if you read the book and are still not sure if a garment makes you look fat just ask your mother!

Does what it promises but little more.
Feldon mixes some useful information about clothing construction, color, and line in with her other advice, but most of the book is devoted to exactly what the title suggests: making you look slimmer. Her advice on "dressing thin" works only if you have are heavier than you'd like but not curvy; if you have curves, the straight-up-and-down line, with no waist definition, will only make you look heavier by obscuring your thinner parts. If, like me, you are happy with your basic shape but would like to look your best, you will have to glean the useful information and discard the rest. Forget her advice about basing your wardrobe on black unless you want to look older, more tired, and outdated. Most people look better in a less stark dark neutral such as navy, brown, or army green. (And if you think black fades into the background, notice how someone in all-black stands out against the typical pale sidewalks and buildings of the city or the light greys of some offices; their contrast with their background can make people look larger, not smaller.) The emphasis is on very classic styles, mostly for work, and some of her choices are outdated, as mentioned below (Maude vests are the most hilarious example.) The book combines useful with not-so-useful advice. It's worth buying second-hand or borrowing from a library.

Maybe just not for me
I thought the advice was ok, but I dunno...The problem with these sorts of books is that they fixate on everyone trying to be the same way (even if they claim otherwise!). I'm a short woman, curvy, with a big chest, and I always thought that was well, sexy. Really, I did. Leah Feldon however, felt that a shape like mine was "matronly" or magnified every single extra pound. Which is fine, it goes to the theme of her book--making everyone look thinner--but I guess I would have liked some simple dressing tips without so much negative judgement attached to my body as a whole. Keep it in mind that if you're not perfect, this book will have the tendency to make you feel worse about the fact that you're not perfect.

Helpful . . . to a certain degree
I found this book completely unhelpful, since I'm a teenager and the fashion tips Ms. Feldon gives are obviously for women over the age of at least forty. Maybe it's helpful for them, but teens, don't buy this one ;) ... Read more

Amazon.com

James Abbe, a 1920s fashion photographer, and Zoran, the designer whose simple, monochromatic clothes were extremely popular in the 1970s, anchor the 500 entries in this massive encyclopedia of fashion. Each designer, photographer, model, or icon gets a page with a large photo and informative but short caption. This has the wonderful effect of weighting each entry equally, thereby devoting the same amount of space to Charles Revson, creator of the Revlon cosmetics empire and relative makeup newcomer François Nars, pioneering clothing designer Mariano Fortuny and contemporary favorite Tom Ford.

Clearly, a good set of eyes edited this book. It's a tall order to choose just one image to define the many facets of a designer, model, or photographer. The choices made here are excellent and often surprising. The indomitable Coco Chanel demonstrates the ease of movement her designs afforded women by briskly swinging her arm out to one side, while Kate Moss is shown at the height of her waifdom, likely the mode in which she will best be remembered. Model Linda Evangelista is pictured with curly locks of hair. It's obvious, too, that the editors employed the haphazard juxtaposition created by the alphabetical organization. Facing entries, no matter how seemingly incongruous, are united by a visual theme, to spectacular effect.The ovals made by the either screaming or yawning mouths of Kurt Cobain and his infant daughter are mirrored in a 1937 Jean Cocteau illustration of an Elsa Schiaparelli design. A model in a 1930s outfit by John-Frederics faces a portrait of post-punk design queen Betsey Johnson, whose floral outfit echoes the flowery silhouette behind the model. A troika of Robert Lee Morris bracelets matches the arcs of a bombed-out London building in a 1941 Beaton photo of a Digby Morton design. The vibrant prints of Emilio Pucci and Lilly Pulitzer fall together naturally.

The reams of fabulous images and the inventive design alone make The Fashion Book a treat at any cost, but the low price-to-size ratio (like its cousins The Art Book and The Photography Book) makes it a real steal. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Great fashion book for the coffee table
512 thick, glossy pages of fashion. Each page highlights a different person... Designers, models, icons, photographers, illustrators, milliners, cosmetic creators, tailors, etc. Each page has a brief paragraph or two describing the artists contributions, and below is a single large picture or illustration depicting the work of the artist. One of the more stunning fashion books I've seen. Quite impressive.

The Best Fashion Book
This is without a doubt the best fashion book ever written. Not only are designers in this book, but also fashion illustrators, editors, and icons. The work and time put into this book must have been unbelievable, and to charge such a low price. The book is definately worth the price, and much much more. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in fashion, at any level.

Terrific!
I have the small paperback version, sitting on my bedside table. The type gets pretty tiny in this version but get yourself a magnifying glass and read on. Pick it up and let it flip open to any page to find interesting info on designers, photographers, models, illustrators, any major player in the fashion world past or present. It's the closest thing to a fashion 'bible' that I've ever seen. Priceless!

love it
i love this book espesially the designs on page 133 and 183. very informative.

The Fashion Book
A great reference for those interested in people who have made major contributions in fashion. This is a beautiful A-Z guide with over 400 entries that includes fashion designers, photographers, models, retailers, illustrators and icons. Even though there is not a lot of text it provides you with just enough written information that you want to find out more if it does not already quench your curiosity. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

The year 2000 marks issue 200 and year 20 for i-D magazine. What better way to celebrate than make a book? As founder and editor-in-chief Terry Jones writes, "A cross between a menu and a diary, Smile i-D maps the magazine's journey beyond the veneer of regular fashion." Now that most of us consider i-D a household name, it's interesting to be reminded that 20 years ago, street fashion was a nascent concept. Finding music and street culture more interesting than the traditional fashion world, Terry Jones abandoned his post as Art Director at British Vogue in 1977 to embark on a journey that has revolutionized not only the world of fashion magazines, but arguably fashion itself.

Blending fashion and social documentation, early issues of i-D (major collector items now) were 40 pages stapled together which sold for 50p. Journalistic in spirit and revolutionary in form, the magazine sought to show the world the gritty, real side of fashion as seen in the streets of London- kilts, mohawks, safety pins and all. When newsagents hesitated to sell i-D because of finger injuries resulting from the staples, early supporters helped by selling issues from the trunk of a Cadillac. Lots of teamwork and innovation brought i-D to the forefront of contemporary fashion culture and today it can be found at newsstands practically everywhere on the globe (minus the staples).

Smile i-D incorporates a single spread from each issue of the magazine thus far. Watch out for the stars who appeared here before the rest of the world even knew who they were. And don't forget to check out the Madonna cover from issue 14: why is the mole on the wrong side of her face? You'll have to read the book to find out. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

OUTSTANDING 5/5!
On Page 316 of Smile i-D, there's a reprint of a two-page spread from i-D Magazine's December 1992 issue. The left page is empty, save for a black-and-white photo in the center of the page of a female model in a ripped white t-shirt. The page on the right is exactly the same, except for a similarly sized photograph of two vacuum cleaners. The spread is part of a piece on creating your own couture.

But then again, we're talking about i-D here.

For over two decades, Britain's i-D has had a singular mission of documenting street style, coupled with an utterly innovative artistic vision. Smile i-D is a 600-page retrospective incorporating covers and spreads from the first 200 issues of the magazine. More than this, it's a consummate documentation of the past twenty years of cutting-edge style and culture.

24 years ago, Terry Jones, then Art Director at British Vogue, decided to abandon his post to document underground, "street" style, then an unheard-of concept. The result was the founding of i-D magazine. Taking a journalistic approach, i-D sought to document the spirit and style of the real world by using the streets of London as its canvas.

At times, people ended up in i-D just because they looked either hip, unique, or bizarre enough. More often than not, it was all three.

As a result, every nascent trend of the past twenty years fell into the pages of i-D. Punks, mods, ravers, trustafarians, bikers, hip-hoppers, modern primitives, gearheads, drag queens, club kids, dominatrixes, skinheads, glam rockers, dreads, new wavers, and so on were documented equally with an utter disregard - almost a contempt -- of what the latest news from Milan or Paris was.

Taking the concept of innovation to the next level, i-D began to feature anyone who seemed to be on the verge of crossing over to the mainstream, and as you leaf through the pages of this retrospective, the roster of then-unknowns who graced i-D's pages and covers is nearly breathtaking. Boy George in 1980. Galliano and Margiela years before they became household names among the fashion cognoscenti. Sade in 1983, a full year before her debut album was released. Madonna in 1984, just as "Borderline" was beginning to break radio. The list goes on.

Of course, there is a method to all this madness. Over the course of its 608 pages, it becomes clear that the fever pitch that i-D has sustained into its third decade is the side effect of its goal: the total democratization of style. By highlighting every trend, fad, and style movement in existence it transcends the dictatorial nature of fashion magazines. There is no right or wrong, no "in" or "out". By presenting anything that looks good instead of prescribing a specific look, the concept of fashion is rendered irrelevant, usurped by a manic promotion of individual style. All racial, social and economic boundaries are erased, replaced by the notion of pure individuality.

Accompanying all of this is Jones's unique art direction, which although it has evolved a bit over the course of twenty years, continues to complement the "anything goes" ethos of i-D with a likeminded aesthetic. Minimal layouts are sandwiched in between pages of utter chaos. Text runs in all directions ont any given page. Models fly across the pages, their expressions and bodies frozen in gleeful contortion. Full pages are devoted to minute details, while entire style spreads take up a half-page.

Absorbing all of this in one or two sittings is impossible; the combination of Jones' hyperkinetic visual style and the nonstop barrage of style, music and pop culture will literally make your head spin. Smile i-D is a coffee table book, to be sure, but its eye-popping visuals and undiluted take on everything that has been hip for the past twenty years ensure that it will be a book you come back to again and again.

Superbly chronicled evolution of a top style magazine
There's a passage in the introductory text written by former editor Dylan Jones that says: "i-D was the first street fashion magazine, a pick'n'mix grab-bag of punk fashion and DIY style, a pop-cultural sponge soaking up everything with inelegant haste." Very aptly put. And it's all symbolized with an iconic wink (or a gesture suggesting one) on the cover of every issue.

Throughout the nearly 600 pages of this heavy, photo-packed book (which I happily made the time to survey, one page at a time, front to back), you'll see a maturation from a haphazardly compiled fanzine of punk fashion to a more polished journal of all that which is currently fashionable. No subtle difference, indeed. Black and white photos of random subjects sporting the latest in 80's leather, safety pins and spiked hair give way in the 90's to better-produced shots of more recognizable models and artists. I'm impressed that the raw, "immediate" flavor of the photography and design just gets better throughout i-D's first twenty years.

There's not enough space to detail all the things I liked about this book, but I found especially interesting the early photos of some models and pop icons before they became widely known. I thought the numerous quotes by artists/actors/musicians added a good comical complement to the pictures. Also, the refinement (my opinion) of grahic design techinque is evident with the aging of i-D: it's not unlike looking at a scrapbook of an acne-ridden adolescent who grows into a hip and handsome young adult. Although i-D is somewhat new to me, it's now one of my favorite style publications. I wish I hadn't missed the first couple hundred issues, but I'm glad I got this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Once upon a time, most clothes were sewn at home. Now and ever after, home-sewing patterns will provide the best blueprint to a time when suddenly everyone could dress like the models in magazines. The most popular 1940s styles-from couture to everyday workclothes, ensembles, sportswear, lingerie, and evening dresses, plus toys, needlework and gifts-are presented here in 550 color photographs of pattern envelopes from companies like Advance, Butterick, Hollywood, McCall, Simplicity, Vogue, and others. For the home seamstress, this will be a trip back in time. For artists, costume designers, and collectors it's an invaluable guide. The text outlines the beginnings of the huge pattern industry, its evolution and impact on fashion. A wide array of pattern-related items is presented including publications and advertising, display dolls, tools, and various forms of packaging. The pattern envelope illustrations are wonderful period drawings of '40s fashions. A refreshing approach and an important first book on this growing field of interest. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Indispensable Resource
As a dealer in vintage patterns, (...) Wade's book is an indispensable resource in accurate dating of my pattern inventory. This in turn helps me to better serve my customers. Wonderful color examples of all the catagories, styles and companies.

Beautiful resource for forties fashion and sewing
This book begins with a lot of information about sewing pattern companies, sewing in the beginning half of the century, and fashion changes during the forties that are worth the price of this book. The second half is all reproductions of the fronts of pattern envelopes which provide inspiration for design as well as pointing out how much more advanced the average sewer seemed to be in the forties compared to today.

Fashion when style and beauty counted
This is a wondreful look at a time in fashion when looking your best when in public or private did matter. The fashions are an inspiration to those who love classic design. The only statement being made by these fasions are upbeat ones. Thanks for a great book that any sewer will treasure forever!!

A Beautifully Illustrated Collection of 40's Fashion
I was amazed to receive this book. I learned about how rationing during WWII affected clothing and fashion. I saw how fashion evolved during a decade that began with war and ended with Paris reviving their Haute Couture.

I think that the one aspect of Blueprints Of Fashion that caught me completely by surprise was the nostalgic feeling that looking at home sewing catalogue illustrations returned to me. I remember spending hours browsing through catalogues with my Mom during the 60's and 70's. I noticed the change of illustration styles, and the use of more photography, throughout those 2 decades of the big 3--Simplicity, Butterick/Vogue, and McCall's. In the 40's there were many more brands and that much more variation in illustration styles.

Mr. Laboissoniere has done a great job of grouping the pattern face cards into a journey through the fashionable 40's. Even though he meant this as a guide for collectors, there are so many facets to his research that he has created something truly extraordinary.

Valuable reference for the history of fashion/home-sewing
I've been researching information about "home front" America and the fashion industry for several months. Information is scarce. That's why I was delighted to find this book. It contains a brief but thorough history of the American home-sewing and pattern industry as well as extremely valuable information on the effect of War Regulations on clothing. The text was easy to read and very well illustrated. Better yet, the author includes a detailed bibliography to guide those who need to know where to look for more information. The book does not contain reproductions of the actual tissue pattern pieces. That's not important since patterns of that time are built off the same basic pieces as patterns of today. The beauty of the book is that it includes copious reproductions of actual home sewing pattern envelopes and counter catalogues. There are hundreds of pictures and they are beautifully photographed so that the reader can get a good idea of the details of the clothing including silhouettes ... Read more

Book Description

Glamorous and intriguing, packed with hundreds of incomparable pictures and marvelous anecdotes about some of the flamboyant personalities of the first half of the 20th century, this stylish volume illuminates as never before the pivotal Russian influence on 20th-century European and American culture and fashion.

Alexandre Vassiliev, a well-known Russian-born costume and set designer, gives an insider's account of the artists and aristocrats who fled Russia after the 1917 Revolution and went on to play key roles in the European fashion scene. Wonderful stories abound about such noted emigrs as Serge Diaghilev and Anna Pavlova, fashion illustrator Ert, photographer George Hoyningen-Huene, and couturier Prince Felix Yusupov, better known as Rasputin's assassin. With its wealth of documentary source material and photographs of stars from Greta Garbo to Marlene Dietrich wearing couture designed by Russian emigrs, this exotic fashion book will have broad appeal.

ALEXANDRE VASSILIEV is a fashion historian, a costume and set designer, and a collector of antique clothing. He graduated from the Moscow Art Theatre Studio before moving to Paris in 1982, where he established his international career. He lectures regularly on the history of fashion, costume, and theater design and writes for Russian Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

840 black-and-white illustrations, 91/2 x 121/8" ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The lost world of Russian Exiles
This book covers the now vanished world of Russian exiles from the Revolution till the 1950-60's. It covers such areas as the influence of the Ballets Russies in Paris prior to the revolution, the clothes the exiles bought with themselves, and the importance of the Kokoshnik to Russian fashion design.

We are also given the history of the now vanished Russian émigré communities in Constantinople in Turkey, Berlin in Germany and Harbin in China, with a smaller amount of discussion of the communities in Paris and London.

London and Paris mostly get discussed in context with fashion, as many émigrés, both noble and poor made a living in the various parts of the fashion industry in exile. There is a whole chapter devoted to the house of Kitmr with its exquisite embroideries and beading, which was run by Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna the younger in the 1920's.

The author has also unearthed other Russian émigré fashion houses which were well known and respected in the 1920's but are mostly forgotten now, houses such as Anely, Mode, Paul Caret, Tao, Yteb and Irfe which was run by the Youssoupoff family.

The majority of the book concentrates on fashion, but there is also discussion of the theatre, cafe's and other craft oriented activities which the Russian communities produced, especially in the 1920's. Many years of painstaking research as been conducted by the author to reconstruct this lost world. The book is full of black and white photos, which I imagine would not have been easy to find. However, if you are looking for nice colour photos of Russian costume, you will not find it here, but if you are trying to find something out on the background on émigré communities or the Russian fashion industry in the 1920's this book will be the standard work for many years to come.

Paleolithic Reviewers
An appraisal of European culture from an old maid somewhere in Western Kentucky knits a ludicrously inappropriate Horatio Algerish review to satisfy her puritan work ethos, that went out of date with the blue collar culture of 50's America, Honeymooners, Flintstones etc. She could be Pat Buchanans speech writer. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Defending the Slobs
In other words, dress like a slob! A foolish book that attempts to apologize for and defend the "causal" look.

Very Helpful
I would recommend this book to all HR managers and those who write policies. When it comes to dress code you have to spell it out.This book helps you do that and help define what dress code is good for yourenvironment.Its a great reference! ... Read more

Book Description

Splendid selection of 210 black-and-white inventions from legendary designer’s productions for Harper’s Bazar, 1918–32. Also, 8pp. of full-color covers, originals now prized collector’s items. Captions. Publisher’s Note.
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Reviews (1)

Erte - Cheap Thrills!
Erte is one of the most creative designers of all times - drawing upon many cultures to create outfits that are simply gorgeous. This book is a very cheap way of studying some of his designs. Well worth the price! ... Read more

Book Description

Allows anyone, even those with little or no art background, to quickly master basic working fashion sketches (or croquis). Readers learn to trace and eventually sketch garments by reading, practicing simple lessons and using the "pictionary" of style details provided. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

it's not the best, but i guess it works somewhat
i had to buy this book for a class in my fashion design program. i thought it was a huge ... when i bought it. it's an absorbitant amount of money for pages that look like they have been photocopied and put together cheaply with one of those flimsy plastic book binding things. i suppose that it was a bit helpful in understanding how to produce sketches for the industry. but, think i agree with the person who suggested the barbie sketching thing. just use a little imagination to picture your design drawn out like that.

This book really teaches fashion nomenclature
I am an architecture student who was very interested in entering the design world. I picked up this book on a lark and found that without a teacher I was able to master the art of fashion design. It also proved valuable in teaching me the proper names of specific details and silhouettes. As far as I am concerned it is one of the best books out there for understanding the specifics of fashion design while at the same time being entertaining. I give it a high 5.

Don't buy this book under any circumstances.
The authors of this book are pulling a huge scam on people who are interested in learning and/or enhancing their design skills. The information provided isn't even useful for a beginning designer.

My entire take on this book is "we're big shot designers and your NOT. So, you'll be happy to spend $54 plus dollars just to have a book we've taken the time to write." Who are these people, I've never heard of them! I have gotten better and more useful information from books that cost less. Well over half the book is filled with cheap looking line drawings of their designs, which the reader is to copy by tracing. If these were people with a good design sense, I wouldn't be so upset- but they aren't. If a person is looking to learn design in the method the authors "write" about,one would be better served to get a Fashion Trace Barbie Set for $15 bucks. It's the same thing, only Barbie doll designers have better sense of style. I know Amazon is looking to sell books. but this one is taking advantage of people. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

absolute joy
I just finished reading WWD Illustrated by Michele Wesen Bryant, and found it an absolute joy. The book is exquisitely set out from typeset to illustrations and a pleasure to read. There is a wonderful range and diversity to the illustrations with extremely insightful connections made between fine art and fashion illustration throughout. With fashion illustration being so popular currently in many designers advertising campaigns it is invaluable to be able to put it into a historical context. I whole heartedly recommend this book from a visual as well as an intellectual and historical perspective. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (9)

Not much new
This book didn't add much. Most of the information and pictures have been seen elsewhere.

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE BOOK ON THE PEOPLE'S PRINCESS
Having read various books on the fashion of the modern princess, I think that this is the best book so far that has been produced.

I am sure that readers would appreciate the time spent with providing detail information with the necessary large and colored photographs etc.

Apart from the great production, I think everyone has a special feeling knowing who Princess Diana was as a person! Today , July 1st., 2000 marks her birthday anniversary and I therefore take great pride in recommending this book to others by making a comment on such a date.

A Little Too Fawning, but the Catalog is Great
Georgina Howell clearly takes the Andrew Morton (read Diana) point of view on the Princess's persecution by the palace and casts her as a kind of saint in a fashion-conscious hagiography. The text was a little too hyperbolic in deifying Diana, yet perhaps that is appropriate, as few have done so much for fashion in our century.

But this book has redeeming qualities that make it worth the time. First, it does cite instances of Diana's fashion faux pas that are gossipy and interesting, for example her dressing-gown dress by David Sassoon and her slip-style dress by John Galiano for Dior. It is also quite meticulous about citing designers and recounting their memories of dressing Di. This humanizes a commercial name and gives the reader a sense of what her patronage meant to these fashion houses.

The best aspects of the book are the appendices listing the auction catalog by piece and the designer listing with short biographies. This is a wealth of specific information that couture-ophiles will love.

THE FIRST COFFEE TABLE BOOK I'VE READ COVER TO COVER...
Georgina Howell has provided the world with a unique perspective on how Princess Diana revealed her inner thoughts and feelings through her outward style and clothing. This book is especially meaningful to me because it was a gift from my sister Darla who joined me at the Christies Auction in 1997 and travelled with me to Althorp last summer. She wrote a small poem on the gift card and ended by saying "We sat with celebrities of glamour amid, waiting for Christies to open the bid. We bid and we raised until bowing to fate, but our memories are captured on Page 208." And sure enough, there we are: my sister, myself and Bid Paddle #212.

A BIOGRAPHY AND CHRISTIE'S AUCTION CATALOG IN ONE
A very interesting study in how a person's clothing reflects what is going on in that person's life! The back has short bios of the fashion designers of Diana's clothing/shoes/hats, and a listing of the dresses sold at the auction. For those of us who don't own a copy of the auction catalog, this is almost as good as having one. HOWEVER, the critic before me is right: too many typos for the money! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

good intro to draping
Excellent intro for novice sewers as a text, or experienced sewers wanting to learn draping skills. Covers tools/equipment, terms/elements of draping, the basic bodice/skirt/shift/sleeve, princess bodice/dress, skirt variations, pants, sleeve and armhole variations, collars, cowl necks, yoke variations, knits, and a few intermediate fashion features like sculptured pleats, bias, boned bustier, ruffles/flounces/gathering, and peplums. To follow the exercises, you must have a dress form (preferrably professional) to work with. But with numbered steps giving a very simplified process, and the very clear and numerous b/w diagrams, you should be able to teach yourself the rudiments of draping unless you are also a beginner at sewing. As a veteran sewer and novice draper, I received this as a textbook for my first draping class and appreciated it as a reference. But it's no substitute for a beginning sewing class. I would strongly recommend this for home sewers ready to move beyond commercial patterns or for first year fashion students. ... Read more

Book Description

The 1960s was a revolutionary time not only in action and spirit but also in fashion. Filled with color photos, this book looks at 1960s youth culture through the hippest clothes of the day. Author Samantha Bleikorn covers everything from Day-Glo to daisies, with special emphasis on the miniskirt and go-go boots. Top models and actresses, from Twiggy to Stefanie Powers, display the most outrageous styles of the time. ... Read more

Book Description

The gamut of trends and fashions during the late 1970s are explored in this priceless pictorial review. Pages from the Sears catalogs open for a trip back in time to the disco era, the "me decade," the bundled-up fashions of the oil embargo, and the buckled-down cowboy look of the new macho man. Lace up your earth shoes for a trip to the prairie, take a tour of the peasant cultures of Eastern Europe, go on safari, hit the ski slopes, or go surfing. Join in the fitness craze, and take a look at the new line of clothing for larger women. Polyester's outer limits are explored, from its most garish applications in plaid suits to its transformation into the textured realms of tweed. And blue jeans get their due, too, in a look at the time when designer jeans and the faded look ruled everyday wear. All this, and more, with original prices and current day values for the collector, fashion aficionado, and designer. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

BOY'S JEANS
I would like a seasonal or specialty catalog from SEARS on boys jeans dating from 1960's and 1970's as a gift for someone who collects and makes clothing. ... Read more

Book Description

Haughtily beautiful or whimsically irreverent, buttons are a unique mirror of changing fashions in dress and the decorative arts through the centuries. With a foreword by acclaimed artist Jim Dine and a preface by best-selling author Tom Wolfe, both devoted buttons aficionadoes, this book appeals to the serious collector and casual enthusiast alike. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

eastech@brain.nwt.pk
i am trader of a.b.s buttones and if you want to buy high quality buttons frome pakistan please cotact mr asif noor. eastech@brain.net.pk ... Read more

Book Description

From the momentous invention of the needle some 40,000 years ago to the development of blue denim; from Neolithic weavers to the biggest names in the fashion industry today—this classic guide covers the landmarks of costume history, the forms and materials used through the ages, as well as the underlying motives of fashion and the ways in which clothes have been used to protect, to express identity, and to attract or to influence others. The concluding chapter by Amy de la Haye, covering the second half of the twentieth century, has now been updated by Andrew Tucker. He discusses the reinvention in the 1990s of the luxury label Gucci, the rise of houses such as Prada and Tommy Hilfiger, and the appointments of relatively avant-garde British, American, and European designers to head classic French houses. All the late-twentieth-century and turn-of-the-century style innovations are included, such as the appropriation of utility clothing by designers like Helmut Lang—who spearheaded the predominantly unisex urban sportswear look—and the impact of workplace dressing down on masculine fashion. The phenomenon of the must-have accessory—the pashmina shawl and the Fendi baguette, for example—is also considered. 345 illustrations, 80 in color. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A basic intro to fashion and costumes
This book is aptly titled. It gives just a little bit about everything from ancient Egyptian styles to fashion in the 1990s. Those of you looking for photos and descriptions with great attention to detail should look elsewhere, but those of you looking for just an overview of fashion, this would be a good introduction.

The author discusses the rise and fall of fashion trends through the ages, and how society, industry, and particular people influenced them. The text in this book seems as informative, as it is concise. However, other reviewers seem to think that the author's information about pre-20th century costumes is inconsistent with other sources, but the post-20th century information is consistent with what I have learned from other sources.

Therefore, I recommend this book with some hesitation. If you want a good overview of fashion history, especially a pictoral history, I would recommend this book. On the other hand, if you are looking to learn more about a particular era, especially ancient costumes, I would recommend choosing a book specifically written about that era.

Great introductory read.
An easy read. Covers from 2900 B.C. to the 1990's with a particular emphasis on the 1800's. James Laver's writing style is wonderful, describing not only the clothing but the historical and social context for each style of dress. The fashions of each period are illustrated by a variety of historical evidence, including statutes, famous works of art, fashion drawings, diaries, cartoons and photographs. The book is not an in-depth study of each period but rather a very brief overview. The last chapter covering from 1940 to the 1990's was writen by Amy de la Haye and is markedly different in writing style. She does not discuss the social and historical context to the extent that Laver does but rather gives an overview of the major designers of each decade and their respective styles. As there is a lot to discuss in the last 50 years of fashion, I wish that this book had dedicated more than 31 pages to modern fashion.

An excellent place to start
This classic by James Laver is a very good introduction to the subject. This is not an exhaustive history of clothing that one should consult for lengthy descriptions, or pinpoint accuracy tied to the latest scholarship. But what this book is (and is wonderfully) is an overview of a very vast subject distilled into one portable volume. The illustrations are excellent and worth the price of the book in themselves. Great amounts of detail are lacking, but the student of costume history can look elsewhere for in depth information in the works of Boucher, Davenport, Ribeiro, and others. This book can provide the basic knowledge one needs to approach the more advanced publications.

There are discrepencies of terminology in comparison to other texts. This is especially true in his descriptions of Byzantine court costume; Laver uses some Greek terms as opposed to the Latin terms used by most other historians. Laver also has an ethnocentric bias and gives much information from an English point of view. As with Contini's "Fashion: A Social History" and Batterberry's "Fashion: The Mirror of History" (both sadly out of print), Laver's prose and scholarship are a little dated, and he predates political correctness. But the history of clothing is heavily tied to religion and superstitions, public morals and sexuality, gender and social hierarchy. To tell a politcally correct history of clothing is to apply a bias as skewed as the biases it would seek to rectify.

This is a highly readable and succinct account of its subject and is strongly recommended. Given that the wonderful Contini and Batterberry books are not available, Laver's very accesible text is an excellent introduction for the beginning costume historian.

Fab Pictures....
This is a nice *SMALL* (which is important when you are carrying it back and forth to class) book that is FULL of pictures. Don't by this book if you are looking for detailed explanations of the costumes...go to Boucher if you are looking for that... But if you want a good colour pictoral quick reference, this is the one to buy.

I love it and use it all the time. It is cracked open to the picture of Rubens and Isabella Brant!

An overview of Western to Northern European dress
This book is filled with pictures. The problems I've found with it are (1) it does not seem consistant in its terms with other historical costume history books so it is difficult to compare with other sources. (2) The writer tends to make sweeping statements that are true only for England, such as saying that hose weren't knitted until the 16th century because knitting didn't reach England until than. (3) Other statements are very frustrating since the author will state that so and so was dressed in a Persian or Arabic style and then does not describe that style at all. On the good side the pictures are helpful and some of the statements agree with other souces. ... Read more