Book Description

At the heart of Morocco's vibrant handicraft culture is an essentially feminine art form of embroidery on silk, cotton, and linen-one of the most vibrant arts in North Africa for many centuries and in vogue through the 1930s. These exquisite embroidered objects bear witness to the sophisticated taste of a bygone society.

Moroccan Textile Embroidery explains how Moroccan women passed this cultural art on to the next generation and how embroidered patterns were used to decorate interior spaces-cushions, tablecloths, curtains and mats-as well as certain traditional accessories in the female wardrobe-shawls, belts, handkerchiefs, and headscarves.

Because of the rarity of older patterns and difficulty conserving textiles, Moroccan embroidery has remained largely undiscovered. Here for pattern artists and textile enthusiasts, is a rare photographic documentation of this beautiful ancestral art, including over one hundred historical pieces.
... Read more

Book Description

This is a how-to book giving instructions on how to make updated versions of traditional Native American clothing styles.The clothing styles of tribal groups from around North America are discussed.Text includes a history of the clothing styles and detailed instructions, with drawings and photographs of how to produce a garments for contemporary wear. ... Read more

Book Description

The Complete History of Costume and Fashion is a comprehensive illustrated guide to the history of clothing and fashion. At different times in history, fashionable dress has taken very different forms. From the first fashion style of the Egyptians to the extravagant clothes of the Romans, from the birth of the Dandy to haute couture in the twentieth century, this book chronicles the evolution of style for both males and females from a social, cultural, and historical perspective.

Organized by specific time periods, coverage includes:
The Ancient Egyptians: Noble garments, wigs and hairpieces, eye make-up, jewelry
Greece and Rome: Classical elegance, the Etruscan wardrobe, bright colors, the toga
Middle Ages: Medieval Europe and Byzantine fashion, age of chivalry, trains and sleeves
Early Renaissance: Damask, taffeta, velvet, tight-fitting bodices
Sixteenth Century: Flowering of the arts, science and fashion, doublets and ruffs, bodices
Seventeenth Century: Influence of the Baroque, ribbons and embroidery, wigs for men
Eighteenth Century: Extravagance and excess, masks, buckled shoes, three-cornered hats, hoop skirts
Nineteenth Century: Victorian values, crinolines and bustles, artificial hair color, double-breasted jackets
Twentieth Century: The age of diversity, global style, mini-skirts, supermodels, street fashion, new fabrics. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A good general costume history
This is a beautifully designed publication certain to be rewarding to someone seeking an overview of the subject. The text, while not truly in depth, is very readable and is written in a vernacular yet polished style. Customs of the various cultures and periods, along with manners and gender roles in society, are covered as well. Ancient Europe and the Mesopotamian cultures (Sumer, Babylon, and Assyria) are omitted. Some of Ms. Cosgrave's information about other early cultures - especially the Egyptians - does not totally coincide with other authors and should not be taken as gospel, but rather as a possible interpretation. In other chapters, some of the observations and conclusions are quite insightful. The illustrations are wonderful and astutely chosen (with the exception of some 19th century line drawings used to illustrate early Egyptian, Greek and Roman costume.) The illustrations are also reproduced well, and the number of color plates is quite abundant for a book of this price. The books main weakness, and this is a big weakness, is that these beautiful and well chosen illustrations are not consistently attributed with the date, name of the work, artist, or museum, and in fact some of them are incorrectly identified or dated. Also, in the sections of the book on the 19th and 20th centuries - both in the illustration placement as well as the text - the reader does not really get a clear picture of the looks of the individual decades and periods within these centuries. Given the rapid changes of silhouettes and styles that occur in these years, a more thorough and detailed account would be welcome. With these notable reservations, this publication has still achieved reasonable success, and is still a recommendable text on the subject, especially for novices. The attractive price - especially the Amazon price - makes this a good value as well and contributes to its overall rating.

Nearly Useless as a Costume Reference
Always on the lookout for any new costume reference, I was
eager to leaf through this one. Unfortunately, it was nearly
a waste of time.

I say "nearly", because Cosgrave provides quite a few helpful
illustrations, though the objects depicted are often mislabelled and period paintings are seldom fully cited.

In general, I found this volume to be shallow and badly researched. It's full of bad generalizations and misused terminology. Cosgrave makes numerous statements which are at odds with everything I've come to know about historical costume. Seldom are these bald statements backed by sources discussed in the text. She also has a 'thing' about Byzantine costume. Everything worn in any other place or time suffers in her constant comparisons.

One of my favorite absurdities is that her entire discussion of medieval jewelry is a dismissal of the same as "crude". (Though she does allow that the Irish did some nice work. And, of course, it suffers by comparison to Byzantine jewelry.)

Another example: The caption regarding a painting of people in Burgundian Court Dress urges the reader to "Note the Byzantine influences". Huh?!!

In general I'd recommend that the re-enactor or Costume History
student look at the pictures and ignore the text. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent book on Teotitlán del Valle weaving/ weavers
This book is well-written as well as thoughtfully and lavishly illustrated, giving one a true insight into the famous Zapotec weavers of this lovely and traditional Oaxacan community. Zapotec precolumbian traditions are mentioned, and the illustrations show many steps in creating dies, yarns and weavings ranging from the traditionally inspired to the most avant garde, from natural dies to the use of anilines and naturally colored churro wools.

As one who has spent time learning to appreciate the arts of weaving and embroidery from weavers through Mexico and Guatemala, including a hospitable and skilled family in Teotitlán, I heartily recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the topic covered.

Buy Before You Fly
This is an excellent book with gorgeous photos of Zapotec rugs and weavings. I recently returned from a trip to Oaxaca where I had the opportunity to visit the village of Teotitlan and purchase some rugs from one of the families featured in the book. I just wish I had read the book before I went so that I could appreciate the beautiful examples that I saw even more. Besides the information on the laborious process of making the rugs, the book tells the differences and qualities that make some "works of art" and some imitations. And in telling the story of the weavings, the friendliness and pride of the weaving families must be told. I will treasure the book as well as my memories of the village of Teotitlan and her people.

Gorgeous and informative, but nix the "magic"
I enjoyed this book a great deal, and will no doubt go back to it again and again. The photos of both historic and modern weavings are gorgeous, and I especially appreciated the detailed description (and photos) of the laborious process of washing, carding, spinning, and dyeing the wool before weaving can begin. The photo of a man rinsing cochineal-dyed skeins in a stream is especially evocative, showing clouds of the red dye blooming in blue water. My only complaint is that the author occassionally seems as if she's selling the town and its inhabitants in the same way she sells their crafts. I think we need to ban the word "magical" from all descriptions of indigenous/low tech comunities until we acknowledge the "magic" of our voodoo market economy and the hard materialism present in even idyllic-seeming villages. But that's a relatively minor flaw in a very good book.

Excellent work on Zapotec culture
I have lived and worked in Oaxaca, Mexico for over 30 years. My parents and I went there for the first time in 1965. They stayed and built a life there. Over the years I financed my many trips to see them with import and export between the two countires. During those times of importing rugs from Teotitlan, woven goods from Mitla, pottery and wooden animals from various villages, I built strong relationships with the Zapotec Indians. I still visit and see them several time per year. Imagine my delight when I opened up Ms. Stanton's fine book and saw familiar faces, patterns of tapestries and rugs that I had been a part of, and an in depth exploration of the Zapotec reality in a changing world. This is a well written book, with a deep cultural understanding, and a fine display and history of those wonderful rugs that the Zapotecs of Teotitlan del Valle continue to produce. If you are going to buy one book that is high in quality and gives a real glimpse into the lives of the Oaxacan Indians....this it it. ... Read more

Book Description

An updated edition of Joan Nunn's detailed survey of costume in the Western world over the past eight centuries. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Fashion in Costume 1200-2000
Throughout history, clothes have been worn not only for warmth but also, with constant variety and innovation, to convey status, wealth, occupation, personality and social and more values. Joan Nunn's detailed survey of costume in the western world over the past eight centuries not only gives the reader a vivid visual impression of the clothes themselves, but also out lines the historical and social background and the changes in manufacturing techniques the way costume has developed and the manner in which it has been worn. Each of the nine chapters covers a certain period, with an introductory section followed by descriptions of the underwear, outer garments, hats, footwear, hairstyles, accessories, jewelry, fabrics and colours worn by men, women and children. There are over 800 line drawings, specially made by the author from contemporary sources (carvings, paintings, portraits, fashion plates and photographs). This is an invaluable, copiously illustrated reference book for students of costume, social history and the visual arts and for those concerned with designing costumes for the theatre. It is also a fascinating book for general reader interested in fashion and the art of dress.

A valuable and much needed updating of a classic reference.
Fashion in Costume 1200-2000 is an old classic catalog of western costume updated to 2000 in this paperback second edition. This detailed fashion survey contains a wealth of information valuable to costume researchers and designers and illustrators, and theatre workers and fashion historians. Over 800 line drawings illustrate the nine chapters which each cover a historical period. Incredible detailed information about underwear, accessories, jewelry, shoes, and hairstyles is included. An example of the 1980's-90's fashion era is a series of sketches of Diana, Princess of Wales in several outfits (p. 249). As in the previous edition, all is meticulously researched and presented. This reviewer has made good use of the previous edition in a second career as community theatre costume designer. I look forward to using this valuable and much needed updating of a classic costume reference.

Nancy Lorraine Reviewer

Everything in one book!
This book covers the largest time period in fashion history available today. Although the author limited herself to one book, the amount of information that is packed into this book is absolutely wonderful for anyone interested in costuming. Not only is politcal history covered, trival facts and those who influenced fashion are described in concise detail. Most helpful are the sketches on nearly every other page, which show details of full outfits and variations of certain garments. Diagrams of how to tie men's ties and special period collars are extremely useful. Men, women, children, underwear, shoes, accessories - this book covers it all. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

THE Best In Subject
This book is worth more than it's monetary cost. Simply by the historical content so hard to find. I enjoyed reading it. The pictures are great and the fine examples are totally mindblowing. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning of "boots".

MORE COWBOY BOOTY IS ON THE WAY!!
Howdy, For all of you boot fanatics around the world, Jim and I will be serving up a new helping of bodacious beauties in the form of "photographed boots" in an upcoming book, which will complete our boot trilogy. Start hollerin' and stompin' and callin' 1-800-748-5439 to demand what is rightfully your!!!! The book will be published by Gibbs-Smith Books in 2005.

A masterpiece
I live for boots,so I've bought that book and I have to say this is the best book about boots I've ever seen,a must for every bootaficionado.

Tyler rides again!
"The Art of the Boot" is informative, interesting and fun to read. The photos are outstanding. This is another outstanding book from this duo. I had the good fortune to recently meet Tyler and his lovely wife, Theresa, when they visited our shop. I can honestly state that I have never met a more interesting guy! Anyone interested in wearing, knowing about or just looking at boots will love this great book. AND it looks so cool on the coffee table!

Must-have book for boot aficionados!
Good information...glorious photographs...a galaxy of great boots! This book is more than just another pretty picture book. It has well-researched information on boot history, lore and boot-makers, written in an engaging, personal style. There's an up-to-date list of bootmakers and sellers of collector boots. Ya just gotta have it! (only one quibble..."el rey" means "the king", not "the sun." ... Read more

Book Description

Focusing on over 20 textiles from the British Museum's fabulous collection, this book explores the wonderful folk embroidery of Indian and Pakistan--in particular the domestic work made by women for their own dowry or family. Illustrated in full and in detail, these richly decorated items--costumes and household textiles--will provide designers at all levels with inspiration for new and unexpected ways of using color and pattern in their own work. In her fascinating introduction the author brings the pieces to life by setting them within their social and cultural context, including information on the protective and talismanic roles of embroidery and the tribal variations in stitch, pattern, and color. In addition, brief commentaries highlight the design features and a technical glossary supports the main text so you can rely on the book for eye-catching patterns as well as refer to it for specific information. ... Read more

Book Description

Slip into a bold and colorful era in cloth design. Once fashionable decorative fabrics for the home, these large and sometimes splashy print designs were used for drapery, upholstery, slipcover, and tablecloth fabrics. Designs prevalent in the 1950s included tropical scenes, American West motifs, sports and sporting events, nautical and boating themes, kitchen designs, and exotic foreign destinations. Often customized for specific rooms, some fabrics feature typical "den," "kitchen," or "child's bedroom" themes. Included are more than 250 color photographs of vintage conversational or novelty prints with full descriptions, along with drapery and fabric-covered furnishings available from Sears Catalogs. This colorful book offers a glimpse of fabric designs available for the average home in the 1950s. ... Read more

Book Description

From animal survival to anti-war irony.

Camouflage occurs naturally in the wild as a mechanism of protection and illusion. Learning from nature, military strategists reproduced, painted and printed camouflage patterns to protect equipment and soldiers.

Disruptive Pattern Material is an encyclopedic history of camouflage from its roots in nature, through to its adoption by armed forces and on to its current popularity within modern civilian culture.

The book begins with the wide variety of wildlife that protects itself by blending into the environment. Military camouflage covers the first uses of camouflage to disguise artillery and ships and eventually individual soldiers. A comprehensive, historical guide features the various camouflage patterns issued to soldiers of 107 nations around the world.

The use of camouflage outside of the armed forces first began in the 1960s by anti-war protestors. From there, camouflage was further explored by artists and designers. The book covers the uses of non-military camouflage in: - Fashion - Architecture - Music - Sports - Film - Art and graffiti.

Featuring 5,000 compelling images by leading photographers, Disruptive Pattern Material is an authoritative reference with fascinating cultural insight. ... Read more

Book Description

Created from an extensive range of locally produced and imported raw materials, and designed using an astonishing number of techniques--including different types of applique, decorative weaving, tie-dying, batik, and embroidery--Southeast Asian textiles are used to fashion an extraordinary variety of objects, ranging from everyday clothing to sacred and ceremonial costumes. This authoritative study focuses on the interplay between indigenous Southeast Asian traditions and the external cultural forces that have been a crucial part of the historical development and changing nature of the region's textile traditions. Maxwell considers the various ways Southeast Asian textile artisans reacted to the new ideas and raw materials from outside regions.The social, cultural, and religious dimensions of this art, the factors that condition how people create textiles, the way these are used, and the meaning of motifs and symbol are explored in detail. Including examples of textiles--some in categories that have never before been published--this reference work is a valuable contribution to the field of ethnographic textiles. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An excellent guide to world of dying kimono
If you are interested in the general process of dying kimono, and wondered how they produced the beautiful designs this book is for you. Stencils were created to lay down repetitive designs on long strips of fabric. This book traces how this craft became an art form on its own. Gorgeous reproductions complete the understanding of how this tool became as collectible and worthy of study similar to wood block prints. An end chapter expands on how this product of the textile process affected Americans personally and artistically. A must have for any textile fan! ... Read more

Book Description

For thousands of years, Balinese textile artists have adorned simple cloths with elaborate embroidered depictions of classic folk epics. As one of the many artistic expressions of Balinese culture, these colorful pieces offer insight into the tradition of storytelling in Bali while reminding us that ancient universal themes of morality, man versus nature, and the triumph over adversity can be just as significant today. In STORY CLOTHS OF BALI, Indonesian art expert Joseph Fischer shares his collection of more than 100 of these exquisite pieces alongside engaging text about how to utilize these textiles to study and appreciate traditional Balinese culture. The first major study of an unusual group of Balinese embroideries, STORY CLOTHS OF BALI is a fascinating glimpse into a culture rich with creativity, diversity, and tradition. ... Read more

Book Description

The richly woven and embroidered textiles in this book belong to the Miao minority group of Guizhou province in southwest China. The Miao's elaborate festival costumes are not only their most important possessions, but can be considered the major living visual art form of their culture. Over 20 such textiles from the British Museum's stunning collection are examined and illustrated in full and in detail to provide designers at all levels with inspiration for new and imaginative ideas. In her fascinating introduction the author brings the pieces to life by setting them within their social and cultural context, including information on the decorative techniques, patterning, and stitches that distinguish one group from another. In addition, brief commentaries highlight the design features and a technical glossary supports the main text so you can rely on the book for eye-catching patterns as well as refer to it for specific information. ... Read more

Book Description

Rugs to Riches is an authoritative, lively, and eminently practical guide for people who want to learn the dos and don'ts of choosing handmade oriental rugs. Caroline Bosly, one of the foremost rug brokers in the world, describes the various types of rugs and their origins, explains the difference between buying new and antique rugs, and tells you how to buy a rug of any size at the best possible price. Written in a simple, straightforward style that strips away the mystique from oriental rugs, Rugs to Riches also advises you on:

Determining whether a rug is handmade or not, and whether it has been altered in any way.

Evaluating a rug's condition and determining whether the retail price is a fair one, using a simple point system.

Bargaining down the price of a rug, no matter what type of store you find it in.

Selling a rug and making a profit.

Decorating with oriental rugs and ensuring that they remain clean and in good repair. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

MORE THAN JUST ABOUT RUGS . . .
What I mean is, the book is full of vignettes that illustrate basic points about shopping -- AND EVEN ABOUT NEGOTIATING !! -- things that are obvious once you think about them, but which you might never have realized. My favorite example: Suppose you see a rug with a price tag of [so much], and you say to the salesperson, "The most I'd pay for it is [this much]" -- well, what you've really just said, without knowing it, is that [this much] is THE LEAST you're going to pay, because you've shown that you're willing to pay that much. It's a useful kind of thing to be aware of for any deal you might ever be involved in, whether as buyer or seller. I'm sure you could get things like this from Donald Trump's books, but it's interesting that they're here too.

The book gives an EXCELLENT overview of oriental rugs. The writing and organization are excellent. You'll learn about the main types of rugs, and how to recognize them -- and how to match and combine rugs. Even in the most elegant settings, we often see POOR combinations; this book gives good, easily-applied guidelines for doing a GOOD job of this.

Some readers criticize the book's pricing guidelines -- but actually they're quite good and very useful, as long as you realize their limitations. Yes, they're simplistic, and the projected rates of appreciation were recognizably absurd even at the time the book was written. (By those formulas, most rugs before long would have attained the value of Fort Knox.) So, the author was a bit innumerate, and anyone who purchased rugs assuming infinite price appreciation has been disappointed. Blame the author? Maybe a little.

A good guide to purchasing that first Parsian Carpet
I first encountered Rugs_to_Riches when I was researching and planning the purchase of my Persian Rug. I found five books at my local library, one of them dated 1908, that covered the topic of purchasing and keeping oriental carpets. All of them, with the exception of Rugs_to_Riches stated that "the carpets you buy today aren't as good as the old ones available 30, or 40, years ago." This is basically balderdash!

Rugs_to_Riches proved to be a refreshing exception to this nonsense. It was the best starting guide that a beginner like me could find as I searched out one of those beautiful treasures of the orient. The pricing guides are good for comparison of type & quality, but should not be relied upon for exact valuation of a carpet.

Also, the old rule of "one man's trash is another man's treasure" applies here. Never ever purchase an oriental carpet because it may be valuable. If it doesn't match your home's decor, it'll end it's life as a moth-eaten rag in your closet. Make sure that you actually like the piece before you buy it. I purchased my carpet in a bazaar, not at a dealer's shop in Houston, New York, or even, in L.A. As a consequence, my purchase was *FINAL*! If you plan on purchasing a carpet with even the slightest chance of returning it, because it doesn't match your decor, then go to a reputable dealer. If you are sure of your taste in carpets, design, and home decor, then, grab this reference, and book a flight to the Orient for a haggle-fest.

Finally, on the purchasing of "antique" carpets. Never buy one, unless you see a pattern that you definitely want & you can't get it in a "new" carpet. Most of the price of "antique" carpets is for the (mostly unprovable) antiqueness of the carpet. Only buy an "antique" from a dealer, if you are purchasing one for it's antiqueness. Never, that is, unless you are an "expert", or you can afford to be "taken". Have an "antique" appraised *first* by a reputable 3d party *before* you bid on it. Otherwise, just buy a new one, and remenber that your great grand children will have incontrovertable proof of their "antique" oriental carpet in about 100 years, or so.

All in all, a good book for the beginner. I recommend it.

The best beginners book.
If you are new at collecting, want to know if you want to collect, or just want to know about rugs, this is a good book. Takes you from the beginning and walks you through. Not a book a dealer would use, but one I would recommend for those curious. Beachum's review here on Amazon is a little too harsh in my opinion. While the price of rugs is too fluid and dependent on variables that cannot be captured in a book, there are some valuable points the pricing chapters make for the beginner. Not all rugs appreciate at the same rate. Condition and age are critical. Etc. I found the "value factor multiplier" interesting and roughly accurate - that is - a rank ordering of which type of rugs have appreciated faster over time than others. The focus on the economics of rug collecting was disturbing.

A decent overview for the novice, with worthless price data
This book is a decent introduction to oriental rugs for the complete beginner. Unfortunately, its credibility is seriously undermined by its just plain silly pricing information. The book purports to reduce the value of any oriental rug to a formula, and perpetuates the myth that most oriental rugs are investments. Readers are advised to rip out the pricing appendices in the back and throw them away, and simply read the front for an overview of oriental rugs. ... Read more

Book Description