No comments about Fancy Dress (Shire Album).

1 comments about Ogi: A History of the Japanese Fan.

1. This is an outstanding book on Ogi or Japanese fans. The pictures and the explanations are beautifully set.It is a collector's book and a must for Japanese art lovers.So many fans under one book is indeed rare.Strongly recomended.

1 comments about Dressed in Fiction.

1. Starting with a discussion of the centrality of fashion in dress to human behavior, independent scholar Clair Hughes takes a look at the employment of dress in select English fiction in her book Dressed in Fiction (Berg Publishers, Oxford-New York, 2006). Clair's work is a confluence of literary criticism and critical description of scenes of dress in a group of English fictional texts written over a period of about 200 years, from early eighteenth to the late twentieth century.
   
   As the author admits beforehand, most of her discussion in the book is of fashionable, middle or upper class clothes; the reason being that dress of the underclass varies little until the advent of the mass market. The novels chosen for the bulk of the discussion range from Daniel Defoe's Roxana to Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, and the author sums up the topic in a quick glance at fiction from Samuel Richardson's Pamela to Anita Brookner's Hotel Du Lac.
   
   While Clair Hughes makes women's dress the core of her consideration, she does not fail to relate the ideas of gender, color of the dress, technical terms for costumes, and the excess or absence of dress references. Thus an interest in history and society is at once sated through the medium of clothing. Literary criticism shows in the author's ingenious foray of the exploration of how fiction authors' employment of dress and its accessories can illuminate the structure of that text. Ultimately, human values of the specific social world that existed at the time of the text's creation are researched.
   
   Supplementing the book's discussion are paintings or engravings of nearly the same date as the text in view, imparting a general image of the period and its particular style of dress. This is a merit of the book that counts.
   
   Dressed in Fiction has its shortcomings. Devoting an appreciable amount of space to history and stories of the fictional works, it fails at places to relate strongly the employment of dress with the main frame of the novel's plot. An intrinsic connection of situations taken up for explanation with the dress described does not always seem valid.
   
   Endnotes, a bibliography, and an index at the end of the book give an academically professional touch to it.
   
   In its entirety, Dressed in Fiction is an experimental work following the lines of Gillian Beer's 1989 book Arguing with the Past. It opens up a topic for critical discussion to be fathomed by future studies.

4 comments about We're Desperate: The Punk Rock Photography of Jim Jocoy, SF/LA 1978-1980.

1. 
   Man was I ripped off! I read the reviews and found myself somehow, really really interested in this book. I purchased it and waited for it to arrive. I finally got my hands on it, boy was I sorry. I started looking and searching for all the "cool things" it was supposed to have, but man, this book just sucks.
   Its cool if you want to check out the 70s 80s punk rock fashion and style this kids had. But nothing incredible. Its also very little so the pictures arent that great. Blows!



2. This is an absolutely brilliant book. It chronicles a time when punk was more than just some retarded fashion statement made for MTV (admittedly, MTV didn't exist...) Jim Jocoy has done his thing well, and efficiently shown the attitude of punk in the late 70's. One of the best things about this book is the fact that he didn't sift through people and pick out the ones that looked like models, or the pretty singers, he took anyone and everyone he could find that contributed to the punk rock movement. Even greater is the fact that he has pictures of bands and singers right next to the "normal" people, and to the untrained eye, nobody would know the difference. Everyone was impressive. I also loved the prose at the end by Exene Cervenka. It's very well-done and beautifully written.



3. When I first heard about this Book, I eagerly awaited it's arrival. An Excellent documentation of the Looks and visual attitude that was unique to the San Francisco Scene. Even though the Photos include LA, London and NYC Stars, that original San Francisco feeling still emerges overall. It cries out for more books exploring it's values different from other Punk or Rock scenes. But at least we have Jim's Excellent Documentations and memories. Hopefully More Books coming from him in the future!



4. ....the West Coast punk rock scenesters created a style that looks surprisingly fresh and edgy even today: pink 60s leather coats, striped tees, shredded preppy button-ups, busted jeans, high heels with anklets, asymetrical haircuts, teddy boy coats, geometric print 80s, shrunken suits w/ skinny ties, and more. This is a great book for DIY fashion ideas-- from a time when ripped tee-shirts didn't cost $75 at trendy boutiques and jeans didn't come pre-sandpapered.

5 comments about Kimono Vanishing Tradition: Japanese Textiles of the 20th Century.

1. If you, like me, are enchanted by the designs and workmanship that go into the making of these lovely garments, you will really enjoy this book. Wonderful color photos, informative text - everything you might want to aid in your appreciation of this amazing form of wearable art.



2. This was my first book on the subject of kimono . It is great for the new kimono fan and an invaluable inventory for 20th century kimono. Great photos and good content. Not an encyclopedia (never was intended to be) but a great primer! Nice people too! I look with interest to their next book!
   Robin Cahill
   Hanagumo
   The Kimono Collector



3. As a 25-year kimono/textile collector and enthusiast of Japanese traditional culture (not to mention former vintage dealer), I give this book both stars for the gorgeous photos.

   The book content, alas, is a mess. First off, I doubt it was edited. There are numerous typos and spelling errors (e.g. "Japanes"), grammatical mistakes, and captions that will tell you to look at something that's not in the photo! (What green kumihimo tie? No ties were shown!)

   An editor needs to clean up the author's writing, as some sentences make no sense, and grammar mistakes are rife. I was reminded of the "junior high essay bloopers" that make the rounds. I'm not sure if it's fuzzy thinking or just bad writing, but the author also seems to confuse colors, techniques, and fabrics, as I found several sentences that were the moral equivalent of saying "Growing on trees, green apples are a kind of pie." (An example: "Lined entirely in white with accents at hem and sleeves of flowing sage green called bokashi." [sic] Would you know that bokashi is a technique, not a color?) At one point, tsumugi is identified as a kind of ikat(!). There are also numerous misidentifications, the most obvious one (to me) being a characteristically early Meiji kimono being identified as Taisho era (~60 years apart). No rationale is given for assigning dates (for example, design elements, placement, fabrics, techniques, linings, etc., are valuable clues in dating a kimono). There are also context statements presented without justification (i.e. "may have belonged to a geisha/been a wedding kimono" etc.). The most baffling was a 1920's wedding kimono that said "Probably a rental." Since rental wedding kimono are a post-WWII phenomena, why would you conclude a 1920's kimono was a rental? As for the value figures, pricing is either artifically inflated (some price guides do this in an attempt to jack up the market) or heavily regional to Washington D.C. On the West Coast, full retail would be half or a quarter of what is listed. Kimono shows/sales would be much, much less. EBay auctions would be a fraction. The bibliography is also very short and fluffy, mostly focusing on kimono as art and actual wearing, with "When Art Became Fashion" (L.A. County Museum of Art) as the sole historic source.

   It's a gorgeous book, but deserved to be better written and edited, not to mention researched.
   Jilara




4. What I had hoped would be an invaluable resource for a collector turned out to be a coffee table book with lots of nice pictures and not much more. Descriptions such as "may be wool or silk" and "possibly Taisho" indicate that more research might have served readers well. Since many of the photos are from the private collection of the authors, who claim to be the country's largest supplier of vintage kimono, it reads more like a catelogue of their inventory than a resource book. As I said - if you're looking for more "books for looks," this is it. Serious collectors need to look elsewhere.



5. Lavished with full-color photographs throughout to show examples of colors and styles of kimono textiles. Hundreds of photos! It fully explains fabrics, periods, etc and includes a glossary of terms. I'm a beginner kimono collector, and this is a very useful book for my needs.

   The authors included suggested prices to pay for kimono -- an incredible asset! Book was published in 2001, so pricing is relatively current. People have also suggested The Book of Kimono to me, but I passed in favor of this book, because I'd rather have current info including the pricing.

   I'd like to address one comment in the "official review" above. The writer said: "The authors don't cite sources for the information they provide, and it appears that much of it is anecdotal, gleaned from working within the industry. Although the images are appealing, the lack of authority for the information provided makes this a marginal purchase." I disagree!! The authors are merchants actively involved in buying, selling and collecting kimono. What more of an authority on collecting could you find than that? Having spent 5 years in grad school myself, I have respect for academics, but the quote above seems to imply that this book is less valuable if it's not grounded with academic authority. I don't think academic authority is necessary; indeed, this book is more valuable without it for the purpose it was written to serve. Don't let that stop you from getting this book.

5 comments about 10 Women by Peter Lindbergh.

1. A really nice collection of photographs of 10 of the worlds most popular models. The book worked well in balck and white, and perhaps added to the feel of each photo. The small amount of text accompanying each of the models, giving a brief description of them, was a great touch and I found it intertesting. The photos are taken very much in a "fashion magazine" style, and work particularly well in that sense. The only thing I really thought was missing from the book as a whole was "something original". I'm not sure exactly what I might have been hoping for, but it left me wanting more. It however, is a book of fantastic photos of some of the best models of this era, taken by a very talented photographer who is obviously very in touch with the fashion industry. It would be a good book to sit back with in the afternoon with a cup of tea or coffee.



2. A great book for learning a few things about shooting women with passion. Some images are off base, but most cut right to the heart. The images are also very diverse, as they cross cultural boundaries with the selection of models represented in the book. I think it is a good one, an eye opener, and for the money a great one!



3. I own hundreds of books on fashion, the nude, glamour, beauty etc. I am myself a fashion photographer and publish a series on digital nude work I do. I found this book to be extremely bland. It was very economical, but believe me, it was too much. Peter has a lot better material out, and I think this book was just published on the merits of the subject matter and the name of the photographer. Don't waste your time with this one.



4. Lindbergh is simply an outstanding photographer. All of the women are interesting subjects. Linda Evangelista is stunning in this book. The cover shot of her is wonderful. Kate Moss looks like she is straight out of the 1960's. Cindy is Cindy. The gem though is Christy Turlington whose personality and grace simply leap off of the page. The photo of her laughing is a revelation. This is a book that anyone who is interested in fashion photography should have. Peter Lindbergh hits the mark with this one by showcasing not only his strengths as a photographer but also his models range as subjects.



5. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I wish it was longer. I didn't know what to expect when I ordered it but I was very pleasantly surprised. There are some truly brilliant shots in this book, including the best pictures of Kate Moss I've ever seen (I don't normally find her that attractive, but Lindbergh works his magic). If you like fashion, photography or supermodels, this is a great place to start. While there is very little writing, the pictures speak for themselves and are very creative. After looking through this, I can't wait to see Lindbergh's upcoming book.

No comments about Flax and Linen (Shire Library).

No comments about The Art of Clothing: A Pacific Experience.

No comments about Underdressed (Compact).

1 comments about Dressed to Rule: Royal and Court Costume from Louis XIV to Elizabeth II.

1. Call me a costume junkie. While I am certainly not a fashionista, I do love to look at clothing, and especially that of the past and how it played such an important role in the past. Fashion has been used to determine status, flaunt power and general dazzle the lower classes -- even in our modern world with its guise of equality still hankers after snob appeal when it comes to clothing.
   
   Philip Mansel's book, Dressed to Rule: Royal and Court Costume from Louis XIV to Elizabeth II takes a sweeping look at how clothing was used by monarchs to determine who was in, and who was out. In, of course, meant that you had access to the monarch, a neccesity for those who wanted to have power -- and out, was just that -- outside of court culture and power.
   
   Introduction: the Power of Clothes
   A very brief essay on how clothing served as both a message of style and education but also of power.
   
   Splendour
   In the past, clothing at a royal court was a clear signal of who you were, and more importantly, how much money and wealth did you have. This chapter was fairly interesting, especially as it showed the links between native industry -- in France it was the silk industry in Lyon -- and a court that was voracious in needing a constant supply of fine fabrics, and how changing tastes in clothing could enhance or ruin the national economy.
   
   Identity
   Here the emphasis is more on where are you from than anything else. It starts with George IV of England -- otherwise known as the Prince Regent -- and how he made the Scottish kilt and tartan so popular. Then in an about face, the author abruptly switches to national dress in Poland, and how it tried to succeed in the face of upcoming division by its neighboring, stronger empires around it. Interesting, but confusing.
   
   Service
   Namely, this chapter goes into uniforms, and how in the late eighteenth and nineteenth century the wearing of military clothing for royalty -- both men and women -- helped to establish authority.
   
   Revolutions
   You can't really mention royal fashion and not talk about Marie Antoinette, who has come down through history as a spendthrift nitwit. What I did find interesting about this was that the revolutionaries with their adoption of a more simplistic dress that sought to equalise everyone did more to distress the economy -- with no one to buy luxury goods, entire cities and regions sank into economic ruin.
   
   The Age of Gold
   The French textile industry improved once Napoleon staged his coup and declared himself emperor. This time the point was to appease vanity and spectacle with the lavish use of gold embroidery, which depending on your point of view, could be splendid, or hopelessly parvenu.
   
   Empires
   Prussia, England, Russia and Austria during the nineteenth and early twentieth century get mention here, but where it gets really interesting is when it starts talking about the mideastern kingdoms of Iran and Afghanistan, with a mention of Osama bin Laden towards the end.
   
   While I certainly enjoyed reading about the topic of the historical role of clothing, I had a hard time actually following Mansel's style of writing; it's clunky at best, chopping up ideas and trying to serve them neatly, but he leaps about from subject to subject with little continuity to really link it all together. He also pitches in foreign phrases and terms, assuming that his reader can read French right off the bat, and so doesn't bother to provide a translation. That's annoying. Within each chapter he leaps about wildly from place to place, shifting time as well; but when the next chapter opens, he'll start off back a century or two. That makes cohesion very difficult to follow.
   
   I would be hesitant to recommend this book. I found it to be difficult reading without any real theme or new ideas to keep it all pulled together. Sure, it's packed with plenty of little snippets and details -- why red heels on shoes were so important in monarchial France, to give an example -- but unless the reader is involved in historical writing or costume design, it's not much more than a curiosity.
   
   Which is a pity. The book is filled with photos and black and white illustrations, along with an insert of colour photographs. The notes, bibliography and index are extensive, and give plenty of ideas for further research. To sum up, it gets a three star rating for the general reader, and maybe a four for those who are particularly interested in this topic.
   
   Somewhat recommended.