No comments about English Costume from the Seventeenth Through the Nineteenth Centuries.

2 comments about A Closet Full of Shoes: Simple Ways to Make Them Chic.

1. I've read a woman can never have too many pairs of shoes. And in this respect, I am all woman. I probably have far too many pair, none too much alike, and who cares?
   
   For my business, which involves Scottish wedding themes, I'm always on the lookout for ways how to further develop Scottish-ness and have fun using Scottish roots to celebrate a wedding.
   
   So I bought A Closet Full of Shoes to see what ideas the authors had and how they might evolve with tartan, Celtic knots, and other Gaelic motifs.
   
   Personally, I don't wear anything with a heel over 1 inch, so I glad to see so many ideas for lower heels and flats. The stiletto heel ideas shown are great, glittery and glitzy...if only I could.
   
   From cover to cover I thoroughly enjoyed the read, the photos, and the creative ideas. It was nice to get directions about "how" to fasten the decorations on the shoes...and stockings!
   
   Eleven creative women contributed photos and directions. There are 49 ideas for ladies, 6 for little girls, 5 work of art displays, and many more photo ideas showing slippers, sandals, flip-flops, sneakers, boots, every day shoes, dressy night-out shoes and wedding shoes.
   
   Embellishment ideas include silk flowers, feathers, glitter and sequins ~ ribbons, trims, fabrics, and lace ~ applique, stencils, beads and buttons ~ computerized photo transfers and painted designs ~ jewelry, including brooches, charms, trinkets, and clip-on earrings. And combinations of these media.
   
   Quotes from Imelda Marcos, Sex and the City, Bette Midler, Oprah Winfrey, Marilyn Monroe, Teddy Roosevelt, Allan Sherman, and Cinderella add a whimsical humor.
   
   My favorite quote was anonymous, "When life gives you rain, splash in the puddles," with a pair of girls rain boots. How long since you've run and splashed in the puddles? Too long, I'll bet.



2. I loved this book from the moment I first opened it. I'm a wearable art artist and the more sources I have the better. This book gives me a new source of options. All my shoes will be having overhauls on them very soon!

No comments about Dressing Modern Frenchwomen: Marketing Haute Couture, 1919--1939.

1 comments about Jean Paul Gaultier (Memoirs).

1. As with the other books in the Universe of Fashion series, the Gaultier edition is mainly a photo look-book into the world of the designer. There is a short introduction about Gaultier, as well as a timeline of major events and collections in Gaultier's career. The photos used in the book are a good representation of Gaultier's clothing from his entire career, highlighting key pieces, and often showing them in interesting ways (a women's velvet cone bra dress is worn by male model Tanel in one photo for example). A great book for any Gaultier or fashion afficionado.

1 comments about Mondofragile 2: Fashion Illustrators from Japan.

1. This is a very good reference book for anyone who is interesting in modern, stylish, & fashion illustration just like me. I'm not a fashion designer but I like to buy this book because it is collecting an emotional selection of the most innovative Japanese illustrators.

No comments about Spectres: When Fashion Turns Back.

1 comments about Victoria and Albert Museum Pocket Diary 2008: The Golden Age of Couture 1947-1957 (Pocket Diary).

1. This is the pocket version of the 2008 V&A diary I've reviewed elsewhere; both of them are spinoffs from the book _The Golden Age of Couture_, which is in turn derived from the V&A's 2007-08 exhibit celebrating 1947-1957 haute couture. The pictures are a nice selection of color & B&W (many of them are the same as the desk version, but there are also some different pictures). As I said in my review for the desk version, you might want to get two, one to work with and one to keep pristine for your library!

No comments about Gingham Aprons of the '40s & '50s: A Checkered Past (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

3 comments about Vivienne Westwood (Universe of Fashion).

1. Short and very sweet. This brief book is entertaining. If you like Vivienne Westwood then this is the first book that I would advise you to buy. It is insightful and has some fantastic colour plates. The downfall of some of the other books about Westwood (eg. Fred Vermorel) is that they have too few images, which is bizarre as fashion is about visibility. ciao,

   Maureen Farquhar




2. I had high hopes for this book. There isn't enough out there to visually represent the work of Westwood. These pictures catalogue her work from the early 70's to her latest collections, but none are of high quality decent enough to compliment her outstanding and truly creative visions. Better to spend your money on the "Universe of Fashion" book on her, or if you're looking for literature, check out "Unfashionable Life" by Jane Mulvagh.



3. I loved this book because Gene's the bomb-he worked at worldsend and then later lived in the Chelsae in NYC & designed his own great stuff influenced by the Marx Bros. I want another copy Gene-and thanks for all those years in that crazy backward-clocked, ship-wrecked floors and I miss Piracy, Bow Wow wow, Les Incroyables of Galliano's 1st st martin's collection- i miss The mud of NOSTALGIA OF MUD-the world tour with the Supreme Team- but metaphorically speaking it is like the 2 in that early Balloon 1785-there was the Duke D'Arlandres & there was Pilatre de Rozier- Funny how the latter was more CAREFUL"STOP looking at the lake below-or we shall be in it-well de Rozier died ayear later accidentally mixing gases whilst crossing the English channel-but, Westwood, like the flying aristocrat continues to navigate fASHION'S EPHEMERAL CLOUDS...... i miss this period & would adore e mailing others who share my historical fascinations and their relation to the turn of the century PS thanks gene 4 showing me how to do a deeper push -up in your Chelsea room with those push-up bars i still own!!!!! doremesa@home.com

No comments about Basics Fashion Design: Construction (Basics Fashion Design).