1 comments about Carried Away: All About Bags.

1. There are reasons I like this book and reasons that I am disappointed. The reason that I am disappointed is that I thought that this book was going to have lots of pictures of purses from different eras. The reason I like this book is because it is more than just a book with pictures of purses. "Hmmmm..." you might be thinking. "Whatever does she mean?"
   
   I love looking at bags in fashion magazines. I thought this book was going to be like that...only longer. Instead, it contains the history of bags, the relationship between bags and culture, the psychological meaning of different bags, and dare I say it, the philosophical perspective of bags. Lest you think I am being sarcastic, I really think the author Chenoune does a good job covering these issues in a tongue in cheek manner. "Carried Away" shows the bag as more than just a fashion trend. Although the book does show examples of the bag as woman's fashion accessory, such as the ubiquitous Hermes bag, the book is more of an art book.
   
   "Carried Away" is divided into several sections. My favorite section is about purses in the movies. The author chose still pictures from certain movies. Then, Chenoune explains how the choice of the purse by the costume designer relates to the characters in the movie. Basically, what does the purse say about the psychology of the character and the mood in the scene? I also like the section that shows pictures of different bags and their uses in history, like the painter's bag.
   
   I think for many people this is going to be a book that they pick up in the book store and browse, but not buy. However, I think that other people intested in the bag as an art form, a cultural indicator, or a historical benchmark will find this book interesting enough to read. Therefore, I would not recommend buying it sight unseen, but it is definitely worth a look.

No comments about Metropolitan Fashions of the 1880s: From the 1885 Butterick Catalog.

1 comments about Children's Handkerchiefs: A Two Hundred Year History (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. What a great book for the serious hanky collector! It is very complete and the interesting and progressive history of children's hankies will keep you captivated to the very last page. The pictures are awesome and the descriptions are just perfect. The only small complaint is that I wish the price guide would have been with each hanky. I loved it and highly recommend it to anyone interested in collecting hankies!

1 comments about English Embroideries--16th & 17th C. (Ashmolean Handbooks).

1. The book has information on design, stitches, and materials for 20+ embroidery pieces in the Ashmolean but the title is misleading. There are no pieces that are definitively dated to the 16th century. All are from the 17th century, 12 of which are pictorial works of biblical scenes. Two blackworked coifs and a forehead cloth are "late sixteenth to early seventeenth century." Everything else is later, including a few purses, samplers, some glove gauntlets, and assorted pictures and ornaments, some from as late as the 20th century.
   
   Because of the size of the book the pictures aren't very detailed, but they are in color. For a few items, there is enough detail to see individual stitches.
   -Discussion is a bit heavy on conjectured symbolism and meaning of the design figures.
   -Includes short stitch and term glossaries.
   -Shows some prints from which designs were possibly taken.
   
   If you're interested in *17th* century embroidery this can give you a taste of it.

No comments about Wedding Dress across Cultures (Dress, Body, Culture).

No comments about Yves Saint Laurent and Fashion Photography.

3 comments about Handbags: A Lexicon of Style.

1. This book is a must have for handbag connoisseurs and girlie-girls. Beginning with the super-chic, boldly colored hot pink cover featuring a Louis Vuitton Damier bag, the book is beautifully illustrated with examples of the full spectrum of 20th century handbags from vintage Hermes to Kate Spade canvas to exotic art pieces. The text is comprehensive and intelligent, highlighting the origins and evolution of the purse, yet it is entertaining as well and never too staid. The book has a sense of humor.

   Readers will learn the history of Gucci, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Coach, and learn about memorable bags such as the Kelly bag named for Grace Kelly. It's a handbag lover's dream book.




2. If you love handbags, can never have enough of them and you are constrained by lack of cash, you may want to consider getting this book instead as it is filled with lots of glossy pictures of the most delectable bags. I certainly enjoyed the book and finished reading it in a day! In it, Steele explores the humble beginnings of this most essential accessory and seeks to uncover the reason for our continuing fascination with it. It is this obsession that has led to the handbag gaining iconic status and becoming even an object of art. The range of bags featured include the humble tote, whimsical and exquisite evening bags, the most coveted of status, luxury bags and the latest must-have fashion bags. It is a pity though that Steele did not include a directory of the stores where the bags are available as readers would have found that to be most useful if they want to not only look at the bags but to own them. Nevertheless, the book is highly recommended for those of us who are always thinking of adding yet another bag to our collection.



3. If you love handbags, can never have enough of them and you are constrained by lack of cash, you may want to consider getting this book instead as it is filled with lots of glossy pictures of the most delectable bags. I certainly enjoyed the book and finished reading it in a day! In it, Steele explores the humble beginnings of this most essential accessory and seeks to uncover the reason for our continuing fascination with it. It is this obsession that has led to the handbag gaining iconic status and becoming even an object of art. The range of bags featured include the humble tote, whimsical and exquisite evening bags, the most coveted of status, luxury bags and the latest must-have fashion bags. It is a pity though that Steele did not include a directory of the stores where the bags are available as readers would have found that to be most useful if they want to not only look at the bags but to own them. Nevertheless, the book is highly recommended for those of us who are always thinking of adding yet another bag to our collection.

No comments about The Machine Knitting Book.

No comments about Sonia Delaunay: Fashion and Fabrics.

No comments about Textiles: 5000 Years.