No comments about Collecting Antique Dolls: Fashion Dolls, Automata, Doll Curiosities, Exclusive Dolls.

1 comments about Mary McFadden: High Priestess of High Fashion--A Life in Haute Couture, Decor and Design.

1. In the office, we're known for scattered coffee mugs, moldy cheese, and the attire of an army-navy thrift store. Fashion icon Mary McFadden would be ashamed of us, or at least inspired to rummage through our refrigerator and bookroom in search of archeological ideas. Okay, probably not, but we're not ashamed to say that we thoroughly enjoyed leafing through her career history. The words and pictures in this volume affirm her vocation-a passion to integrate the salient manifestations of the past into the present environment and, no doubt, her life as well.

3 comments about Guy Bourdin.

1. Content is sensational but... being a photograph book, I just found it to be too small. Maybe in the future, book's dimensions could be stated within its description.



2. I'm a big fan of the fashion stuff Bourdin shot in the seventies & eighties, especially his editorial work for French Vogue (there's never been a really good collection of this).
   This book covers his career from the start to the early eighties but obviously not comprehensively given the size. While others may be interested in his earlier work (photos of Man Ray's studio etc.), I'm not. The latter half of the book gets into some of his later fashion photography that really made him famous, but only gives a taste of that part of his career.
   It's not a bad book - but like I said it's an abbreviated peek at his whole career and I was really after something on his later fashion work.



3. The genius of Bourdin was that he lived outside of the cutting edge. This is applicable to all humans because there are so many who don't care about the cutting edge but then there are always those who are running to that edge trying to stay with the trend no matter what it is, then of course there are voyeurs like Bourdin who live outside of it with a certain timelessness. In contrast designers in fashion create the line where the edge is and everyone tries to plant a flag somewhere around there so they can belong. I think Bourdin really understood this concept. He especially illuminates this viewpoint by the amount of reality he injects into such a fairy tale world of beauty.
   
   To press that point I enjoyed the contradiction of his work that really went the wrong way because one of his main motifs was death accompanied by extreme youthful ideals, which is the quintessence of life. His pictures really do their best to shovel reality onto the viewer--to drive a little uneasiness into your routine.

2 comments about Period Style for the Theatre.

1. This is probably my favorite book on Theater style and one of my most precious posessions. Russell shows and discusses the relationship of period style, artistic choices and historical mind sets of all the art forms from architecture to music, from styles of clothing to history and discusses how they connect. He gives you a sweeping yet specific understanding of every age, then brings that understanding into the theater of the day.
   
   I am appalled that this book seems to be out of print. If you find it in a used book store and it is under $50, buy it!



2. Very beautiful words,Thanks.I am a professor working in Beijing China.I want to know Douglas A. Russell 's E-mail .please tell me. . my E-mail : zhangkangmei@btamail.net.cn think you very much!

5 comments about Vintage Fashions for Women: The 1950s & 60s.

1. This book is packed with information about 50s and 60s fashion.It has hundreds of pictures, and the most information (in one book) I have ever read about 50s fashion. I must say I disagree with other readers who badmouth the models. Would you rather the clothes be n a wire hanger? The information index about designers and values was great. It also has many great ads!



2. While the information in this book is fairly reliable and thorough, the photography leaves much to be desired. The models are not appropriate to the styles -- we're seeing 80s girls wearing 50s clothes that occasionally don't look like they fit well. Consequently this book doesn't look as polished and professional as it could (and should) be. If you just want a list of common labels of the 50s, you can't go wrong -- if you could get past the photography.



3. ugh! if you can get past looking at all these cheesy snapshots of people you've never met, i give you a lot of credit. the worst part is the fact that one girl *constantly* has her long hair draped over the front of the dresses she wears. you couldn't see the detail! what's the point? the dated typography was no less than annoying and the layout completely lacked balance. i couldn't get my money back fast enough.



4. I love this book! The color photos of fashions on real people are terrific and the text is fun and very informative. If you want a great reference on women's clothes of this era, YOU MUST have this book!



5. Numerous color photos and accompanying histories of the fashions of the 50s and 60s. Includes formal, casual and swimwear. Don't miss the disposable paper dresses section!

5 comments about Certain Style, A.

1. This was a yard sale special for me. And I love it. There is a very brief text introduction. That totals 10 pages of text only. The rest of the book is fantastically done professional pictures of different styles of plastic purses. Each page has a single full color plate. At the bottom of the picture there is a single line of text that states the designer, circa date, and dimensions. Nothing more, nothing less. There are 92 different styles featured. I love picture books! And I LOVE everything fashion. This is a great collection of a brief fad fashion item.



2. Out of print for many years, this book is a treasure. Features nothing but lucite bags, with photos of many that you may search high and low for but, believe me, will never find. Many of the most unusual are closely held by collectors who have no plan to sell, so the only way you'll ever see some of these bags is in this book. The pictures are gorgeous, the history of the bags and the collector fascinating. No price guide, but I agree with the review below, price guides are only guesses and in today's world of ebay, they change month by month. Price guides are a fool's game, experience is the only true teacher.



3. A fantastic collection of the most spectacular and unusal vintage handbags ever made. Interesting story about the collector, too - a man, believe it or not! A previous reviewer criticized this book because there are no price values. As a collector of lucite and other vintage handbags, I can only say that prices in the books are never accurate anyway and as far as I'm concerned are useless. Also, two identical looking lucite bags can be hundreds of dollars apart in value simply because of some flaw, maybe only minor, in the condition. Only experience can teach you how to accurately value these bags. The prices given in the "other book" by Kate Dooner (which is a great book, too) are only guesses and sometimes far afield. Buy this book to learn about the styles and manufacturer's, but mostly buy it for the knockout photographs of these little works of art!



4. NO PRICE GUIDE AND NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION ON THE PURSES-OVER PRICED AS AN OUT OF PRINT BOOK..NOT WORTH THE MONEY...NEW BOOK OUT ON LUCITE PURSES..PLASTIC HANDBAGS: SCULPTURE TO WEAR IS MUCH MORE ENLIGHTENING AND HELPFUL



5. If you have a copy of this book for sale, please contact me at kmrust@earthlink.net

No comments about A Magazine 5- Martine Sitbon Rock n Romantic.

No comments about Mill Family: The Labor System in the Southern Cotton Textile Industry, 1880-1915.

1 comments about The Art of Zandra Rhodes.

1. As a student of Art and Fashion I discovered this treasure in the college library and borrowed it relentlessly. Only the designs of the late Erte have given me such awe of creation. This book truly showcases the essence of Zandra's textile and clothing masterpieces. By way of photographs, sketches,diary, and travelogue we're given colorful insight to the thought processes supporting her works of design. Though Rhodes flourished in 70's/80's Britain, she was one of the first designers to really tap into the current theme of multicuturalism. She takes the world around her and transforms it magically to her own artform. Anyone interested in Fashion, Art, or Design will appreciate this book's concept.

1 comments about Our New Clothes: Acquisitions of the 1990s (Metropolitan Museum of Art Publications).

1. The Metropolitan Museum in New York has one of the world's great textile and costume collections. This book celebrates the new acquisitions of the costume collection throughout the 1990's.

   This is essentially a picture book that is a recommended addition to anyone who collects books on costume. All illustrations are in colour and there are some lovely photos of items like an English Mantua and petticoat c1708, a hand painted robe a la francaise c1740, an embroidered robe a la polonaise c1780, a man's wool suit with gold bullion braid c1760 and more modern gowns such as dresses by Vivienne Westwood and Christian Lacroix as well as 2 gowns owned by Princess Diana.

   A visually beautiful book that makes you glad that such wonderful costumes have been preserved and published so we can all enjoy them even if we can't visit the museum.