3 comments about Make Your Own Clothes: 20 Custom Fit Patterns to Sew.

1. I just finished making a Mother of the Groom dress using the tulip skirt modified and Leena's basic fitting shell you download as an extra when you load the software. Other than moving the side dart in the bodice to a waist dart and contouring it a bit for a more fitted dart - I didn't have to any altering. The dress I was copying the skirt had two inverted pleats, but the same shape as the tulip skirt. So instead of three small pleats I combined them into an inverted pleat, again great fit. I just finished the dress on the front cover in a mauve fine Italian wool - WOW looks like a $300 dress.



2. very good book for new sewers. Easy to follow direction and easy to understand. I have been sewing for many years, I wish I had this book when I was starting out.



3. After reading the book's instructions, installing the software, printing patterns supposedly "custon-fit", taping pattern pieces together, cutting them out, trying them on, I threw everything in the trash. I was going to dontate the book to our local library, but it, too, hit the round file today. After having sewn for 30 years, and owning an expensive sewing/embroidery machine, I can do your book no justice. Also, I cannot do myself any, as well. I would say that your photos are good, but the clothes you have constructed have obvious sewing errors, identifiable on sight. Oh, and before I gave up, I left a voice mail at your customer support department, and I received no reply. :-(

No comments about What People Wore When: A Complete Illustrated History of Costume from Ancient Times to the Nineteenth Century for Every Level of Society.

No comments about Modern Menswear.

5 comments about I Want to Be a Fashion Designer (I Want To Be).

1. i don't know what these other people are talking about, but i bought this book thinking it would be great for my little sister who is an aspiring fashion designer, and i thought it would be a good book due to these other reviews, but i was very very disappointed. this book sucks.



2. I bought this for my niece, but read it first. This book covers a lot of material and is written for pre-teens and teens. The people it lists as current designers is out-dated, but other than that, it is a good resource.



3. This is really a book for a beginner to read and determine if that is the path that they might be interested in.



4. I THINK I WANT TO BE A FASHION DESIGNER IS A GREAT BOOK TO READ SO THAT I CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT DESIGNING. I CANT WAIT TO READ IT AGAIN. I LEARNED TO NEVER GIVE UP ON AN IDEA. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW IF YOU WILL MAKE IT OR NOT IF YOU DON'T TRY. I LEARNED MANNEQUINS ARE FOR CLOTHING THAT I DESIGN. IF THERE IS A MISTAKE ON THE DRESS, IT IS A PRACTICE DRESS. IF I MAKE IT RIGHT THE NEXT TIME, IT IS A DRESS THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO DESIGN FOR MANY MANY TIMES.



5. This is a really nice book. Lots of glossy color photos of star designers add to the enjoyment of reading this book. It's great for little or big girls interested in fashion. I especially liked the story of the little girl who made up a new kind of mitten. She's been very successful with her efforts. It shows that not everyone has to go to design school to be a success in the field.

5 comments about Reconstructing Clothes For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies)).

1. Reconstructing Clothes For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies))
   
   I have never had much patience when it comes to sewing and this book inspired me to give it a shot - by hand and by sewing machine. The author writes in such a simple, fun way and encourages you to find your own style. The ideas she offers up in this book are a fantastic base for learning how to create your own unique style while bucking consumerism. I have had so much fun completing the projects in this book - which were surprisingly fast and simple and I look forward to experimenting more on my own. So glad the author decided to share!



2. I don't even sew, but this book makes me want to learn! It is not just a boring "how to" book, but a really well-written (the author has a great sense of humor!), interesting creative journey with lots of fun tips. Even if the projects are not for you, the author gives enough guidance for you to reinvent the projects to suit your own style. Caveat: This is not a book about tailoring. It's not even really a book about sewing. It's a book about creativity.



3. I rented this book from the library first and I am glad that I did. I would love to find a book on nice wearable reconstructed clothing. Absolutely everything in this book looked too much like "Mad Max beyond the Thunderdome". I'm not looking for high fashion just nice and casual, didn't find it in this book at all.



4. I'm not very good at sewing--especially not from scratch--and I had recently noticed my lack of inspiration when it comes to making something new. But this book has breathed new life into my creative spirit! It has given me lots of ideas, and the fact that I can use existing items in my closet instead of having to make things from scratch is going to help a lot.



5. This book is the beginning of a whole new way to look at your unwanted clothing. It also gives a glimpse of underground culture here in SF where we are conscious of what mass consumerism is doing to the country, and creative enough to expand our ideas of what it means to have style. Miranda's book gives detailed instructions on ways to change certain items but more than that it opens up the imagination. Punk rockers and teens have been hacking away at their clothing for decades. This book offers a way for everyone to blend individuality with function.

5 comments about Fashion Book, The - Mini Edition.

1. The Fashion Book is a first-class encyclopedia on fashion as a whole. The cross-references going with each entry make this book an even more entertaining and fascinating source of information as it reveals the entity fashion from different perspectives.



2. This book is a must have as a reference book. It has all the important names in fashion industry and a great editorial design that makes it hard to put it down. Although the size is a little bit tiring ("mini edition"...mmm, kind of says it all!), the pictures couldn't been better.



3. This is a flawless example of beautiful, mesmeric art. Not only does this book capture the ongoing development of fashion through the years, it presents the designers, photographers, makeup artists, and even fashion retailers who made these pieces come to life. Phaidon has always impressed me with the quality of their books, along with the meticulousness they put into choosing the perfect photos for their final product.



4. This is a great referance book for anyone who loves fashion. It's an A-Z book of designers, illustrators, icons, photographers etc. Just about everyone is in here. This is a great book, because it's very inexpensive, small and great because you can look up just about anyone you would like. There are great pictures, and great informative blurbs, including birth and death dates and information about just what made the person so influential. If you love fashion/ fashion history, go out and get this book!



5. This book was suggested reference material for a college course of study at FIDM. Initially I thought this was a paperback condensed version of the hardback book. Upon receipt I found it extremely difficult to read without a magnifying glass - the print is literally micro-small. At first I blamed my aging eyes, but my nineteen year-old daughter whom I purchased the book for has 20/20 vision, and she expressed a similar opinion. I would not recommend this version of the book - if you have the option, purchase the full size hard bound copy.

3 comments about Costume Jewelry for Haute Couture.

1. I haven't finished reading this book but the images of jewelry are beautiful and inspiring.



2. I've been keeping an eye on 'high fashion' for 25+ years as my own one-of-a-kind bead & jewelry business evolved. I could never figure out why some of the very unusual and creative jewelry I saw in couture and pret-a-porte' runway shows was rarely covered in detail in the fashion books or magazines. Finally this book was created to begin answering my prayers! Bravo - I love it, get lost in it!
   While I love all kinds of jewelry, I'd gotten my fill of the books featuring more traditional gold/diamond-type jewelry! If you like the more unusual side of the universe, then you will treasure this book.... and I say all of this before I've even studied the text!
   I hope publishers will pay attention and give us more, more, more! This is the tip of the iceberg and I'm delighted.



3. Expertly co-authored by fashion historian and consultant Florence Muller and haute couture costume jewelry collector Patrick Sigal, "Costume Jewelry For Haute Couture" is a profusely illustrated compendium showcasing dazzling, one-of-a-kind jewelry designed by skilled artisans to complement and adorn individual couture pieces for fashion shows and photo shoots. Representing outstanding examples from Coco Chanle in the 1920s to Yves Saint Laurent in the 1970s, to the creation of Lanvin today, "Costume Jewelry For Haute Couture" highlights some of the greatest jewelry creations by some of the greatest artists the fashion industry has every known, including examples by Balenciaga, Diro, Schiaparelli, Givench, Vionnet, and so many others. Beautiful and informative, "Costume Jewelry For Haute Couture" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Art History, Fashion History, and Jewelry reference collections.

5 comments about More Alive With Color: Personal Colors - Personal Style (Capital Lifestyles) (Capital Lifestyles).

1. As advertised, "More Alive With Color" makes it easy to find your, um, time of day. Of course it's easy: Eiseman's basic advice is, "If you're not a Sunrise or a Sunset, you're a Sunlight." This slap-dash, half-baked method makes sure you can categorize yourself, as long as you don't mind wearing colors that look hideous on you. Eiseman's method is just as limited as that of her primary target, Carole Jackson, the author of the original, "seasonal" color system, "Color Me Beautiful".
   
   While some of us may look gorgeous in some warm and some cool colors, that is not true for all of us. When I wear the "fruit" colors (with the correspondingly toned makeup) that Eiseman claims will look so great on me, people (usually men) ask me if I'm feeling ill. Follow the advice in this book, and you may make some costly fashion blunders.
   
   Many reviewers have mentioned the gorgeous photos in this book, and they're absolutely right; the book itself is stunning. But, if you want more than pretty pictures, look elsewhere. For the best advice on color, I'd suggest "Color Me Beautiful's Looking Your Best" by Mary Spillane and Christine Sherlock. The pictures may be outdated, the swatches unhelpful. But as long as you have the name of your expanded season, you can do an Internet search, and find places to buy fabric swatches from the expanded CMB system.
   
   Leave "More Alive With Color" on the coffee table!



2. Leatrice Eiseman's color concept is the best system for personal coloring I have ever used. Her theory can also be used for home decor as well. Great book!



3. I rate this book high, because I found it to be a refreshing change from the cookie-cutter "Color Me Beautiful" formula. It's not only fun, but accurate!!!! So, if you're sick and tired of someone demanding that you're a "Winter" and better not color your hair red -- but you LOVE being a redhead - this book is for you. Not only does it show you how to look your best through color, but teaches how to safely cross those old fashioned seasonal boundaries of the 80's "Color Me Beautiful" rules.



4. Disappointing book. I think I expected to read something new that I do not find in all the ladies magazines that I get at the grocery store. I didn't find it here.



5. I purchased this book because I "love" color. I devoured the old Color Me Beautiful books years ago and hoped this would be an updated look at colors.
   
   I was disappointed in every way. There is no "meat" to this book at all. The criteria for choosing your colors are pedestrian at best. The first three questions are: Which colors do you like best - stated in three different ways. There are no examples of people in your color family and by their criteria I could easily fit into two of the groups and with very little stretch...the third.
   
   It's a very short book and the ideas are never fully supported. It could have been expanded and made much better. Save your money on this one. I'm keeping it...so I guess that says something, but there's better stuff available.
   
   The only plus is they reference Pantone colors for each of the swatches so that you can get an actual, correct color (IF you own a color fan, which I do BUT unless you are in a job that utilizes it, the average person would not have access to nor choose to purchase this pricey piece of goods.)
   
   If you are buying this to help you with a new wardrobe, save your money and go for the old CMB.

5 comments about Everyday Fashions of the Sixties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs.

1. Vibrant color was one of the most important aspects of fashions of the 1960's. Sadly, the color is a missing aspect of this otherwise wonderful volume.
   
   However, if you are looking for a trip down memory lane, Everyday Fashions of the Sixties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs is a great way to recapture the era. It brought back fond memories of my school days.
   
   If you are not a Baby Boomer, you might be very surprised to realize that many of the styles we wore were much more conservative and flattering than the media's reinterpretation of 60's style. (Oh! How I want those shoes!)
   
   Highly recommended for fashion research or pure entertainment! I'd give it another star if there was more color!



2. This book has great pictures. It is not as comprehensive as I would have liked, but is still a very helpful guide to 60's fashion.



3. Great book for those interested in sities fashion. No interpretive text or historical context-- this book is purely an assemblage of some of Sear's catalog most enduring and representative patterns of sixties attire. Ripped straight from the catalogue pages, this book is just filled from cover to cover of catalogue models and accessory displays. My main criticism is that I would have liked to see a book representing not only Sear's catalogue, but other popular stores of the day. In addition, the book could have been longer and more colorful. While I like the idea of black and white photos on the semi-gloss pages, most of the photos are more fuzzy and gray than crisp black and white. Only two pages are actually in color... which is a disappointment and not what you'd want from this time period. Half of fashion interest in the sixties is the bold use of color and pattern never seen before the period.



4. This wonderful book provides a nostagic trip back to the 1960's, but more than just invoking fond memories, provides a glimpse of that changing decade through fashion. The early 60's ushered in mink stoles for $500.00, lady-like gowns and proper high heels. Towards the end of the '60's fashion takes on a distinct change, reflecting that turbulent time in the U.S. Gone are the wasp-waist dresses, and in come the "hippie" styles of striped bell-bottom pants for both sexes, mini-dresses and go-go boots modeled by Twiggy look-alikes. And the prices! A gorgeous pair of colorful leather flats were about $6.00, leather boots sold for $14.00. Of course, some of the styles are positively heinous according to current standards, but many have stood the test of time and would not seem out of place today. I love to scour old styles when I design my own clothes, and if you are a fashion designer or just love clothes, this is a wonderful reference guide.



5. purchased to use as a resource for developing a course on 20th century visual (consumer) culture.
   
   a fun quick overview of everyday American fashion in the 1960's. would love it more if it had more color photos, and a larger assortment of men's clothing options (it definitely focuses on women's clothing) , but it's a great quick reference.

2 comments about ArtLab: Fashion Studio O6287 (Artlab).

1. I bought this for my 9 year old niece for christmas and she loved it! The light box is fantastic. Only drawback I could see with this product is that there seemed to be too few blank papers to use on the lightbox. I used copy paper and cut it into thirds to give my niece an ample supply of blank paper that would fit the lightbox. It was easy enough to do. I highly recommend this for any little girl interested in fashion design.



2. My daughter liked everything about this product. We did have to make some adjustments about the light table usage because the batteries were burning out to fast, but we have a special corner of the play area just for this toy and for posting the completed designs. Good for concentration, fine motor skills and creativity. Just don't tell the kids