5 comments about Costume in Detail: 1730-1930.

1. Not only have I learned an amazing amount from this book, it has truly saved me from making very costly mistakes in selling vintage clothing. I adore period costume but good research books, especially when you are just beginning...are VERY hard to find. This book offers measurements, construction details and puts smaller accessories into context. Many times I would purchase a large box of antique clothing at auction that contained smaller items which would have me baffled. Countless times I find them in her illustrations. Pretty pictures are great, but her details will truly educate you. Thank you for this great reference. I wish you would do one entirely on personal accessories.



2. Excellent reference for illustrators and animators. However, "Costume in Detail" only covers women's costuming, which is unfortunate considering the attention the author paid to the material.



3. I bought this as a gift but I want a copy for myself. Can I say better?



4. the best of its kind. library copies constantly used by local stage costumers. a brilliant piece of work!



5. I would have loved to had seen the pieces of the garment drawn in their pattern shapes, but otherwise an excellent book with much detail written about each garment. Only other problem was that sometimes the writer's handwriting about the details on the drawings were a bit hard to decifer.

No comments about Edith Head's Hollywood: 25 Anniversary Editon.

5 comments about Mr. Classic.

1. This book is an absolute must if you are into classic mens clothing. Jeremy Hackett is ofcourse a well known icon in the clothing industry and this book is a welcome contibution to this.
   
   First of all this book is BIG. It's probably one of the biggest books in my library in size, it didn't even fit on my shelve standing up. The result of this is that every picture in the book is extremely large, so one can truly enjoy the details in every picture.
   
   The pictures is what makes this book so wonderful. There are hundreds of pictures of mostly young chaps wearing a nice mix of classical clothing with certain modern elements creating a unique style.
   
   Every set of pictures is in a certain theme, and each of these themes are introduced with a short column written by Hackett himself. Mostly it is someone asking a certain style-related question and Hackett answers and educates the reader with nice anecdotes which are fun to read.
   
   But like I said before, this book is mostly about the pictures and one can draw a great deal of inspiration for buying their own wardrobe or just simply gaze endlessly at the huge photographs.



2. The book is wonderful. Get it for the pretty boys, get it for the great fashion, get it for the great photography... I HAVE worn flip flops with a tux, I have worn my better tux jacket with jeans... the thing is, you have to pick and stick with classics, it's how you live in them that makes or breaks you as Classic.



3. First, this is not a book about men's clothing in the same vein as the typical Flusser book. What little information given is one man's view of the sartorial universe, Jeremy Hackett. Now Hackett tends to be an interesting chap, with a mix of classic and odd contemporary, but I'm not so sure his view of the world is interesting enough to warrant buying this book. It's an okay coffee table book, although the quality of the photographs is rather inconsistent. There isn't enough information or quality here to hold anyone who is a student of men's style's attention for an extended period of time.



4. This is a book for men who knows and appreciates the finer things in the British way of life. It portrays the upper crust image of British men and their clothing sense. Those who know about Sloan-Rangers or upper middle class Brits will recognize the style immediately. The men from the upper crust of the British society have always twisted the classical style and managed to introduce to their wardrobes items like red socks, red pair of trousers or pink cashmere sweaters; floral pocket squares and lately flip-flops. So it should not come to you as a surprise, if you see a well healed British man wearing flip-flops with an evening jacket or a high powered financier wearing red socks with his pin stripped suit. Nowawadays, the young British men of agreeable background have also taken into wearing jewelry in a discrete way with their casual outfits. This movement is being spear headed by the young Royals. In short, Mr. Classic by Jeremy Hackett is a celebration of the new clothing style among the upper crust Brits. Those of us who have gone through the British boarding school system or studied at British universities will enjoy this book immensely.



5. No, this book isn't a manual for classic mens wardrobe. There are no rules or indications for dressing you up. It's just a compilation of Hackett columms ilustrated with amazing photos. Those are the main value of this book (and the stilism work).
   
   Some readers may say Hackett isn't a classic guy at all. They don't understand how a tuxedo can be mixed with flip-flops. But precisely that's the best input menswear can enjoy at this moment: update the tradicional wearing with moderm touches. I'm working as mens marketing executive in a spanish Dpt Stores and Hackett is a reference. The way the brand communicates its collections is fresh and notorious although it offers the same stuff other classic firms do.
   
   So, perhaps this book is not the perfect purchase if you've got to spend your money, but is a nice gift if you receive it(it was my case). If you're trying to find a cool present for a guy with fashion interest here you've got the right one.

5 comments about The Corset: A Cultural History.

1. This is a very pretty book with great photo's and information. I have had people already try to take it to read but i'm not lending this one out just yet. Love the book.



2. Steele's books all feature informative text and beautiful pictures. In "The Corset", she discusses this mysterious undergarment and dispels myths, explains sociological and feminist aspects of it, and looks at controversies surrounding it throughout time.
   
   Steele discusses fashion from so many perspectives: class, gender, art, sexuality, medical, historical, and anthropological, and she does so with insight and clarity. Tracing its antecedents and moving to contemporary times, Steele outlines its influences on fashion and society.
   
   For anyone interested in deeply understanding this beautiful and controversial garment, Steele is the author to read. She merges the world of fashion with academia. This book is fascinating and insightful!



3. A great history of the corset, for both men and women. A must read for anyone interested in the history of costume.



4. Theonly problem with this book I would have to say is that the dress on the cover is amazing so amazing I can't find anyone anywhere! If you can in some way help me to get a dress like that one or find that on. I have prom coming up and that dress is amazing I would do anything to get that dress, thanks for reading this and your book is great!



5. Love the book!! Its a must have for any corset lover! Detailed history and pictures.

5 comments about The Goddess Guide.

1. Even though I am on the other side of the world to this author I can easily use many of her useful suggestions and if I should get to some of the spots she recommends....travel being a business and personal pastime that I enjoy from time to time, then I will surely look for some of these haunts.
   
   There is plenty to occupy a goddess at bedtime in here!



2. This book almost has multiple personalities. The outside is befitting a Goddess with it's fuschia cover adorned w/black velvet cutouts. The inside is like a full color magazine with thicker pages. Christian Louboutin is interviewed, handbag brands like Chanel, Hermes, Gucci etc are featured, There's even a picture of Chanel's Cruir de Russie Parfum featured in the book. However, the layout of the book is almost -- college-student-esque -- not in an amateur way but in a sort of Urban Outfitters/Bust Magazine almost 90's grunge feel -- plus it has advice on clubbing. For a cover that was so elegant, I would have expected more of a Jackie-O meets Audrey meets Marilyn sort of feel to it. Also, be aware that if you live in the U.S. the book is written from a very U.K. perspective. The advice is certainly very good. It even gives you websites to check out. Very useful -- Not all of the advice is timeless & certainly some of the brand names & websites will no longer be in existence with time.



3. I love this book, i couldn't put it down! it's very useful in so many ways!! im getting 2 more copies for my friends, it's a great GIFT!



4. I know they say never judge a book by its cover, but this book's cover in only a small indication of the wonders to come! This would have to be my #1 choice for the gift to give to those girls turning 21, or any age really. There are little gems in this book, and I now wonder how I got by with out knowing them. I believe this may be the modern version of A Guide to Elegance. A wonderful read and something pretty for the bookcase!



5. I saw this book in Elle magazine last month and wanted it immediately. It's too cute and very beautifully presented inside. Very different to any other style book I've read before because the author asks some great questions of celebrity fashion designers and beauty gurus and they reply with so many useful answers. In their replies they reveal their favourite books, their favourite perfumes, smells and the names of their favourite secret places. It's more like a style diary with tried and tested fashion, beauty, food and shopping secrets. I especially was blown away by Linda Evangalistas celebrity trainer David Kirsch helping her reach her healthy body weight and Evangalista training right next to her. Judging from the author's pictures in the book she isn't one of those size zero skinnies either. There's no self-importance in this book, it's just very laid back and cool. It's put together like a scrapbook containing beautiful little things that she has collected from all the cities that she visited and I particularly love it when she goes to Paris to meet shoe designer Christian Louboutin. (The modern woman's Blahnik if you ask me.) It is a magnificently researched down to the most secret addresses in New York, London and Paris and so many useful websites. For me the best pages are on perfume, denim and coat shopping, the writing in the opening of each chapter is also nothing short of magical. She offers beautiful advice for the 21 Century woman, very different from any magazine I have read except perhaps Oprah's O. I hope that the next Goddess Guide will appear soon, it's better to me than Sex & The City!

3 comments about 5,000 Years of Textiles (Five Thousand Years of Textiles).

1. this is a good book that can give you a quik review about the historey of textile.its a very freindly book that can give even to the amateur reader any idea about textile.



2. Great book, lots of info and great pics. i just wish the print was alittle bigger



3. This is an excellent textile history survey and a welcome addition to any costume/textile library. However, the changes the publishers have made in producing this edition are deplorable (check the dimensions in the product specs). The book is much smaller than the original edition and difficult to handle when one is reading and taking notes. The font is miniscule, probably about 6 point, and makes reading difficult and unenjoyable. The illustrations - which in the older edition are wonderful - are scaled down to such a small size that their impact and usefulness is diminished considerably. Publishers should keep in mind when they are making changes in format to cut costs that the reader's experience does not suffer.

5 comments about Adrian: Silver Screen to Custom Label.

1. I've got to say that when I saw a book devoted to "Adrian," I got very excited, because I am a great admirer of his work during his years at MGM. However I must admit that I was disappointed with this book for its lack of actual content. If this were a simple photographic display of Adrian's works, I would have enjoyed the book more; it is the content that weakens the presentation.
   
   The narrative starts out fine, giving the reader a sense of Adrian's struggles to delve into the fashion business first in Paris, then in America. Wonderful tidbits about the actresses like Crawford and Garbo are scattered throughout the initial 20 pages. But once Adrian's reign at MGM ends, so does the intrigue of the text. The interesting dichotomy of grand art and snappy human interest evolves into a verbose textual rendering of Adrian's creations, spanning about 15 years. Pages upon pages are spent lightly describing gowns from each collection, them not all having photographic companions to help the non-seamstress reader visualize these descriptions. In addition, the layout of the book causes confusion in that gowns described in the text are not necessarily juxtaposed on the same or corresponding page; then, too, some photographs are included that never were referenced in the text, making the reader wonder if they "missed" something.
   
   I feel that this book's content could have been made stronger if more was included about Adrian's personal life, to give the reader insight into the genius behind the design. It is obvious that very little research, outside of photographic, has contributed to the content, which I think reasons its sketchiness. Critique and criticism by reviewing columnists as well as quotes by models or celebrities would surely have been a wonderful addition to the plodding text.
   
   Because of the wonderful photographs, this makes for a great coffee table book. However its lack of content diminishes its viability as a strong read.



2. I have long been an admirer of Adrian. It's a shame that Oscars for costume design weren't given out until 1949, because he'd have garnered many of them. He could design something as basic (yet revolutionary) as the "Letty Lynton" dress, or as dazzling as the costumes in "The Great Zigfeld," both in the "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody" number, then in the "You Never Looked So Beautiful Before" stage show. I think his crowning glory was his work on "Marie Antionette." I knew little about Adrian after he stopped turning out his stunning creations for the movies, and went into private business. This is a beautifully produced book, with many pictures of his later coture creations, some insights about his married life with actress Janet Gaynor, and his passion for travel. For Adrian fans everywhere, this is a book to own and cherish.



3. Fantastic book - gorgeous photographs and behind the scenes antidotes give you the sense of actually being there in Hollywood during this glamorous age.



4. adrian, a/k/a gilbert adrian, was one of the few designers for the classic hollywood films that did not blow his own horn during his time in the fashion industry as both costume designer and couturier.
   
   in his somewhat short life, he worked hard, played hard and draped some of the film industry's most glamourous bodies in uniquely beautiful designs. his creativity was unstoppable. yet, in a weird twist of fate, he was never to compete for an academy award.
   
   it is a wonderful thing to see another book published about this genius/workhorse! there are some of his gowns that defy description, such as his 'letty lynton' dress with its wildly ruffled sleeves. or, his showgirl get-ups that were featured in 'the great ziegfeld' and re-used time and again for mgm's less lavish musicals. and his period designs for the films of garbo and jeanette macdonald (to name a few), while not painstakingly researched, supply great amounts of aura for these actresses and the films.
   
   it would be nice for the academy to pay tribute to him, travis banton and many others one year. but as it won't get more people to watch, it probably won't happen.
   
   but that's fine. let the books keep coming and let the reinvestigations of the makings of glamour, hollywood style, spark many a scholarly discussion as they should.



5. I love this book soooo much i remember all the old movies that Adrian desigend for .. so happy with this book thanks Robert

No comments about Tokyo Rock Catwalk: Visual Kei Bands Big in Japan.

5 comments about Infinite Variety: The Life & Legend of the Marchesa Casati, The Definitive Edition.

1. "I loved 'Infinite Variety' for the way the authors brought the Marchesa Casati vividly to life."--Robert Fulford, author of 'The Triumph of Narrative: Storytelling in the Age of Mass Culture'



2. 'This book about the Marchesa Casati (1881-1957) is called "The Definitive Edition" about a lady of extravagant leisures. It is an excellent book reviving the roaring twenties in Europe and gives you a fairly good insight of the lifestyle of the truly rich and famous through to the 1940s. Part of this set was the Marchesa Casati, who is a source of inspiration to this very day for fashion designers, artists and wealthy heirs. So if you squander your vast inheritance, at least do it in style!' (review from Elegant Lifestyle)



3. "'Infinite Variety' is a thoroughly unbiased and well-researched biography. The 'Definitive Edition' includes a plethora of new information as well as artwork and photos. Thanks to the efforts of Ryersson and Yaccarino, the story of the Marchesa Casati, with all its splendor, will continue to astonish.--Jonathan Williams, Gothic Beauty Magazine



4. "Mesmerizing and revealing, 'Infinite Variety' is the definitive account of the Italian femme scandaleuse. A great glimpse, and more, into the life of a larger-than-life individual."-Mar Yvette (Clear Magazine)



5. "'Infinite Variety: The Definitive Edition' provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the bizarre and spectacular life that Casati led...All you fashion-conscious history buffs will love the in-depth exploration the authors take into Casati's stylish life."-Denise Dandeneau (Zink Magazine)

   "This meticulously researched and completely updated biography vividly details Luisa Casati's extravagant life...Fashionistas, art history buffs, aficionados of Belle Époque and Jazz Age culture-and general readers-will be pleased."-Lorraine Thompson (Primo Magazine)

5 comments about New York Look Book: A Gallery Of Street Fashion.

1. This is a great book for anyone. Visually the images capture the the personality of New York, and each subjects bio is as diverse as their fashion style. Once you pick it up you can't put it down. Makes for a great gift!



2. A very New York look at fashion and people and style. Great interviews. Gee I miss NYC



3. An amazing collection of New York City's most stylish inhabitants by a photographer with a keen eye for the extraordinary. Highly recommended.



4. If you love New York and New Yorkers, this is your book. The essence of New York Street Style beautifully photographed by Jake Chessum and ready to uplift any homesick New Yorker abroad. A collection of one of my favorite New York Magazine columns now available to embellish the display on any expat coffee table. If you're in New York, get up, walk the streets and enjoy the real thing, you won't need the book.



5. The Book is a wonderful document of what the city is all about:
   Be yourself and express it with creative confidence!