4 comments about Easy Knitted Socks: Fun and Fashionable Designs for the Novice Knitter.

1. I have knitted two patterns from the book: The Textured Bootees and the PomPom Bobby Socks; both patterns were easy to knit and fast. The instructions were clear and the pictures of the How-Tos helped whenever I got stuck.



2. I started out great. Made a whole sock, tossed it in the wash (washable sock yarn), pulled it out, only to find a big honkin hole in the toe! I later found out that the standard grafting instructions in the book are incorrect. I must now start over. I have been knitting for years, but never socks. Silly me, I always expect the basic directions to be acurate, even if sometimes the pattern itself may have an error from time to time.



3. When I picked up this book I really thought everything looked easy. The first pattern I tried was the "Love Heart Slippers". Well I got around the second part and found an error in the pattern after asking many advanced knitters for help. As I'm new to slippers and socks I'm not very good at tweaking patterns.
   
   Hopefully not all the patterns are like this. I'll give it one more shot on another pattern.



4. Instructions are included for using double-pointed needles or magic loop technique on one long circular needles.
   
   Projects include: baby bootees, toddler slippers, felted baby slippers, felted adult slippers, socks knit flat and seamed up, basic tubular socks on 3 needles, spiral socks with no heel to turn, ballerina style slippers, lace knee socks held up by ribbons, striped lace socks knit on 3 needles (shown on cover), beaded leg warmers, mock cable socks, actual fair isle socks (not faked with patterned yarn!) and several other lace or textured patterns.
   
   One drawback, perhaps, is that in including so many forms of sock-knitting, there aren't actually very many patterns of actual socks knit in traditional styles. And while it claims to be for "novice knitters" it may intimidate real novices. On the other hand, there is something for everyone here.

4 comments about Authentic Everyday Dress of the Renaissance: All 154 Plates from the "Trachtenbuch".

1. I was very annoyed to find the sketches/plates in this book to be in Black and White, not color. I specifically bought this book to get a better idea of the colors available in the time period. I am sorely disappointed in the publishers for creating a book of art entirely without color.



2. This book, in it's large size format and the wonderful colour pictures is a must for any costumer or medievalist. The images inspire you to make the clothing then find a horse and go parading down cobbled streets. Aaah, we can but dream



3. This is a basic book for those interested in history of costume in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. These are drawings of the clothing of the time made by an artist of the time. A range of people from a wide variety of walks of life and professions, as well as from many regions and countries, are presented. Gives an idea of what ordinary people wore, those who couldn't afford to have their portraits painted.



4. This book is a selection of illustrations from the 'Trachtenbuch.' This is a good source of ideas for late medieval/early renaissance costumers. The illustrations are "sketchbook" quality. The author seems to have travelled extensively and sketched the people of the cities that he visited. Costumers may find it difficult to translate the sketches into actual articles of clothing.

4 comments about The Complete History of Costume & Fashion: From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day.

1. The most complete book of History of Costume I have found is "Survey of Historic Costume" by Phyllis Tortora and Keith Eubank. The title of this book "The Complete..." and the lack of content simple don't belong together.
   
   This book is a beginners basic introduction to costume. It needs to be reviewed and mistakes need to be fixed.



2. There are cool pictures and all but seriously you cannot cover the whole egyptian, etruscan, greek...periods in 3-4 pages. The book plainly describes what people were wearing in these periods (and it does not give you the complete info) and it does not tell you much about the story behind these costumes which I found pretty lame.



3. Always on the lookout for any new costume reference, I was
   eager to leaf through this one. Unfortunately, it was nearly
   a waste of time.

   I say "nearly", because Cosgrave provides quite a few helpful
   illustrations, though the objects depicted are often mislabelled and period paintings are seldom fully cited.

   In general, I found this volume to be shallow and badly researched. It's full of bad generalizations and misused terminology. Cosgrave makes numerous statements which are at odds with everything I've come to know about historical costume. Seldom are these bald statements backed by sources discussed in the text. She also has a 'thing' about Byzantine costume. Everything worn in any other place or time suffers in her constant comparisons.

   One of my favorite absurdities is that her entire discussion of medieval jewelry is a dismissal of the same as "crude". (Though she does allow that the Irish did some nice work. And, of course, it suffers by comparison to Byzantine jewelry.)

   Another example: The caption regarding a painting of people in Burgundian Court Dress urges the reader to "Note the Byzantine influences". Huh?!!

   In general I'd recommend that the re-enactor or Costume History
   student look at the pictures and ignore the text.




4. This is a beautifully designed publication certain to be rewarding to someone seeking an overview of the subject. The text, while not truly in depth, is very readable and is written in a vernacular yet polished style. Customs of the various cultures and periods, along with manners and gender roles in society, are covered as well. Ancient Europe and the Mesopotamian cultures (Sumer, Babylon, and Assyria) are omitted. Some of Ms. Cosgrave's information about other early cultures - especially the Egyptians - does not totally coincide with other authors and should not be taken as gospel, but rather as a possible interpretation. In other chapters, some of the observations and conclusions are quite insightful. The illustrations are wonderful and astutely chosen (with the exception of some 19th century line drawings used to illustrate early Egyptian, Greek and Roman costume.) The illustrations are also reproduced well, and the number of color plates is quite abundant for a book of this price. The books main weakness, and this is a big weakness, is that these beautiful and well chosen illustrations are not consistently attributed with the date, name of the work, artist, or museum, and in fact some of them are incorrectly identified or dated. Also, in the sections of the book on the 19th and 20th centuries - both in the illustration placement as well as the text - the reader does not really get a clear picture of the looks of the individual decades and periods within these centuries. Given the rapid changes of silhouettes and styles that occur in these years, a more thorough and detailed account would be welcome. With these notable reservations, this publication has still achieved reasonable success, and is still a recommendable text on the subject, especially for novices. The attractive price - especially the Amazon price - makes this a good value as well and contributes to its overall rating.

5 comments about Vintage Knits: 30 Exquisite Vintage-Inspired Patterns for Cardigans, Twin Sets, Crewnecks and More.

1. As a collector of vintage knitting patterns, I was excited to see what a talented designer would do with classic designs. Quite a lot, is the answer. That said, I do have to agree with some of the criticisms offered in other reviews. This seems to me to be a book for the adventurous knitter who is both willing and able to adapt and individualize patterns to "fine-tune" fit and appearance. I am 5'9" with a 40" bust, and am an experienced knitter. I typically have to adjust size, and usually substitute yarn, color and stitch pattern to meet my size, style and stash reduction needs. This probably is not a book for newer, or less confident knitters who may struggle with these skills. It is a book for knitters who love intricate, polished style, body concious fit and fine technique. I do feel that schematics and charts should have been included to help those knitting the patterns as written and those of us who need to make modifications. Interesting that the Great Britain edition got them and we didn't. I have made 2 sweaters from the book (short-sleeved cardigan with neck tie and Missoni-like wave pattern pullover) and was very pleased with the results. My next project? -a "blouse" from a 1930's era Beeehive yarns manual-written for a size 32" bust with a 32 stitch lace pattern repeat. (Sarah Dallas, I wish that you had gotten to this one first!)



2. I know that this book has been out for a while. But, I'm just waking up to it. There are a few things about this book that really pull it out from the others for me. First, they take old photos from magazines and ads - all the patterns are based off these old photos. So, you get a great feeling for where they are coming from. Second, they have a bit of a modern flair to them. This is wonderful. Lastly, I want to make every single item in this book. It isn't often that I open a book and desire EVERYTHING. But, this is one of them. The patterns range in difficulty and I promise that you will find something in this book to love.



3. The patterns in this book are really lovely, and it's so interesting to see pictures (albeit tiny ones) of the original inspirations from the 1940s and 50s. There are several patterns I would love to knit once I feel comfortable with my knitting skills. This is a book I would probably buy down the road, once I am a more advanced knitter.
   
   I didn't really like how the pictures were all in the front of the book, and the patterns in the back. I'd rather have them side-by-side. Just a small complaint.



4. When I opened this book my first thought was, why did they soft-focus the photography? Pictures should be clear so we know what the garment will look like when we knit it. Next, I was sorry to see that there were no schematics for the patterns. In order to see how fitted a garment is, it is necessary to read the pattern closely, whereas with a schematic you can see at a glance. This is especially needed because the modern photographs show much looser fitting garments than the original photos.
   
   It was not clear to me if the patterns have been modified to make them easier for modern knitters, although I'm guessing they have. Too bad they did not give us the original year of each pattern, because as knitters of vintage patterns we like to know what era we are wearing!
   
   All that aside, I'm looking forward to knitting some of these patterns because they are attractive and look fun to knit.



5. I just recieved this book from Amazon (two days before the earliest estimated delivery!) and I pored through it with the passion of a 1950's child with the Sears Wishbook.
   
   Things I like about this book:
   The patterns are all reasonably authentic in terms of vintage syle, especially if you compare them with the (unfortunately small) inspiration piece photos at the top of each pattern page.
   The pieces look from the patterns (I've not yet knit any of them up) to be largely simple enough to tackle for an advanced/adventurous beginner, although the Tyrolean Cardigan and the Fair Isle patterns seem directed at someone with a more intermediate to advanced skill level. (Then again, a whole Fair Isle piece never seemed like a beginner project to me) The good news is, this means that the book can grow with your skills, instead of some others that wind up on the bottom shelf because of the tediously simple patterns.
   Vintage knits is a book that a twenty three year old rockabilly lady (me) and a 40+ Respiratory Therapist (my mom) can both enjoy. It seems like a lot of the pattern books I find on my Recommendations list can come off as immodest, outlandish, or dowdy. There are markets for each of those categories, but this book has a good combination of fashionability, class, and just plain prettiness that can take the wearer from afternoon business meeting (dress slacks and flats) to evening out (pencil skirt and kitten heels), as well as from college dress up into job market friendly.
   
   Why this book didn't get 5 stars:
   The size range. Perhaps some of the styles are, shall we say, ill suited to the more voluptuous wearers, but in the same breath I am going to have to adapt some of the patterns to fit my appropriately voluptuous mother. (Just because you have two children shouldn't preclude you from having a fantastic wardrobe) Also, as was mentioned by another reviewer, it is more common for the modern woman to take on more Amazonian proportions in height and bust size. If my grandmothers can be any indication, the ladies the original patterns were designed for were TEENY.
   As other reviewers have noted, the suggested yarns are not the least expensive out there, and I can accept that for the "higher end" feeling designs. However, the detail information for the yarns, such as weight, yardage, and fiber content is completely absent, making it very difficult to substitute yarns, or to find a replacement for yarn that may be discontinued in the future. For me, this is a nearly must have feature. I will be making handwritten notes in the margins about the yarn details so that I have the information later on.
   
   All said and done, I look forward to making almost all of the patterns in this book, some of them (like the twin set) in several colors! I consider Vintage Knits, in spite of its flaws, to be a good recommendation for "advanced beginner" level and up knitters who are rather slender and enjoy feminine, vintage style.

No comments about Dressing With Color: The Designer's Guide to Over 1,000 Color Combinations.

5 comments about The Essence of Style: How the French Invented High Fashion, Fine Food, Chic Cafes, Style, Sophistication, and Glamour.

1. Nice book. Gives us an indepth knowledge of how fashion took place and evolved. Nice to read how the many common articles of fashion we see today were styled and how the entire process of style took place



2. Fantastique! As entertaining as it is enlightening! Authoress Joan DeJean's delightful and witty style of writing will make you feel as if you too are partaking of all the lavish indulgences and gossip of King Louis the Fourteenth's court!



3. This is not really a book, but more of a collection of essays examining the origin of various modern concepts of style: hair, culture, fashion, marketing/tourism, footwear, fine dining, coffee, champagne, diamonds, mirrors, nightlife, umbrellas, shopping, perfumes, and entertaining.
   
   As a scholar of French history and culture, the unifying theme of Joan DeJean's work is that the origins of these parts of our modern society came in the reign of Loius XIV of France, and fairly amazing are largly unchanged since their implementation.
   
   By this I mean not the specifics of style, but in the way they function in the greater culture.
   
   DeJean speaks well to the technology being developed at the time as well as the reasons that the late 1600's were the first time these aspects of life could be mass consumed, instead of say, the 1200's.



4. I wasted an hour searching for something of substantive interest in this work. It was time spent in vain. A frivolous book about frivolous things.



5. Topic Selection: B+ Although the book may seem a little all over the place to some, focusing on such diverse aspects of culture as food, clothing, champagne, perfume, parties, and even umbrellas, DeJean does a good job of relating the different parts of the book to one another. She ties them all to a very specific period of history and especially to Louis XIV.
   
   Scholarship: C- DeJean seems to rely fairly heavily on a rather small number of sources, despite the fact that the total number of sources is pretty good. Also, at least some footnotes would help the book.
   
   Readability: A- This book was obviously written to be consumed by a general audience. DeJean's style is very easy to read, although some of the chapters seem repetitive, as she often comes to the same conclusion.
   
   Impartiality: C I detected a definite "France is great" tone to this book that could sometimes be a little distracting. One also gets the impression that DeJean thinks that the move towards rapidly changing fashions was inevitably a good thing, for which she does not give a reason. She was not biased in an overbearing way, but there is definitely a bias there.
   
   Overall: B- I really enjoyed the book and for beginners to this area of history, I think it is ideal. You learn a lot of those little things that you always wondered about, such as where the concept of dessert comes from. DeJean's style is readable and she is obviously passionate about the subject. Serious scholars should stay away, as the book does not always adequately cite it's sources and does not prove its argument as adequately as it could.

3 comments about Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1950s (Schiffer Book for Collectors and Designers,).

1. What a magic book! From the history of commercial patterns to the fantastic quality of the colour photography, the original pattern envelopes just came alive.The wonderful glossy paper quality of the book just enhanced it all.



2. This is a *wonderful* reference for anyone interested in vintage fashion or vintage patterns. Wade Laboissonniere tells the history with page upon page of breathtaking photographs of patterns from the past. Each page truly is more delightful than the last. I will be ordering Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s immediately and can only hope that Mr. Laboissonniere is working on the 1960s and 1970s.



3. This book begins with an interesting overview of the beginnings of the home-sewing pattern industry, and has many interesting tidbits on that alone. But the real treat is page upon page of reproductions of the fronts of pattern envelopes from the fifties, most in color, and all beautiful. Hundreds of ideas for clothing for today.

5 comments about Bedlah, Baubles, and Beads.

1. This book is wonderful! I am currently in the process of designing my own costume and this book was exactly what I needed to help me move from just thinking about making it myself to actually starting the process!
   
   Bedlah, Baubles, and Beads guides you through concept, design and execution. Davina writes in a simple easy to follow manner making this book great for those with basic sewing knowledge and a great tool for the advanced too. I would recommend if you have basic sewing skills to also read through a book about sewing or costume making. I'm finding that brushing up on my skills is going to help me use this great book more effectively and help my costume design and construction go more smoothly.
   
   Overall an excellent tool! I would recommend this book to all lovers of middle eastern dance... especially those who want a fab costume and the pride of making it themselves!



2. It covers everything from body shape to how to make a bra from scratch. Excellent reference book.



3. I'm an experienced sewer and found this book very useful and informative. The instructions are clear and simple. The information highly valuable and practical. Fantastic resource!



4. Inspiring! It has great notes on different styles and ways to flatter your figure, and clear directions on making your own costume for the moderately crafty. The beading section is highly recommended. I hear her website is good, too.



5. As someone that is new to belly dancing I was surprised at the prices of the costumes. Being an avid do-it-yourselfer, I decided to figure out how to make my own. Unless you count 7th grade home economics I have never made a garment in my life, nor have I had any sewing training. This is not to say that I don't sew at all, because I do. I have made lined Roman blinds, pillow covers, duvets, and slipcovers for the v-berth of a boat. Garment sewing has been something that I avoided because it seemed far too complex. This book has given me the confidence to give costume making a whirl.
   
   This book is extremely well written and very easy to follow. The directions are very clear, even for a novice sewer like myself. The book covers the following information:
   
   PART - DESIGN
   1. History
   2. Contemporary Styles of Costume
   3. Principles of Design
   4. Designer's Toolbox
   5. An Analytic Approach to Designing Bedlah
   6. Designing for Every Body
   PART II - BEDLAH CONSTRUCTION AND EMBELLISHMENT
   7. Bra Construction
   8. Belt Construction
   9. Surface Embellishments
   10. Beading Techniques
   11. Developing Beaded Designs
   PART III - COMPLETING THE LOOK
   12. Skirts and Pants
   13. Accent Garments
   14. Dresses and Gowns
   15. Accessories and Embellishments
   
   The section on the contemporary styles of dancewear is very enlightening. The costumes that the author identifies go way beyond what a new belly dancer is aware exists. The author's drawings have opening up a new world of possibilities to me.
   
   The principles of design outlined by the author are extremely helpful. The author managed to answer questions that I didn't know that I had. Once I read about the right and wrong way to proportion things, and emphasis different areas it all made complete sense.
   
   Everyone can learn from the section on how to design for your specific body. We all have areas that we want to emphasize or de-emphasize and the author explains exactly how to go about it.
   
   The author covers Bra construction in this book. However, I recommend her book "Embellished Bras" for a more complete dissertation on the subject. Embellishment of the Bra and Belt are the most difficult parts of the costume. If you can get those done you are home free.
   
   Overall, I thought I knew what I wanted to make until I picked up this book. Now I am thinking my first costume will be an Indian costume from Sari fabric. The options are endless once you have this book for inspiration and instruction. I highly recommend this book to any dancer.

3 comments about Tattoos from Paradise: Traditional Polynesian Patterns.

1. This is an excellent book as a historical reference for Polynesian Tattooing. It offers no new ideas or artwork but combines the historical information from previously published books. I recommend this book for anyone interested in Polynesian tattooing as not the definitive, but a good reference. It focuses a lot on Maori Tattooing and less on other cultures but that may be due to the fact that the Ta Moko had more documentation or illustrations that this author could use to fill his book. This is also a good reference into Polynesian culture because it documents that historically the Tatau was not a fad, or in anyway a negative, rebellious action in Polynesia. Ta Tatau was interwoven into the culture and life as a positive art form historically and today.



2. At a time when there is a cultural rage for "tribal tattooing," there is a scarcity of materials on Polynesian tattooing. This book finally addresses that need. The book contains many historical photographs of examples of 7 different polynesian culture's uses of tattoo. Brief summaries examine each area's history and methods for tattooing. The book is very attractively done. Recommended for anyone serious about tattooing.



3. It i great to know there are books like this that are out that can help the younger polynesian generation learn about their ansetries art and culture.

5 comments about Off the Cuff: The Essential Style Guide for Men--And the Women Who Love Them.

1. This is actually a pretty good book for the fashion novice. For a long time, I never considered myself at all interested in what I wore or how I looked. However, when I decided to try becoming an actor, appearance began to matter a bit more. This was around the the time I purchased this book, and I admit I purchased it not because I love the show Queer Eye, but because it was cheap.
   And the information in here is, to be fair, quite solid. Before reading this, I was overly fond of the color black, despite my fair skin and slim build. But on a tip from this book, I started switching to more greens, blues, and yellows, and have gotten nothing but compliments for it. I've also started taking more fastidious care of my skin and hair, and have to admit its a routine I have fallen into quite comfortably.
   The biggest drawback of this book, for me, was the author himself. Contained herein is great and accessible suggestions for how to match the colors up, how to freshen up your wardrobe, how to watch what pants with what shirt and shoes, etc. But behind it all is the obnoxiously flamboyant style of a man who's wrist is probably limper than wet noodle. For some fellows, like myself, it becomes annoying to read when each sentence whispers "I'm gay, tee hee!"
   Overall, a fairly quick read and solid information. Just do not purchase if you are excessively homophobic.



2. For a little over $12, this book gives a lot of info about the different types of clothes/accessories that the average guy would not have been aware of. It simple enough for anyone to read and gives a lot of useful tips without getting into too much detail about useless stuff.
   
   For example, the discussion on different types of pants and when it is appropriate to wear them is really very practical. A highly-recommended book for anyone who wants to improve their wardrobe.



3. This book has lots of good advice and helpful tips. It is written in Carson Kressley's inimitable style which means you will laugh out loud at times.



4. I bought this book for my husband. He's an engineer and they have a "uniform" - khaki pants and a golf shirt. I tried for years to upgrade this image, but to no avail. With a recent promotion and some hard earned weight loss, I wanted him to be more knowledgeable about how he gets dressed in the morning. I bought several books on men's fashion, but this is the one he refers to most often. It's simple, straight forward and funny, and it's getting good results. Thank you Carson!



5. Karson's Approach is very informative and funny although I might not agree with all of his ideas on styling. I like the fact that he can be very 'in-your-face' but that's great and at least he's being honest with a lot of fashion faux pas that people make.