5 comments about Colors for Modern Fashion.

1. This is one of the best books to own if you're doing any type of color illustrations. This has excellent color guides and shows many techniques. This book cannot get any better!



2. Great book on fashion illustration. High quality drawings. There are tutorials for each chapter which you can do yourself. The only thing I would comment is that the book should be proofread before printing.



3. I was having difficulty with coloing my designs and this book gave me so much insight and guidance that I highly recommend this to anyone interested in fashion design. I also own her 9 Heads book and that has also been a wealth of useful information.



4. The best recommendation for this text would be to break up the book into particular sections on rendering different types of fabrics first; and then doing full body/outfit examples. All the info is here and a definite companion to 9 HEADS but not recommended for beginners. Its great if you have back knowledge of fabrics and drawings but would be very confusing for those just starting out.
   
   Overall, 4 stars, the info's all there, you've just got to go searching for it.



5. This book is absolutely perfect for anyone seeking to improve fashion drawing and rendering techniques. Through the different chapters, the author takes you on a step by step learning experience in this sort of art. I highly recommend it

2 comments about Sewing for the Apparel Industry.

1. Claire Shaeffer writes informative books about sewing and fabrics for the home sewer. Claire Shaeffer should have either stayed in the sewing industry or gained real experience in the garment industry before she dare charge $71 for a vacuous outsider's perspective of this so-called "apparel industry". The book has a generic text book tome and the corny needle and thread clip art screams "home sewer". There is nothing wrong with home sewing. I've been sewing since I was 10. Making clothes has been my quiet hobby and a source of unending fascination. The truth is: the garment industry doesn't want to deal with home sewers. "Fashion" designers and home sewers both share ignorance and arrogance as annoying, unappealing traits. Anyone can doodle on a napkin, but who can construct it from a sketch, fit it right, and sew it up professionally, within your cost structure? Not a "fashion" designer or a home sewer can do that, yet they think that they are greater than the process for they are completely unaware of the process. The goal is to work well with the fashion and garment industries. If you are looking for this kind of information in this book, you won't find it.

   This book is expensive, inaccurate, and underwhelming. The "sewing on paper project" (page 50) is laughable. How will sewing on a piece of paper get me any closer to dealing with "the apparel industry"? Claire Shaeffer's terms are off. Apparel is nebulous - it's either the fashion or garment industry. The fashion industry sells the clothes while the garment industry makes the clothes. It's "block" rather than "sloper". Good blocks are everything, so learn how to make them and alter them yourself - for everything revolves around your blocks! It is your block that you take to garment manufactures from which they sew a sample. They don't need your pretty little sample. It is good to sew your "first sample" for your benefit, for you will know, in general, how to construct it and the number of steps for costing benefit. What are those 101 steps of garment production? You won't find the answer in this book. It is quite a leap going from home sewer to design entrepreneur and those of us taking that leap need accurate and relative information about the ways of the garment industry. Without accurate information, that leap means you'll never know how to contact garment manufactures; you can't define what you want and they don't know what to deliver; your clothes will never fit and you will have committed tons of money on a "dog"; you won't ever know the language of the garmento and you will sound like an a buffoon; you will sew the long, circuitous route rather than the expedient way like the professionals using industrial machines and practices. For those of you looking for information to facilitate crossing the chasm from home sewer to design entrepreneur, you won't find it here.




2. This is the type of book that should be used in schools for Merchandising OR Fashion Design. I cannot get over it's usefullness. Everything I wanted (and needed) to hear about about clothing manufacture is in this book! Fairchild Pubs could never publish such a USEFUL and INTELLIGENTLY WRITTEN book. Those bastards always make textbooks difficult to understand and fill them with meaningless JABBERWOCKY!! Half the time, they don't even have a decent glossary or INDEX (if there is one at all) whereas Claire it seems, has given us the full tour. Peripheral data you could care less about is not here!! Nothing to waste your time, only a step-by-step layout of what happens when a person or people manufacture clothing for retail purposes. From the design concepts (who and how they're created) to what type of people you would need (including full job descriptions) to what the considerations are for contracting, shipping etc.. There are also tons of other little things including pictures that are laid out in a very intelligible way. The beauty of her writing is that the data is always concious that you may not be a huge entreprenuer, and applies methods for the little guy as well. Just an amazing book. I almost don't want anyone else to know about it...

5 comments about The New Professional Image: From Business Casual to the Ultimate Power Look.

1. It seems that in our ever-increasingly casual society, we have lost some of our common sense when dressing for the office. This book has no surprises - there are no hidden secrets for compiling a work wardrobe - if we put a bit of thought into it, I'm sure most people could determine on their own that belly tops, sandals, frayed jeans, see-through blouses and poor grooming are potentially career-limiting moves.

   The information in this book is pretty basic. Save your money - you can probably get this quality of advice from Mom - for free.




2. If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to making a positive impact through appearance, this is your book. I am a recruiter with a Fortune 100 company in the US, and a professional image consultant recommended this book to me when I originally began my position. As a person who was looking for solid guidelines around professional dressing, as well as a reference for others who are looking to improve their appearance, I have found no other book to be comparable.

   There are many aspects which make this book such an important resource for professionals:

   1. The author provides specific guidelines around what items should be in a professional wardrobe, even going as far as to outline what quantities are particularly helpful of each piece of clothing.

   2. The book is filled with "before and after" pictures, which allow the reader to see first-hand how the author's recommendations can make a startling appearance alteration.

   3. To reflect the variety of workplace formality levels, there are six levels of workplace dress covered in the chapters. For those people who work for companies that have never successfully defined "Casual Friday", this book gives a lot of great hints of how to dress casual but still remain professional.

   4. Two separate chapters outline accessories and generic grooming guidelines, and I have only found those hints in this particular guideline book.

   5. For people looking to improve their wardrobe on a limited budget or a first job out of school, the author does not suggest spending a fortune on designer clothing. Rather, she suggests some key pieces to acquire first, and then others that can be obtained after your finances begin to improve.

   Overall, I see the negative impact every day in my position from candidates who do not make the extra effort to go from "dressing up" to "looking professional". I strongly suggest that you make the $15 investment in this book, since it could help you to acquire the high paying career of your dreams!




3. This book is an excellent guide to dressing for the workplace regardless of where you work. I especially liked the sections on business casual (for both men and women). This section helped me to see that, though I am a manager in my firm, I was dressing like the delivery man. There are so many options for dressing these days and dress has become so casual that we lose sight of the impact that our clothing has on others and the subtle signals we send. The authors do an excellent job of demonstrating how important dress is, especially for women. And, it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to dress well, it just takes conscious buying and this book as your guide. If you feel like you are not making the impact at work and maybe in your life that you would like to make, get this book. Perhaps your appearance is sending a different message.



4. As a young woman entering the workforce, I recognized the need to make a strong first impression. What I lacked was the concrete rules to pull this off. This book is outstanding! Given to me as a present, it will surely serve as my dressing bible for years to come. I was especially helped by the dress/grooming guidelines given for specific occasions and the tips for creating a more polished overall look.

   Just be forewarned that the women's photos show fashions which are about five years out of style, but the overall ideas are still applicable to everyday life. Men's fashions are a lot more constant so their section is still current.




5. I am currently beginning my second career and needed the Zero to 60 information, now, to level the playing field. You may think, gee, this guy should know all the rules--but my first career was 25 years in the military. Susan Bixler and Nancy Nix-Rice have me confident that when I walk into the interview, I will have the external factors covered (the first 30 seconds)--they even give you hints on how posture, speak, and express the internal you--your knowledge, skills, and ability. I notice people much more now--I look for the suit and tie color, suit make, belts, shoe style, etc., to see the type client the individual is playing up or down to. If you're at all uncertain--this is your next book--you will not be sorry.

5 comments about Dress in Detail From Around the World.

1. I returned this book to Amazon because it did not meet my needs. Each garment portrayed in this book is portrayed in the same way. There are 2 graphics for each garment portrayed. One is a detailed drawing of each complete garment and the other is a detailed or close-up photograph of a small portion of the garment. My problem is that there were no complete photographs of any of the garments. I was surprised the authors chose not to photograph any of the garments portrayed in their entirety. Not one! A drawing doesn't come close to a photograph. And a close-up photograph of only a portion of the garment is not enough as well. You need a complete photograph of the entire garment in order for the reader to get the proper feel for a garment.



2. This is indeed a beautiful book, but it is also maddening! A full length color photo of each garment should have been included to demonstrate how the detail relates to the whole and the black and white line drawings don't do it.



3. This book features pictures of details from extant ethnic costumes from more than fifty countries. Next to each picture is a flat (line drawing) of the whole garment, which allows you to see construction and some stitching details, as well as the overall shape. Descriptions alongside each flat include mention of the gender, class, time period, and ethnicity of a person who might wear the garment, as well as a context in which they might do so.
   
   The organization is a little odd, since it relates to the particular detail featured (e.g. "Necklines", or "Pleats and Gathers") but the index allows a search by place, which is very helpful. It also includes a map, glossary, and suggestions for further readings. Students interested in cultural dress will enjoy this brief introduction, though for more in-depth studies of a region, they should look into other resources.



4. This is one of the most gorgeous and inspirational dress/costume books I've ever seen. The photos are clear, detailed, and focus on all the right things. If you're looking for design ideas or just eye candy, this fits the bill. It's a pity amazon.com doesn't remove the one-star review. His complaint has nothing to do with the book itself--just poor HTML linking on amazon's part. This book deserves to have a solid five-star rating. (6/9/06--I'm happy to see the one-star review was removed)



5. Dress in Detail from around the world is one of the most inspirational books I have purchased. It expands your paradigm for designing your own patterns using the line drawings of these costumes. The embellishments, closures and use of multiple fabric combos is endless. The designs are simple and yet elegant depending on your choice in fabric. I feel they are adaptable to many figure types. I loved the focus of detail on necklines and cuffs as well as closures!

No comments about LOST Ultimate Guide Season II: The Unauthorized Guide to the ABC Hit Series Show LOST Season Two.

5 comments about So Far, So Goude.

1. In the fashion photography scene sometimes it's easy to forget, that before it exists the visual flamboyance of Lachapelle there were french photographers like Guy Bordin or precisely Jean Paul Goude.
   
   Starting in the pre photoshop times, if only to see how he was completly free to transform in any way his images through scissors, tape and spray, the book would be completly worth the price. Plus you can see his artistic approaches from conception to the actual photograph, his talent in drawing, painting, and retouch.
   
   Besides being the creative force behind Grace Jones imaginery he is also the creator of so well known ads like the Chanel campaing for Coco with Vanessa Paradis or the building with the screaming ladies in each balcony claiming: Egoistee!. the DVD included has all of this in a very good quality and goes around 40 minutes, so I am not clear why somebody here complains about it. Check what is available in youtube to have an idea.
   
   Much further than advertising or even the fashion scene he created, the book goes directly into the ART land, and is absolutly a must for anyone into photography, fashion or contemporary culture. How he is able to create a completly different universe of his own, full of a distinctive iconography full of sense of humor and chic make him a full and interesting creator. One must wonder how is it possible he is not better known outside France.



2. One of the best books showcasing a terrific artist's work! Just a complaint: the DVD included would have been much better with sound...



3. This book Is a Must Have for all FASHIONISTAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   Great PICTURES. Comesa with a DVD, which is EXCELLENT



4. This beautifuly produced book is a must for all advertising creatives.
   Includeed CD contains Goude's famous TV spots, but unfortunatelly not full lenght.



5. JP Goude is known for his amazing photos of Grace Jones, but this book is full of many great shots, advertisements, graphics. A must for creative people. This book is "So Goude"!!!

2 comments about Eighteenth-Century Clothing at Williamsburg (Williamsburg Decorative Arts Series) (Williamsburg Decorative Arts Series).

1. I bought this with Costume Close-up by Baumgarten, and while it has pretty pictures and some interesting information, the brochure (and it really is just a bigger, prettier, brochure for the Williamsburg collection) just isn't as thick and full of the structural goodness that I appreciate in my costume literature. Worth getting, of course, but not one of those books I will end up relying on again, and again, like others I could mention (but will refrain from doing so in the interests of brevity).



2. This is a carefully researched, beautifully photographed monograph on everyday clothing and high style fashions worn by early Americans during this important century in our history. A valuable resource for costume designers, writers, re-enactors, and historians, it also provides documentation and suggestions for further study.

1 comments about Visual Merchandising & Display.

1. I like this book very much. It is full of information and useful for my business.

2 comments about Fabric Reference (4th Edition).

1. My spouse is an avid quilt enthusiast that has for some time wanted to delve more into fabrics, their manufacture and individual characteristics. My gift to her of this standard reference work gives her the long awaited opportunity to really understand the materials before she designs a new quilt. She can now also select new and different fabrics for their inherent characteristics rather than only select "off the shelf" fabrics usually found at most fabric shops.



2. The Fabric Reference, along with the Fabric Glossary provides the best comprehensive reference of basic textiles that you can obtain anywhere in today's market. To make it a perfect reference set, you can purchase the Fabric Glossary Swatch Set directly from Ms. Humphries, which provides fabric samples to be taped into the Fabric Glossary while giving the history, manufacturing (weave, knit, lace, etc.) description and fabric content for each swatch allowing for a realistic study of fabrics. This Fabric Glossary can be continually added to as you find new fibers and fabrics - keeping an updated reference at your finger tips.
   These boks are a must for fabric designers, interior designers, pattern drafters and anyone interested in fabrics or textiles, this is a three part set, which when purchased becomes all inclusive. It is rare to find any books on textiles where you can actually touch the fabrics, providing a realistic knowledge of specific make-up and texture of the fabrics. I searched for years to find a book which I could use to give a compressive overview of the textile industry, before I found Ms. Humphries set of books, and I have been using it for the past three years as the foundation of my college course. Please note that in the fall of 2003, the third revision came out and it provides a wealth of information about the new micro-fibers that are found in today's market.
   This three part set (2 parts you can purchase from this company and the swatch set you need to purchase separately - information to do this, is in each book) is the best reference of textiles available.

3 comments about Techno Textiles 2: Revolutionary Fabrics for Fashion and Design.

1. I love this book. It is super visual and has so many crazy textiles and designs. This book is great for inspiration for design.



2. This book was not at all what was expected...
   It almost has no purpose.



3. TECHNO TEXTILES: REVOLUTIONARY FABRICS FOR FASHION AND DESIGN will prove an exciting pick for any designer or artist working in fabrics. Here are features of new textiles developed from carbon, steel and even glass: materials which protect wearers from the environment or offer new versatility traditional fabrics can't match. Accompanying color photos of fabrics in use are discussions of changing trends in fabric construction, design and style - an outstanding display of images in a top-rated title juxtaposing art and functional style. Very highly recommended.
   
   Diane C. Donovan, Editor
   California Bookwatch