3 comments about Calico Chronicle: Texas Women and Their Fashions 1830-1910.

1. This book is amazing. It's a great reference for the everday clothes of women on the frontier. It discusses general fashions along with construction techniques and material choices. There are lots of good pictures of clothes, including some close-ups to see details of construction. The book also talks about how women treated their clothes--where they brought them from, how they re-used and re-fashioned them, how they got new materials, and such. It's particularly excellent in that it focuses largely on the group of women who aren't in many of the other books, those who weren't in a city and couldn't follow Parisian fashions and have new dresses every season. A wonderful book for anyone interested in the fashions of homesteading women.



2. I have owned this book for years and use it often in my work as a historic garment researcher & seamstress. Copious primary source material in the form of store ads, photographs of original garments in the Museum's collection, and easy-to-understand, logical descriptions of the times and social conditions under which these clothes were worn. ...



3. The pictures are beautiful, the information is extensive, and it'll make you want to sew!

2 comments about The Perfect Wedding Dress.

1. Gee whiz - Who doesn't know that Audrey Hepburn _wasn't_ "Holly Golightly" in My Fair Lady as this author asserts on page 55?



2. The Perfect Wedding Dress is more than a history or consumer's survey: it packs a sourcebook of design ideas with inspirations for a made-to-measure gown, discussing body shapes, fabrics which work best for wedding dresses, and other kinds of options such as suits. Over 300 photos of modern brides display both vintage and contemporary choices, offering plenty of idea resources perfect for public library lending collections.

2 comments about Grace Coddington & Didier Malige: The Catwalk Cats.

1. Coddington and Malige would be up to their ears in catnip offerings. The authors have donated large sums to cat rescue (and convinced others to do the same). The illustrations are zany, artful fantasies that will make you laugh while the photos capture those deep cat feelings that make us fall in love with our pets over and over again. The text is sheer delight--& I promise you that you'll give it more than one read. You couldn't choose a better gift for yourself or anyone who knows what it's like to live with a little cat hair on their clothes, in their food--and wouldn't have it any other way!



2. Grace Coddington and Didier Malige have written a wonderful book that is both entertaining and moving. While all pet owners imagine the "secret" adventures of their pets, Ms. Coddington and Mr. Malige have created an enchanting version of urban cat life - with charming parallels to their city-dwelling owners. More importantly, this book is a moving tribute to the real importance of companion animals in our lives, to their ability to transform our perspective with their (feline) mystery and inscrutable kitty intelligence. This book is a must-read for any cat lover! - Karen Leslie, Executive Director, The Pet Fund

3 comments about Yard: The Life and Magnificent Jewelry of Raymond C. Yard.

1. so many of the pcs that we still see coming available from estates are not that distinct.... I know that every time I see one from Yard tthat it will be special.... the book tells why



2. I had not seen this book "in person" and am often disappointed in the quality of other art books I have purchased. Not so with "Yard: The Life and Magnificent Jewelry of Raymond C. Yard". It was meant to be a gift, but I must confess that I devoured the elegant photographs and the interesting copy before I wrapped this special book up for its new owner!



3. For a moderately priced book of a semi-obscure jeweler this book completes its goals. However, those looking for an actual in depth history of the business and its founder will not find it here. Lushly photographed and info-heavy on a few of Yard's more famous clients-it entertains and earns its price tag.

5 comments about Change Your Shoes, Change Your Life: Strut Your Way to a Fabulous New You!.

1. I was hopeless; I wore comfortable... shoes usually from Payless. Nothing wrong with that until I was bored and waiting for friends at a bookstore and saw the pretty red cover of this book and briefly read bits and parts. Left the store without buying it; but it had some strange hold on me. A month later, back in the store I picked it up again to read bits more, but again, left without buying. The few parts I read had me. I had to go back and buy it. So strange to have to buy it; like an addiction.
   Found it... so fluffy yet sooo fun. I learned so much and more. I bought a notebook and actually took notes! AND found the courage and strength to buy my first pair of 'real' shoes. Thank Reynolds for so much fun. Like the best magazine articles organized!!! I've bought several for gifts; it has started to change my life!



2. Who knew that humble footwear could have such an influence on our lives?
   
   If you're a lifelong "shoe diva", you probably suspected that the coverings you choose for your little piggies could:
   
   --improve your self esteem
   --make men drool
   --get you a better job
   --make your entire wardrobe look better
   --improve your daily comfort
   
   But, if you're like the rest of us (oblivious ones) you may not have realized just how high you can soar on those stilletos or platform heels, or, even, dare I say it?--ballerina flats.
   
   Sue Reynolds does a wonderful job of making footwear seem fascinating (there's plenty of historical information in this book,along with the fashion advice) and, even if you're an athletic shoe kind of gal, you may find yourself wanting to add spunky laces to those Nikes!
   
   A fun read, recommended!



3. Susan Reynolds is a delightful, captivating woman with an engaging sense of humor-part historian and etymologist, part social commentator and psychologist, and above all, a consummate connoisseur of footwear.
   
   I had the wonderful opportunity to hear Reynolds on a talk show recently, and marveled at her ability to elaborate on a topic as pedestrian and superficial to the casual observer as footwear and shoe preference. With equal finesse, Reynolds can discuss the mythological implications of the shoe as a metaphorical archetype, and dissect the aesthetic attributes and architectural nuances of a DKNY slingback. It's a testament to Reynolds' passion about shoes that the interviewer, though indifferent to shoes themselves, confessed a fascination with shoe aficionados!
   
   Having been a wedding and portrait photographer, I'd come to appreciate the vital dimension that props and other objects of personal significance occupy in the overall visual motif. As creatures with enormous curiosity, we're constantly scrutinized by those around us who diagnose and analyze--both overtly and subconsciously--all the varied and subtle details we exhibit to the world. For women more so than men, apparel in general--and the shoe in particular--is a kind of shorthand to assist acquaintances and strangers in constructing a sensible representation of who we are (or would like to be). So why not "strut your stuff," to quote one of Reynolds favorite admonitions!
   
   Reynolds is enormously fun to read, and you'll discover fascinating anthropological revelations about shoes and their evolutionary heritage. For example, she draws amusing parallels between humans and baboons when reflecting on a finding gleaned from primate studies. Baboons in the field, according to Reynolds, walk on the balls of their feet when sexually aroused!
   
   While scientists are left to hypothesize that such curious traits evolved as adaptive mechanisms enabling the species to survive, I'm forced to admire Reynolds' ability to shift from the sublime to the hilarious. The image of an ape in stiletto pumps, after all, is one I'm not likely to forget!
   
   "Change Your Shoes, Change Your Life" is an enjoyable and flirtatious read for women who love shoes, and for men who love the many aspects to a woman's personality that a pair of shoes can so mysteriously and marvelously evoke.



4. This is a fun and inspirational book - great for any shoe-lovin girlfriend.



5. "Change Your Shoes, Change Your Life" had me laughing in some places and nodding my head in agreement in many others. It updates the Cinderella fairy tale to an adult level, and answers a lot of questions about why men respond to women the way they do. Now, if the author could only explain why else men act the way they do, and what we can do about it!
   Not only did I buy several copies of this book for stocking stuffers and Secret Santa exchange gifts, it's also my book club's assigned reading for next month along with -- ready for this -- "Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask." Won't that be an interesting meeting!!!

No comments about Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie: Intimacy and Design.

2 comments about Norman Parkinson: Portraits in Fashion.

1. Norman Parkinson was one of the most amazing photographers. His career spanned from the 1930s through the 1980s and he worked with many of the biggest celebrities of each decade and some of the most prominent magazines. His photos were artistic, clear, symmetrical, and showed a mastery of light. This book is an exhibition of his talents in fashion photography. It is forewarded by model Iman. The book overviews each decade and proceeds with amazing photographs from each era.
   
   There are photos of major stars like Iman, Noel Coward, Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Raquel Welch, Jerry Hall, Appollonia, and Bianca Jagger. There are advertisements from major magazines like Harpers Bazaar, Vogue, Life, Queen, and Town and Country.



2. Beginning his career in the 1930s, the British photographer Norman Parkinson practically invented the genre of fashion photography with his bold, elegant, and imaginative photographs in the magazines Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Town and Country, and others. Robin Muir, former picture edition of the British "Vogue," follows Parkinson's career with an introduction and with an essay and gallery of representative photographs from each decade from the 1930s to the '80s. Parkinson died in 1990 while on location for a photo shoot. Parkinson managed to remain at the center of the highly-competitive field of fashion photography for the most demanding fashion magazines because his photographic genius was such that he adapted to the styles, celebrities, imagination, and interests of each decade without loosing his exceptional, uncompromising gift. His buoyant, mannerly personality going with his self-evident professionalism played a part in this. A Parkinson photograph from the 1980s stands out as clearly as one from the beginning of his career in the 1930s, as does one from any other decade. This finely-produced art book with informative and knowledgeable text and over 100 full-page photos, most in color, is a fitting commemoration of this incomparable fashion photographer who left an indelible mark on the field.

No comments about Career Diary of a Fashion Stylist: Gardner's Guide Series (Gardner's Guide series).

1 comments about William Morris and Morris & Co..

1. I did not purchase this book, but I did check it out from my library. I have to say that this is a great book displaying William Morris' textile and wallpaper designs in contemporary settings.
   
   I have seen books that use William Morris' designs and the rooms are not fresh, but look dated. You won't find that in this book. The photos are rich in detail and gives readers great decorating ideas.
   
   If you are a collector of William Morris' wallpapers or fabrics, or if you love beautiful interiors that blend contemporary with traditional, then I think you will enjoy this book.

2 comments about Vogue Fitting: The Book of Fitting Techniques, Adjustments, and Alterations.

1. The book was in fine condition when I rec'd it. I didn't however realize how old the copyright was on the book. I was looking for something more current that dealt with clothing alterations rather than pattern alterations.



2. An oldy but a goody. Gives very practical instructions to diagnose and correct just about every fitting problem you may have with clothing. An indispensable reference