2 comments about Style Deficit Disorder: Harajuku Street Fashion - Tokyo.

1. I live in Tokyo and this is pretty legitimate account of the history of trends in Harajuku. Two thumbs up!



2. Rarely has a book been published with more insight and subject comprehension than "Style Deficit Disorder: Harajuku Street Fashion -- Tokyo" by Ms. Godoy. It is clear that Ms. Godoy has done a enormous amount of research and exploration in illuminating the complex and fascinating subject matter of Tokyo street fashion. Anyone who has ever lived in Japan will attest to the relentless and creative fashion changes that the youth culture has embraced and adapted to their own unique expression of individualism. Anyone wishing to understand the fashion phenomenon of Tokyo this book is the one to own- all the other manuscripts fail in comparison to Ms. Godoy's research. Ms. Godoy has written the definitive work on Harajuku Street fashion and culture.

5 comments about Fashion (Taschen 25th Anniversary).

1. Purusing these two books is a delightful experience. Anyone with an appreciation for fashion and clothing created in the 17th - 20th centuries will be amazed at the care and keeping the pieces in the Kyoto Museum's collection have received. The close-up photography reveals the marvel of the handwork and creation of each design, and each piece is a wonderful representation of its era. And the price of the set was unbelievable!! All around, a wonderful find and a keeper.



2. I own the one volume book in paperback.
   In comparing the two books side by side they are nearly identical!
   But the two volume set is missing 14 pages that appear in the copy that I own! Most of the images are just close-ups of the garments, one set is a period illustration from Diderot, but some are garments completely omitted. The 20th century fashion is all complete though.
   So you have a toss up choice, larger photos or more photos. otherwise they are identical!
   
   4 out of 5 stars because of those missing pictures.



3. This set of books is absolutely stunning. I paid NZ$150 (around US$90)at a bookstore here in New Zealand and volume 1 alone is worth every penny of the sale price.
   If you're interested in historical costume, you won't regret this purchase.



4. Due to the publisher not anticipating the demand for this set of books it took me just over a year to acquire my copy. It was more than worth the wait. The photography is stunning. If you have an interest in costuming
   add this book to your collection without delay.



5. Your mailman will probably hate you for buying this but this is really one of the best resources to have and it's very inspirational! You get 2 hardcover volumes with great large photos for a really bargain price, I love it!

No comments about Paris 1962: Yves Saint Laurent and Dior, Christian Dior, The Early Collections.

5 comments about Positively Crochet!: 50 Fashionable Projects and Inspirational Tips.

1. This is a great book if you're not plus-sized. If you are plus-sized, or if you frequently crochet for plus-sized women, consider that you will invest extra time resizing several of the projects. I've noticed that even the largest sizes in the book sometimes do not fit the dimensions noted, even when gauge is religiously checked.
   
   Still, the designs are beautiful and very wearable, so it is worth the money. If you buy this book and are concerned that you may need to know more about sizing, consider picking up Crochet Me and this month's Interweave Crochet, both of which have a lot of information about sizing and lots more great projects!



2. This book is better than I expected. Several items are things I would actually make and wear. The inspirational stuff is kind of cheesy but not at all intrusive. Great addition to my crochet library!



3. I am a crochet designer and I think this book is a great change from the past.
   I enjoyed the designs and found something for every style and level. Modern designs along with some classic are found in a book with wonderful color photos. The two things that stand out and make it different are the tips and the positive thoughts included. I found them uplifting and read them over and over again. No I am not a bible thumper, just a crochet addict but my spirits were totally uplifted when I finished reading this book.
   Cindy



4. I've seen several completed projects from this book listed on ravelry.com. After viewing the projects, I decided this book was a definite `must have'. I have to say this is one of the most inspiring books that I own! I absolutely love how much the spirit is just right in the pages. It gives a very good outlook on life. Not only do I love the designs in the book, I absolutely love reading the Words of Encouragement.
   
   I would like to sincerely thank Mary Jane for sharing such wonderful thoughts and tips throughout her book. And for creating such wonderful designs! You can tell that God has surely blessed her!
   
   -Sarah, Colorado



5. MaryJane Hall's Positively Crochet! has provided a very Positive Crochet experience for me. I found her book to be full of beautiful patterns geared toward the 20 something age group. In searching through this book I found many patterns that I intend to make for my daughter. While I think this is a great book, I think it will have the most appeal to someone who is in the 20-30 age range. The patterns appear to be fairly easy, so I think it is also a great book for newer crocheters who have an interested in creating their own crocheted fashions. MaryJane's inspirational sayings are a great pick-me-up as well. She definitely gives you something to think about.

5 comments about Gee's Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt.

1. This book is great, and the pictures are wonderful. I'm studying for an upcoming exhibition and I am very satisfied.



2. I am really enjoying reading and looking at the pictures of the quilts in this book. I have met several of the ladies and decendants of the Gee' Bend Quilters and find their stories so interesting. The quilts definitely do define the quilters, their strengths and weaknesses, their ups and downs. I recomend this book to anyone who holds quilts near and dear to their hearts.



3. This book is gorgeous!!! It includes large photographs of tons of quilts, in a size that allows you to see the smallest details, such as topstitching. It also includes inspirational photos of details of the town. However, it's not your typical coffe table book, because it has probably equal parts very informative text and visuals. Since it's not small enough to carry with me on the train, it's been hard separating myself from this book-- it is beautiful!



4. I like this book because it is full of information about the construction of the quilts and alot of trivia about the makers of the quilts. Very beautiful pictures! A great book for learning.



5. This book illustrates the link between the incredibly beautiful quilts produced by five generations of African American women in the South to the architecture they saw around them and to their own artistic vision. Their personal stories, contained in chapters toward the end of the book, are very moving and inspirational.

4 comments about The Little Box of Socks.

1. I just received this great little box of sock patterns and I already have planned a few projects using some of my special single and multi colored hand-dyed stash that I've been hoarding while waiting to find patterns worthy of using it on. There are so many great patterns in this "box" with lots of really interesting textures. I love how each pattern is on a separate folded laminated card which is great for those of us that keep sock projects stashed in our purses for on-the-go knitting.



2. This is a great sock book! 20 laminated patterns in a little box .Perfect for those who like hand dyed yarn., but works well for those who dont.I planned out my next 3 socks One already on the needles the day i got this book!



3. The last thing I need is another sock pattern book, but I just couldn't pass this one up. It has socks for every skill level and gives many, many, many options for working with hand-painted yarns so they don't "puddle" into blobs of color. Those patterns alone are worth the price of the book. There are even more great patterns, though. Lace socks, felted socks, Fair Isle socks, you name it, this box of sock patterns has it. As soon as I got my Little Box of Socks, I found one of the patterns to be just perfect for some very persnicketty sock yarn I have - the pattern will work beautifully with it - and the socks are already cast on. Talk about motivating! Even if you own every sock book there is, this Little Box of Socks is well worth having for its own unique designs.



4. Something to satisfy every knitter? Not in my book. 20 patterns, only one toe-up and it is without a doubt the ugliest sock ever, with it's huge lacy flounces. The concept of a box of patterns is great, but the patterns are a great disappointment.

5 comments about New Women's Dress for Success.

1. Older versions had more illustrations. What happened to them? They were so much more informative. I was disappointed as I got this for my daughter. Otherwise, the advice presented is very accurate and up-to-date.



2. I think this book is great. I am a young (under 30), short girl. Do you know how hard it is to be taken seriously in an all-male manufacturing environment? These are classy ways to still be a woman and taken like the professional I am. I notice the difference in obeying the rules and then sometimes just wearing whatever I want. This book is valid to my career. I am a Finance Manager, the financial consultant to the business.



3. Good overall message about dressing professional but, the clothing styles he writes about are from the 1980's.



4. I appreciate John Molloy's research into business clothing; however, this book is only helpful if you work in a company where clothing is not too casual, or if you need to figure out what to wear for job interviews. If every day is "business casual" at your job, this book will help you figure out the best colors and quality, but it won't help you understand what to wear. John advocates always wearing a business-like skirt when possible, and always having a jacket on hand. In my job as a computer programmer, where most men where slacks and polo shirts, this would be too formal.
   
   The book is somewhat repetitive, but it helps to drill the right attitude into your mind - clothes are important, quality is very important, and navy blue is always a good choice. There are a few black-and-white illustrations, but they seem outdated to me.
   
   [...]



5. I was never a fan of Malloy's books when I first read them in the 1980s and 1990s. But I must admit that his basic principles hold true today. Classic attire is best for interviews and companies (such as pharmaceutical sales) that are still traditional suits-only fields. He is also correct when he says that the fashion industry works against professional attire for women, and that if you are excessively stylish in a corporate setting, you will lose credibility. Changing fashion styles are an incredible waste of money. However, you should disregard the outdated suits, rigid hairstyles and hard attache case in favor of more contemporary classic styles. A better book for that is "Dressing Smart" by Chic Simple Author Kim Johnson-Gross. Moreover, if you work in a creative field, you must not follow the navy & white starched formula of dressing--this could get you demoted. Malloy does mention this point, but doesn't really advise for creative jobs.

1 comments about Christian Lacroix on Fashion.

1. I saw the Christian Lacroix exhibit in Paris last month. I spent much longer than I had planned savoring it and wished I had more time to linger there. This wonderful book has provided just that. The text is engaging and the photographs accurate representations of the exhibit. It was an extraordinary exhibit and this book accurately presents it. I recommend it to everyone interested in Christian Lacroix, fashion, embroidery, fabric and the needlearts. This one is a treasure.

5 comments about Patterns of Fashion: The Cut and Construction of Clothes for Men and Women C1560-1620.

1. You must have this book!!!! The historical information in the front of this book is truly exhaustive. This tome is methodically done. Starting with the art from the period, Arnold traces the cut and design of garments throughout the period, giving extant primary source documentation. She then recreates the garment in patterns in the back half of the book. If you want to know precisely how Elizabethan garments were worn, or wish to look as though you have stepped directly from this period in history, this book will be peerless in your library.



2. This book is a nice resource to add to a costumer's or period re-enactment library, but is not for the beginner. Ms Arnold assumes that catridge pleating, lining, and interling are all a part of a normal skills set. Also, most of the pictures are in black and white, making it look as though they only wore black (my main frustration with Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd by the same author.)
   
   The book does a nice job of relating the recovered garments to either the actual person's portrait wearing them or similar portraits of the time. Some of the clothes recovered are from violent events - some details of which can be disturbing to the unprepared.
   
   Ms Arnold has done a fantastic job of layout of recovered clothing. With a little sewing experience, these patterns can be adapted to modern re-creation. The details, even in black and white, can be replicated with a little imagination. This is more of a book of details of what was done, not how to do it. I would like to see a compendium made of details - tools how to get a certain effect in the leather work, how the corsets were made with reeds, how the pinking was done on the hanging sleeves, etc.
   
   By and large, this book is well worth the cost.



3. This book was very insightful. But I had no idea that it would be so big. It really doesn't fit well on any book shelf. That's the only reason why I gave it four stars.



4. Worth every penny. And worth the awkward fit on a bookshelf. Not that it would spend much time shelved anyway. Comprehensive informative text that breaks down a GREAT DEAL of minutia about the dressmakers craft. Includes information on the different processes that were carried out to create a piece of clothing for an individual. Like pattern theory, how things were roughed out before a finished product, fitting, style adaptations, how and by whom garments were fur lined. This is a very historically helpful book that provides too much information to possibly cover in review. It also includes pictures of period garments inside and out. And has pattern layouts. For the historian, re-enactor, or costumer bent on authenticity. This is a must have! Not for the weekend Renn-festival goer that just wants something fun and fanciful. Unless you're interested in greater authenticity for your garments.



5. This book has lots of pictures, is very useful for research, but the patterns are not very useful for a beginner. This would classify in the more advanced seamstress category. I'm glad to have a copy, and the photos are wonderfully inspirational.

1 comments about Rings: Jewelry of Power, Love, and Loyalty.

1. This book has a lot of pictures and gives a brief history of the rings. I can look through this book again and again and never get board. I would recommend this book. Well worth what I paid.