2 comments about The Fairchild Encyclopedia of Menswear (Fairchild Reference Collection) (Fairchild Reference Collection).

1. Read the galleys and I'd buy this just for the entry on "Nudie"--it's a hoot.



2. This book has all the info about men's fashion that you can't find anyplace else - not on the web, not in other reference books (because they deal with women's fashion), plus lots of trivia that just makes it a fun read.

No comments about Bejewelled by Tiffany 1837-1987.

1 comments about Embroidery (Kids Can Do It).

1. This book contains several things that I was looking for as I searched for a beginning book to use to teach my nine-year-old granddaughter to embroider. The book has simple drawings that are easy to understand and text that gives clear instructions. The first couple of pages are dedicated to the basics of needle threading, using an embroidery hoop, etc. The remaining pages have cute, easy craft ideas that use the basic stitches that are taught in the book. Though I already have a knowledge of embroidery, it was great to have something in print to share with my granddaughter. She has completed her first project and is working on a more challenging second project. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn to embroider as well as to teachers or parents.

No comments about Essential Fashion Illustration: Details (Essential Fashion Illustrations).

2 comments about Fotografie Steven Klein (Portfolio (Teneues Numbered)).

1. Another exciting edition in a series of magazine format portfolios focusing on influential fashion/portrait photographers. Mr.Steven Klein's photography continues where Mr. Helmut Newton left off...imagining a world where the impossibly beautiful people are often dressed in fetish-couture and theatrically posed in horrific circumstances or some oddly alienating situations, often with a toxic hint of erotic satisfaction in the air. A safe,warm,fuzzy or cozy world is something Mr.Klein seems determined never to enter...and succeeds masterfully. Often unsettling. Always perversely glamorous. It's not easy to shoot the same, stale "it" models and celebs that overpopulate the newsstands and still be able to make a stunningly fresh and darkly provocative image. It speaks of his unwavering fantasy, psychological insight,research, eye for detail and assembling the best creative team to realize his vision.It's abit terrifying to think who may be his successor...



2. This is a good, yet brief summary of Steven Klein's work. His photographs have a raw, provocative energy and this magazine/portfolio is a nice representation of it. I am simply just a big fan of his work and wish there was more. I'm waiting for a book to come out with his full body of work. Until then, this will do.

2 comments about Vogue Fashion.

1. The book is organized into two parts: by decade, and by designer. In the decades section, 6-8 pages of text and picture describe the main trends of the time, naming some popular designers, showing great examples of fashion photography, illustration, and art. Things discussed: historical influences, textiles, hemlines, changes from the previous decade, colors, trends, etc.
   
   The section in alphabetical order, by designer, features a wealth of designers from the turn of the century to the late 90's and has pictures from some of the more famous ones. It briefly describes their careers, which house they worked for, when applicable, the gist of their style, any innovations or contributions they made to the world of fashion, and more. This is a good reference book to have if your passion is design or fashion, and the colorful, clear layout makes it fun to browse through.



2. "Vogue Fashion" is a survey of pictures seen on the pages of Vogue magazine from the early 1900s to 2000. The first part of the book is fashion divided by decade. It is fascinating to see the 20th century fashion evolution through the decades. The last part of the book is divided by designer, with a brief text detailing their design contribution to fashion. The book is richly illustrated and fascinating as well as fun to flip through.

5 comments about Hats Gloves Scarves: Easy Designer Knits for Family and Friends.

1. I was so excited to receive this, and I wasn't disappointed as I flipped through it. The designs are timeless and classic, not a bunch of novelty yarn nightmares!! I could see making almost everything in here.
   
   As one reviewer pointed out, everything is done of 2 needles. I find this a great plus, not a negative. I have just learned to do hats in the round and know how to change a pattern from flat to circular knitting if I want. I haven't done mittens or gloves in the round, so I am excited to find these wonderful patterns knit with 2 needles. When I learn how to do those items in the round, then I can always modify the patterns to be circular if I want.
   
   The yarns used are somewhat pricey(Rowen, Jaeger, Debbie Bliss). So, you may want to substitute. At yarndex.com you can search for the yarns by name to find out what the weight of each yarn is. This will help greatly in substituting. I wrote down the weight of each yarn by the pattern for future reference. It didn't take long to do either.
   
   The designs are beautiful and, I think, would satisfy both the beginner and the more experienced. This may be the only book on hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves that I may ever buy.



2. The hats, gloves, and scarves are generally nice but all the patterns are for two-needle, flat knitting and are then hats and gloves are seamed to complete. I find it much easier to knit these in the round and not bother with the seaming at all. I also wish the author had made the patterns more yarn-substitution-friendly. She's left out how many yards of yarn are used and has just provided the number of skeins of specific yarns which makes it much more difficult to use the patterns in this book several years from now when some of the yarns may have been discontinued and I can't look up somewhere how much yarn is in each skein. I'd recommend really looking through this book at the pictures of each item before deciding to purchase. In my opinion, a better investment is to get Ann Budd's "The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns" and either volume 1 or 2 of Barbara G. Walker's knitting pattern treasuries and have at it. These last three will be useful for a lifetime. I gave this book three-stars only because I'm certain there are people out there who have so convinced themselves that it is much too difficult to knit in-the-round that they get in their own way - while I hope you're not one of these people, this book is for you if you are.
   
   The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes & Gauges (Interweave)
   A Treasury of Knitting Patterns
   A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns



3. Even though I haven't had much time to try any of the projects yet, They look like they are fun and stylish. I have been knitting for 40 years and I have an eye for nice patterns. I can't wait to try them.



4. There aren't that many patterns overall, and there are too many with adornments. I only found about a handful, like three or four that I would want to make.



5. This book is full of beautiful, easy to follow patterns with something for all knitters - new and experienced.

No comments about Fashion as Communication.

5 comments about French Fashion Illustrations of the Twenties: 634 Cuts from La Vie Parisienne (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. As a reference for fashion history, this book is very nice. However, the fasions that are included bear only a faint resemblance to what we in the US think of 1920s fashion. Where we think of Flapper Era fashions as characterized by straight lines, dropped waists, and cloche hats, the fashions in this book are a definite departure from that. Most of the dresses have round skirts and definite waist lines. When I say rounded shirts I mean rounded skirts. They are like balloons of fabric. I would recommend this book to those who have a real interest in. or curiosity about French fashion of the 1920's, then this will serve you well. Otherwise it is a disappointment.



2. I have lots of fashion books and this is one of my favorites just for the illustrations. There is very little text, but again if you want fun and inspiring illustrations this book is the best. I personally like these little drawings better than even Erte's illustrations.



3. Yes this is a good book that captures the general feel of the time-periods. However, as an owner of said book, I must point out that more than a few fashions are repeated in the "years/chapters". This gives the book a clip-art feel and detracts, somewhat, from the over-all quality. The book is all in straight Black & White and some people might be put off by this but it preserves the charm of the periods the book aims to capture. So I say this is a fair purchase for those interested in 20's art and not too obsessed whith graphics.



4. Found this book very useful when doing research on clothing for a fashion history class.



5. Found this book very useful when doing research on clothing for a fashion history class.

5 comments about Collecting Costume Jewelry 101: The Basics of Starting, Building and Upgrading (Identification & Value Guide).

1. Brief Description of Book
   This book lives up to its name and is a great gift for someone you may know who is just getting hooked on buying vintage costume jewelry. It would make a great companion gift to a fabulous vintage piece. This book Collecting 101 is a bit basic for absolute beginners only.
   The core thesis of the book is G-U-I-D-E an acronym that stands for:
   * Is the piece in Good condition?
   * Do U Like it?
   * Is it a good investment?
   * Is the piece designer signed and is it well designed?
   * Are there extras that make it more interesting?
   These questions are posed to help the buyer select good pieces at whatever price point they are starting to collect at. The author explains her GUIDE concept quite concisely and uses it throughout the book.
   
   The author suggests four designers that beginners should collect Trifari, Coro, Kramer and Weiss. She recounts a little history about each of the companies, shows photos of their marks and recommends pieces to purchase. For example she suggests Trifari from the 50's and 60's because it is plentiful, available in excellent condition and not too expensive. The author uses a lot of photos to illustrate these sections
   
   The next portion of the book is arranged the alphabetically and cameos 130 designers. Each profile contains a little company history, marks, signature look of a designer and recommendations of pieces to buy.
   
   In the next chapter there is a section called "Marked by Style" on identifying unmarked jewelry. A little more than a beginner skill in my opinion but an interesting section to ponder nonetheless. She focuses 75% of her energy on Juliana, the remaining 25% on Eisenberg, Dorothy Bauer, Hattie Carnegie, Goldette, Haskell, Hollycraft, Sarah Coventry, Schauer, Schreiner and Weiss.
   
   The remaining chapters cover:
   * Upgrading your collection
   * Repairing and Cleaning
   * Cataloging a Collection
   * Storing and Insuring a Collection
   
   Over all the advice is quite sound, the G-U-I-D-E principle should be followed it will really help anyone avoid unfocused buying.
   
   Quantity of Illustrations:
   There are more than 750 total illustrations in Collecting Costume Jewelry 101. There are color photographs, original advertisements in color and black and white. The photos are clear and focused.
   
   
   Quality of Illustrations:
   
   Comments: The items selected are not riveting I think that they are pedestrian. Maybe that is because this book is pitched at beginners. However I feel that the selections should be inspirational and exciting. This is why the top shelf pieces in a book such as "A Tribute to America" are always fun to look at. I felt the items pictured were what the author could get permission to use. Which leads me to the inclusion of Christmas tree jewelry! There are too many Christmas trees in this book. And I like Christmas tree jewelry.
   
   I have one very pointed example that illustrates my low score on the illustrations. The author devoted 3 pages to Miriam Haskell. In my opinion these are not good representative pieces, they are what was available to include. There is one pair of beaded earrings, a necklace with gold chain and a wood pendant that looks like it was made in shop class to me, several strings of beads, a pearl necklace that is not photographed close enough to generate any excitement and a pair of gilded earrings. I may sound harsh here but the wow factor of buying Miriam Haskell is not expressed in these photos. Feel free to disagree!
   
   As a final note on the illustrations, I am reviewing the first edition of this book. According to the publisher Collector Books a second edition should be available soon. They promise 200 new photos and updates on the price guidelines that are included in the first edition.
   
   
   
   Quantity of Information
   Range of Information offered:
   For the most part this is a good concise book to check for information. If you are looking for in depth information on a particular designer you should probably look at a more specialized book. For example there are entire books on Haskell, KJL, D &E, to name only a few designers.
   
   Is the information thorough?
   The information provided seems to be thorough and remember this is a book for beginners.
   
   Values Listed (Prices) Yes
   Are they helpful or realistic? The prices are being updated for a new edition
   The prices are based on what one might hope to get in an e-bay auction.
   Comments: Based on the prices sometimes I want to be buying and other times I want to be on the selling end of the transaction.
   
   
   User Friendly:
   Is the book easy to read and follow? yes
   Is there a table of contents and index? yes
   Is information easy to find? yes
   
   
   Is this book a must have? Only for your friends who are just beginning to collect costume jewelry. I think Costume Jewelry 202 is a vastly superior book and I would recommend that (again).
   
   Overall comments
   If I had this book many years ago I would have avoided buying stuff I just didn't need. I would have made wiser purchases and would have a better collection today.



2. I actually bought her 2nd book (202) before buying this one (101) and while I treasure my 202 guide much more than this first one (because I'm not a beginner) - I think it is a fabulous book to have for those starting out. With a lot of fake WEISS and other great designers' jewelry being reproduced and sold as the real thing today (especially on eBay), it's a good guide to have that shows a fair amount and variation of these favorite popular designers' pieces. This will help the beginner collector possibly know a fake when they see it. Not all that shines and sparkles means it is the real thing or that it's collectible. I believe both her books should be bought together but the 202 Guide is definitely the very best there is (because it shows so many patents). I particularly like the fact that both of these books are done in sturdy paperback because if they were hardbound, they would be so heavy given how big they are. Lots and lots of colorful pictures! Well done!!



3. Found this book to be very helpful at my jewelry shows. Has lots of pictures and information on vintage jewelry and numerous designers. Does not go into great detail, but gives enough good information to be helpful. Because the information is listed in alpha order, my customers find it helpful when looking up specific designers or styles. This book is great for beginners and old collectors alike.



4. This book along with the "202" book by the same author are "must have"s for costume jewelry collectors, buyers and sellers. I can't rate them highly enough.



5. I learned many of the basics overtime and searching the internet. It is great to have so much information in one book. The photos are excellent and I would recommend this to anyone starting a collection. Great do's and don'ts.