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Survey of historic costume
First published 1989 · 720 pages
A meticulously curated museum exhibition in book form, tracing the threads of human history through the garments we wore.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like walking through a meticulously curated, endless museum exhibition with an expert curator at your side. The pace is steady and deliberate, inviting you to linger over the intricate details of a Renaissance ruff or the sleek lines of a 1920s flapper dress. It immerses the reader in a scholarly yet deeply visual mood, where history is not just a series of dates, but a tactile, aesthetic evolution. The prose is clear, authoritative, and highly structured, serving as a sturdy framework for the hundreds of vibrant illustrations and photographs. It is an absolute delight for theatrical costumers, historical fiction writers, and fashion enthusiasts who crave a comprehensive, grounded understanding of how human beings have expressed their identities, status, and culture through the art of dress across millennia.
- Mood
- scholarly
- visual
- immersive
- structured
- Tone
- informative
- academic
- objective
- authoritative
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- evolution of aesthetics · cultural expression through dress · historical context of fashion · intersection of art and daily life
- The writing
- Clear, accessible, and highly structured, designed to deliver dense historical information with precision and clarity.
- The arc
- A steady accumulation of knowledge, moving from curiosity about the past to a profound appreciation for the cyclical nature of human expression.
- Who it's for
- Students of fashion, theatrical costumers, historical fiction writers, and anyone fascinated by the evolution of human dress.
About the book
Survey of Historic Costume, 6th Edition, is the best-selling introduction to Western dress from the ancient world through the twenty-first century. Each chapter presents social, cross-cultural, environmental, geographic, and artistic influences on clothing. With visuals, illustrated tables, and in-depth discussions, readers come to recognize recurring themes and concepts and understand the role of dress from a diverse, global perspective. The new edition features more than 1,000 full-color photographs and illustrations, a new feature that examines global dress, and a fully updated chapter on the twenty-first century.
Key Features include: - Illustrated Part openers of objects from fine and applied arts give readers a sense of the aesthetic of the period - Contemporary Comments from contemporary sources provide a sense of the attitude toward clothing of individuals of the period - Modern Influences photo feature explains historic costume is reinterpreted in modern fashion design - Chronology timelines open each chapter - Visual Summary Tables - Illustrated Tables depict important accessories, footwear and headwear - Summaries
Description from Open Library.
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