I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Lucy Johnston's book "19th Century Fashion in Detail" which examines garments from the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The book starts with a short introduction, then a brief overview of the fashion eras of the 19th century. From there, the book is divided into nine sections - Construction Techniques, Tailoring, Trimmings, Printed and Woven Textiles, Embroidery, Buttons and Fastenings, Innovations, Collars Sleeves and Pockets, and Accessories. Within each section, garments are examined one at a time with at least one detail photo, at least one line drawing, and a paragraph or three about the garment, it's context, and why it is a good example of fashion from that time. The book closes, of course, with a References section, a short Glossary, an Index, and ideas for Further Reading.
The book is more photographs than text, and the photos are stunning - full color, high resolution, and often taking up a whole page. I was drooling over this book like a kid in a candy shop!
The text accompanying the photos is full of cultural context, references to contemporary literature, and other information, but still manages to be an easy read. I think that might be what I love most about this book - the sheer amount of information it gives you without being a heavy read. I managed to devour the book in the span of two evenings!
This is a great book for anyone who is interested in historical costuming - full of beautiful photos and helpful information, but not too dense or heavy to read. For historical costumers the book is filled to the brim with inspiration and helpful information about fashion trends, materials, techniques, etc. It's a stunning book, and I highly recommend it!
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