From Publishers Weekly
Now a multibillion-dollar global obsession, fashion from clothes and jewelry to makeup and grooming has reflected both individual identity and cultural mores since the beginning of history, declares Bronwyn Cosgrave, an editor at British Vogue. The Complete History of Costume & Fashion: From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day is a well-written, lavishly illustrated resource that, the author maintains, corrects many of the errors found in previously published references. Fashion-magazine devotees will enjoy flipping through this beautiful, engaging book just as much as serious students of the subject will relish poring over it.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
The Complete History of Costume and Fashion is a comprehensive illustrated guide to the history of clothing and fashion. At different times in history, fashionable dress has taken very different forms. From the first fashion style of the Egyptians to the extravagant clothes of the Romans, from the birth of the Dandy to haute couture in the twentieth century, this book chronicles the evolution of style for both males and females from a social, cultural, and historical perspective.
Organized by specific time periods, coverage includes:
The Ancient Egyptians: Noble garments, wigs and hairpieces, eye make-up, jewelry
Greece and Rome: Classical elegance, the Etruscan wardrobe, bright colors, the toga
Middle Ages: Medieval Europe and Byzantine fashion, age of chivalry, trains and sleeves
Early Renaissance: Damask, taffeta, velvet, tight-fitting bodices
Sixteenth Century: Flowering of the arts, science and fashion, doublets and ruffs, bodices
Seventeenth Century: Influence of the Baroque, ribbons and embroidery, wigs for men
Eighteenth Century: Extravagance and excess, masks, buckled shoes, three-cornered hats, hoop skirts
Nineteenth Century: Victorian values, crinolines and bustles, artificial hair color, double-breasted jackets
Twentieth Century: The age of diversity, global style, mini-skirts, supermodels, street fashion, new fabrics.
