The Observer's Book of European Costume

Observer's Books

by Geoffrey Squire, Pauline Baynes

The Observer's book of European costume

Genres: Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Rhian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a neat little book which gives a competent overview of European fashions of the 1st-19th centuries. There are charming line-drawn illustrations by the talented Pauline Baynes on every page, some of which I recognise as studies from paintings and pictures of the times. Anyone looking for detailed analysis will be disappointed; this book is definitely a pocket guide, but a good one. The clothes of both the rich and the poor are included, and the twenty-seven page glossary covers all the essential terms and then some. I most often find myself reaching for this book when I want to get a sense for how fashions have changed - one can turn a few pages and see at a glance the new shapes and styles that the next era brings.