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Historical Fashion in Detail: The 17th and 18th Centuries
This sumptuously illustrated book offers the first up-close view of the richness and variety of historical dress of the 17th and 18th centuries. Drawn from the Victoria and Albert Museum's world-famous collection, these garments display skills that are now lost, yet continue to inspire today's leading designers.
Much of the finery seen here is too fragile to be on permanent display, or its detail too intricate to be captured in conventional photography. Jacobean blackwork, neoclassical tambour work, exquisite stitching, and knife-sharp pleats are pictured in stunning photographs, alongside such unusual techniques as stamping, pinking, and slashing--many of which are rarely employees in the modern world, as they require labor-intensive handwork impossible to replicate by machine.
With line drawings showing the construction of the complete garment and a text that sets each in the context of its time, this book is a visual feast for all fashion lovers, and an essential resource for curators, collectors, students, costumers and designers.
Much of the finery seen here is too fragile to be on permanent display, or its detail too intricate to be captured in conventional photography. Jacobean blackwork, neoclassical tambour work, exquisite stitching, and knife-sharp pleats are pictured in stunning photographs, alongside such unusual techniques as stamping, pinking, and slashing--many of which are rarely employees in the modern world, as they require labor-intensive handwork impossible to replicate by machine.
With line drawings showing the construction of the complete garment and a text that sets each in the context of its time, this book is a visual feast for all fashion lovers, and an essential resource for curators, collectors, students, costumers and designers.
224 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 17, 2013
What an amazing book!
One of the best in it's field, a must read for everyone who loves fashion or wants to be a photographer!
All the photographs carried every tiny detail of the textures and the colors..
Truly mesmerising.. I felt that i could really touch the textiles of the dresses! And the details about every little thing or the ways they used to make clothes were just perfect..
I also enjoyed very much the part about shoes and gloves.
It was informative but in a good way.. I felt the knowlegde from this book imprinting in my memory!
Exquisite in every sense!
You can see the hard work and the passion that put together this book..
It is actually an encyclopedia for clothes.
Loved it!
One of the best in it's field, a must read for everyone who loves fashion or wants to be a photographer!
All the photographs carried every tiny detail of the textures and the colors..
Truly mesmerising.. I felt that i could really touch the textiles of the dresses! And the details about every little thing or the ways they used to make clothes were just perfect..
I also enjoyed very much the part about shoes and gloves.
It was informative but in a good way.. I felt the knowlegde from this book imprinting in my memory!
Exquisite in every sense!
You can see the hard work and the passion that put together this book..
It is actually an encyclopedia for clothes.
Loved it!
January 2, 2014
Exquisite photos and information, however, there is more about 18th century fashion than the 17th - so be aware of this! (Well worth buying anyway).
September 23, 2012
Exquisite. The detailed work shown in this wonderful book published by the Victoria and Albert Museum is truly exquisite. So much so, that every page took my breath away and I was constantly shaking my head in amazement. How was it possible that in an age without the mod cons of the coming Industrial era, detail like this was possible in someone's lifetime? That dresses and gowns, cloaks and gloves, jackets and men's doublets etc, were all being created to this level of intricacy and with relative swiftness for wealthy customers. It seems likely that just one of the more ornately detailed dresses would be someone's life's work, but these were the days when handmade was a practiced art.
I wish, and here is why I dropped a star in this review, that there were more full length images of the clothing. The images are only close up and you do not get to see that section in place, within the context of the garment. That was a little disappointing for me.
I wish, and here is why I dropped a star in this review, that there were more full length images of the clothing. The images are only close up and you do not get to see that section in place, within the context of the garment. That was a little disappointing for me.
March 3, 2008
Beautiful, but a bit frustrating. This book *only* shows details, and only one area of detail per outfit. So one might look at a gown and want to see detail of the pleating, but the detailed photo available is of the bows on the bustle. Although it wouldn't be out of place in the costumer's bookshelf, it's somewhat more of an art book than a costuming book. The detail is exquisite and helpful to the costumer, but the overall usefulness of the book is limited.
April 7, 2012
The pictures are so splendid. This book is a piece of masterpiece for anyone who is doing research or just wants to learn about the fashion of the seventeenth and eighteenth century. I love the beautiful pictures and even more the explanations Hart and North provided about each piece.
September 10, 2022
ce mai munca de titan s-a simtit sa termin asta
eram incantata la inceput dar multi termeni noi(dupa vad ca este un glosar in spate mama ce spume voiam sa fac),iar dupa o perioada a inceput sa devina prea repetitiv
nu e o carte de incepatori se vede si pentru cineva care vrea sa invete despre moda de atunci am ramas cu cate ceva dar nu e deloc ceva sa te delectezi zic
eram incantata la inceput dar multi termeni noi(dupa vad ca este un glosar in spate mama ce spume voiam sa fac),iar dupa o perioada a inceput sa devina prea repetitiv
nu e o carte de incepatori se vede si pentru cineva care vrea sa invete despre moda de atunci am ramas cu cate ceva dar nu e deloc ceva sa te delectezi zic
May 31, 2012
I read through this book about 3 times in the first hours of owning it. Love it! My only complaint is that you do not get photographs of the entire garments, but the close ups with the side diagrams are very helpful!
October 8, 2009
These clothes are absolutely beautiful. The detail is amazing, although I do wish the photos included full images of the garments.
August 21, 2013
I love these books as they are so detailed. Beautiful pictures and detailed close-ups. And a wealth of information on the clothing as well.
June 29, 2025
An utterly beautiful book of garments and accessories from 1600 to 1800, held by the Victoria and Albert Museum.
It is organised by themes, and shows of close-up photographs of decorative details accompanied by detailed line drawings and explanations about the whole item. The garments range from stays to gowns, coats, jackets and waistcoats. These are garments only the wealthiest could have afforded, as the level of skill and hours of work that would have been required to produce them is astonishing. And they make my modern clothes feel truly drab and uninteresting by comparison with their colour and high ornamentation. So many ideas to play with.
Sections:
Acknowledgements and Introduction
Stitching, Seams, Quilting and Cording
Gathers, Pleats and Looped Drapery
Collars, Cuffs and Pockets
Buttons
Trimmings
Applied Decoration
Slashing, Pinking and Stamping
Knitting, Lace and Openwork
Stomachers
Gloves and Shoes
It is organised by themes, and shows of close-up photographs of decorative details accompanied by detailed line drawings and explanations about the whole item. The garments range from stays to gowns, coats, jackets and waistcoats. These are garments only the wealthiest could have afforded, as the level of skill and hours of work that would have been required to produce them is astonishing. And they make my modern clothes feel truly drab and uninteresting by comparison with their colour and high ornamentation. So many ideas to play with.
Sections:
Acknowledgements and Introduction
Stitching, Seams, Quilting and Cording
Gathers, Pleats and Looped Drapery
Collars, Cuffs and Pockets
Buttons
Trimmings
Applied Decoration
Slashing, Pinking and Stamping
Knitting, Lace and Openwork
Stomachers
Gloves and Shoes
September 29, 2020
I had the ebook because of the cover - how gorgeous is that corset?
Unfortunately, I find that this book was very niche... which I do not blame..
It is perfect for costume designers, but I can say it might be too niche for fashion enthusiasts/ designers.
The book also have beautiful pictures and a bit of technical drawing. I myself find the text were too lengthy and wordy- thus I lost interest. Perhaps this is because I have no interest in the topic itself, so the blame is on me lol
Unfortunately, I find that this book was very niche... which I do not blame..
It is perfect for costume designers, but I can say it might be too niche for fashion enthusiasts/ designers.
The book also have beautiful pictures and a bit of technical drawing. I myself find the text were too lengthy and wordy- thus I lost interest. Perhaps this is because I have no interest in the topic itself, so the blame is on me lol
April 15, 2022
Beautiful and stunning book. The photographs are high quality and large and really let you see the detail of the embroidery and such. I also enjoyed the line drawings accompanying each photo, to show you the structure of the entire garment.
April 28, 2025
All of the photos in the book are close-up shots, luckily they list the museum number for every item and I could look it up on the Victoria & Albert museum website where there are a lot more photos to look at and admire the whole ensembles.
January 15, 2018
Beautiful V&A Museum fashion book of the 17th and 18th century
August 14, 2020
Absolutely gorgeous book, wonderful reference for details in fashion from this period.
November 12, 2021
This book is stunning.
July 8, 2015
I love this book and I have kept it in a highly accessible place so that I open it often and look at the photographs of the garments. It seems like a brilliant concept to me. Only fragments of the garment are displayed but the way that they are presented draws your attention directly to the amazing skill and beauty of the workmanship in the garment. There are pages of pleats, of cuffs, of buttons, of collars. And every piece comes with a line drawing of the garment so that you can imagine it in its entirety and yet you are able to absorb the fascinating details of the specific feature you are exploring. I am so in awe of the designers and embroiderers and seamstresses of the past. Textiles truely were the source of status, beauty and great wealth in the past.
July 19, 2009
The detail is fasinating. Everything was done by hand. Includes the waistcoats that Beatrice Potter painted for the Taylor of Glouster story. Unfortunately, the entire garment is not shown except as a line drawing. Several of the articles are also described by Janet Arnold. Between the two books, a good idea of the garment is obtained. All the pictures in the V&A book are in color. All of Arnold's are in b&w.
August 18, 2014
This book details extant garments in the Victoria and Albert Museum from the 17th and 18th centuries. Each object has a close-up shot with a useful description. Many pieces also have complete line drawing. Students of historic embroidery will appreciate the detail in the clothing. This book should be read while browsing the V&A collections website as there are very few overall photos of the garments.
March 9, 2012
Absolutely beautiful photographs. The detail is amazing. The clothing is amazing, especially when you consider that it was done completely by hand. The stitching is so perfect and even. The embroidery is stunning. It makes me wish that I could live long ago for a few days and experience wearing clothing like that. We have nothing even close to that in beauty and detail in current times.
September 29, 2014
What a spectacular book.
The photographs perfectly show the details. There are small sketches to show the garment and small descriptions to explain the detail being shown in the photo. The entire garment is not shown and while it would have been nice to see, the book is really about the smaller aspects of the clothing construction and I didn't find it an issue.
The photographs perfectly show the details. There are small sketches to show the garment and small descriptions to explain the detail being shown in the photo. The entire garment is not shown and while it would have been nice to see, the book is really about the smaller aspects of the clothing construction and I didn't find it an issue.
March 26, 2008
I bought this book at the Victoria & Albert Museum to read on the plane when we were immigrating to the US from England. The photographs are gorgeous. My only reservation is the same as many other readers have - I would like to see some of the outfits in full view as well as bits of them
June 16, 2010
Just got this in the mail- Shows photos of the stuff and diagrams of how it was constructed- Will definitely come in handy!!!!
March 22, 2010
A feast for the eyes, I had to upgrade to the hardback so I will always have it on my bookshelf
January 17, 2012
Beautiful as all the books of this series!
August 7, 2012
Such details make me want to swoon.
September 25, 2014
Amazing photography. Gorgeous clothes.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews