Clothing Books

Ms. Kimura is on my must have book buy list. She always offers unique ideas which spark more unique ideas. Thanks for another great addition to my collection.

Good info for "green" people to recycle those jeans. Not too many clothes, but lots of accessories. Well recommended for the crafty person.

Antique Clothing has become a classic Heirloom Sewing text. While it has lots of technique information, it's best as a source of inspiration - it includes many garments from Martha Pullen's collection, both photos and line drawings. This book is not recommended as a basic text for beginners; the techniques are not presented as lessons, and tend to disappear between the garments. However, no Heirloom enthusiast should be without it

Yes, that's wonderful darling, but where would you ever go to wear those things?...

Living in Oamaru, New Zealand, we often feel the need to dress up in Victorian Clothing, as we have the most wonderful collection of Victorian architecture, now becoming recognised by world authorities as a wonderful asset for our little town. The buildings attract thousands of tourists every year, and there are a number of events staged at various times where dressing Victorian is de riguer. Penny Farthing championships, victorian picnics, steam train rides, traditional boats day, a Victorian Ball, the Victorian Heritage Celebrations.

I found the patterns enclosed with the book, a copy of which is at our local library, looked fabulous, and the techniques described recreate the garments in exactly the same way as our great-grandmothers would have made them. Well, except for the fact that we have access to electric sewing machines, and they did not. But the detailed instructions for embroidery, pintucking and patchwork techniques are very thorough and easy to follow. Some are more difficult than others. There are more than 26 blouses to make, each one a variation on the one pattern. There are drawings of "A to Z" blouses, but you can make up your own designs using the techniques described.

The range of sizes available in the patterns is extensive, and I have made blouses from sizes 12 to 24 for customers and they fitted together well, and looked great on the person. I intend to buy the book so I can have a copy myself, when I borrow it from the library, six weeks doesn't seem long enough.

I thoroughly recommend this book as a practical guide for recreating garments from the past, lovely detailed or plain things for girls, ladies and little children. It is written in a lovely gentle way, and is a pleasure to read or work with. Photographs of actual dresses, christening gowns, skirts etc are clear and very interesting. Some garments pictured are able to be made from the book.

Enjoy!

Victorian Shirtmaker,
Claire Dickie.

I love this book. It's a wonderful addition to Volumn I and II. All the pictures are in beautiful color. The discriptions are detailed. I look forward to the next edition.
These books are a must have for all Vintage Barbie Collectors.

I bought this book to use as a reference for my Barbie collecting. It's great, only now I'm kicking myself over all the little odds n ends I resold on eBay because I didn't know what they were. Sigh. I should've bought this book long ago. It's well-written and packed with information on dolls and outfits, variations, store exclusives, and foreign-issue items. It also includes information on Barbie-sized dolls such as Charlie's Angels, Chantal Goya, Donnie and Marie Osmond, and a few others. If you're collecting Barbie from this period, this is a must-have book (so you won't be letting go of all those little outfit pieces!!!). Since I've bought this book, I've also ordered the other two books in this series that cover Barbie's outfits from 1959-1967 and 1968-1974.

Young children declare their independence in many ways. They don't cling to Mom and Dad so tightly. They insist on doing simple tasks by themselves. And they choose their favorite things, including a bright, cheery color.

Come on, what kid doesn't have a favorite color? My green-obsessed daughter instantly understood Barnaby's passion for pigment (although she didn't agree with his choice of red). And as a mother, I understood his family's dilemma. You see, Barnaby loves his red clothes so much, he refuses to take them off! (Just like my youngest, who has been wearing the same pink dress for three days.)

Barnaby's family tries to convince him to change his clothing. Dad thinks navy is nice. Sissy's keen on green. And Bro? He's mellow for yellow. But Barnaby is no chameleon!

Then Barnaby's clever Aunt finds a creative way to break Barnaby of his crimson obsession. Barnaby just might become a fan of another hue.

Teo's mixed-media illustrations combine cartoon characters and photographed elements like textured fabrics and toys. My kids had fun picking out the "real" items on every page. Even the words jump out with clever use of funky fonts. "Yanked" stretches across the page and "sludge" squirms. Kids who are learning to read can easily pick out those new vocabulary words and immediately decipher their meaning.

This vibrant little tale will knock your socks off, even if they aren't red. It's a quick, fun bedtime read.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to jump into my crimson jammies and read Barnaby with the kids.

I got this book for my 3 yr old nephew who loves the color red. I enjoyed the story but I wasn't a huge fan of the art or the print. I don't mind strange print in book normally but it made this book harder to read. The rythm is a bit off.

I love this book. Research and ideation is my favorite phase of the design process, and this book investigates that with thoughtfulness, respect, and a private liesure.

What makes me come back to this book again and again is its many photographs of actual designers' idea books. The books are photographed beautifully, uncropped, uncommented. I gaze a long time at the sketches, color washes, fabrics, inky scrawls, jottings, broken stencils, white space, and ideosyncratic bindings. These stimulate my creativity and my hope. They are a spiritual wellspring. They are a primary source, which someone has painstakingly sought, selected, and delivered immaculate. Surrounded by dark shadows of immanence, the idea books gleam against photographs of the finished clothing: embroidery, leather, gossamer, falls of silk, taffeta, cottons, creamy lipstick, grommets, foils, clasps. The idea books place research in shining focus, a jewel framed by all phases of creation. Seeing what these ideas presage, the garments they become, reminds me why it is essential to respect fragile clumsy impulse. Inside such impulses lie Iliums.

Whoever made this book loves creation, and has a profound understanding of its unfolding. The book is deep and patient; wide-thinking; appreciative of mystery; rigorous, serious, classically trained; unrushed. This is a "best of breed" book, which ennobles the reader.

If you love ideation and research; if you love books in all their medieval and hand-made glory; if you love fashion, textiles, sensual touch; if you love the complex tides and chaos of creation, you will find this book a spiritual touchstone, a white pebble from the Haaj.

I get the same feeling from this book that I do from Cavafy's poem, which which I shall leave you.

But before the poem, let me first add a more pragmatic review. This book shows how to do professional and personal research for fashion design; how to use your research to expore ideas; how to design original clothes from those ideas; and how to communicate your designs to others, so that your beautiful clothes get made, sold, worn, and loved. The idea books I rave about are only included because they are useful at so many of these stages. In the research phase, the books hold photographs, fabrics, quotes, references. In the ideation phase, they hold sketches, swatches, half-nudes. In the design phase, they hold colorings, renderings, intricate details of tricky closures. In the communication phase, they hold photographs of the finished garments on professional models. As an object, the idea book is inspiring and instructive; but its power lies in the journey which it has informed, documented, and helped to generate.

Now. The poem.

ITHACA

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.

-- Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)

Nice and clear book, very easy to read with a lot of images accompanieing the text.
There's a broad scope of subjects covered in the book which makes it especially usable for everyone new in fashion or just starting up. It doesn't provide very much in-depth new information for the experienced fashion designer, so I would especially recommend this book to students, people interested in a career in fashion or people who are just starting to design.

This book is adorable in its simple illustrations and bright colors. It can teach kids the value of just being yourself and having your own style, even if people laugh at you sometimes.

I found this book in a clearance bin for a buck. I bought it as a joke gift for my 15-year-old son's Christmas stocking. I figured either he would think it was stupid or he would really like it. He loved how funny it is. Poor little Bat - everybody, even his friends, laugh at his clothing. But somehow anything he wears becomes the next big fashion trend - baggy pants, spiked hair, cycling shorts, grunge. He finally gets tired of everyone copying him and tries to get away. But even in Mississippi, people find him and imitate him. (The end. No moral, no platitudes. Just silly fun.) Although it is written in a style appropriate for 4-6 year olds, there are jokes that you have to be older to appreciate, such as Bat's friend reading a magazine called "Very Trendy Fashion Mag." I am eager to find other books in this series.

I like this book. Good visuals. Covers lots of areas that can be a problem. Good to keep and re-read.

This book has some great basic instructions for people who make clothes at home. I think it covered the most used areas like zipper insertion, buttonholes and bias cuts. It has good visual aids. I wish that it had covered more of the fine points not just the highlights which is why I only gave it 4 stars.

ISBN 0670819883 - The cute little pastel framed image on the cover gave me the impression that here was a book I was going to dislike, all girly and frilly and so not my style. I am glad to advise you: don't let the cover fool you!

A handful of pages, each with text telling what to wear for what event - boots for paddling in puddles, best dress to go to a party, etc. - and images that are much better than I expected. For example, on the first page, three kids sit at a table - and one of them has thrown food at another. In the tub, a child shoots a squirt gun at a cat. Typical, if less than stellar, child-behavior, good for a laugh - and even a good chance to talk about things your child shouldn't do!

Lester's one author whose board books I'd go out of my way to find. Worth every cent!

Australian children's author Alison Lester did a series of four books (available overseas as a boxed set) that depict very real little kids in very real situations. Great drawings in the margins too that my son has loved identifying.

I'd had a chance to glance through this book prior to purchase so I knew what I was getting. I really enjoyed the international view on Black Style especially in Africa. I would have like to see some black style in the states. This book offers history and context to black style shifts, insprirations and aesthetics. I was very pleased with the pictures and content.

From the striking cover photo by Hainsley Brown to the final page, this book is a satisfying visual feast even if you don't stop to read the text. But please do, because the essays explore a fascinating variety of socio-cultural and political issues of African identity as expressed through clothing, hairstyles and accessories. I particularly enjoyed Carolyn Cooper's essay, "Dancehall Dress: Competing Codes of Decency in Jamaica." It was inspired by a dress code for patients posted in a Hospital Emergency Department which admonished, among other things, "NO Dancehall Style!" and the ensuing conversation it provoked among those in the waiting room. Thought provoking!

I thought this book was great. Jeans are so classic that it's nice to see something that talks about both denims past and where it's at today.

Who would have thought to write a book about blue jeans?
The outcome is a publication that is filled with nostalgia, interesting information and absolutely stunning photography.
These are photographs that should be hanging on a wall. They definately generate conversation.
I would reccommend this book to anyone who loves to look at beautiful, meaningful images.