Fashion Resources

Best Fashion Books

General Fashion Theory Books

General Fashion therapy section contains books about fashion theories, marketing, retailing, textiles and fashion technology.

Techno Textiles: Revolutionary Fabrics for Fashion and Design: Textile technology examines fashion, textiles, design, engineering and science and the interplay between them.

End of Fashion: How Marketing Changed the Clothing Business Forever

An examination of some of the ideas posed on my semiotics page.Fashion and Its Social Agendas: Class, Gender, and Identity in Clothing

Real-Resumes for Retailing, Modeling, Fashion and Beauty Jobs: Including Real Resumes Used to Change Careers and Transfer Skills to Other Industries

Key Moments in Fashion: The Evolution of Style

The mood of the times and the effect of designers and magazines as influences on fashion and style. A superbly illustrated  book featuring many well know designers such as Worth, Chanel, Dior through to Mary Quant right up to sportswear influence.

British Fashion Design: Rag Trade or Image Industry?

Find out all about the tensions within the commercial world of the rag trade where art and successful trading become a compromise.

Fashion as Communication

Beauty in History; Society, Politics and Personal Appearance C.1500 to the Present

The Study of Dress History

From an author who was a consultant to the superb BBC series on costume history - Through the Looking Glass.

Fashion Design
The skills and qualities needed to become a fashion designer with a look at career opportunities available and an inside view of the commercial fashion world today.

Business Image Books

40 over 40: 40 Things Every Woman over 40 Needs to Know about Getting Dressed
The title says it all. A guide for the woman at her peak but stuck in a fashion rut wondering what look to develop that doesn't make her feel ridiculous or a frump.
New Women's Dress for Success

From the expert on power dressing John Molloy. Learn how to wear the right clothes to get ahead in a business environment.

Business Casual Made Easy: The Complete Guide to Business Casual Dress for Men and Women
What does casual dress for the business workplace really mean?  Help and guidance on how not to appear as if you are just off fishing.
Dressing Rich:A Guide to Classic Chic for Women with More Taste than Money

Leah Feldon helps you achieve that polished, groomed look that says prosperous.

Body Language: The Essential Secrets of Non-Verbal Communication
Learn to read the people you work with through their body language, then put it to your advantage.


Three Black Skirts: All You Need to Survive

Especially suitable for the 20 something woman.

Fashion Drawing Book List

9 Heads - A Guide to Drawing Fashion

Skills and techniques of drawing modern fashion and figures. Well illustrated with sections on the human figure, drawing a range of modern garments and accessories along with techniques for rendering fabric and texture plus so much more.

Stylishly Drawn: Contemporary Fashion Illustration

A showcase of contemporary designs of the world's top international fashion illustrators.

Fashion Design Drawing and Presentation

A book that teaches you to render and sketch fashion drawings quickly, but in a clear detailed practical way. This is a book you will refer to time and again.

Fashion Design: Process, Innovation and Practice

Just the book you seek. This is a bestselling fashion design drawing book. Draw Fashion Models!

Costume Design Book List

Costume Design: Techniques of Modern Masters (Paperback)

Interviews with 18 leading contemporary costume designers of Broadway, film, television and ballet describe the stages from a basic sketch to a finished costume. Copiously illustrated for the designer of costumes, but also a wonderful coffee table book.

Broadway Costumes on a Budget: Big-Time Ideas for Amateur Producers

Patterns for Theatrical Costumes a must have book if you want to make costumes for re-enactment.

Hair and Style Books

Fashion Grooming and Image Books

10 Steps to Fashion Freedom: Discover Your Personal Style from the inside Out
The very best of image books to help you find your fashion style. Learn how to cut your wardrobe by half and have far more to wear in styles that are really you.
Does This Make Me Look Fat?
Leah Feldon shows how a well-chosen wardrobe can make any figure look fabulous. The secret is camouflaging real or imagined figure flaws, whilst maximizing your own personal flair.

What to Wear: A Style Handbook
A smart and funny book on how to cope with knowing what to wear for that certain occasion from everyday to pregnancy.
Life Is Not a Dress Size: Rita Farro's Guide to Attitude, Style, and a New You
For those who feel larger than life and want to cope with their size, making the most of it.

What Should I Wear?: Dressing for OccasionsFine Art of Dressing: Make Yourself a Masterpiece by Dressing Your Body Type

Your body shape has been much admired by artists of the past. Learn to work with your unique shape.

Plus Style: The Plus-Size Guide to Looking Great

Undergarment Books, Costume Textbooks

Best in Lingerie Design

The Little Corset Construction Book: A Workbook on Period Underwear

Royalty Books

A selection of books about members of the royal family of Great Britain.

Monarch: The Life and Reign of Elizabeth II (Free Press)

Dressing Diana

The making of an international fashion icon of the twentieth century. The most photographed woman in the world from shy bride to sophisticated stylish woman.

Fashion Craft Books

The Dolls' Dressmaker: The Complete Pattern Book: A must-have book for doll makers.

The Little Corset Construction Book: A Workbook on Period Underwear
The Paris Collection

The Art of Making Beautiful Fashion Doll Shoes Miniature footwear to suit traditional costume to modern dolls.

The Little Bodice Construction Book: A Workbook on Period Bodices

The Little Hatmaking Book: A Workbook on Turn-of-the-Century Hats, Vol. 1

Costume Design: Techniques of Modern Masters (Paperback) Interviews with 18 leading contemporary costume designers of Broadway, film, television and ballet describe the stages from a basic sketch to a finished costume. Copiously illustrated for the designer of costumes, but also a wonderful coffee table book.

Hats In Miniature: High Fashion Sewing Secrets from the World's Best Designers

Georgian Era Books

Regency and Romantic Books of 1800+, a selection of books that cover the Georgian, Regency and Romantic eras.

The Art of Dress: Fashion in England and France 1750 to 1820

Jane Austen (Penguin Lives Series)

Nineteenth-Century Fashion:  Classic Georgian Style Translate the Georgian style into today's interiors with this book.

Georgian Paper Doll Books

A selection of paper doll books that cover the Georgian Era.

Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C.1660-1860: Patterns of Fashion 1, Vol. 1

Victorian Era Books

Beautiful fashion books from the Victorian era - See more on Victorian Fashion History

20,000 Years of Fashion : The History of Costume and Personal Adornment: A classic book beautifully illustrated.

The Victorians: Victorian and Edwardian Fashions for Women, 1840 to 1919

Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C.1660-1860: Patterns of Fashion 1, Vol. 1

Both of these volumes written by the master the late Janet Arnold are two of my all time favourite books for understanding the complexities of costume construction.

There is no doubt they are in a class of their own and have yet to bettered.

Engishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C.1860-1940: Patterns of Fashion, Vol. 2

The sister book is where you will find patterns for the typical mid/late Victorian dress styles.  Great bustle patterns in this volume. Both books show patterns laid on a 1 inch scale grid. The patterns have detailed instructions and little drawings or explanatory notes that most people with a sound understanding of dressmaking would understand.

Masterpieces of Women's Costume of the 18th and 19th Centuries

Illustrations of some of the finest costumes from a long era with a detailed text and more drawings of accessories and matching undergarments.

Shoes, Hats and Fashion Accessories: A Pictorial Archive 1850-1940

Authentic Victorian Dressmaking Techniques

Vintage Hats and Bonnets, 1770-1970: Identification and Values, Vol. 495

Victorian Fashions Coloring Book

 The Kashmir Shawl: And Its INDO French Influence  Victorian and Edwardian Fashion: A Photographic Survey

American Victorian Costume in Early Photographs

The Victorians

Queen Victoria's Family: A Century of Photographs

April 1865: The Month That Saved America

Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam

Queen Victoria's Gene: Hemophilia and the Royal Family (Pbk)

 The Kashmir Shawl: And Its INDO French Influence

Victoria's Daughters

Victoria: May Blossom of Britannia England, 1829 Written as a fictional diary of the Queen's life from age 10 and suitable for age 10 and up.

Queen Victoria: A Personal History

A People's History of the United States: 1492-Present

Books of Victorian Paper Dolls

Early Victorian Costumes: Paper DollsFashions of the Old South Paper Dolls in Full ColorSouthern Belles Paper Dolls in Full Color

Collection by Design: A Paper Doll History of Costume, 1750-1900

Late Victorian Costumes: Paper Dolls

Victoria and Albert Paper Dolls 18 fabulous paper dolls including Victoria's wedding and jubilee dresses.

Great Fashion Designs of the Victorian Era: Paper Dolls in Full Color
This book includes Queen Victoria's wedding gown.Victorian Family Paper DollsVictorian Fashion Paper Dolls from Harper's Bazaar, 1867-1898Victorian Bride and Her Trousseau Paper Doll

Worth Fashion Review Paper Dolls

American Family of the Civil War Era Paper Dolls in Full Color

Victorian Fashion Designs

Victorian Debutante Paper Doll  Beautiful dresses for the Grand Tour of Europe

Victorian Fashions Coloring Book

Little Women Paper Dolls

Late Victorian Fashion Books

After a Fashion: How to Reproduce, Restore, and Wear Vintage Styles


Metropolitan Fashions of the 1880's: From the 1885 Butterick Catalog
American Dress Pattern Catalogs, 1873-1909: Four Complete Reprints


80 Godey's Full-Color Fahion Plates 1838-1880

Victorian and Edwardian Fashions from la Mode Illustree


Victorian Fashions: A Pictorial Archive

Victorian Fashions and Costumes from Harper's Bazaar, 1867-1898

Victorian and Edwardian Fashion: A Photographic Survey

1890-1914 Edwardian Fashion History Books

Classic costume books from the Edwardian era.


The Voice of Fashion: 79 Turn-of-the-Century Patterns with Instructions and Fashion Plates

Turn-of-the-Century Fashion Patterns and Tailoring Techniques

Victorian and Edwardian Fashions for Women, 1840 to 1919

Gay Nineties Poster Cards

Paul Poiret

The Art of Ballets Russes: The Serge Lifar Collection of Theater Designs, Costumes, and Paintings at the Wadsworth Atheneum

The Edwardian Modiste: 85 Authentic Patterns with Instructions, Fashion Plates, and Period Sewing Techniques 
Motoring Costume

Families of Fortune: Life in the Gilded Age

Beach Beauties: Postcard and Photographs, 1890-1940

One of the most readable fashion books ever Elizabeth Ewing's History of 20th Century Fashion and now recently revised.

Welcome to Samantha's World: 1904 (American Girls Collection Series: Samantha) For those age 8-12

Posters of the Belle Epoque: The Wine Spectator Collection

Edwardian Paper Dolls

Gibson Girl: Paper Dolls in Full Color

Great Fashion Designs of the Belle Epoque Paper Dolls in Full Color


Children's Fashions from Harper's Bazar Paper Dolls

120 Great Fashion Designs: 1900-1950 with Book A Tom Tierney book


59 Authentic Turn-of-the-Century Fashion Patterns

Fashion Style 1920’s Books

Parisian Fashions of the Teens: 352 Elegant Costumes from L'Art et la Mode

Everyday Fashions 1909-1920: As Pictured in Sears Catalogs


The Home Pattern Company 1914 Fashions Catalog


French Fashion Illustrations of the Twenties: 634 Cuts from la Vie Parisienne For Copyright free illustrations of the 1920s.
Authentic French Fashions of the Twenties; 413 Costume Designs from L'Art Et la Mode

Everyday Fashions of the Twenties as Pictured in Sears and Other Catalogs

Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the 1920'sFirst Great Triumph: How Five Americans Made Their Country a World PowerParis 1919: Six Months That Changed the World


Erte's Fashion Designs: 218 Illustrations from Harper's Bazar 1918-1932

1920s Fashions from B. Altman and CompanyVintage Fashions for Women 1920s-1940s
Erte's Theatrical Costumes in Full Color
Fashion Drawings and Illustrations from Harper's Bazar  Children's Fashions 1900-1950: As Pictured in Sears Catalog

Fashion Books 1930s

 
The Duchess of Windsor: The Uncommon Life of Wallis Simpson


Everyday Fashions of the Thirties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs


Art Deco Hair: Hairstyles of the 1920s and 1930s


Fashions of a Decade: The 1930s For 12 and over

 Children's Fashions 1900-1950: As Pictured in Sears Catalog


Welcome to Kit's World, 1934: Growing up during America's Great Depression A book for those age 9-12


1930-1945

A delightful book for middle school students age 12 and upwards.

Fashion Books 1940s

Blueprints of Fashion : Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s

Everyday Fashions of the Forties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs


1940s Hairstyles


Fashions of a Decade: The 1940s Teen and up.

 Children's Fashions 1900-1950: As Pictured in Sears Catalog


The Greatest Generation


War Stories: Remembering World War II

A book about American stories of World War II and its effect on the lives of everyone.

The Conquerors: Roosevelt, Truman and the Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1941-1945


Good Fight: How World War II Was Won
Stephen Ambrose has written a superb book directed toward young readers, giving them a clear understanding of what war means, its purpose and some major battles.

Age 9-12. A compelling read.

Welcome to Molly's World: 1944 (American Girls Collection Series: Molly) Age 7-12


French Fashion Designers: 1900-1950 Paper Dolls


The Duchess of Windsor: The Uncommon Life of Wallis Simpson

 Children's Fashions 1900-1950: As Pictured in Sears Catalog


Welcome to Kit's World, 1934: Growing up during America's Great Depression A book for those age 9-12


1930-1945

A delightful book for middle school students age 12 and up.

Fashion Style 1950’s Books

Everyday Fashions of the Fifties: As Pictured in Sears Catalogs Blueprints of Fashion : Home Sewing Patterns of the 1950s

Blue Jean

Vintage Fashions for Women: The 1950s and 60s

Fifty Years of Fashion: New Look to Now

Couture and Commerce: The Transatlantic Fashion Trade in the 1950s Vintage Face: Period Looks from the 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s

Film-Star Portraits of the Fifties: 160 Glamor Photos

1950s Hair: Hairstyles from the Atomic Age of Cool Fashions of a Decade: The 1950s Age 12 and up

Fashionable Clothing: From the Sears Catalogs: Late 1950s

 Christian Dior Fashion Review Paper Dolls

 140 Great Fashion Designs: 1950-2000 with Book Paper Dolls By Tom Tierney

Fashions of the Thirties: 476 Authentic Copyright-Free Illustrations Everyday Fashions of the Thirties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs

Art Deco Hair: Hairstyles of the 1920s and 1930s

The Duchess of Windsor: The Uncommon Life of Wallis Simpson

 Children's Fashions 1900-1950: As Pictured in Sears Catalog

Welcome to Kit's World, 1934: Growing up during America's Great Depression A book for those age 9-12

1930-1945

A delightful book for middle school students age 12 and up.

Madeleine Vionnet

One of the most readable fashion books ever Elizabeth Ewing's History of 20th Century Fashion and now recently revised.

Fashions of a Decade: The 1930s For 12 and over

1960 and 1970 Fashion Books

Everyday Fashions of the Sixties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs

Fashions of a Decade: The 1960s

Series Age 12 and up

Fashions of a Decade: The 1970s

60s: Mods and Hippies

Both these books are suitable for ages 10 -14 and anyone looking for good colour photographs of the eras.

70s: Punks, Glam Rockers and New Romantics

Tomorrow's Heirlooms: Fashions of the '60s and '70s

Jackie: The Clothes of Camelot (Us)

Diana and Jackie: Maidens, Mothers, Myths

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: A Life

Fashion Plates 1950-1970

Glamorous Movie Stars of the Sixties Paper Dolls

Great Fashion Designs of the Sixties: Paper Dolls in Full Color

Fashionable Clothing: From the Sears Catalogs - Early 1970s

A Thousand Days of Magic: Dressing Jackie Kennedy for the White House

Great Fashion Designs of the Seventies Paper Dolls

The Century

The best photographs and interviews that depict the culture that defines every era of the 20th century. A superb book that is a pleasure to read from cover to cover.

1980s and 1990's Books

Each books has been chosen to reflect one aspect of costumes changes in the 1980's and 1990's.

The Conquest of Cool: Business Culture, Counterculture, and the Rise of Hip Consumerism

Fashions of a Decade:
The 1990s

Fashion changes from the 1950's to fashions of the 1990's


Totally Awesome 80s: A Lexicon of the Music, Videos, Movies, TV Shows, Stars, and Trends of That Decadent Decade

Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture

80s and 90s: Power Dressing to Sportswear

Suitable for ages 10 -14 and anyone looking for good colour photographs of the era.

Casual Power: How to Power up Your Nonverbal Communication and Dress Down for Success


The Bonfire of the Vanities

Reviews of fashion books in the 1980's and 1990's

Fashion Era Books

Pre-Raphaelite to Arts and Crafts Jewelry
Art Deco Jewelry

Victorian Jewellery (Dover)

Surfers Soulies Skinheads and Skaters: Subcultural Style from the Forties to the Nineties

Goth: Identity, Style, and Subculture
Totally Awesome 80s: A Lexicon of the Music, Videos, Movies, TV Shows, Stars, and Trends of That Decadent Decade
Fruits Japanese teen fashion that will give you ideas!

Bronwyn Cosgrave's The Complete History of Costume and Fashion. This book covers costume from ancient Egypt to the present day. One of the most readable fashion books ever Elizabeth Ewing's History of 20th Century Fashion and now recently revised.

The Fashion Book: Mini Edition
In the Culture Society: Art, Fashion and Popular Music


Official eBay Guide: To Buying, Selling, and Collecting Just about Anything
Classic Georgian Style Translate the Georgian style into today's interiors with this book.

Fashion Trends 2005 find out about the colours to look out for this year.

Look: Adventures in Pop and Rock Fashion

Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C.1660-1860: Patterns of Fashion 1, Vol. 1

Both of these volumes written by the master the late Janet Arnold are two of my all time favourite books for understanding the complexities of costume construction.


20,000 Years of Fashion : The History of Costume and Personal Adornment

A classic book beautifully illustrated.

Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture

Engishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C.1860-1940: Patterns of Fashion, Vol. 2

The sister book is where you will find patterns for the typical mid Victorian dress styles.  Great bustle patterns.

A Dictionary of Costume and Fashion: Historic and Modern


Fashion in Costume, 1200-2000

 1563671727:Product Link on Barnes & Noble.com. For a very popular fashion designing book.

 0878300260:Product Link on Barnes & Noble.com. Norah Waugh's superb book The Cut of Women's Clothes from 1600 to 1930


Costume and Fashion: A Concise History

The standard textbook on fashion history that everyone begins with.


Fashion

Vintage photographs depicting culture and art in fashion. A must own book that covers topics from the clothes of  American Indians to saris to Vivienne Westwood.


Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C.1660-1860: Patterns of Fashion 1, Vol. 1

Both of these volumes written by the master the late Janet Arnold are two of my all time favourite books for understanding the complexities of costume construction.

 
Engishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C.1860-1940: Patterns of Fashion, Vol. 2

The sister book is where you will find patterns for the typical mid Victorian dress styles.  Great bustle patterns.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Costume and Fashion: From 1066 to the Present


Fashion: The Twentieth Century

 1563671697:Product Link on Barnes & Noble.com.

Fairchild's Dictionary of Fashion
20,000 Years of Fashion : The History of Costume and Personal Adornment

A classic book beautifully illustrated with paintings and photographs.
The St. James Fashion Encyclopedia: A Survey of Style from 1945 to the Present  
Cutting Edge: 50 Years of British Fashion, 1947-1997

Discover your passion for fashion - Per Una is now online
Costume since 1945: Couture, Street Style, and Anti-Fashion

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