Books

Reviewed by Gayle MacGregor – Sewing Machine Girl Beauty and Cosmetics 1550-1950 By Sarah Jane Downing (Shire Library, ISBN: 978-0-74780-839-8) Beauty and Cosmetics 1550-1950 is a comprehensive history of Beauty and Cosmetics from Pagan cultures to Christian cultures through to the 1950s. The small size of this book belies the extent of information contained within, including a rich social history. Beginning with early Christian reactions against the Pagan cultures use of adornment, how concepts of

VFG member Claire Shaeffer is a respected author, lecturer, college instructor and columnist. She frequently contributes articles to sewing magazines, and has authored many books, including Sew Any Patch Pocket, Couture Sewing Techniques, Sew Any Fabric and The Complete Book of Sewing Shortcuts. Claire Shaeffer makes her home in Palm Springs, California. Click here to go to Claire’s Amazon pages

Reviewed by Lizzie Bramlett – fuzzylizzie.com Collector’s Guide to Vintage Fashions Identification and Values by Kristina Harris (Collector Books ISBN 1-57432-096-3) This book is a basic how to collect vintage clothing primer. The author discusses the various areas of collectible clothing and she addresses the steps involved in building a collection of antique and vintage clothing. The book has many illustrations with prices given for the items illustrated. The most important thing to remember about

Reviewed by Jonathan Walford – kickshawproductions Couture and Commerce: The Transatlantic Fashion Trade in the 1950s by Alexandra Palmer (360 pages, published October 2001 ISBN: 0-7748-0826-8) Let’s face it, the world of couture clothing has not been a rare subject for publication lately as probably more has been written on the subject this past decade than all combined from previous generations. Palmer’s book however, focuses on the real mechanics of couture from design to sale,

Dale Hope is the author of The Aloha Shirt – Spirit of the Islands. Dale has just published a new edition to this wonderful book, click here to find it on Amazon .

Reviewed by Lizzie Bramlett – fuzzylizzie.com Dressing Up Vintage by Tracy Tolkien Pavilion Books Ltd ISBN 1-86205-305-7 Mainly a guide for what to collect from the second half of the 20th century, the emphasis is on designer fashion. The book employs a mixture of vintage photographs and modern pictures of vintage clothes. There is a small section on how to go about starting a vintage fashion collection. This is the kind of book that I

Reviewed by Liza D. – Better Dresses Vintage Edwardian Fashion, by Daniel Milford-Cottam (© 2014 by Shire Publications, ISBN: 978-74781-404-7) This compact little book is a quick and helpful read for anyone interested in learning more about dress in the first part of the 20th century. It is written from a British viewpoint, but the bountiful content applies across the Western world. Milford-Cottam begins by “Setting the Scene.” This first chapter delineates the differences between

Reviewed by Gayle MacGregor – Sewing Machine Girl Fashion in the 1920s by Jayne Shrimpton (Shire Library, ISBN: 978-0-74781-308-8) Fashion in the 1920s explores the fashion worn in the 20s from a British perspective, along with the social history that influenced the fashion of the time. The effects of the Great War along with the rapid industrialisation of major cities in Britain are examined, along with the rise of consumerism, and the changes to the

Reviewed by Gayle MacGregor – Sewing Machine Girl Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen by Sarah Jane Downing (Shire Library, ISBN-10: 0747807671) This compact book examines British fashion history from 16th December 1775, when Jane Austen was born, to 1819, as seen through the eyes and words of Austen herself. The book is a comprehensive overview of clothing worn by women, men and children of the upper and aspirational classes, as well as the

Reviewed by Gayle MacGregor – Sewing Machine Girl Fashion in the Time of the Great Gatsby By LaLonnie Lehman (Shire Library, ISBN: 978-0-74781-299-9) Fashion in The Time of The Great Gatsby, aims to explore 1920s fashion in America as seen through the world of Gatsby’s author- F. Scott Fitzgerald. The book touches on the changes to society and the consumerism that influenced 20s fashion, from emancipation to both men and women embracing leisure pursuits, sports,

Reviewed by Lizzie Bramlett – fuzzylizzie.com Floral Frocks: A Celebration of the Floral Printed Dress from 1900 to Today by Jo Turney and Rosemary Harden (Antique Collectors’ Club, Ltd. ISBN-10: 185149538X ) From the 1920s through the end of the 20th century, the floral frock was an important player in the fashion scene. This book, Floral Frocks, explains the garment in the context of its times, from the 1920s when florals became a “fashion fabric,”

Reviewed by Gayle MacGregor – Sewing Machine Girl Gear Guide 1967: Hip-pocket Guide to Britain’s Swinging Carnaby Street Fashion Scene by David Johnson and Roger Dunkley (Old House Books & Maps, ISBN-10: 1908402563) This quirky, fascinating little book was originally published in 1967 by Atlas Publishing, London. A facsimile of the original pocket guide to the boutiques of Swinging London, this book is a must- have stocking filler for Christmas, or just a neat affordable

VFG Member Jane Julianelli is a writer who was an editor at Women’s Wear Daily, has been a contributing writer to The New York Times and has freelanced for publications including The Daily News, Harper’s Bazaar, Mademoiselle, and Ms Magazine. Jane’s book The Naked Shoe is available on Amazon

Reviewed by Lizzie Bramlett – fuzzylizzie.com Jean Muir: Beyond Fashion by Sinty Stempe (Antique Collector’s Club, ISBN-10 1851495215) I’m always hesitant about one-topic fashion books, especially when written by someone who was involved professionally with the subject. Seems like you either get an emotional homage or an insider-tell-all. In this case, the insider is Sinty Stempe, who was Jean Muir’s personal assistant, and who is still employeed at Jean Muir, Ltd. She has managed to

Longtime VFG member Jonathan Walford has published books with subjects ranging from shoes, to forties fashion, to 60s paper dresses. His latest is 1950s American Fashion. The 1950s was the first decade when American fashion became truly American. The United States had historically relied upon Europe for its style leads, but during World War II, when necessity became the mother of invention, the country had to find its own way. American designers looked to what

Melody Fortier has been collecting and selling vintage clothing since the mid-1990s. Her store, Tangerine Boutique, is located in Gardner, Massachusetts, as well as online. Click here to purchase Melody’s book The Little Guide to Vintage Shopping: Insider Tips, Helpful Hints, Hip Shops at Amazon

Member Nicole Jenkins is a costume designer, vintage clothing aficionado, and owner of the highly respected vintage clothing store, Circa, in the heart of Melbourne’s vintage district in Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. You can find Nicoles’s book Love Vintage and Style is Eternal directly from her website Circa Vintage Clothing. Style is Eternal is also available on Amazon.

Reviewed by Lizzie Bramlett – fuzzylizzie.com Radical Rags: Fashions of the Sixties by Joel Lobenthal (Abbeville Press ISBN 0-89659-930-2) Very limited availability, prices will vary for used copies. The book is look at the fashions and fashion influences of the 1960s. The book focuses on the fashion scenes in London, New York, Paris, Rome and the US West Coast and it also profiles the major designers of the time. Every fashion history fan knows about

Reviewed by Lizzie Bramlett – fuzzylizzie.com Secondhand Chic: Finding Fabulous Fashion at Consignment, Vintage, and Thrift Stores by Christa Weil (Pocket Books: ISBN: 0-671-02713-1) This book is a guide to shopping the secondhand market for wearable clothing. It tells how to identify the elements of a top-quality garment, discusses labels and designer diffusion lines, and discusss when not to buy a flawed item. It also compares and contrasts the various types of secondhand stors in

Susan Langley has lectured widely on historical fashion, curated six exhibits for the Lorenzo State Historic Site in New York, and hosted several live shows on Personal FX: The Collectibles Show. She resides in New York State. Sue has written several books on Vintage Fashion. Click here to go to Susan’s Amazon page