"His work contributes to the ongoing interest in the history of women and in the history of resistance."--Jacket.

Considers how the languages of dress in the region connect with other social practices, and with political and religious conformity in particular. Treating cases as diverse as practices of veiling in Oman and dress reform laws in Turkey, these ethnographic studies extend from Malta to the ME and Caucasus.

Fashion is ever-changing, and while some styles mark a dramatic departure from the past, many exhibit subtle differences from year to year that are not always easily identifiable. With overviews of each key period and detailed illustrations for each new style, How to Read a Dress is an authoritative visual guide to women's fashion across five centuries. Each entry includes annotated color images of historical garments, outlining important features and highlighting how styles have developed over time, whether in shape, fabric choice, trimming, or undergarments. Readers will learn how garments were constructed and where their inspiration stemmed from at key points in history – as well as how dresses have varied in type, cut, detailing and popularity according to the occasion and the class, age and social status of the wearer. This lavishly illustrated book is the ideal tool for anyone who has ever wanted to know their cartridge pleats from their Récamier ruffles. Equipping the reader with all the information they need to 'read' a dress, this is the ultimate guide for students, researchers, and anyone interested in historical fashion.

This unique book, by a man who has chosen to "dress plain," describes the history and use of hats, bonnets, dresses, overcoats, and other articles of clothing used by the various religious groups who wear plain garb. This is the first comprehensive book about why more than 150,000 persons in North America wear plain clothes for religious reasons. Who are the various people who dress plain? Where do they live? Why do they do it? Where did the plain pattern come from? Don't they ever change? Answers to some common objects to plain dress! Will plain dress survive? Authoritative, yet gentle in tone, this book will be of interest to many readers.

This vintage book contains an exhaustive dictionary of fashion terms, with instructions for pronunciation, brief explanations, and lists of synonyms. Timeless and comprehensive, “The Language Of Fashion Dictionary And Digest Of Fabric, Sewing And Dress” will be of utility to those involved in the fashion industry, and is not to be missed by the discerning collector. Contents include: “Belts”, “Bindings”, “Blouses”, “Bobs”, “Bodices”, “Bonnets”, “Boots”, “Bows”, “Bracelets”, “Braids”, “Buckles”, “Bustles”, “Buttons”, “Buttonholes”, “Canvas”, “Caps”, “Capes”, “Checks”, “Coats”, “Collars”, “Color”, “Combs”, “Cottons”, “Crepes”, “Cuffs”, “Dots”, “Dress and Dresses”, “Dyeing”, “Embroideries”, “Eyelets”, “Fabric”, “Fancy Dress”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on the history of textiles and weaving. This book was first published in 1939.

Stephanie Davis has combined her painting and art teaching with research into costumes as depicted through the centuries. Dozens of carefully drawn and detailed illustrations embellish the text and give a visual dimension. She includes lists of couturiers and designers, costume collections and exhibitions of ancient civilisations.--[book cover].

'Glamorous, gripping and moving. I just loved it' MARIAN KEYES. Joy is beautiful, but she has a secret fear. Although she is the toast of 1950s New York Society, with everything money can buy, she is afraid that one day her beauty will fade and she will lose the love of her glamorous husband. Honor is a young seamstress, who has been working her fingers to the bone with little reward, but her luck is about to change. For her 30th birthday, Joy commissions Honor to create the the most dazzling dress ever seen. Lily has always loved vintage clothes. Thousands follow her fashion blog. One day she stumbles upon an article about a legendary evening dress, created in the 1950s, but now lost to history. She knows that she must find out more. What Lily uncovers is a story of glamour, friendship and love betrayed. The story of two women, one ruthless man – and a dress so sublime, nothing in couture would ever match it again.