Reviews - How to Read a Dress: A Guide to Changing Fashion from the 16th to the 20th Century

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53 reviews for:

How to Read a Dress: A Guide to Changing Fashion from the 16th to the 20th Century

I'd echo a lot of what other reviewers have said - I think a few more dresses could've been added to better show the breadth of each decade, as well as to ensure that she hits all of the key transitions in style. I also would've liked a bit more explanation for the WHY of these styles, because many of them are totally wild and I want to know why anyone would want to wear a ruff so big that they needed a wire support apparatus. (Also, the copyediting needs to be improved there were several typos). That being said, I really really enjoyed this book and I think that it's a useful and interesting resource as an introduction to fashion through the latter half of the millennium. Many of the dresses are totally beautiful, and I might try reading more about periods other than 1810-1870.

xennicole's review against another edition

2.0

Not what I expected. It was okay. The notes on the dresses were redundant after a few dresses. An obvious mistake in the edition I borrowed from the library: duplicate notes on a page. It felt like a PowerPoint lecture in book form.

carolalovesausten's review against another edition

5.0

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

suzmccurry's review against another edition

3.0

I loved the idea of this book, and the photos were gorgeous, but I wish there had been better descriptions of different clothing items for laypeople. A more detailed glossary would have been helpful. I found myself Googling certain clothing terms while reading it, which shouldn't happen when you're reading a non-fiction book about clothing. I felt that I was reading it carefully, but then I would find myself thinking "Wait, what *is* a mantua, anyway?"

I will probably seek out other books on this subject because I don't think that I've really learned as much as I was hoping to.

leoniesmit's review against another edition

4.0

informative slow-paced

ekmsmith's review against another edition

4.0

informative relaxing fast-paced

A very informative and interesting read! Unfortunately some formatting issues with images are still present in this revised edition, which is challenging in a book that relies so heavily on visuals