There are countless Fashion History courses, tutorials, articles available online, but for some, having a book is still a necessity to learn. This is an up-to-date list of recommended books.
- Fashion History: A Global View (Dress, Body, Culture) (2018)
- How to Read a Dress: A Guide to Changing Fashion from the 16th to the 20th Century (2017)
- 100 Years of Fashion (2012)
- Costume and Fashion (Fifth Edition) (World of Art) (2012)
- Fashion (Oxford History of Art) (2003)
- Consumptive Chic: A History of Beauty, Fashion, and Disease (2017)
- Batik: 75 Selected Masterpieces: The Rudolf G. Smend Collection (2007)
- A Victorian Lady’s Guide to Fashion and Beauty (2018)
- Costume and Fashion: A Concise History (World of Art) (2002)
- Color for Modern Fashion: Drawing Fashion with Colored Markers (2006)
- A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints: A Memoir (2003)
- The History of Underclothes (Dover Fashion and Costumes) (1992)
- The History of Fashion Journalism (2017)
- Corsets and Codpieces: A History of Outrageous Fashion, from Roman Times to the Modern Era (2016)
- Pictorial Encyclopedia of Historic Costume: 1200 Full-Color Figures (Dover Fashion and Costumes) (2007)
Fashion History: A Global View (Dress, Body, Culture) (2018)
Fashion History: A Global View proposes a new perspective on fashion history.
How to Read a Dress: A Guide to Changing Fashion from the 16th to the 20th Century (2017)
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.
100 Years of Fashion (2012)
This book documents in pictures the most exciting and diverse period in fashion: from 1900 to today, covering high society, uniforms, sportswear, streetwear, and couture. It will appeal to everyone with an interest in fashion as well as students Over 400 photographs and illustrations, many published for the first time, tell the stylish story of a fashion revolution.
Costume and Fashion (Fifth Edition) (World of Art) (2012)
“A standard reference for anyone interested in the history of style and clothes.” ―Arts and AntiquesFrom the momentous invention of the needle some 40,000 years ago to the development of blue denim, this classic guide covers the landmarks of costume history, the forms and materials used through the ages, as well as the ways in which clothes have been used to protect, to express identity, and to attract or influen…
Fashion (Oxford History of Art) (2003)
Following 150 years of fashion, Christopher Breward offers a catholic view of this colorful and flamboyant universe, describing its trends, products, and inhabitants. From Haute Couture, High Street, and developing fabric technology to such stars of the fashion heavens as Coco Chanel, Giorgio Armani, and Alexander McQueen, Breward explores territories far beyond style and function.
Consumptive Chic: A History of Beauty, Fashion, and Disease (2017)
Long before "heroin chic" made headlines, the emaciated figure and feverish flush associated with tuberculosis victims were admired as beautiful. As the disease spread throughout Europe in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it became commonplace toregard tuberculosis as a positive affliction, one to be emulated in beauty practices and dress. While medical writers believed that the fashionable way of life of many women actually rendered them susceptible to the disease, Carolyn A.
Batik: 75 Selected Masterpieces: The Rudolf G. Smend Collection (2007)
Batik: 75 Selected Masterpieces contains never before published pictures illustrating the exquisite cross-section of the batik production in Java. Featuring textiles from the personal collection of gallery owner Rudolf G. Smend, historic photographs from the Hans van der Kamp Collection, and fascinating text from academic Isa Fleischmann-Heck, Batik: 75 Selected Masterpieces is a rich resource for collectors and lovers of the “golden period” of Java.
A Victorian Lady’s Guide to Fashion and Beauty (2018)
Women's clothing changed dramatically during the course of the Victorian era. Necklines rose, waistlines dropped, and Gothic severity gave way to flounces, frills, and an abundance of trimmings. Sleeves ballooned up and skirts billowed out.
Costume and Fashion: A Concise History (World of Art) (2002)
The vagaries of fashion throughout the ages are a source of endless interest, not only as indication of our infinite capacity for invention, but also because of the relationship of costume to shifting cultural patterns. Laver presents in this classic study the underlying motives of fashion as well as a survey of the history of costume.
Color for Modern Fashion: Drawing Fashion with Colored Markers (2006)
KET BENEFIT: CFMF teaches the skills and techniques that enable new ideas for fashion to be communicated with precision and flair, showing the way forward for a new generation of fashion designers. CFMF teaches how to draw fashion using colored markers, a medium that is easy to use, convenient, inexpensive and easy to learn.
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints: A Memoir (2003)
As far back as i can remember i can remember manhattan.
The History of Underclothes (Dover Fashion and Costumes) (1992)
“. . . thoroughness and most impressive scholarship . . . much entertaining detail and . . . pleasant humour.” — The Times Literary Supplement (London)Underwear — practical garments with a utilitarian function or body coverings that serve an erotic purpose?
The History of Fashion Journalism (2017)
The History of Fashion Journalism is a uniquely comprehensive study of the development of the industry from its origins to the present day and professionals’, such as Anna Wintour, vision of the future.
Corsets and Codpieces: A History of Outrageous Fashion, from Roman Times to the Modern Era (2016)
Have you ever wondered why we wear the type of clothes we do?
Pictorial Encyclopedia of Historic Costume: 1200 Full-Color Figures (Dover Fashion and Costumes) (2007)
Ranging from the elegant garments worn by citizens of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to the dramatic clothing of nineteenth-century French, English, and German societies, this stunning pictorial encyclopedia chronicles the full sweep of historic dress through the centuries.Carefully gathered from a rare portfolio originally published in 1906, over one thousand detailed engravings are presented here in a continuous chronological format.
Best Fashion History Books: The Ultimate List
We highly recommend you to buy all paper or e-books in a legal way, for example, on Amazon. But sometimes it might be a need to dig deeper beyond the shiny book cover. Before making a purchase, you can visit resources like Library Genesis and download some fashion history books mentioned below at your own risk. Once again, we do not host any illegal or copyrighted files, but simply give our visitors a choice and hope they will make a wise decision.
Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History
Author(s): Richard Thompson Ford
ID: 2910028, Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Year: 2021, Size: 47 Mb, Format: epub
The Hidden History of the Smock Frock
Author(s): Alison Toplis
ID: 2973471, Publisher: Bloomsbury Visual Arts, Year: 2021, Size: 4 Mb, Format: epub
Shoe Reels: The History and Philosophy of Footwear in Film
Author(s): Elizabeth Ezra; Catherine Wheatley
ID: 2991681, Publisher: Edinburgh University Press, Year: 2021, Size: 20 Mb, Format: pdf
Please note that this booklist is not errorless. Some books are truly best-sellers according to The New York Times, others are written by unknown authors. On top of that, you can always find additional tutorials and courses on Coursera, Udemy or edX, for example. Are there any other relevant books you could recommend? Drop a comment if you have any feedback on the list.