The Winterthur Collection has many fantastic historical clothing and accessory catalogs. Here's the best from 1850-1919
Books
Winterthur Collection
New Book Reviews
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Looking for some last minute gift suggestions? Cathy reviews two new books from 2010: Fashioning Fashion and High Style.
Natural Form Era (1876-1882) Bookshelf
We've gone through our links, pored over the bookshelves and searched for the best in books to help you create a masterpiece for the Natural Form Era 1876-1882.
We've got an awesome trilogy of ladies' tailoring books by Charles Hecklinger and his equally amazing trilogy of men's tailoring books.
Having trouble getting a smooth fit to a cuirass bodice or Princess dress? We've found period fitting guides with step-by-step pictures to guide you through the process. Want to know what options women had for corsets and petticoats? Check out a mail order catalog from 1883. And that's just the free stuff, not from a bookstore!
Revolutionary Era (1770-1789) Bookshelf
Marion's got all the books and resources you need to create an amazing ensemble for the Revolutionary period:
- The Must Have books and the Nice-to-Haves;
- A 1785 French fashion magazine with men's and women's dress, hat and wig fashions; and much more!
Archive.org - Pattern Cutting, Tailoring and Dressmaking by Marion and Cathy
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Archive.org is an open digital library, without the international restrictions of Google Books. This month, we share with you a few of the great historical texts on a variety of subjects that we've found.
From 1820's fashion magazines to 1900's pattern drafting texts, to shoe making manuals and hairstyling guides, we've got a lot to keep you busy over the holiday season!
Original 19th c Tailoring Books Online by Marion McNealy
Who'd like a shelf full of free Victorian tailoring manuals? Yes, I knew that would prick up your ears! It's been a full year since Marion last shared a collection of dressmaking and sewing books. Inspired by Jason's series, she's been building another collection: mens' and womens' wear tailoring books from 1855-1886.
Looking for riding habit ideas? Searching for cutting instructions for a Norfolk jacket or a Newmarket skirt and jacket? We've got the answers here, in these complete digitised online copies of original Victorian books, ready for you to download and enjoy.
Vintage Corset Making and Fitting Books
This month Marion McNealy shares with you some of the vintage corset making and fitting books that are online.
The books range from patterning and making an 1857 corset (perfect for the Single Pattern Project!) to 1920's and 30's corsets, corselettes, brassieres, bandeaux and girdles. We've even got an excellent book from the 1950's for corset saleswomen on fitting a customer and making her feel at ease during the fitting process, still applicable to customers today!
Build Your Library - Pattern Cutting for Men's Costume by Elizabeth Friendship
This month we have a special treat!
YWU reader absintheskiss reviews Elizabeth Friendship's brand new book Pattern Cutting for Men's Costume.
Patterns of Fashion 4, reviewed by Marion McNealy
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The ten year wait for Janet Arnold's last work is over: Patterns of Fashion 4 is to be published on November 7th, and this month YWU is celebrating its release!
This extraordinary treasure trove, the final book in the series, has been completed with additional material by Jenny Tiramani and Santina M. Levey after Janet's passing in 1998. We've been smiling very sweetly at the publisher, and our grovelling has paid off with an advance copy. So Marion's ready to give you her exclusive review!
Build Your Library - 18th century Costume Books by Loren Dearborn
If you're an 18th Century costume buff, odds are you already have these.
But if you're just now falling in love with Rococo they should be at the top of your Christmas list!
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