You Are So Fashionable

Published:  October 1st, 2012
Fashion: The Definitive History of Costume and Style
By: DK Publishing
DK Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780756698355

Tracing the evolution of fashion — from the early draped fabrics of ancient times to the catwalk couture of today — Fashion: The Definitive History of Costume and Style is a stunningly illustrated guide to more than three thousand years of shifting trends and innovative developments in the world of clothing.

Containing everything you need to know about changing fashion and style — from ancient Egyptian dress to Space Age Fashion and Grunge — and information on icons like Marie Antoinette, Clara Bow, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Alexander McQueen, Fashion catalogs the history of what people wear, revealing how Western fashion has been influenced by design from around the world and celebrating costume and haute couture.

Fashion will captivate anyone interested in style — whether it's the fashion-mad teen in Tokyo, the wannabe designer in college, or the fashionista intrigued by the violent origins of the stiletto and the birth of bling.

Review

 

     So, from my reviews on this blog (most of which center on YA fic and contemporary romance) most of you probably wouldn't guess that I have a freakishly obsessive passion for costuming and fashion design, especially the history of it's evolution over time.  I have a favorite book about Hollywood costume design that I repeatedly check out of the library to drool over - Dressed: A Century of Hollywood Costume Design.  This one will be joining it!  This book has such lush illustrations that I couldn't put it down.  I also was pleased by the fact that it went from ancient times (pre-history if you will) all the way up to the present.  For the ancient times, it was mostly pictures of sculptures, artwork and hieroglyphics.  But when it gets to the eastern styles, it shows clothes that were actually on real mummies of that period!  It also talked about the dying process, the changes in production of clothing, couture versus mass-production, etc.  Overall, it has some interesting factual tidbits (probably the Smithsonian influence, being a museum and all!) and lots of eye candy for lovers of fashion and history.  Highly recommended for those who enjoy coffee table books, especially ones about fashion.  My only real complaint is that there wasn't more actual text and information, but I suppose that defeats the purpose of what is essentially an adult picture book!

 

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

 

**I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via Edelweiss.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published on October 1st, 2012.**