Fashion and history have always walked hand in hand, for the one is a mirror of the other. The clothes of a certain people, of a certain period, of a certain country reflect the mores and customs of a point in history. Therefore illustrated works on the history of costume form a valuable source of information for the student of history; and vice versa, through historical studies of contemporary illustrations of the period one can build up a composite and colourful picture of the fashion of the time.
The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Fashion is packed full of fascinating information about fashion through the ages. It will appeal not only to the general reader, interested in the origins and development of fashions, but also to the serious fashion student, who needs an accurate reference book on costume.
The book is divided into two parts: the first half of the volume comprises a concise history of fashion from the fourth millennium B.C. right down to the present day, often drawing on hitherto unknown mid-European sources; the second half consists of a detailed glossary of the various garments and accessories which go to make up fashion — hairstyles, beards, headgear, collars, ties, sleeves, cuffs, belts, underwear, swimwear, jewellery, liturgical vestments, trousers, skirts, coats, shirts, stockings, footwear and children’s dress. Each of these sections is arranged chronologically for ease of reference. The whole book is profusely illustrated throughout with nearly a thousand black and white pictures, and over thirty beautiful colour plates, These include a number of mid-European examples seldom to be seen in France and England.