Sources for Information on Clothing During the Late American Colonial Period
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Costume Close Up: Clothing Construction and Pattern, 1750-1790 by Linda Baumgarten, et al An absolute treasure. Shows extant clothing from the Colonial Williamsburg collection and gives enough information to enable you to recreate each piece. |
| Fitting & Proper by Sharon Ann Burnston Another excellent book showcasing extant Colonial clothing. As with Costume Close Up, this book also shows garment layouts and gives fabric and stitching details. | |
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Tidings from the 18th Century by Beth Gilgun One stop shopping for the Colonial re-enactor! Beth Gilgun gives information on everything from how to make clothing for men, women and children, period furniture, period drinks, everything! |
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Textiles for Colonial Clothing by Wondering what fabric to buy for your Colonial clothing? Sally Queen has done all the homework for you. This swatchbook is priceless! |
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Fashion in Detail: From the 17th and 18th Centuries by Avril Hart, et al Not a how-to book like the others, but excellent inspiration. Close-ups of embroidery, pleating, and lace on period garments. I should plastic wrap my copy to protect it from drool... |
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Pattern of Fashion 1: Englishwoman's Dresses and Their Construction: c.1660-1860 by Janet Arnold God bless Janet Arnold... |
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Corsets and Crinolines by Norah Waugh An invaluable book to help you make your stays and underpinnings. Don't be a "loose woman"!!! |
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The Cut of Women's Clothes, 1600-1930 by Norah Waugh Not specific to the late 18th century, but a must nonetheless. |
| Cut of Men's Clothes: 1600-1900 by Norah Waugh The same as above, except for men. | |
| Period Costume for Stage & Screen: Patterns for Women's Dress 1500-1800 by Jean Hunnisett, Janette Haslam (Illustrator) WARNING: This is a theatrical costumer's book; not a clothing historian's book. That being said, it gives a lot of good ideas on creating a period look, and sometimes it even uses period techniques. | |
| Rural Pennsylvania Clothing by Ellen J. Gehret If you can find a copy of this, grab it! It's invaluable if you are doing a typical Colonial American impression. | |
| The History of Underclothes by C. Willett Cunnington, et al Not bad for the time period it tries to cover (antiquity until 1930). However, if you find Handbook of English Costume of the 18th century, sell your first born child for it! | |
| Men's Seventeenth & Eighteenth Century Costume : Cut and Fashion by I've never seen this one personally, but it's on my list... | |
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The Art of Dress: Clothes and Society, 1500-1914 by Jane Ashelford, et al A very broad overview of 1500-1914, but good for seeing what came before and after certain styles. |
| A Visual History of Costume: The Eighteenth Century by Aileen Ribeiro If you can find this, get it. |
© 2003 Kass McGann. All Rights Reserved. The Author of this work retains full copyright for this material. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this document for non-commercial private research or educational purposes provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies.
