In the early decades of the 20th century, a remarkable phenomenon was revolutionizing American life. Mail-order catalogs, distributed by such firms as Sears, Roebuck and Company, were becoming familiar purveyors of merchandise ranging from stylish fashions for men, women and children to useful products and decorative accessories for the home. For this volume, devoted to everyday clothing of the era, JoAnne Olian, Curator Emeritus of the Costume Collection at the Museum of the City of New York, has selected hundreds of fashion illustrations originally published in Sears catalogs between 1909 and 1920. Focusing on ready-to-wear apparel for women and children, the detailed illustrations display a wide variety of generally conservative articles of clothing. For the ladies, there are elegant dresses of taffeta, satin and crepe de chine for special occasions, lace-trimmed shirtwaists (forerunners of the modern blouse), everyday dresses of wool, two-piece serge suits and charming hats trimmed with silk ribbons, feathers and velvet. Outfits for children include -- among other items -- a variety of attractive suits for little boys in popular Russian and nautical styles, casual clothes, rain gear and more. Also shown is a representative selection of men's wear: suits, coats, slacks, sportswear and other attire. Original captions accompany each item, providing information on material, size and price. An authentic record of what Americans were wearing during a decade of tremendous change, this vintage fashion parade will appeal not only to nostalgia lovers and Americana enthusiasts, but collectors, designers and fashion historians.
This book (and the others in the series) are absolutely fantastic. As a costumer, i've found these books to be extremely helpful in recreating costumes of the period. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in vintage clothing styles.
Great Resource!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
This book is an excellent resource for studying period fashion. Unlike so many period fashion books, which focus on evening wear or the clothing of the wealthy, this book gives great examples of what the general population wore every day. It will be extremely useful to costumers and fashion students.
This book provides a comprehensive series of illustrations that immerse you in the world of fashion from this era. It is authentic and beautifully laid out, and depicts numerous costume items from the early 20th century, though mostly focusing on women. The pictures depict everything from dresses to shoes, hats to gloves; the women's hairstyles, makeup, undergarments, and overall looks give the reader the most authentic possible view of fashion and the aesthetic ideals of the time. The catalogue also shows the prices and features descriptions that include fabric and color. There are some pictures of men's and children's fashions. This book is thorough and unbelievably beautiful. The whole series of Sears catalogue fashions by decade is amazing. I recommend them all!
The Best Way To Study A Time Period Is Through Examples Of Its Everyday Life
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
Thru illustrations created for the Sears Catalogs of the early twentieth century, clothing--functional, extravagant, glamorous, practical--is reproduced for visual inspection. Great for research, for curiosity seekers who wish to know what our foremothers wore, or in the case in which I used it, this is a perfect reference book to give to a dressmaker to let her see an example of an outfit you'd like to have made. An great book!
Great Browsing!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 26 years ago
I am totally hooked on this series and hope Dover continues it for 1899-1909 and the '50s and '60s, as well. Note in this volume that the brilliant folk at J. Peterman have copied some of the c1913 skirts in their mail order catalog (I now own two, and they're gorgeous). Thank you, Dover, and thank you, J. Peterman!
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