Read !
Why Read?
As they say, Knowledge is Power. In order to be an informed collector of vintage fashion, you need to read and learn as much as possible about your interests. Here I share my favorite resources, the ones I've used in writing these fashion pages. I'll continue to add recommendations as time goes by. The links to the left lead to my review on selected books. And click below to view the full bibliography for the articles on my site.
Some of my favorite resources for learning about fashion history are primary sources - or books about fashion or designers that were written during the time period. Two of my all time favorites are Fashion Is Our Business (1945) and Young Faces in Fashion (1953), both by Beryl Williams. These books contain short biographical sketches of designers who were currently working.
Also useful are books written about the fashion industry. World of Fashion, by Eleanor Lambert (1976), The Wheels of Fashion, by Phyllis Lee Levin (1965), Ready-Made Miracle, by Jessica Daves (1967, and Fashion Fundamentals, by Bernice Chambers (1947) are books I turn to again and again for information.
I also love autobiographies. Try Shocking Life by the great Elsa Schiaparelli, or Fashion Is Spinach by Elizabeth Hawes. Also good, Quant By Quant and Mommy Dressing by Jo Copeland's daughter, Lois Gould.
| New York Fashion by Caroline Rennolds Milbank is a must-have resource for all lovers of fashion history. It's loaded with pictures and with information about the New York fashion world of the 20th Century. | The St. James Fashion Encyclopedia is one of my favorites for fashion information from the second half of the 20th Century. It's a collection of essays and biographical information on over 200 designers. |
| Claire McCardell: Redefining Modernism by Kohle Yohannan & Nancy Nolf, is a must-have for fans of the work of the great McCardell. A very insightful look at the designer with beautiful photos of her work. |
American Ingenuity: Sportswear 1930-1970s by Richard Martin, was written to accompany an exhibit at the Costume Institute. The photographs are outstanding, particularily the close-ups of the details. |
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If you want to understand the fashion scene of the 1960s, you must have Radical Rags by Joel Lobenthal. The book is full of period photos, and one can really get a feel for the era. | I love California Couture by Maureen Reilly, but I sure wish it had a better index! Still, it has information you'll not find in any other reference, including a large section on Lilli Ann. |
| The Costume Collector's Companion 1890 - 1990 by Rosemary Hawthorne, is actually a charming account of Ms. Hawthorne's personal collection. Read it and be inspired! |
A Century of Shoes by Angela Pattison and Nigel Cawthorne is a great introduction to the history of shoes in the 20th Century, and it's cheaper than a new pair of shoes! |