Fashion Books

Do you remember plaited lanyards you tried to make when youwere in the second grade in day camp; the ones that somebig kid could make in all sorts of spirals and squares but (c'mon admit it) you just couldn't make work for you? Well this book takes that art back to its basic, the nineteenth century art of hair braiding. Mark Campbell makes this incredibly difficult appearing craft much easier to do than you'd ever imagine. So if you want to know just how to make your own (pardon) heirloom bracelet, this is the book for you.........Georgie

This is a great compilation of 19th century engravings and instructions on how to create Hair work Jewelry. The craft is very similar to macrame, bobbin lace, or kumihimo. Just done with hair instead. It has instructions on the basic principles and tools involved in the craft. There are over 150 different braiding designs included. It also gives brief illustrations on how to sew smaller braids together to make wider bracelets. It also includes period engravings of finished hair work pieces. This does not have any instructions on how to create the elaborate hair work wreathes that were worked into to looking like flower arrangements. But it is superb for creating a lost art of jewelry. My only problem was finding hair to work with that was long enough. Or finding other colors to create interesting designs. Working with string to test a pattern can help to get the hang of it. Ebay is a great outlet for human hair. Search for real hair extensions. If human hair is too morbid for you, horse hair is an option.

I enjoyed this book for the variety of simple yet fun ideas and eye candy. Its a project oriented book but one of the better ones out there in my opinion. Great book if your looking for gift ideas or just something to inspire you to get creating!

THis book is excellant for the Altered Artist covering everything from jewelry to clothing. You won't be dissapointed I highly recommend this book. Easy to understand techniques. Easy read.

I love this book because it doesn't spell out every step, but allows you to apply your own creativity. But, this same feature might make it a little difficult for beginners.
I still highly recommend the book because so many of the techniques can be applied to totally different projects.

I would really suggest this book to all those who love to quilt or embellish with an Asian theme. It is easy to understand and follow instructions.

I've owned Elgort's "Model Manual" for over a year now, and find myself coming back to it often for inspiration, reference, nostalgia, and a new experience each time. The art direction, layout, and of course, photography, make this book memorable and a worthwhile purchase. Models (professional and aspiring), art directors, and anyone interested and/or ivolved in fashion, beauty and design are encouraged to take a look!

Medicine is not an art or a battle between technology and nature - it is a war, war between computers. On our side: the cognitive human brain and increasingly intelligent computers it makes. On the other side: The noncognitive and simple RNA and DNA computers of human genetics and human cells gone bad. So far the latter have lost a ground, but they have done remarkably well and even gained back little territory via fast-action guerilla tactics (e.g. rapid adaption to antibiotics) The (not so surprising) ability of DNA/RNA to evolve countermeasures to today's primitive medical technologies has led many to conclude that cyber-revolution will sink into a stalemate. Not so -RNA/DNA will lose the war, as fast as the genetic codes may evolve, they are old simple systems whose basic level of performance plateaued epochs ago. Worst of all - they do not think. They have never seen the likes of the increasingly smart macro and nanocomputers that will be thrown at them in the next few decades. The technology is moving much faster than its targets, and the Information-processing speed of genetic DNA will soon be billions of times less than that of their attackers. Point is that humans will soon have creatures among them that make Christy Tulington look like Frankenstein's Bride and her wits equal to that of Minnie the Mouse.

This book is well researched and well written. It even contains recipes. As I am in a research and reenactment group, this has been a godsend. I am delighted with the professionalism of this book. I have to be careful every time I open it that I don't drool on it. GREAT BOOK!!

While there are many books out on cosmetics, perfumes, and the history of adornment, there has been a dearth of well-researched, modern historical and archaeological studies with practical information. Sally Pointer, from the National Museum and Gallery of Wales, has written a text that fills that gap admirably. The depth and accuracy of the research, and the scholarly discussion, in The Artifice of Beauty, is combined with the re-creation experiences of a skilled museum curator.

Anyone interested in researching and/or recreating fashion, material culture, or personal life in history should have this book in her or his library. Those interested in homemade cosmetics and perfumes will also find it very useful.

Pointer first lays out "The Nature of the Evidence" in her introduction, then tackles the various ages of humankind in nine chronological chapters. While none is completely exhaustive-- the beauty regimens of the nineteenth century alone have filled multiple shelves of books-- each chapter provides a good groundwork for understanding cosmetics, perfumes, and ideas of beauty in the period. Her strongest suit is in the early evidence, Ancient World and Classical world sections, but those areas have previously been the subject of much archaeology but little reliable summary. Her information about the medieval through the seventeenth centuries is a treasure trove of facts and quotations.

Of special interest is Pointer's analyses of possible make-up trends based on pictoral representations of people in the period. Were pink cheeks admired? Highly accented eyes? What color of hair was in fashion. Information about hairpieces and false hair, washes, soap and other cosmetic preparations are also included. Sidebars cover specific items that Pointer herself has researched and recreated, such as a nail stain made from alkanet root, Roman wigs, Mesopotamian eye paints, alcohol-based Hungary Water, seventeenth century 'invisible rouge,' 18th century Carmelite water. Illustrations of advertisements highlight the later chapters. The text here is interesting as well as erudite, and Pointer carefully delineates her deductions and suppositions so that the reader can tell what is documented fact and what scholarly reasoning. Throughout, attention is paid to the safety of the ingredients discussed, and the possible and documented health effects on their users. Some facts-- such as a strange fashion in the nineteenth century for nipple-piercing and a selection of medieval mouthwashes-- will surprise the reader. Others, such as the utility of pomade for the hair, that the skin-destroying properties of ceruse (white lead) were known to the historic critics of 'painting', or that bathing and washing were done with some regularity in pre-modern periods, may explode some cherished myths.

After the text history, Pointer lays out "A Guide to Recreating Perfumes and Cosmetics, with Selected Recipes Adapted for Modern Use." The second section of the book is of interest not only to historians and re-enactors but to chemists, in that it consists of a glossary of cosmetic and perfume ingredients. While not exhaustive, especially with reference to more modern ingredients, this guide will be invaluable to those curious about Behen oil, Kohl, the elusive Nard, pomades, stacte, terebinth resin, etc. Here, also, are included a number of excellent recreated or redacted recipes. The next section covers Tools, Implements and Cosmetic Containers, with special attention to the pre-modern period.

One cannot overemphasize the importance of chapter 12, on Adapting Early Recipes to Modern Usage, for the recreator, re-enactor, or cosmetics student or dabbler. In this section Pointer lays out two historical recipes, one classical and one Victorian, and shows how she worked out safe, modern recipes for the items described. (For SCA purposes, these two recipes would be excellent guides for creating competitive documentation.) The painstaking work here, and the careful explanation of what changes and compromises the author felt necessary, are outstanding. This is supplemented by a table of Modern Cosmetic Pigments to assist the re-creator, a listing of Weights and Measures, as well as an Appendix listing ingredients mentioned by Classical Authors (compare to Forbes' Studies in Ancient Technology volume 3) and "Abdeker's Library of the Toilet, 1754." The index, notes and bibliography are easy to read and useful.

I highly recommend this text for personal and library collections. Libraries with an interest in personal care, women's history, cosmetic chemistry, fashion, pre-modern culture, hobby herbalism, and historic costume and medieval culture will find this an especially helpful introduction.

No fashion magazine was more popular or had a larger impact upon the clothing styles of American women than 'Vogue'. Part of the Texas Tech University Press 'Costume Society of American' series, "As Seen In Vogue: A Century Of American Fashion In Advertising" by fashion expert and historian Daniel Delis Hill has drawn from this seminal fashion periodical's more than 600 fashion adds for a century-long overview beginning with the magazine's founding in 1893 through ten decades to 1993. Superbly illustrated throughout with black-and-white photos of advertisements showcasing the changes in fashion styles and the growing sophistication of the American Fashion Industry down through the years, "As Seen In Vogue" also discusses and documents the evolution witnessed within its pages of the evolution in American fashion, American society, and American culture. A fascinating and specialized history, "As Seen In Vogue" is a seminal and unique work of scholarship that makes it a critically important, informed and informative contribution recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library reference collections and American Fashion History supplemental reading lists.

In the origins of the great American middleclass consumer market in the 1890s, "a symbiotic, tripartite relationship between clothing mass production, fashion journalism, and mass-media advertising became firmly established." The internationally-known women's fashion magazine Vogue put this new symbiosis to work to become the leading magazine in its field for more than a century. In the line of Godey's Ladies Book and Harper's Bazaar of the mid 1800s, Vogue published its first issue on December 17, 1892. By focusing entirely on fashion, it differentiated itself from the popular Ladies Homes Journal, which covered fashion only as one of many topics. Since its start over a century ago, Vogue has held its leading position by mirroring changing tastes in fashion by informative articles as well as its polished, sophisticated ads. The ads particularly, the subject of this book, have become a subject of interest in themselves.

Simply glancing at the ads running chronologically roughly by decades displays a social history of women's changing tastes in fashion. The buttoned-up look of the late Victorian era embellished by ruffles and flounces became the sparer, yet still essentially button-up look of the early 1900s seen in pictures by Christie and other illustrators. With the 1920s and '30s, bright colors and patterns mimicking art deco came into fashion. And in this era too, sport clothing became a significant vein of women's clothing. In the more liberated times of the 1960s and later, women's clothing became more revealing while becoming more casual; and it became more varied in incorporating the ideas of foreign designers and the elements of a multicultural, internationally-oriented society.

Attention to the settings of the ads and the poses of the models puts the fashions into the context of a period's surrounding social attitudes, image of women, and women's own assumptions and aims. One sees the empty backdrops of the late Victorian and early 1900s become detailed domestic, workplace, and outdoor scenes.

The text points out and comments on the numerous illustrations; with captions with many individual illustrations like brief annotations providing additional points and information. Author Hill has worked in the fashion industry as a creative director of fashion photography, among other positions.

A true gem and a masterpiece. The author puts together a wealth of geographical, sociological and historical information from excerpts of Tolkien's work, and does so in a well-structured, easy to read, manner. This book can be used as a reference guide as well as a good night read.

I own a copy in Spanish (my mother tongue) and I'm considering getting an English version too.

This is the best, most essential guide you will ever find on the geography of Middle Earth. Besides the wonderful maps, that make Middle Earth so very clear, the text is very well written, interesting, and poetic. I highly recommend this book to any true Lord of the Rings fan.

. . a beautiful and touching tribute to Audrey Hepburn, this rare photo book was published for the 1999 exhibition at the Ferragamo Museum in Florence, Italy. This impressive book of 230 pages is packed with color & b/w photos of Hepburn - many of which have never been published before. The text is in both English & Italian and includes tributes from her son Sean Ferrer, her companion Robert Wolders, and her designer Givenchy. The book traces her career and includes a complete filmography. Thirty pages are devoted to the Ferragamo exhibit of clothing worn by Hepburn; sections include stage costumes & accessories, coats & daytime wear, cocktail & dinner dresses, evening dresses, full dresses (including the dresses designed and worn for her 2 weddings). Full color reproductions of magazine covers & movie posters are included. This publication which is produced on premium paper stock.

One of the rarest and most difficult to find of books on Audrey Hepburn also happens to be one of the very best. Published in a limited run for a series of exhibits for Salvatorre Ferragamo, beginning in Italy and reaching as far as Australia, this book is worth every bit of effort you can muster to locate it. The book offers over 200 pages of dazzling, mostly never before seen photographs. They range from studio shots to film stills to candid shots. The publication aims to present Miss Hepburn's beauty physically, but also succeeds in showing her true, inner beauty with a very intelligent, well put-together text. Aside from the usual biography and filmography are various writings by the people who knew her best. The preface by her son Sean Ferrer sets up the book quite nicely. I could get very technical with descriptions and offer a more serious critique, but I feel that it is not necessary with this book. The book is very inspired and wonderfully edited by Stefania Ricci, but its strength lies in the beautiful pictures of one of the most beautiful women in history. It's all about the pictures with this one. If you are an Audrey Hepburn fan, this is an ESSENTIAL addition to your collection. FIND IT IF YOU CAN.

I was looking for a book with examples of classic and vintage buttons. This book is perfect for inspiring ideas for your own button designs, packaging and promotion uses. I loved the book so much I bought it twice!!

An interesting book for all counter-culture button fans. Advertising buttons have been around for years, especially prevalent during election time but the contents of this book are more to do with points-of-view rather than product pitching.

The five chapters with five hundred images (Decorative, Promotional, Packs, Websites and Art with ) cover the topical trends in a very visual way with the buttons presented as cutouts with a drop shadow. I thought the Art chapter rather intriguing with images created with dozens of buttons, each one has a bit of the overall picture. In the Promotional chapter, graphic designer Karen Jane has created a font based on the little bit of wire used in the back of all buttons.

The layouts are crisp and colorful and overall I thought this was a lovely little book, the square format helps too.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

This timeless, colorful book shows famous people as they travel around the world making their living. The tales of travelers from author Ernest Hemingway, politicians Teddy Roosevelt & General MacArthur, movie stars, Harrison Ford, Katharine Hepburn and James Dean to Icons Charles Lindbergh, "The Lone Eagle" and Amelia Earhart, the Banana Republic was there. Nostalgia at it's best, with copy and pictures from all aspects of travel. From Sun Valley to "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," from Key West to Rick's Cafe Americain in Casablanca, the book and clothes are timeless. A travel journal that takes you to places you have only dreamed about. This book takes you around the world with the famous and shows you how to dress for each destination. A great book to add to your library.

This book was a catalog of clothing sold back in the 80's during the "Indiana Jones" rage. The store's owners were journalists who found clothes that would travel, and then romanticized the clothing in drawings and stories. Part of the fun is discovering these clothes in thrift stores today.