Wearable textiles hold their own stories of trade, manufacture and regionalism, just to name a few; they also tell a personal tale of the individuals who created our history. When we look at a piece of clothing, a coat, a dress, an undergarment, we see an item that is more personal, more closely related to the human body than nearly anything else it comes in contact with throughout the day. Garments can do far more for exhibitions and interpretation than merely providing a bit of color and beauty. Clothing is both artistic and utilitarian and is capable of adding so much to the story of who we are and where we came from. The Care and Display of Historic Clothing aims to assist with the full integration of costume collections into the interpretation of the past. Often relied on for their ability to add beauty and color to exhibitions, these collection items provide a very personal side to any story at a given moment in history. The topics explored in this publication range from the care and identification of items in a costume collection to discussions about both physical display and how they can be used to engage audiences. The book's focus is on costume collections and discussion topics will include information in regards to costume collection storage, display techniques, basic identification, and ideas on how to incorporate costumes into exhibitions and programming. A list of further resources at the back of the book helps provide supplemental, in-depth information on individual areas. The layout of this work will aim to provide information that slowly leads from understanding your costume collection and obtaining physical control to incorporating it in a significant and informative way into the work of the organization. Providing all of these resources in one place will make the incorporation of costumes a more obtainable goal for small to mid-sized museums and historical societies.

Taking a global, multicultural, social, and economic perspective, this work explores the diverse and colourful history of human attire. From prehistoric times to the age of globalization, articles cover the evolution of clothing utility, style, production, and commerce, including accessories (shoes, hats, gloves, handbags, and jewellery) for men, women, and children. Dress for different climates, occupations, recreational activities, religious observances, rites of passages, and other human needs and purposes - from hunting and warfare to sports and space exploration - are examined in depth and detail. Fashion and design trends in diverse historical periods, regions and countries, and social and ethnic groups constitute a major area of coverage, as does the evolution of materials (from animal fur to textiles to synthetic fabrics) and production methods (from sewing and weaving to industrial manufacturing and computer-aided design). Dress as a reflection of social status, intellectual and artistic trends, economic conditions, cultural exchange, and modern media marketing are recurring themes. Influential figures and institutions in fashion design, industry and manufacturing, retail sales, production technologies, and related fields are also covered.

The Fabric Glossary offers an illustrated fabric dictionary that includes scanned samples and a space for mounting actual swatches. Designed as a complement to the Fabric Reference, this book explores the characteristics of the multitude of fabrics we know by name. Fabrics are grouped in Files of like materials and over 600 names and terms are illustrated and/or explained. Topics include major fiber types, most kinds of yarns, all categories of weaves, knits and other constructions such as tufted, lace, felt, nonwoven, and stitchbonded. Also covered are effects of finishing, including examples related to dyeing, printing, and other applied design."

Drawing upon a remarkable variety of documentary evidence, this study argues that much of Britain's consumer culture and modern business practices was influenced by the ready-to-wear market in boys' clothes. Through a detailed visual and statistical analysis of these sources, linking the design and retailing of boys' clothing with social, cultural and economic issues, it shows that an understanding of the production and consumption of the boys clothing is central to debates on the growth of the consumer society, the development of mass-market fashion, and concepts of childhood and masculinity.

Fashion in the Edwardian period underwent some quite revolutionary changes. The delicately coloured, flower-and-lace-trimmed trailing gowns and elaborate hairstyles worn by tightly corseted fashionable ladies in the early years of Edward VII's reign would transform into the boldly coloured, dramatically stylized Eastern-inspired kimono wraps, slender hobble skirts, ankle-skimming tunic dresses and turbans of 1914 on the eve of the First World War. This book presents the story of women's and men's dress through this exciting period, and is a fascinating addition to the bestselling Shire fashion list that already includes Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen and Fashion in the Time of the Great Gatsby.