This book traces the evolution of the style of men's dress through a sequence of diagrams accurately scaled down from patterns of actual garments, many of them rare museum specimens. The plates have been selected with the same purpose. Some are photographs of suits for which diagrams have also been given; others, reproduced from paintings and old prints, show the costume complete with its accessories. Quotations from contemporary sources--from diaries, travelers' accounts and tailors' bills--supplement Norah Waugh's text with comments on fashion and lively eyewitness descriptions.

"This is a comprehensive guide to understanding and creating men's costumes and fashions of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. As well as being historically accurate, the author's patterns have been prepared so that they fit the modern male figure and adapted so that they can be readily constructed using today's fabrics and sewing techniques."--Back cover.

Offers guidance in selecting materials and patterns and explains traditional tailoring techniques for coats and trousers

Costume Close-up discusses the cut, fit, and construction of antique clothing of the second half of the eighteenth century. It will enable talented artisans with advanced skills to construct authentic garments and show curators, conservators, costumers, and reenactors new ways to look at such attire.

Pattern Cutting for Men's Costume is a practical guide featuring patterns for the most important garments worn by men between the 16th and 19th centuries. Easy-to-follow instructions explain how to cut patterns for 'average' and individual measurements - with expert advice on how to adapt patterns to fit men of all shapes and sizes. Introductions to each section describe the major developments in men's dress - revealing how garments evolved - and patterns for period garments for which there are no actual examples are based on contemporary paintings. Illustrated throughout with hundreds of diagrams, this is a much-awaited and valuable addition to the library of costume-makers in all fields. Features a new system of drafting patterns for men's period costume. Includes patterns for the most important non-fashionable garments (worn from the 16th to the 19th centuries) plus clothes in vogue from the middle of the 16th to the end of the 18th centuries. Illustrated with hundreds of diagrams accompanied by step-by-step instructions for period garments, plus a few versatile theatrical designs.

Originally published: London: MacMillan, 1985.