Textiles for Colonial Clothing

Rating:
Summary: Great Resource
Review: First: the author is really serious about accuracy in reproducing textiles from historical dress, and this isn't something to pick up prior to whipping up a colonial-era dress for Halloween. Second: textile swatches are generous and encourage touchy-feely types to compare to modern textiles. Author has been working on this for a while, and has finally produced a reference guide to Georgian (aka Colonial) era fabrics, mostly those related to better women's wear but also a few worn by servants (I finally figured out what drougget is - that was really bugging me) and each swatch is on its own page, with technical information relating to that fiber type and its historical production and use, plus many have anecdotes and quotes to help create a real setting in which the textile existed. For any costumers passionate about historical recreation, or for museum curators or textile professionals, this will be the defining reference for the era. Principally refers to English and colonial American dress, which differs markedly from the rest of Europe. The author caught me fondling the sample book on display in the dealer's marketplace at the recent Costume College, and had I had the funds with me I would have bought a copy then and there, despite the fact that I am not a historical specialist. I'd recommend this book without reservation for anyone needing factual information about dress during the 1700's, from shifts to ballgowns.

Rating:
Summary: previewed the book and met the author
Review: First: the author is really serious about accuracy in reproducing textiles from historical dress, and this isn't something to pick up prior to whipping up a colonial-era dress for Halloween. Second: textile swatches are generous and encourage touchy-feely types to compare to modern textiles. Author has been working on this for a while, and has finally produced a reference guide to Georgian (aka Colonial) era fabrics, mostly those related to better women's wear but also a few worn by servants (I finally figured out what drougget is - that was really bugging me) and each swatch is on its own page, with technical information relating to that fiber type and its historical production and use, plus many have anecdotes and quotes to help create a real setting in which the textile existed. For any costumers passionate about historical recreation, or for museum curators or textile professionals, this will be the defining reference for the era. Principally refers to English and colonial American dress, which differs markedly from the rest of Europe. The author caught me fondling the sample book on display in the dealer's marketplace at the recent Costume College, and had I had the funds with me I would have bought a copy then and there, despite the fact that I am not a historical specialist. I'd recommend this book without reservation for anyone needing factual information about dress during the 1700's, from shifts to ballgowns.

Rating:
Summary: Re-enactor Review
Review: Textiles for Colonial Clothing is a good source book for anyone re-creating period clothing or who is researching period clothing. It contains a description of most types of fabric referred to in the 18th century, accompanied by a fabric sample of the cloth. This is helpful, since many of the terms used for fabric in the 18th century do not have the same meaning today. Anyone who is re-creating period clothing or who is researching period inventories should have access to this book as a reference guide.

Rating:
Summary: Great Resource
Review: This book is really useful in providing a few different views of the 'levels' of clothing worn in the 1700s (servant vs. middle class for example) as well as great swatches of modern fabrics that would be appropriate for colonial-era clothing recreations.