Chronicle of Western Fashion

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Eye-Candy
Review: (First of all do not expect a book with patterns, or lengthy analysis/desciptions, this is not it.) This one is pure inspiration, it's as if all the missing images from those heavy text kind of books found their way in here! page after page of (colored) eye-candy, set up in chronological order it really lets people see how one style flows into another. tons of styles are covered from around the world (with focus on Europe), nothing is lacking, thousands B.C.-late 70's
~inspirational for those idea-searchers, very detailed and beautiful illustrations
~highly recommended

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Eye-Candy
Review: (First off do not expect a book with patterns, or lengthy analysis/desciptions this is not it.) This one is pure inspiration, it's as if all the missing images from those heavy text/little interest kind of books found there way in here!page after page of (colored) eye-candy, set up in chronological order it really lets people see how one style flows into another. tons of styles are covered from around the world, nothing is lacking, thousands B.C.-late 70's
~inspirational for those idea-searchers, very detailed and beautiful illustrations
~highly recommended

Rating:
Summary: Serious fashion historians, avoid this book.
Review: Although Peacock made a valiant attempt at giving an overview of costume, this is an extremely poor source for anyone doing serious costume research. Some of the details--silhouette, trim, seamlines, etc.--are grossly distorted or misrepresented. Although readers may get a general idea of what clothing in other periods looked like, they should not take any of these drawings seriously unless they can be verified with other sources. Even a cursory look at the artwork from which Peacock's redrawings were done will show obvious inaccuracies. This book may be useful as a take-off point for further research but nothing more.

Rating:
Summary: Not for the serious period seamstress, but a fine reference
Review: An excellent reference and beginning point for most theatrical costumers, hobbyists, and others looking for ideas, not specific patterns. Literally hundreds of color drawings of both male and female dress from a decent variety of places, times and social backgrounds. Each drawing is labeled, but I'd suggest taking the dates and to some degree the places with a grain of salt-- John Peacock's drawing convey style quite well, but are a bit lacking in accuracy and detail.

Rating:
Summary: A must-have resource for cursory costume research
Review: As a costume designer, I use this book to refresh my memory on silhouette and style for specific eras. Although the garments are rendered on the same body style (blocky and androgenous) and Peacock deliberately ignores examples of non-European influence, I turn to this book regularly to see the fashions in the context of a chronological timeline, e.g. bustles after crinolines, hose before breeches. Its color and visual emphasis redeem its Anglo-centric attitude.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful depiction of fashion through the ages
Review: I agree with one reviewer that you don't get a sense of fashion for one prolonged period. For example, you get several pictures of what a Russian lady would wear in 1876, but not the men, and sometimes not what they would wear in other time periods. However, I still reccommend this book because of its color pictures, the way the fashion starts as far back as the 11th century up through the 21st, and how the garmet details are explained.
I'm writing a book where vampires are prominent and they all still wear clothes from their time frame, so this book was a huge help. At least I was able to write the correct names of the garments, especially the women and know what they would be wearing over the centuries. I reccommend this book if what you need is simple, like just a general sense of what a woman and man was wearing in the 1730's etc., and what the clothes were called. It's not that in depth, but is still very useful. If you can find it cheap (used) it's worth it and check you library for it too, that's where I first saw this, in my local library.

Rating:
Summary: Details, Details and More Amazing Details!
Review: I BORROWED THIS BOOK FROM A COWORKER AND NEARLY CRIED WHEN I GAVE IT BACK. THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE SUPERMAGNIFICENT, AS WELL AS THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE HISTORY OF EACH INDIVIDUAL STYLE. SO METICULOUS WERE THE ILLUSTRATIONS, THAT I WAS ABLE TO SKETCH SEVERAL OF THE RENDERINGS, MYSELF. THIS BOOK... TRULY AWE-INSPIRING AND MOST DEFINATELY PRICELESS!!!

Rating:
Summary: Details, Details and More Amazing Details!
Review: I BORROWED THIS BOOK FROM A COWORKER AND NEARLY CRIED WHEN I GAVE IT BACK. THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE SUPERMAGNIFICENT, AS WELL AS THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE HISTORY OF EACH INDIVIDUAL STYLE. SO METICULOUS WERE THE ILLUSTRATIONS, THAT I WAS ABLE TO SKETCH SEVERAL OF THE RENDERINGS, MYSELF. THIS BOOK... TRULY AWE-INSPIRING AND MOST DEFINATELY PRICELESS!!!

Rating:
Summary: The fashion history
Review: I recently had to make a university research on fashion history, cause I'm studying fashion design....so I found these book on the university library....and it helped sooo much.....The dresses where very precise, fully colored and there where so many dresses, almost year by year, When I finished using it I wanted to get it right away....and I found it here at Amazon.com......I realy liked that book, its very helpful Thanks John Peacock

Rating:
Summary: ...good for reference.
Review: Like it's been said, a good book to refer back to from time to time... if nothing else