Costume: 1066-1990s

Rating:
Summary: Good source for general readers
Review: You don't have to be a costume designer to enjoy this book. It's suitable both for professionals and for laypersons interested in art, costume/social history and drama.

Subtitled "A Complete guide to English Costume Design and History," it is Anglocentric. Names of each monarch and dates of their reigns (handy reference for those interested in royal history) appear above line drawings of several "looks" for each period, male and female. The italic captions pointing out noteworthy features can be a little hard to read at times, but are better than wading through piles of text.

The book increases your awareness of changing fashions and also clothing vocabulary. Peacock's book is interesting in its own right and as a supplementary text for, e.g., History of Art, Drama, and Social History. No doubt there are more complete texts in both breadth and depth, but this is highly visual and usable.