Corsets and Crinolines

Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Resource
Review: Not only does this book provide historical background on various undergarments (corsets and crinolines, as the title suggests), but it also provides the patterns to construct these garments. It is an excellent resource, and one I most definitely recommend to anyone building a costume library of their own.

Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Resource
Review: Not only does this book provide historical background on various undergarments (corsets and crinolines, as the title suggests), but it also provides the patterns to construct these garments. It is an excellent resource, and one I most definitely recommend to anyone building a costume library of their own.

Rating:
Summary: Great info, but poorly organized
Review: This book contains a lot of good information, but you'll have to search through pages and pages of quotes from contemporary sources to find it. The chapters are organized by type of garment, rather than by period, so if you're looking for a specific period you'll have to familiarize yourself pretty well with the entire book. Each section has a couple of pages of description and history, and then many pages of quotes. The most useful aspect of this book are the illustrations and patterns, which are rare to find elsewhere. The pictures are scattered throughout the book in no real order. There is an appendix with some very useful construction tips and instructions. Overall, a good resource for those interested in making period undergarments from the 1500's to the 1920's.

Rating:
Summary: Great info, but poorly organized
Review: This book contains a lot of good information, but you'll have to search through pages and pages of quotes from contemporary sources to find it. The chapters are organized by type of garment, rather than by period, so if you're looking for a specific period you'll have to familiarize yourself pretty well with the entire book. Each section has a couple of pages of description and history, and then many pages of quotes. The most useful aspect of this book are the illustrations and patterns, which are rare to find elsewhere. The pictures are scattered throughout the book in no real order. There is an appendix with some very useful construction tips and instructions. Overall, a good resource for those interested in making period undergarments from the 1500's to the 1920's.

Rating:
Summary: Essential Reading
Review: This book is a MUST read for anyone interested in historic costume and undergarments! The wonderful research and illustrations make for interesting reading, and the corset blocks are wonderful for anyone interested in drafting their own corset patterns.

Rating:
Summary: The best source for corsetry.
Review: This book is the best available for anyone who wishes to make a corset or find the corset's place in history. It is absolutely filled with photographs, illustrations, scale drawings of patterns, and quotes from historical sources. A great read, and a valuable reference.

Rating:
Summary: Hated it.
Review: This book provides absolutely no information on how to make a corset. I found it boring and useless to my pursuits.

Rating:
Summary: Hated it.
Review: This book provides absolutely no information on how to make a corset. I found it boring and useless to my pursuits.

Rating:
Summary: Great Historical Reference
Review: This is a neat book to just look at but to someone who has a background in costume it is a reference not to be passed up. The pattens, like almost all old ones, can be confusing and at times inacurate but with experience, they are easily adapted.