Costume in Detail: Women’s Dress 1730-1930 (1997)

Costume in Detail: Women’s Dress 1730-1930 by Nancy Bradfield, is a unique, detailed, highly useful collection of drawings of historic clothing, almost entirely women’s, drawn from pieces in British collections.

“Written by a leading authority in her field, Costume in Detail: Women’s Dress 1730-1930 is an invaluable source of information to those concerned with fashion, with period dress, with history, and with theater, film, or television. Many years of research into dresses, accessories and underwear in private collections have culminated in this remarkably fine set of highly skilled, well documented drawings and detailed studies, which show not only the outside of the garment from various views, but the inside construction as well. Only a mere handful of the dresses or accessories featured in this book have ever been seen by the general public; some of them are too frail ever to be put on view. Now, in these detailed drawings, their delicate charm is preserved so that the dress can be studied from every aspect.”