Historic Costumes and How to Make Them (Dover Fashion and Costumes)

Create accurate period costumes for school plays, theatrical stage productions, and historical enactments with ease! Our guidebook is a must-have for costume designers or home sewers looking to add a bit of uniqueness to their personal wardrobe.

This practical and informative guidebook is a must-have for anyone planning to create accurate period costumes for theatrical productions and historical reenactments. From short tunics worn by Saxon men in the fifth century to a lady's bustle dress of the late 1800s , this profusely illustrated text contains a wealth of authentic patterns. Information on pattern sizes, materials required, and methods of sewing accompany simply drawn diagrams for Elizabethan doublets, capes, and trunks; a man's coat and vest from the Restoration period; a lady's bell-shaped gown of the eighteenth century; an early-nineteenth-century empire gown; a crinoline; and other wardrobe items.
Diagrams have been carefully and accurately drawn to scale from working patterns, and detailed notes for making costumes include suggestions for the most suitable colors and textures to be used for costumes of particular historical periods. A final section includes diagrams and information for creating period headdresses, caps, and hoods . Students of costume design, home tailors, and community drama groups will welcome this carefully researched guide to fifteen centuries of English fashions.
Authentic Patterns Across Centuries: Historic Costumes and How to Make Them caters to enthusiasts of varying historical periods and offers a broad range of historically accurate patterns from the 5th century to the late 1800s. Profusely Illustrated Text: This book features extensive illustrations to guide the creation of period costumes, including diagrams drawn to scale from working patterns for precise replication. Comprehensive Sewing Details: Provides crucial information on pattern sizes, materials required, and step-by-step sewing methods. Detailed Costume Components: Includes patterns for Elizabethan doublets, capes, trunks, Restoration coats and vests, 18th-century gowns, and 19th-century empire dresses, among others. Color and Texture Guidance: Offers expert advice on selecting period-appropriate colors and fabrics, enhancing the authenticity of each outfit. Period Headdresses, Caps, and Hoods: This is a dedicated section for creating accurate period headwear, completing the historical wardrobe from head to toe.
Historic Costumes and How to Make Them is an invaluable tool for students of costume design, home tailors, and community drama groups. It provides a solid foundation for producing authentic historical attire.