Costume and Fashion: A Concise History: 0 (World of Art)

Excellent!Well done to Mr Laver! If there is an art to passing on knowledge then he must have it by the bucket load!I bought this book, along with several others, for research use in writing lectures for Fashion History, and I've probably used it more than all of the others put together. The book takes you along at a decent pace (not like wading through treacle and not missing out the smaller interesting facts that make the history come alive!) which means it just as easy to read cover to cover, as it is to dip in and out of for specific references. I shall be recommending it, for good background reading, to all my students.

Good item. Highly recommend seller. A+. Delighted!

Good book.

It is an OK brief look at history of fashion. The size of the book allows you to take it with you when you travel, it is not very thick or heavy. Very convenient for commute.However I would not recommend it to those who study fashion or costume design. The book gives to little details and descriptions. Half of the illustrations are black and white which is disappointing. I'd recommend the book to those who are interested in fashion (but not professionally) and would like to learn a little bit of every fashion era.

The book is ideal as a starting point for those interested in the history of fashion. To a greater oe lesser degree, through fashion, it also charts social changes in attittudes e.g. society becoming more liberal shown by the use of mini-skirts and topless designs of clothes and swimwear, to name but a few.

Really helpful, studying for a degree in Costume design, and have gotten a lot of use out of it so far. Well written, packed with information and pictures.

This piece of work is a marvelous piece to be published under the topic of Fashion History. As it was the first book I read on my interest of the subject it thoroughly explained to me all details of society, politics, sociality, influence and many other aspects belonging to the history of Fashion. The pages are well presented with many images. Photographs, portraits, plates and many other sources. Quotations are used effectively, without disturbing the texts. There is a wonderful flow to the novel, it moves through time so concisely, it is really interesting and has lead me into the world of Fashion History with great enthusiasm.As for positive aspects, the flow of the book, and such knowledge in the novel, one barely notices how many details enter ones memory. Generally, the texts describe the coming and development of a certain piece of Fashion, also how it appears, and how many new techniques have been formed and precisely how they were made. The only negative critisism which I can valuably make, is that not all the techniques used in costume-description were not explained, merely refered to, and as a beginner I was not familiar with the term. However, Laver has built a fine book of interesting subjects and remarks, honoured by his fine language, to build this piece of literature.The novel is of perfect size, neither too short nor too long, I honour the talent of James Laver for writing "Costume and Fashion: a Concise History (World of Art" in such a magnificant manner, I can say that it is well recommended by me. I did not only find this novel a great entrery into this subject but I very much enjoyed reading it. Laver has used humour in some mild cases so that ironic twists noted upon in his sources have been mentioned, this also helps the reader to experience the qualities of the source (if it is a diary) and this helps that time period to spring alive to the reader.

Very concise and clear book about fashion. My History teacher told us to buy it....so))