Book Description
Over 130 fully illustrated pages from Sears catalogs record what men, women, children wore throughout 1930s. 133 pages of black-and-white illustrations. Publisher's Note.
Customer Reviews:
Gorgeous, immersive, beautifully put together!.......2007-05-16
If you want a comprehensive book that immerses you in the world of fashion from the thirties, this is the one. It is authentic and beautifully laid out and depicts numerous costume items from the thirties, though mostly focusing on women. The pictures depict everything from dresses to shoes, hats to gloves; the women's hairstyles, makeup, undergarments, and overall looks give the reader the most authentic possible view of fashion and the aesthetic ideals of the time. The catalogue also shows the prices and features descriptions that include fabric and color. There are some pictures of men's and children's fashions. This book is thorough and unbelievably beautiful. The whole series of Sears catalogue fashions by decade is amazing. I recommend them all!
Good overview for the price........2006-11-06
I have to agree with the other reviewers. Modern fashion tends to look "dumbed down". I've owned this book for some time and refer to it often. Not to copy, necessarily; but to find inspiration. There are clothes available that still look "classic". Many of the original Sears pictures were in color but are reproduced here in b&w. Many of the reproductions have an overly fuzzy look. I suppose that's why the book is only $15 instead of 2 or 3 times as much. The Schiffer Sears series has sharp color images but you pay twice as much. You could buy the original Sears catalogs on eBay (I have a few) for even more. Your choice. This book will give you a good overview of the fashion changes during the decade and you can take it from there. Also of note are the accessories. A New Deal/FDR watch! A Buck Rogers watch! This isn't camp, either, but back in the days when this was serious stuff. Highly recommended!
Blissful brousing.......2006-10-11
Purchased this book soon after it was published in a Baltimore art museum.
Modern Fashions and hairstyles today reveal absolute mediocrity. No style. No class. More to offend the eye than to please. Trousered females with short cropped hair and men whose hair is unkept wearing garments ill made. Swimsuits that leave nothing to the imagination worn by people who one just wishes were not visable because they keep themselvs as they do their awful cloths.
This book is a treat to the eye. Wonderful cloths that show modern apparel was not alawys the norm.
For the student of History this book is a valuable source of information on the cloths of the period, for which I purchased my copy. No scoloarly work but merely taken from the Sears catalogs of the time. Undergarments and accessories, shoes to hats, everything is shown here.
Saddle shoes $2.49 in 1939.......2006-10-01
I own four books in this 'Searies' (Twenties, Thirties, Forties, Fifties) and I cannot recommend them highly enough. They are jam-packed with a great mix of pictures in good proportion which show the morphing of fashions over the decade(s). Dominant are women's clothing (formal, casual, dresses, hats, coats, shoes, with some undergarments, sportswear, nightwear, swimwear). Then there are smatterings of accessories (handbags, watches, gloves, powder compacts, belts, jewelry). Also some menswear and a small amount of childrenswear. All clothing is being worn.
All pictures are black and white and have a certain (pleasant) level of graininess. What you get are the original pictures, prices and descriptions from the catalogs. There is only a very small amount of introductory material (just a one page 'Publisher's Note' for the Thirties).
Changes over the series:
The transition from drawings (all very good and realistic) to photos occurs in the Thirties.
The variety of accessories appearing in the Twenties is largely reduced by the later decades (Fifties almost exclusively clothing and hats with some shoes).
There's only one problem with these catalogs...you can't order the contents!
good info.......2006-09-13
This is another useful research book, like all the ones that I've seen in this series, it's a valuble source for pictures of middle class, everyday clothes. It has pictures of women's accessories and shows some men's and children's clothes, which many period fashion books tend to ignore. Highly practical book for theatrical costumers.
Book Description
Accurate record of actual dress of the Roaring Twenties in over 150 pages of mail-order catalogs, selected and with text by Stella Blum. Over 750 illustrations, captions.
Customer Reviews:
Fashion and Fun.......2006-11-05
This is a great book if you're looking for an overview of fashions from 1909 to 1930, concentrating on clothes available from Sears catalogs of the period. The book includes women's, men's, children's, and infant's clothing. The text is entertaining to read. I was a little disappointed that there were not more examples of fashion in the 20's. Nevertheless, it is an informative and fun book to refer to if you have an interest in period fashion
Roaring twenties revealed........2006-10-11
A great source of information on the cloths worn by ordinary people of this time period.
Pity people don't dress like this anymore.
I use this one.......2006-09-13
This is a very useful source book for every day clothing, particularly things like men's clothes,kid's outfits, maid uniforms, and other things that aren't the high fashion clothing that many books feature. I design theater costumes, and have found this very helpful.
Everyday Fashions of the 20's.......2006-03-15
Great book. I used it to come up with a 20's custume for a party. Loved the book. Great graphics.
The" Bees-Knees"!.......2003-08-27
If you love fashion from the 1920's or just saw "Chicago" and would like more background on it,this is a worthwhile book to flip through. Some the pics are not the best quality and childrens clothes are only on one page. However, You really do,get an idea of what the average person wore back then,which may surprise some readers.All in all, A decent book for fashion history buffs.
Book Description
What American men, women and children wore in the 1940s, shown in 122 fully illustrated and captioned pages selected from rare copies of Sears catalogs, reproduced in large format on high-quality glossy stock. Hundreds of detailed drawings depict hats, overcoats and shoes, suits and dresses, sportswear, undergarments, corsetry, neckties, rainwear, and personal accessories.
Customer Reviews:
Another Addition.......2007-05-21
As I have more in this series of books, I was fascinated by the year-by-year styles in the 1940's. And as with others, I was disappointed that they were not in colour. A minor problem, I think, because the descriptions provided as well as the names of colours also tells me about the time period. What exactly is the shade 'Cadet Blue'? But it does give good all around display of everything from children's clothes...not to mention miniature uniforms for little boys, to men's wear and funny looking men's underwear, to shoes, hats and purses, evening and wedding gowns and the rather uncomfortable looking women's underwear. Along with the others, they are a treasure and a time capsule.
Gorgeous, immersive, beautifully put together!.......2007-05-16
Whenever I take this book out, people fight over a peek into its glossy pages. It covers everything in fashion from the forties, though mostly focusing on women. The pictures depict fashions, from dresses to shoes, hats and gloves to maternity wear; the women's hairstyles, makeup, undergarments, and overall looks give the reader the most authentic possible view of fashion and the aesthetic ideals of the time. The catalogue also shows the prices and features descriptions that include fabric and color. Seeing such low prices is pretty crazy! Obviously, it was relative to wages and the overall cost of living then, but the immersive effect of the book is still strange and fascinating. There are some pictures of man's and children's fashions. This book is thorough and unbelievably beautiful.
Great Product.......2007-01-04
I was looking for ideas for a 1940's costume for a dance competition. This catalog helped me tremendously.
I'm in to retro fashion anyway.......2006-11-06
I love the book. I use it to give me inspiration for my designs. It's a good reference book.
Excellent.......2006-10-11
An excellent visual source of information on the cloths worn during this time period. Most pleasing to the eye.
A must have for any world war two enthusiast who understands war is more than the men in uniform but the people of the times.
Great book.
Book Description
Entertaining pictorial record displays elegant dresses for special occasions, everyday wear, and two-piece suits for women; charming hats trimmed with ribbon and feathers, attractive sailor suits for little boys and more. Invaluable to collectors, designers and fashion historians. Descriptive captions.
Customer Reviews:
Great Resource!.......2007-08-23
This book is an excellent resource for studying period fashion. Unlike so many period fashion books, which focus on evening wear or the clothing of the wealthy, this book gives great examples of what the general population wore every day. It will be extremely useful to costumers and fashion students.
excellent resource, lovely photos, neat descriptions.......2007-05-21
This book provides a comprehensive series of illustrations that immerse you in the world of fashion from this era. It is authentic and beautifully laid out, and depicts numerous costume items from the early 20th century, though mostly focusing on women. The pictures depict everything from dresses to shoes, hats to gloves; the women's hairstyles, makeup, undergarments, and overall looks give the reader the most authentic possible view of fashion and the aesthetic ideals of the time. The catalogue also shows the prices and features descriptions that include fabric and color. There are some pictures of men's and children's fashions. This book is thorough and unbelievably beautiful. The whole series of Sears catalogue fashions by decade is amazing. I recommend them all!
The Best Way To Study A Time Period Is Through Examples Of Its Everyday Life.......2005-09-10
Thru illustrations created for the Sears Catalogs of the early twentieth century, clothing--functional, extravagant, glamorous, practical--is reproduced for visual inspection. Great for research, for curiosity seekers who wish to know what our foremothers wore, or in the case in which I used it, this is a perfect reference book to give to a dressmaker to let her see an example of an outfit you'd like to have made. An great book!
Great Browsing!.......1998-09-24
I am totally hooked on this series and hope Dover continues it for 1899-1909 and the '50s and '60s, as well. Note in this volume that the brilliant folk at J. Peterman have copied some of the c1913 skirts in their mail order catalog (I now own two, and they're gorgeous). Thank you, Dover, and thank you, J. Peterman!
Book Description
One hundred twenty pages of illustrations, accompanied by descriptive captions, depict one-piece strapless bathing suits and dresses with plunging necklines for women; business suits with wide lapels for men; bluejeans, plaid shirts, and full, knee-length swing skirts for girls; fringed cowboy suits for youngsters of both genders; more. Over 300 black-and-white illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Gorgeous, authentic, thorough--GREAT book!.......2007-05-16
Whenever I take this book out, people fight over a peek into its glossy pages. It covers everything in fashion from the fifties, though mostly focusing on women. The pictures depict fashions, from dresses to shoes, hats and gloves to maternity wear; the women's hairstyles, makeup, and overall looks give the reader the most authentic possible view of fashion and the aesthetic ideals of the time. The catalogue also shows the prices and features descriptions that include fabric, color, and price. There are some pictures of teenage, male, and children's fashions. This book is thorough and unbelievably beautiful.
Really good fashion overview........2006-11-09
I was born in early 1953 so many of the fashions still mean something to me. I have to admit that I'm still drawn to the femininity of the period but I have my dreams and you have yours and we'll leave it at that. This is a good book for the money. Not too detailed, the reproductions can get a little bit fuzzy and there is no color; but this what you get for $15 these days. If you like what you see here, there are other resources to persue. It's a pretty good starting point.
A fun trip down memory lane.......2005-04-19
I truly enjoyed reading the old advertising copy while looking at the old ads. Some of the fashions I remember my grandmother and mother wearing. Lots of fun reading.
One of the best 50's books ever made.......2004-04-15
This is a primary source book that tells the prices and materials, which are very helpful to a costume designer. I also enjoy the book Fifties Forever, which is similar except it's color photos of actual vintage stuff (the color does help, but the Sears catalogue is still great without it).
Very informative.......2004-02-03
I thouroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was packed from start to finish with pictures. The book gives an excellent overview of what the average woman was wearing in the 1950's, unlike many similar books which focus on important designers.
While it is very light on text I still feel that it is a must for anyone interested in this period.
Book Description
Scrupulously researched, meticulously rendered collection spotlights multiple generations of a family for each decade of the twentieth century. Includes everything from ankle-length tennis outfits and men's formal wear of the 1910s to military outfits from both World Wars, high-fashion suits, dresses, and wedding finery spanning several decades. 116 full-color figures.
Customer Reviews:
A little disappointed.......2007-01-12
I found the choices of scarfs pictured lacking the vitality found in Vera's designs. These were hardly the most sort after. I think it needs some review of photo choices.
Good but not great........2006-05-10
For those of you who have been waiting forever to see a book about Vera Neumann need not wait any longer. This book contains nearly 500 images of her work. I'm glad that it exists, although it could have been much better. There are a few issues with color correction, i.e. the whole print is one color while the detail shot is in another. Also, they seemed to have a bit of a problem laying the fabrics flat. That being said, it's a must have reference for contemporary print designers as well as collectors.
PS What's with the price guide?
Books:
- Fashion: A History from the 18th to 20th Century: the Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute (Taschen 25th Anniversary)
- Finding Grace When You Can't Even Find Clean Underwear
- Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt
- Hip Handbags: Creating & Embellishing 40 Great-Looking Bags
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Big Girl Knits : 25 Big, Bold Projects Shaped for Real Women with Real Curves
- Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 5: Crossover
- The Dog of the Marriage: Stories
- The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories
- The Five People You Meet in Heaven
- The Volatility Surface: A Practitioner's Guide
- The Wallchart of World History
- Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, and the Renaissance of Venetian Painting
- The Green Trees Beyond: A Memoir
- FIGHTER PILOT'S SUMMER: Sequal to the Best-Selling Fighter Pilot
Fashion Design
| Commercial
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Everyday Fashions of the Forties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs
Everyday Fashions of the Twenties as Pictured in Sears and Other Catalogs (Sears Catalogs)
Everyday Fashions of the Fifties As Pictured in Sears Catalogs (Dover Books on Fashion)
Everyday Fashions, 1909-1920, as Pictured in Sears Catalogs
Fashions of the Thirties: 476 Authentic Copyright-Free Illustrations (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
