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The Queen's Clothes
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 31, 2017
This was fascinating! It's an extremely particular slice-of-life of a very extraordinary woman (circa 1976.) Those of us who rail against anything uniform must consider the plight of one who strives to be herself while corsetted by an entire nation's (even the world's) expectations. Granted, the jewels must certainly make a somewhat limited range of attire rather palatable. It's a bit unfortunate that Robb's fashion illustrations stand in for glossy photos, but a quick google search spans the gap. The photos that are included here are fabulous! Maybe they're not the sharpest, clearest, pre-paparazzi pics around, but they're certainly well chosen. Also included here are overlooked details of Queen Elizabeth II's active schedule, such as an itinerary of her visit to USA in July 1976, and the reminder that she often shakes 1500 hands on a day out. There's a remarkable woman!
May 13, 2026
A book featuring history as well as fashion, this was an absorbing study of the Queen from childhood through 1976 focusing on her “look” – her clothes and accessories including jewelry, shoes, purses, and hats. From the designs and the designers to the countless events, there were drawings or photos on every page with detailed captions and descriptions.
What I found fascinating was learning the process of creating a dress and a wardrobe for the Queen, beginning with an idea, to a sketch, to mockups, to finished gowns. I enjoyed learning of the strategies and collaborations between designers, with input from the Queen. Lots of gorgeous embroidery on many of her gowns, with photographed samples presented in full page closeups.
I was disappointed most of the photos were in black and white, with only a few color shots. The writing was quite descriptive, I suppose in an effort to make up for the lack of color. Another thing to note is that this book only covers the Queen’s fashions through 1976. So you’ll have to look elsewhere for information about the fashion of her later years.
This is a book that many authors refer to when writing novels of historical fiction. I recognized allusions to the Queen’s fashions from Jennifer Robson’s The Gown, S.J. Bennett's “Her Majesty the Queen Investigates” series, and other books on my “Royals” bookshelf.
What I found fascinating was learning the process of creating a dress and a wardrobe for the Queen, beginning with an idea, to a sketch, to mockups, to finished gowns. I enjoyed learning of the strategies and collaborations between designers, with input from the Queen. Lots of gorgeous embroidery on many of her gowns, with photographed samples presented in full page closeups.
I was disappointed most of the photos were in black and white, with only a few color shots. The writing was quite descriptive, I suppose in an effort to make up for the lack of color. Another thing to note is that this book only covers the Queen’s fashions through 1976. So you’ll have to look elsewhere for information about the fashion of her later years.
This is a book that many authors refer to when writing novels of historical fiction. I recognized allusions to the Queen’s fashions from Jennifer Robson’s The Gown, S.J. Bennett's “Her Majesty the Queen Investigates” series, and other books on my “Royals” bookshelf.
March 20, 2023
I thought this book from 1977 would be dated and boring but was I wrong! The writing has plenty of personality, and the photos are great. There are several photos of The Queen and the Royal Family which I had never seen before. The photos of the (now framed) embroidery swatches showing the detail on about a dozen of The Queen's dresses from that time period, are stunning. Just lovely!
December 31, 2021
I love the detail of this book, all the drawings were amazing to look at and gives me absolute admiration for the dressmakers.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews