Best Practical Historic Costuming Books (29 books)

Best, clearest, friendliest books with really useful pictures, instructions, and/or techniques, and especially ones with patterns.

Please do not add picture books, especially ones where the author has simply drawn a bunch of people standing around in historic costume.

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All Votes Add Books To This List

1	Costume Close Up: Clothing Construction and Pattern, 1750-1790 by Linda Baumgarten 4.64 avg rating — 170 ratings score: 889, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Patterns of Fashion 1: Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C. 1660-1860 by Janet Arnold 4.64 avg rating — 501 ratings score: 787, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Corsets and Crinolines by Norah Waugh 4.20 avg rating — 304 ratings score: 573, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	The Tudor Tailor: Reconstructing sixteenth - century dress by Jane Malcolm-Davies 4.45 avg rating — 506 ratings score: 481, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	The Victorian Tailor: An Introduction to Period Tailoring by Jason Maclochlainn 4.24 avg rating — 71 ratings score: 395, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Patterns of Fashion 2: Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C.1860-1940 by Janet Arnold 4.68 avg rating — 340 ratings score: 383, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Patterns of Fashion 3: The Cut and Construction of Clothes for Men and Women, C.1560-1620 by Janet Arnold 4.59 avg rating — 469 ratings score: 293, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Fitting & Proper by Sharon Ann Burnston 4.25 avg rating — 36 ratings score: 290, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	After a Fashion: How to Reproduce, Restore, and Wear Vintage Styles by Frances Grimble 3.70 avg rating — 37 ratings score: 288, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Women's Wear of the 1920's: With Complete Patterns by Ruth S. Countryman 3.57 avg rating — 7 ratings score: 281, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Medieval Tailor's Assistant: Making Common Garments 1200-1500 by Sarah Thursfield 4.27 avg rating — 226 ratings score: 278, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Period Costume for Stage & Screen: Patterns for Womens' Dress, Medieval - 1500 by Jean Hunnisett 4.14 avg rating — 37 ratings score: 266, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Period Costume for Stage and Screen: Patterns for Womens' Dress, 1500 - 1800 by Jean Hunnisett 4.34 avg rating — 68 ratings score: 263, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Costume in Detail Women's Dress 1730-1930 by Nancy Bradfield 4.44 avg rating — 189 ratings score: 200, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Tailor's Pattern Book 1589 by Juan De Alcega 4.42 avg rating — 26 ratings score: 190, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	5000 Years of Chinese Costumes by Zhou Xun 4.22 avg rating — 18 ratings score: 188, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Textiles and Clothing, c.1150-1450 by Elisabeth Crowfoot 4.61 avg rating — 88 ratings score: 185, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Cut of Men's Clothes: 1600-1900 by Norah Waugh 4.35 avg rating — 60 ratings score: 182, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Women's Wear of the 1930's: With Complete Patterns by Ruth S. Countryman 3.88 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 176, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Period Costume for Stage and Screen: Dominos, Dolmans, Coats, Pelisses, Spencers, Calashes, Hoods & Bonnets by Jean Hunnisett 4.40 avg rating — 15 ratings score: 173, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Men's Garments 1830-1900: A Guide to Pattern Cutting and Tailoring by R.I. Davis 4.48 avg rating — 25 ratings score: 163, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	How to Design Your Own Clothes and Make Your Own Patterns. by Claudia Ein 3.71 avg rating — 17 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Costuming from the Hip by Dawn Devine (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 20 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	The Cut of Women's Clothes: 1600-1930 by Norah Waugh 4.52 avg rating — 94 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Thoughts on Men's Shirts in America by William L. Brown III 4.17 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Kvinnligt mode under två sekel by Britta Hammar 4.88 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Period Costume for Stage & Screen: Patterns for Womens' Dress, 1800 - 1909 by Jean Hunnisett 4.56 avg rating — 54 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	The New Butterick Dressmaker by Vogue Butterick Publishing really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	The Well Dress'd Peasant: 16th Century Flemish Workingwomen's Dress by Drea Leed 4.23 avg rating — 13 ratings score: 77, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars