Score

There are some books which have been added which I consider plain costume histories, the sort of thing I wanted to avoid on this list. This list is for books which delve into the meaning of clothing in an original way. If there's a good reason to keep any of them, please say so.

A Visual History of Costume: The Sixteenth Century, by Jane Ashelford
Mode In Costume, by R. Turner Wilcox
A History of Fashion, by J. Anderson Black
The Complete Costume History / Vollstandige Kostumgeschichte / Le Costume Historique, by Auguste Racinet
The History of Costume: From the Ancient Mesopotamians Through the Twentieth Century, by Blanche Payne
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through American History, 1900 to the Present [2 Volumes], by Valerie Hewitt
Clothing Through American History: The Civil War Through the Gilded Age, 1861-1899, by Anita Stamper
Dress in Anglo-Saxon England: Revised and Enlarged Edition, by Gale R. Owen-Crocker
Clothing Through American History: The Federal Era Through Antebellum, 1786-1860, by Ann Buermann Wass
English Women's Clothing in the Nineteenth Century: A Comprehensive Guide with 1,117 Illustrations, by C. Willett Cunnington
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through American History [3 Volumes]: From Colonial America Through the Gilded Age, 1620-1899, by Jose F Blanco

I've deleted those of the above that are my own contributions, but would appreciate a bit of an explanation where you draw the line. E.g., quoting from the description of Dress in Anglo-Saxon England (which I didn't add and am not familiar with, and have hence left for the time being): "Dress is discussed as a marker of gender, ethnicity, status and social role." I'd have thought any book that fits this particular description would be within the list's purview (even if you don't happen to share the author's views and analysis)?

Whoa, I did not get a notification about a posting on this list. Sorry for the delay. I only found this because I was just checking in.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean the books had to be deleted, only that I'd like to know the reasons for keeping them.

Certainly any book that fits that particular description is within the list's purview. I fear that I've been a bit vague.

With this list I was trying for books which do more than just say thus and so was worn by such and such. I feel there are too many costume histories that simply present clothes as pretty pictures with little context or understanding. But I may have been a bit too harsh in what to exclude.

On further thought, Ashelford's book goes into terrific detail of the particulars of what was worn and by whom, so perhaps it does belong and I was being too hardnosed, not to say pedantic.

My first post (message 1) named a mix of books on the list which I am familiar with and know to be basically picture histories of costume, and books I am unfamiliar with and would like to hear the rationale for, since by their titles one can't tell.

I am always willing to listen to explanations of why books do or do not belong on the list. I don't at all mind books which have analyses I disagree with. The more varied the conversation the better, and this was never meant to be a list of my personal likes, but one about people's approaches to the subject.

The way you put it, it sounds like Dress in Anglo-Saxon England is just fine.

I'm sorry for the confusion.