Book Review: What Clothes Reveal

[No, I've not been reading a book a day. I have, however, developed a backlog of fabulous books that I read this year--largely related to thesis research--which I either didn't have time to review, or for which I started writing a review and didn't post it. My goal is to clear this backlog by the end of the year.  Consider this a last-minute gift guide for the costumers in your life.]

What Clothes Reveal: The Language of Clothing in Colonial and Federal America 

by Linda Baumgarten

This is a nice (over-)sized book; it has 221 content pages, plus a 16-page illustrated timeline of fashion changes from 1690-1835, as well as notes, bibliography, etc.

My first impression is that this is pretty book. It's a rare page that doesn't have an illustration (I'd estimate that at least half of the content is images), the vast majority of which are modern, color photographs of original garments--women's, men's, children's; full object and detail images.  These are supplemented by original portraits or engravings.  At the same time, this isn't just a picture book.  There is a strong narrative structure, working through styles and phenomena of 18th century dress (with beautiful pictures of original garments to illustrate it). Contemporary written sources are also cited, illustrating and supporting the narrative themes of the book.

If you're looking for a book of patterns, this probably isn't the right volume: there are no pattern illustrations to scale or sewing instructions. However, if you're looking for lots of lovely originals, an explanation of how/where 18th century American sourced their clothing, or examples of how clothing was be re-made and updated during this period, it's a very enjoyable and informative book.  Many of the items included are featured on the Historic Williamsburg Online Collection; even so, I find the book valuable for its commentary and information--a history lesson on 18th century clothing and a guided tour of the collection.

Stars: 5
Accuracy: High. Images of original garments, and the commentary incorporates original written sources.
Overall Impression:  Chock-full of information, while being the sort of book one reads rather than one to flip through for specific references. However, I'd still recommend it as a reference book to anyone reproducing 18th century clothing, or interested in the construction and recycling of clothing.