Fashion History Books on Internet Archive
Illustration in La Mode by Paul Gavarni, c. 1835 (Rijksmuseum)
A selection of some of my favourites, free to read and check out once you create a (free) account!
Handbook of English Costume in the 19th Century, by C. Willett Cunnington and Phillis Cunnington. I can vouch for this as one of the greatest books in my collection, extensive menswear information. By the same authors (and not read by me): English costume in the Eighteenth, Seventeenth, and Sixteenth centuries.
A History of Men’s Fashion, by Farid Chenoune. A masterwork, absolute must-read primer on men’s fashion from the late 18th century to the late 20th century.
The Encyclopedia of World Costume by Doreen Yarwood. Covers many different cultures over a huge span of time so most topics are not treated in-depth, but still a great reference.
The History of Underclothes, by C. Willett Cunnington and Phillis Cunnington. Also covers men’s shirts in Western dress history, as these were considered undergarments.
Fashioning the Body: An Intimate History of the Silhouette, edited by Denis Bruna. A collection of essays on changing dress silhouettes in Western fashion over time, some of them very insightful.
The Dictionary of Fashion History, by Valerie Cumming. This is the first edition and I have the second, but my top fashion history dictionary and go-to for textiles and items of dress!
