Evolution of Fashion

Preparations for Research

A. Possible sources for research ideas:

Professor’s suggestions; assigned readings; other sources that inspire or interest you.

B. Typical Library sources -- Subject Encyclopedias/Dictionaries:

Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Ref. GT507 .E53 2005 book cover

v. 1. Academic dress to Eyeglasses -- v. 2. Fads to nylon -- v. 3. Occult dress to Zoran

This is a comprehensive reference source that includes not only definitions, designers, and styles but also historical, psychological, anthropological, sociological, and political approaches to contemporary and historical dress. Steele, the editor is a leader in scholarly study of fashion; the 640 articles, each appended with a brief but useful bibliography are contributions from some 300 reputable academics, journalists, and fashion industry professionals.

A Few More Titles

The Worldwide History of Dress. Ref. GT511 .A63 2007

Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans and Fashion, 1840-1900. Stacks: GT610 .S42 1995

The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Costume and Fashion: from 1066 to the Present. Ref. GT720 .C37 1994

The Historical Encyclopedia of Costumes Ref. GT510 .R3313 1988

Dress and Society, 1560-1970. Stacks: GT720 .S6 1974

Costumes of Everyday Life; an Illustrated History of Working Clothes, from 900-1910. Stacks: GT720 .L5 1972

Fashion Through Fashion plates, 1771-1970. Oversize: GT513 .M6 1972

Modes & Manners of the Nineteenth Century as Represented in the Pictures and
Engravings of the Time. Stacks: GT595 .B613 1970
v. 1. 1790-1817.--v. 2. 1818-1842.--v. 3. 1843-1878.--v. 4. 1879- 1914.

Costume in Detail; Women's Dress, 1730-1930. Stack: GT580 .B67 1968

Mirror of Fashion; a History of European Costume, 1789-1929. Stacks: GT595 .B713 1964

Fashion and Reality [1840-1914]. Stacks: GT510 .G4 1963)

Western European Costume and its Relation to the Theatre. Stacks: GT720 .B73 1963
(v. 1 Thirteenth to seventeenth century -- v. 2 Seventeenth to early nineteenth century.)

A Pictorial History of Costume; a Survey of Costume of all Periods and Peoples from Antiquity to Modern Times including National Costume in Europe and Non-European Countries. Oversize: GT513 .B76 1955

Subject Encyclopedias and Dictionaries Provide:

Expert contributions on the topics covered.

Thorough introductions and summaries of topics with cross-references to related topics and bibliographies;

Critical bio-bibliographies of designers and overviews of styles, etc.

Course Materials on Course Reserves.

WorldCat (catalogs of libraries worldwide)

Procedure Note:

1. Verify if Tufts Library has the book you need.

2. Use ILliad (interlibrary loan service) to request non-Tufts books.

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Path of Discovery in the Catalogs

1. Find a title/author (assigned readings/Course Reserves);

2. Note the descriptive language of the Catalog record.

3. Use that language in further searches

e.g. Click on subject/author in the record to see further results and related topics.

Title	*Dress in Detail from Around the World* / by Rosemary Crill, Jennifer Wearden, and Verity Wilson; with contributions from Anna Jackson and Charlotte Horlyck; photographs by Richard Davis; drawings by Leonie Davis.
Publisher	London: V & A Publications, 2004.
Subject	Victoria and Albert Museum.
	Fashion design -- History -- Sources.
	Clothing and dress -- Pictorial works.
	Ethnic costume -- Pictorial works.
	Tailoring -- Patterns.
	Call number: Bookstacks: TT504 .C75 2004

Browse by the broad subjects in Tufts Catalog:

fashion

fashion history

costume

costume history

clothing and dress

clothing and dress history

Textile fabrics history

Sub-categories by country/region and periods:

Fashion -- England -- History.

Fashion -- Europe -- History.

Fashion -- Japan -- Themes, Motives.

Clothing And Dress -- Egypt -- History -- To 1500.

Clothing And Dress -- History -- Medieval, 500-1500.

Keyword Searches in the Catalog:

1. fashion and women and (france or french)

2. (fashion or clothing or costume) and japan*

(The second in an advanced keyword search, limiting to print materials.)

Note:

1. use and in between keywords
2. "or" and ( ) to nest related/varied expressions;
3. japan* for all forms of the word: japan, japanes.
4. limit search results to books.

1. Academic OneFile (all subjects)

2. Search, individually or simultaneously, these two databases

ARTbibliographies Modern
Bibliography of the History of Art

Enter your search terms:

3. Additional Art Databases

Art Abstracts

Arts & Humanities Citation Index

International Index to the Performing Arts

4. Social and Cultural History

America: History and Life

Historical Abstracts

Anthropology Plus

5. Gender and Women's Studies

Women's Studies International

GenderWatch

6. Business

ABI/INFORM

7. Newspapers

LexisNexis Academic

Factiva

Click on the number to pause the slide.

About the Fashion Literature

The literature of fashion history is diverse in nature, incorporating interdisciplinary approaches. The following databases cover fine arts, performing arts, social history (including gender and women's studies) as well as fashion publications of general appeal.

Some Database Characteristics

Each Database is selective

Subject Matter —disciplinary perspective, period, geographical region, and more;
Scope —types, number, and years of publications covered
Depth (of indexing) —citation, abstracts, full texts, which determines their search capabilities.

Strategy in Selecting a Database

First, run a relatively broad search in them to assess their relevance on a topic;
Next, try out a variety of keyword, subject, and author searches in a chosen database.
Last, use newly learned ideas and words in other databases.

Finding Full Texts

1. Click on the button to these three options:

a. link to the full text of the article when available digitally;

b. link to a Library Catalog search for the journal in print that contains your article.

c. link to ILliad for requesting the article when the above two options are negative.

2. Search for a journal directly here:

a.Tufts Library Catalog (including e-journals)
b. Electronic journals list
c. Use ILliad to request your article, if Tufts does not have your journal.

In print:

Books with color plates, photographs, and other visuals are excellent sources; these illustrations are usually done professionally as the official records of the objects.

The Fashion Book. Oversize: TT503 .F37 1998 book cover

The Fashion Book takes a fresh look at the fashion world and the people who created and inspired it. Spanning 150 years, the whole industry is represented -- from pioneering designers, including Coco Chanel and Issey Miyake, to influential photographers such as Richard Avedon and Helmut Newton and the people they photographed. Easy to use and filled with inspirational images, it is an A -- Z guide to 500 clothes and accessory designers, photographers, models and those iconic individuals who instigated or symbolize a whole fashion movement.

Each entry is illustrated with a photograph or drawing which shows a quintessential aspect of their work or style. An accompanying text describes where they fit into the fashion story and includes essential biographical information about the creator. (Publisher)

Search the Catalog for Books with Images:

fashion and (pictorial or exhibitions or photography or plates or drawings)

use keywords such as pictorial, exhibitions, photography, plates, drawings.

Note: many of the encyclopedia and dictionaries listed in this guide include such visuals. See the Research Ideas tab.

Digital Images:

Note: you might need to identify artists creating art during a certain time period and search for their art works when other types of visual materials are not available.

Costume and Fashion
New York Public Library Web Gallery of Images

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

Fashion Plate Collection (Univ. of Washington Libraries Digital Collections)

The Costumer's Manifesto (Tara Maginnis, theatre arts, Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks)

Bissonnette on Costume: A Visual Dictionary of Fashion (Kent State Univ. Museum)

Costume Gallery

Fashion History and Costume Eras, Victorians to Haute Couture

Cornell Costume and Textile Collection

History of Costume

Costume

Photographs

City Gallery