Book Review: Icons of Fashion of the 20th Century by Gerda Buxbaum

Icons of Fashion of the 20th Century

by Gerda Buxbaum (391 Bux)

 

Focusing on fashion developments of the 20th century, the editor Gerda Buxbaum invites a crew of fashion experts to write essays on variety of intriguing topics. Set up in a scrapbook style, each essay is surrounded by illustrating photographs and drawings. The pictures are excellent, the information fascinating. Warning, you might need a magnifying glass because the type is that small, but it’s worth it. Flipping open the book opens portals on topics such as: “Radical Chic” (a discussion on how “the poor dress up but only the rich dress down” and features photos of “vintage find” clothes which were fashionable in the late 60’s) or “Disco” (Illustrated with photos of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, and other dancers, this essay discusses the reflection and shimmer of 1970s dance fashion) or “Wedge and Triangle” (Elaborating on deep V back décolletage, wedge heels, and bias-cut dresses, amongst other things, this essay shares characteristic elements of 1930’s fashion.) or “Coco Chanel” (In six paragraphs of brief but meaty prose, the writer shares a compelling description of the designer’s influence that began in the 1910’s and extending to today.) there’s approximately 75 of these essay/photo/scrapbook combinations on a wide range of topics and designers; they’re easily browsed through and fascinating.

 

The only thing I would change about this book is I’d like to make it about twice as big. It would be easier to read the text and easier to enjoy the illustrations.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try How to Read a Dress: A Guide to changing Fashion from the 16th to the 20th Century by Lydia Edwards, A Pictorial History of Costume: A Survey of Costume of All Periods and Peoples From Antiquity to Modern Time Include National Costume in Europe and Non-European Countries by Wolfgang Bruhn, or Worn: A people’s history of clothing by Sofi Thanhauser, or Only the Clothes on Her Back: Clothing and the Hidden History of Power in the Nineteenth-Century United States by Laura Edwards.)

 

See Scott C.’s review of 50 Women’s Fashion Icons That Changed the World from the August 2018 Staff Recommendations here on BookGuide!

 

Recommended by Carrie K.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Services

 

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