A year after R. Turner Wilcox received rave reviews for her ultimate fashion reference; The Mode in Costume; she decided to zero in on one chic category to give it the close-up it deserved. The result is this extraordinary handbook that covers the worldwide evolution of almost five thousand years of hats; hairstyles; and headdress for both sexes. Since ancient times; men and women have used hats and headgear for everything from adornment and protection to establishing their rank in society. With hundreds of illustrations and fascinating text; this comprehensive survey extends from 3000 B.C. to mid-twentieth century. The showcase depicts an astonishing range of womens styles mdash; Egyptian headdresses; Spanish mantillas; French straw sailor hats; buckle-trimmed tam-o-shanters; wedding veils; bonnets; snoods; and jeweled crowns. Mens headwear includes feather-trimmed turbans; soldiers helmets; cowboy hats and top hats; derbies and boaters; berets; sombreros; and Homburgs. Hairstyles run the gamut as well: ringlets; topknots; and spit curls; ponytails; pageboys; and poodle cuts; as well as pompadours; mutton chops; and crew cuts. With delightful details on jewelry; cosmetics; and beauty treatments; this is a unique reference that fashion designers; stylists; and historians will treasure.
#391836 in eBooks 2013-05-27 2013-04-29File Name: B00DP7UL36
Review
35 of 36 people found the following review helpful. INCREDIBLE!By Barbara EvansHaving pre-purchased this before it was published; I cautioned myself not to expect too much from an art book offered for only $11.95. Now Im simply stunned at what a gem this 200-page museum-quality book is.While the reproductions in other books in English on Repin suffer greatly in showing the true colors of the works; those in this book are generally spot-on; not only as I remember them when I viewed many in Russia recently but also as they appear in postcards I bought. Though in a number of cases the resolution of the background is not as sharp as it could be; to at least have all in a book outweighs this detail to me. Furthermore; to my delight; not only was the room-length sized "Ceremonial Meeting of the State Council on May 7; 1901" shown in a 2-page spread; preliminary paintings of several of the members were shown in full-page spreads in order to show the impressionistic brush strokes not seen when viewed from the back of the room its in.If you are curious as to the just what works are included; be sure to check the index via the LOOK INSIDE feature. In sum; in color are 13 two-page spreads; 68 full-page ones; and 25 half-pagers. Also included are 23 of his drawings. Most of the works are from the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg and the Tretyakov State Gallery in Moscow. Included as well is an occasional work by another to show its influence on one of Repins works. While the work being discussed is not always on the same page as the text; a parenthetical reference sends one to the page showing the work.For me; the icing on the cake is the fact that the text is not the least bit pedantic. Again; the LOOK INSIDE feature will give you a preview of just how readable and informative this book is.FYI: Although not devoted solely to Repin; an exhibition catalog; The Wanderers: Masters of Nineteenth-Century Russian Painting : An Exhibition from the Soviet Union; has reproductions of some of his works. It also includes information about and excellent reproductions of works by all in the Itinerant/Wanderers movement. I highly recommend it.FYI: Also just published in this new series are the following titles; each with "(Best of)" as part: Gustav Klimt; Egon Schiele; Vincent Van Gogh and Auguste Rodin. And for Russophiles; I highly recommend Best Ofs Valentin Serov (Best Of Collection)12/1/11: ALSO INCREDIBLE is what has happened to the price of the book in just a few months! Check out the comments following the one-star review for an explanation.7/9/13: And now its back down in price! Get it while you can!14 of 14 people found the following review helpful. Awesome Repin!By Mr. CI preordered this book before it was published. The price seemed too low to expect much but I didnt feel like shelling out $160 for the other options. I just finished reading this book. It is a very; very good deal. I think I paind 11.95 for this book. It was WELL worth it. There are many terrific full color reproductions. The colors is great. The book is a basic biography of his life and a detailed review of many of his paintings. It doesnt give any great personal insight into who the man was and what he thought. It covers his contemoraries; the times that he lived and how Russia was changing and Repins general feelings. He was tied in with many writers; musicians and painters in Russia. I could wish for more anecdotal information on the man and would like to see some of his own writing but even so it is a very good book. From a painters point of view; the artwork presented is quite good. I dont recall any close-up views of paint handling which would have been a bonus.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great BookBy A READERIts a beautiful book-large enough to see the pictures easily. I am new to Repin and am now a die-hard fan-he was truly a master and each new painting is a thrill!