The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking: How to Hand Sew Georgian Gowns and Wear Them With Style

I could not wait to get this book and open it up. So what are you getting: Each chapter after the 1st has a photo of the completed garment and a page detailing the history of the item. CHAPTER ONE: • What the book is all about • Sewing an Eighteenth century gown • Fitting your mock-up • Piecing Items Historic stitches and how to sew them of which you get 16, this includes one picture on the left side and a short paragraph describing how to complete the stitch, as well what it’s uses are. CHAPTER TWO:English Gown The English gown, includes how to sew the English gown bodice, first fitting and attaching the skirts, sleeves and cuffs, second fitting and finishing up, Undies, Petticoat, Stomacher, neck handkerchief, apron, cap, mitts, simple straw hat and how to get dressed and wear your English gown. Chapter Three: The Sacque gown The pattern for this gown is Simplicity 8578 and 8579. This section includes-Fabric choices, note on hair styling ,side hoops, petticoat, trim, stomacher, bows, :The sacque gown-bodice and first fitting-skirt panels and second fitting, sleeves, third fitting hem and trim, choker necklace, apron, cap, sleeve flounces, lace tucker and how to get dressed and wear your gown CHAPTER FOUR: The Italian Gown Fabric choices, The false rump, petticoat, :The Italian gown bodice and first fitting-finishing the bodice and attaching the skirts-the sleeves and final fitting, cap, puffs and bows, hat ,apron, neck tucker and elbow ruffles, how to get dressed and wear your gown. CHAPTER FIVE:The Round Gown Fabric choices, undies-petticoat and back pad, :The Round Gown-the under bodice and first fitting-skirts and sleeves-setting the sleeves and finishing the bodice-over bodice and skirt fronts, third fitting and finishing, sash ,ruffled chemisette, skirt style chemisette, cap, turban wrap, hat, muff, reticule, and how to get dressed and wear your gown. Troubleshooting-goes overs common fitting problems and how to correct Appendix -I really enjoyed this section Supplier list Acknowledgment and biographies Index Likes: I feel like this book is complete. It bridges the gap between knowing what an 18th century garment looks like and how to construct one in an organic way. As well how to put it all together to have a complete authentic look. Dislikes: You only get gridded paper for the lining of the item and have to drape them to make them into the gown, which makes for pretty advanced work./Or you could try to find similar patterns and construct it from the book. I would have liked to have the Gowns on gridded paper and make the linings from there, as the linings are always easier to create. And /Or patterns for the gowns. As the description does not state it would include this information I did not take off any points. It would have been nice to have all the components in one book though. Not spiral, you can lay the book flat because of the way it is bound but I would have preferred spiral bound. I adore this book, think it accomplishes exactly what it said it would and hope that the authors continue to put out more..WINK WINK especially including a ROBE DE COUR, The pictures go hand in hand with the text and provide a resource for sewing these historical garments. Will I be sewing my entire ensemble by hand? Absolutely not but it will be good to be able to add some accurate hand sewing touches here and there.

Regarding the review which gave a 3 star rating complaining about "defective bindings"... this is the way a "lay-flat binding" is designed. The page leaves are stitched, not glued to a spine, so the book will open flat. The lay-flat binding "floats" above the spine, enabling the book to open evenly on a flat surface. This is a feature of quality softcover books.

I was pretty exited to receive this book after following the American Duchess blog for years. The information is very clear. The illustrations are top notch. I love having a visual reference for all the hand sewing techniques I've mostly just guessed on. The lay flat binding makes it easy to leave the book open to a technique leaving both hands free for sewing. There are no full size patterns in this book but anything with any sort of shape is illustrated on a gridded page so it's possible to tell proportions and how things should look full size. This is not just a dressmaking book. It is also a guide on how to wear what you create. Each dress has a section on how to get dressed as well as how to accessorize which stretches the use of any garment created.

It arrived about 30 minutes ago, and that may seem premature to rate a book - but going through every page and pattern, this beyond meets my hopes for what Stowell would offer! While I'm well versed in the French fashion from the mid to late 18th century, having topics on Italian and historical hand stitches, as well as breakdowns of what exactly everything applies to, is insanely helpful to newcomers to historical sewing and old maids like myself! I love The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking and cannot wait to make everything within the pages, and apply the tips to some current projects as well!

This is the ultimate 18th century clothing go to!!! It is by far the best and easiest book to following to create the one of a kind gown for multiple decades in the 1700's. The format is simply marvelous, and is truly head to toe. I have been following Lauren for years and she has helped me on many of my projects. This is a book i will recommend to all I meet who are interested in the subject. I am also purchasing one for my local library....it's that GOOD!!!

This book is the first book I have seen quite like it - while there are many incredible resources out there for costumers interested in the 18th century, this is the most well-rounded, clear, colorful, and easy-to-follow book I've encountered yet. And it results in a period-correct garment!! Firstly, the book does not waste a lot of page space on fluff; it jumps straight into the good stuff immediately. The contents are extremely methodical, starting with what size and type of thread to use, a list of historical stitch types and how to use them, and how to make a mock-up (test garment in cheap fabric). It then breaks into four sections that each contain instructions for every piece in a complete look*. Each section has a small introduction about the period and nuances of its particular look; it talks about the history of the gown style, the fabrics used (and sometimes the differences between available modern fabrics vs. historical fabrics), and colors and decoration that would have been correct for the period. Following the introduction in each section, any special undergarments* necessary for that look are explained (these include underpetticoats, pocket hoops, split bum pads, bodiced petticoat, etc.) Each piece is actually laid out somewhat like a cookbook: lists of yardages and materials needed first, then a page showing the pattern pieces on a grid (which can be blown up on a photocopier), followed by a very visual (lots of pictures) tutorial on how to make each item. The tutorials shown clearly step-by-step , and utilize the hand-stitches taught in the first few pages of the book. After the undies, all the layers of each look are tutorialed in a logical progression from inside to out; gown petticoat, to stomacher, to gown, to trimmings. Every little piece has a how-to, from sleeve ruffles, to decorative bows, to pinked trim. An 18th century gown is an imposing project, but the way Stowell and Cox break it down makes it feel completely approachable, one piece at a time. There are so many photos of each process, including the fitting for each gown (the scariest part!), that even a brand new seamstress could feel reassured of success. After the gown tutorials, in each section there follows a tutorial for Every. Little. Accessory necessary to complete a look. Accessories are really what makes a look pop, bringing all the little details come together to make the wearer look like they just stepped out of a painting. Tiny accessories are included - like a ruffled ribbon choker and a tasseled sash - as well as larger and more involved accessories, such as a different cap for every era, hat trimmings, hat making, tuckers, mitts, aprons, reticules, etc. This is where you REALLY get the bang for your buck. Accessories are sometimes even more intimidating than a gown, because they can be complicated, fussy to research, and there are just so many darned options for them. At the very end of each of the four big sections are a couple "how to wear" pages, showing the model putting on each piece of the look, one garment at a time. It sort of recaps everything covered in the chapter by walking you through how to wear each piece (so you're not stuck wondering, "I have this tucker, but what tucks in and what tucks out? And how does this cap stay on my head?!") After all of the chapters, there is a small troubleshooting guide for how to address common fit problems one might encounter on the various styles. Since these garments are constructed so differently from modern clothing, it is a very helpful section even to an experienced seamstress. It includes a drawing of each fit problem and a blurb on how to correct it. Finally, there is an appendix (full of delicious citations, which are helpful to anybody who wants to dive deeper into research about each look and era), a short list of suppliers (it's always helpful to know sources for reliable materials for historical costuming), a wee bio on the authors, and a thorough index to help wade through all this awesome material. *NOTE: the only elements of each look NOT tutorialed in this book, are the shifts and stays. This is noted right away on the first couple pages of the book. Stays and all their variations are a very complex topic which could fill an entire other book like this one (which I would buy in a heartbeat!). Shifts also have a lot of variation, but they are a fairly simple project and there is a lot of information already out there on how to make them. Conclusion: this is an EXCELLENT resource, both for experienced costumers and new seamstresses. The huge amount of work that went into it is evinced in the beautiful and clear content. I am so excited to work my way through the making of each of these gowns!!

I've been sewing 18th Century clothing for over 10 years and I wish I'd had this book when I started out! The instructions are so clear (aided by detailed photos...and lots of them!) and thorough that it really takes the struggle out of a lot of the work when you're trying to reproduce garments from images and museum collections. The additional patterns and instructions for the accessories like aprons, headwear, and reticules is a wonderful bonus. Having them all together in one place is convenient! Even as an experienced seamstress there is a lot in here that will aid me in my future costuming. I'm delighted with this book and can already tell it's going to be a new favorite on my costuming bookshefl!

I love this book. Just sewed my first petticoat and I thought it turned out really well. I just used an old flannel sheet with holes and bleach stains for practice but doesn't look half bad. In my opinion.

I don't know if I ever will make an 18th century dress, but with this guide, it will be a lot easier. I am an experienced sewer of modern clothes, but I love reading about clothing from other eras. A beginning sewer should not plan to make a dress from this book, however, reading it will teach anyone a lot about the process. The opening pages contain the sewing stitches in use at the time. All these dresses should be made by hand, which makes it a large undertaking. It is only with making a dress from the instructions that one can see what is lacking, or really good, and I'm not going to do that any time soon. The pictures are amazing. I really like the instructions on getting dressed in a particular area. This book covers almost 100 years of fashion, and would be a lot larger, more expensive and very intimidating if it tried to cover the whole era completely. But a lot can be gained from closely looking at the pictures. I understand why they left off any instructions concerning shifts and stays, a vital part of daily dress, but each dress shows the undergarments associated with the dress.

I feel a little bad giving a low review because I’m probably not the intended audience for this book. I was hoping this book would be accessible to a novice, but I was wrong. It feels like pages are missing or that the editor left out key details. The patterns will only show parts of the process, then the photos will include additional pieces and materials not mentioned before. This, plus a lack of explanation of the language used, and incomplete photos make this very hard to use and learn from, even by a determined learner of this craft. I had high hopes that this would be an illustrated, accessible guide to 18th century dressmaking, but it was not. I wish I had checked this out from the library instead of purchasing it so I could realize this would not work for me.

I could not wait to get this book and open it up. So what are you getting: Each chapter after the 1st has a photo of the completed garment and a page detailing the history of the item. CHAPTER ONE: • What the book is all about • Sewing an Eighteenth century gown • Fitting your mock-up • Piecing Items Historic stitches and how to sew them of which you get 16, this includes one picture on the left side and a short paragraph describing how to complete the stitch, as well what it’s uses are. CHAPTER TWO:English Gown The English gown, includes how to sew the English gown bodice, first fitting and attaching the skirts, sleeves and cuffs, second fitting and finishing up, Undies, Petticoat, Stomacher, neck handkerchief, apron, cap, mitts, simple straw hat and how to get dressed and wear your English gown. Chapter Three: The Sacque gown The pattern for this gown is Simplicity 8578 and 8579. This section includes-Fabric choices, note on hair styling ,side hoops, petticoat, trim, stomacher, bows, :The sacque gown-bodice and first fitting-skirt panels and second fitting, sleeves, third fitting hem and trim, choker necklace, apron, cap, sleeve flounces, lace tucker and how to get dressed and wear your gown CHAPTER FOUR: The Italian Gown Fabric choices, The false rump, petticoat, :The Italian gown bodice and first fitting-finishing the bodice and attaching the skirts-the sleeves and final fitting, cap, puffs and bows, hat ,apron, neck tucker and elbow ruffles, how to get dressed and wear your gown. CHAPTER FIVE:The Round Gown Fabric choices, undies-petticoat and back pad, :The Round Gown-the under bodice and first fitting-skirts and sleeves-setting the sleeves and finishing the bodice-over bodice and skirt fronts, third fitting and finishing, sash ,ruffled chemisette, skirt style chemisette, cap, turban wrap, hat, muff, reticule, and how to get dressed and wear your gown. Troubleshooting-goes overs common fitting problems and how to correct Appendix -I really enjoyed this section Supplier list Acknowledgment and biographies Index Likes: I feel like this book is complete. It bridges the gap between knowing what an 18th century garment looks like and how to construct one in an organic way. As well how to put it all together to have a complete authentic look. Dislikes: You only get gridded paper for the lining of the item and have to drape them to make them into the gown, which makes for pretty advanced work./Or you could try to find similar patterns and construct it from the book. I would have liked to have the Gowns on gridded paper and make the linings from there, as the linings are always easier to create. And /Or patterns for the gowns. As the description does not state it would include this information I did not take off any points. It would have been nice to have all the components in one book though. Not spiral, you can lay the book flat because of the way it is bound but I would have preferred spiral bound. I adore this book, think it accomplishes exactly what it said it would and hope that the authors continue to put out more..WINK WINK especially including a ROBE DE COUR, The pictures go hand in hand with the text and provide a resource for sewing these historical garments. Will I be sewing my entire ensemble by hand? Absolutely not but it will be good to be able to add some accurate hand sewing touches here and there.

Regarding the review which gave a 3 star rating complaining about "defective bindings"... this is the way a "lay-flat binding" is designed. The page leaves are stitched, not glued to a spine, so the book will open flat. The lay-flat binding "floats" above the spine, enabling the book to open evenly on a flat surface. This is a feature of quality softcover books.

I was pretty exited to receive this book after following the American Duchess blog for years. The information is very clear. The illustrations are top notch. I love having a visual reference for all the hand sewing techniques I've mostly just guessed on. The lay flat binding makes it easy to leave the book open to a technique leaving both hands free for sewing. There are no full size patterns in this book but anything with any sort of shape is illustrated on a gridded page so it's possible to tell proportions and how things should look full size. This is not just a dressmaking book. It is also a guide on how to wear what you create. Each dress has a section on how to get dressed as well as how to accessorize which stretches the use of any garment created.

It arrived about 30 minutes ago, and that may seem premature to rate a book - but going through every page and pattern, this beyond meets my hopes for what Stowell would offer! While I'm well versed in the French fashion from the mid to late 18th century, having topics on Italian and historical hand stitches, as well as breakdowns of what exactly everything applies to, is insanely helpful to newcomers to historical sewing and old maids like myself! I love The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking and cannot wait to make everything within the pages, and apply the tips to some current projects as well!

This is the ultimate 18th century clothing go to!!! It is by far the best and easiest book to following to create the one of a kind gown for multiple decades in the 1700's. The format is simply marvelous, and is truly head to toe. I have been following Lauren for years and she has helped me on many of my projects. This is a book i will recommend to all I meet who are interested in the subject. I am also purchasing one for my local library....it's that GOOD!!!

This book is the first book I have seen quite like it - while there are many incredible resources out there for costumers interested in the 18th century, this is the most well-rounded, clear, colorful, and easy-to-follow book I've encountered yet. And it results in a period-correct garment!! Firstly, the book does not waste a lot of page space on fluff; it jumps straight into the good stuff immediately. The contents are extremely methodical, starting with what size and type of thread to use, a list of historical stitch types and how to use them, and how to make a mock-up (test garment in cheap fabric). It then breaks into four sections that each contain instructions for every piece in a complete look*. Each section has a small introduction about the period and nuances of its particular look; it talks about the history of the gown style, the fabrics used (and sometimes the differences between available modern fabrics vs. historical fabrics), and colors and decoration that would have been correct for the period. Following the introduction in each section, any special undergarments* necessary for that look are explained (these include underpetticoats, pocket hoops, split bum pads, bodiced petticoat, etc.) Each piece is actually laid out somewhat like a cookbook: lists of yardages and materials needed first, then a page showing the pattern pieces on a grid (which can be blown up on a photocopier), followed by a very visual (lots of pictures) tutorial on how to make each item. The tutorials shown clearly step-by-step , and utilize the hand-stitches taught in the first few pages of the book. After the undies, all the layers of each look are tutorialed in a logical progression from inside to out; gown petticoat, to stomacher, to gown, to trimmings. Every little piece has a how-to, from sleeve ruffles, to decorative bows, to pinked trim. An 18th century gown is an imposing project, but the way Stowell and Cox break it down makes it feel completely approachable, one piece at a time. There are so many photos of each process, including the fitting for each gown (the scariest part!), that even a brand new seamstress could feel reassured of success. After the gown tutorials, in each section there follows a tutorial for Every. Little. Accessory necessary to complete a look. Accessories are really what makes a look pop, bringing all the little details come together to make the wearer look like they just stepped out of a painting. Tiny accessories are included - like a ruffled ribbon choker and a tasseled sash - as well as larger and more involved accessories, such as a different cap for every era, hat trimmings, hat making, tuckers, mitts, aprons, reticules, etc. This is where you REALLY get the bang for your buck. Accessories are sometimes even more intimidating than a gown, because they can be complicated, fussy to research, and there are just so many darned options for them. At the very end of each of the four big sections are a couple "how to wear" pages, showing the model putting on each piece of the look, one garment at a time. It sort of recaps everything covered in the chapter by walking you through how to wear each piece (so you're not stuck wondering, "I have this tucker, but what tucks in and what tucks out? And how does this cap stay on my head?!") After all of the chapters, there is a small troubleshooting guide for how to address common fit problems one might encounter on the various styles. Since these garments are constructed so differently from modern clothing, it is a very helpful section even to an experienced seamstress. It includes a drawing of each fit problem and a blurb on how to correct it. Finally, there is an appendix (full of delicious citations, which are helpful to anybody who wants to dive deeper into research about each look and era), a short list of suppliers (it's always helpful to know sources for reliable materials for historical costuming), a wee bio on the authors, and a thorough index to help wade through all this awesome material. *NOTE: the only elements of each look NOT tutorialed in this book, are the shifts and stays. This is noted right away on the first couple pages of the book. Stays and all their variations are a very complex topic which could fill an entire other book like this one (which I would buy in a heartbeat!). Shifts also have a lot of variation, but they are a fairly simple project and there is a lot of information already out there on how to make them. Conclusion: this is an EXCELLENT resource, both for experienced costumers and new seamstresses. The huge amount of work that went into it is evinced in the beautiful and clear content. I am so excited to work my way through the making of each of these gowns!!

I've been sewing 18th Century clothing for over 10 years and I wish I'd had this book when I started out! The instructions are so clear (aided by detailed photos...and lots of them!) and thorough that it really takes the struggle out of a lot of the work when you're trying to reproduce garments from images and museum collections. The additional patterns and instructions for the accessories like aprons, headwear, and reticules is a wonderful bonus. Having them all together in one place is convenient! Even as an experienced seamstress there is a lot in here that will aid me in my future costuming. I'm delighted with this book and can already tell it's going to be a new favorite on my costuming bookshefl!

I love this book. Just sewed my first petticoat and I thought it turned out really well. I just used an old flannel sheet with holes and bleach stains for practice but doesn't look half bad. In my opinion.

I don't know if I ever will make an 18th century dress, but with this guide, it will be a lot easier. I am an experienced sewer of modern clothes, but I love reading about clothing from other eras. A beginning sewer should not plan to make a dress from this book, however, reading it will teach anyone a lot about the process. The opening pages contain the sewing stitches in use at the time. All these dresses should be made by hand, which makes it a large undertaking. It is only with making a dress from the instructions that one can see what is lacking, or really good, and I'm not going to do that any time soon. The pictures are amazing. I really like the instructions on getting dressed in a particular area. This book covers almost 100 years of fashion, and would be a lot larger, more expensive and very intimidating if it tried to cover the whole era completely. But a lot can be gained from closely looking at the pictures. I understand why they left off any instructions concerning shifts and stays, a vital part of daily dress, but each dress shows the undergarments associated with the dress.

I feel a little bad giving a low review because I’m probably not the intended audience for this book. I was hoping this book would be accessible to a novice, but I was wrong. It feels like pages are missing or that the editor left out key details. The patterns will only show parts of the process, then the photos will include additional pieces and materials not mentioned before. This, plus a lack of explanation of the language used, and incomplete photos make this very hard to use and learn from, even by a determined learner of this craft. I had high hopes that this would be an illustrated, accessible guide to 18th century dressmaking, but it was not. I wish I had checked this out from the library instead of purchasing it so I could realize this would not work for me.

If you are interested in learning hand sewing techniques suitable for constructing garments of any time period, this book provides beautifully detailed and photographed sewing instructions. I have hand sewn contemporary clothing since I was a girl in the 60’s - Dad taught me to use his mother’s Singer foot pedal but Mom got me started hand stitching first by teaching me how to hand set zippers. Here is the detail I have longed for all these years and have been unable to find in French handsewing texts that nowadays focus on more delicate fabrics and machine work. Now, with this book along with Claire Schaffer’s Couture Sewing books,and Natalie Chanin’s which focus on on constructing and embellishing garments made from knit jersey fabric, I have a wealth of handy contemporary references. I see constructions from this era that I intend to adapt to modern clothing for myself. This book has sent me over the moon! Hope it will make you happy too.

This is a beautiful book and I am so glad that I got it pre-ordered! It was such a delightful surprise when it was delivered to my door! This book has pictures detailing the construction of gowns that you can't easily find anywhere else! I wish there were more pictures, but they probably could have put a 2,000pg book together and I'd still wish for most pictures! This book is extremely helpful if you've already started to try and put gowns together. You definitely should have a working knowledge already of the gowns you're trying to make, but there are smaller projects included as well. I wouldn't give just this book to a novice sewer and expect them to recreate a gown right away but they will learn a ton! This book would go well with a book about Williamsburg clothing or a Janet Arnold book if you're new to the craft. I'm looking forward to using the tips and tricks and detail techniques I've already learned by speed reading through it twice!

If you are even remotely into 18th century reenactment activities, you should get this book. It covers the basics (it does not cover much about constructing stays, however, which is also a “basic”) but it helps define the sewing process, which is all hand sewing, which I stink at, by the way, so I’m having a hard time, personally, but that's not anything to do with the quality of the book. The book explains the various types of gowns and underpinnings for different time periods including the popular “English Gown” and how to fit your work in the making process. There are also Sacque and Italian gowns. Plus all the other stuff you’ll need – petticoats, aprons, hats, etc. There’s a lot in this book. It’s definitely something you should have in your toolkit. If you are making one of these gowns for reenactment purposes, you will have to be historically accurate with your stitching techniques and they give you a primer on stitching and the various specific types that were employed in garment construction during the time period. Lots of images to follow along with. The nice thing about this book is that it can be supplemented with Simplicity patterns and the authors have a blog with helpful pattern hacks for altering the looks. They also have information on stays, which was the big missing item for me in the book. By the way, there are also some nice Butterick patterns and other patterns for an Outlander look you can get at Joann's or online that are not affiliated with this book but are still usable with techniques in this book. And the good news is they can all be altered into different, historically accurate looks. So overall, a great book with excellent images and instructions. Recommend.

I am really impressed with the info in this book. I expected some hand sewing techniques and a few gowns, but didn't expect the completeness of each "look" presented. This book gives you 4 gowns from different decades of the 1700s, all pieces minus a shift and stays. Often multiple options of accessories are also included. Tips and tricks for making items with modern fabrics and notions are given, and the authors are frank about when "close enough" has to be good enough. Only slight criticism is I'd personally like a clearer photo of a few of the accessory finished objects not on the model, some of the caps are hard to see what the finished piece should look like, which would really help a beginner out. Otherwise, if you are starting to get into any sort of Georgian costuming, this book is a great place to start and get your feet wet and build a good foundation before branching out!

The photos and accompanying historical information, as well as the instructions on drafting and construction, are making it easy for me to create a historically accurate and thorough 18th Century costume. Knowing that this book comes from an experienced costumer and historical dress expert gives me confidence in using it for historical reenactment.

I love this book! It’s a must have for any costumer, hobbiest, or 18th century reenactor. There is one problem with the instructions on making a poofy cap, but American Duchess did post an update on that over a year ago. Just go to their blog to find it Love, love, LOVE this book for the pictures as well as the patterns. A true gem and a welcome addition to my bookshelf.

I love to sew by hand and construct miniature garments as accurately as possible considering the size adjustments. Learning from these books and trying new thins expands my skills making me a better ‘copier’ of extant fashions for antique or reproduction dolls. Thoroughly enjoyed the explanations and need to add a couple of samples to my repertoire.

I'm interested in learning how to make some of these complex clothes from the past and this book is going to be a great resource for me. There's lots of photos and tutorials for construction, and even a segment on how to put together the outfits. As a novice sewing hobbyist with an interest in historic tailoring, this is an excellent resource.

i love this book too. in fact i'm thinking about making hand muffs when i'm able to. i don't have any other book to compare this one to but it's still great. the instructions are clear and the photos show you exactly what to do. kudos to the authors for a great book. i've been wanting to make dresses from the italian renaissance. not really elaborate ones but more basic ones. but i love the sack back gowns . i don't know when i'll get around to making any of the dresses in this book though.

This book really does fill the gap between academic research and hands-on application for womenswear in the 18th century. This book clarifies so much about dressmaking in this period. It is grounded in solid academic research. The book is PACKED with information, in an accessible, easily referenced way. The book features four distinct gown styles from different parts of the 18th century, and sets each within their historical context. Step by step instructions guide the reader through the making and fitting of each gown, as well as skirt underpinnings, petticoats, and accessories. Finally, step by step dressing instructions show just how to wear each style of gown. Stitch illustrations and a fitting guide perfectly illustrate the techniques needed to hand sew and fit clothing for this period. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the practical making of accurate 18th century womenswear, or the history of fashion in general.

I purchased this book because I do a lot of costume making for 18in dolls and antique dolls and occasionally for myself. I was very happy to have my techniques confirmed when I read it. There’s so many techniques covered. And information put into such a small book. (I say small, but I’m used to books 700 pages long)

When it came to historical costumes of any kind, I figured that the pattern companies like simplicity, McCalls, etc was my only option. But with this beauty of a book, not only does it show me the "Correct" (Historically accurate) method, but I love learning about how these types of garments were made as well. 10 out of 10, What's not to love?

Lots of information and easy to follow instructions. I learned so much about making the dresses of the time, but the best part was learning about how women thought and what was important to them. Even if you don't plan on sewing this book is a wealth of information on the life of women.

Just received this book a few days ago and skimmed through the whole thing. This is EXACTLY what you need to create 18th century dresses. There is a lot of detail that pattern envelopes or other pattern books don't give you - what materials were popular at the time, how to make trim, and (most importantly) how to put on all those layers and get them right. Also TONS of color photographs to show you all those details. Thank you, authors, for such a wonderful book!

This guide is simply perfect! I’m a huge fan of American Duchess, and this book does not disappoint. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions very clear. Please be aware that patterns are not included and most of the construction is done by draping, which in my opinion categorizes this guide as Advanced. Stays and undergarments are not included, but the guide includes plenty of info for further reading. You can always check their blog as they constantly offer anazing info that complements the details in the guide. Very happy with it!!!

This book is a great link between academic research and the practical aspects of creating garments! As a fairly experienced modern seamstress, but an absolute novice at historical techniques, I was excited to read the chapter on hand stitches and I was particularly pleased to see that each project included notes on where each stitch should be used. Hopefully I'll be able to start a project from this book soon!

If you are looking for a book of premade patterns, this is not for you. If you are looking for a book about corsets and the support structures to make your dresses fit properly, you need to look elsewhere. This book is packed full of information about how to draft your own dresses in a way that's accessible and understandable to a modern audience but it's not all inclusive and it's not a ready to wear cut and sew pattern book. If you go into it understanding that it's a wonderful book I think any sewing enthusiast would enjoy.

This guide to sewing Mid-Late 18th Century Dresses is very helpful from the stitch guide in the beginning to the Supplier List at the end! The stitches are easy to learn, the patterns are easy to understand and follow, the tips on prints and period appropriate fabrics are great and help beginners avoid choosing the wrong fabric for an accurate 18th Century impression. The heavily illustrated tutorials are a great source to check while sewing, and the tips on dressing and accessorizing are a must! I just wish there was a corset tutorial as well, done in the same picture by picture style, but that can be found elsewhere and it doesn't take any of the stars away from this life saver of a guide! Maybe in a next book they might tackle it? I'd love it if they did!

This book is a wonderful find! I love all the details in it. One of my future projects is to make a Robe a la Francaise gown. I have the two historically accurate patterns for a gown (made by American Duchess/Simplicity) and this book completes the project. It is going to help me tremendously when I make the gown (in 2020...I still have to make Civil War Era gowns for next year!).

This book is an awesome book for the seamstress who would like to learn about the clothing of different time periods! It also shows one what hand sewing stitch to use in what instance and how to create that stitch!

This book has amazing pictures, historical side notes, and pattern layouts. The only thing I was upset about briefly was that there are only a handful of dress patterns in there. I thought there would be more but I guess that’s on me. Still a great purchase and I can’t wait to get started on my Italian gown!

Useful for anyone interested in 18th century costume construction. A thorough overview of the basics including many pictures and descriptions of sewing tecniques. It contains much more valuable information than is usually accessible to non-scholars. Thank you Lauren and Abby! It was well worth having it shipped to the other side of the pond.

This is the real deal, genuine hand sewing directions, I wish it included machine directions as well. The book could be clearer in its direction, I read through it and I’m not confident that without collaboration, I could make a nice, wearable garment. But, I did see that there are you tube videos and historic sewing groups to join on FB, so there is help out there.

I enjoy this book. It’s very prettily laid out, but this is NOT a book for beginners sadly. The pictures would be better bigger and showing more. I really hope the author will do online classes on each dress and accessories from start to finish. The Italian dress is my favorite. It would have been helpful to talk more about each stay that would go with each dress.

The pattern and references are spot on. Highly recommend this book for those who want to 18th century re-enact. It’s well laid out and is easy to find references for other great books about the time period.

Super informative. Nice, clear pictures. Seems like a good resource into period accurate practices. The guides on dressing in the end and the troubleshooting is great.

This book was purchased as a holiday gift and they were actually happily surprised by it. The book is of high quality with numerous illustrations and photos as well as plenty of patterns and templates.

The book is so beautiful to read and very instructive on how to make historically accurate garments. Also, explains the appropriate fabrics to use and the type of hand stitches. Love this book and so glad I bought it.

This book has beautiful, inspiring pictures and clear instructions. I'm currently using it to create my own Italian Gown which is something I wouldn't have dared to attempt before, but the authors make the process understandable and attainable!

I thought there would be more info given in this book. In fact it is an entry level book for the beginning costumer which didn't help me.

A fantastic book by Abby and Lauren from American Duchess. When I received it I immediately opened it and started reading. The steps are clear and easy to understand so there isn't any guess work on what to do next. This is a hand sewing book so there is no need for a sewing machine, though it would be fairly easy to translate some of the steps in the book to sewing by machine if you are under a time crunch. I look forward to purchasing their next book about hairdressing.

This book is wonderfully illustrated and easy to understand. I love the fact it come with instructions on how to make the patterns.

In addition to being enormously informative, this book is total eye candy for the vintage fashion aficionado. I can't wait to try making one of these gowns.

exactly what I needed. Love the very clear directions and pictures. what a revealing look at historic clothing construction, much historic information

Though this isn't the era that I frequently sew, I love the resource. It contains detailed descriptions and beautiful photographs as examples.

Beautiful, informative, historically accurate not for a beginner and not for someone who wants a dress for next weekend. It is difficult giving such a beautiful book only 4 stars. However, I am thinking of the inexperienced costumer or reenactor who thinks they will have a dress for next weekend. This book is great for the experienced costuming community but it is so seductively beautiful I am sure many will buy it without the background information they need to use it. Have your stays made before picking up this book. I repeat this book assumes you already have 4 sets stays as the foundation for each dress. There are no illustrations of what the proper stays would look like. I know they don't cover them in the book but the uninitiated would not really have any idea how they might differ for the decades presented. Since most of us don't have friend dedicated to 18th century dress to assist in draping a garment, I recommend you use one of the better patterns for 18th century dresses before attempting to use this book to make a dress. I have made an English gown using one of the new patterns which provided suburb illustrations and instructions. Even with that knowledge I was still mystified about the robings and back pleating .(There is no substitutes for line illustrations. The closeup illustrations are great for sewing techniques but did not help me understand the construction of the garments. I have and will learn a lot from this book and it is inspirational. I plan to make several of the accessories for my 18th century dresses.

They really do break down an entire fit for you to make yourself a complete reproduction from under things to accessories. They also break down hand stitching techniques to complete this in the most historically accurate way. I also like how they explain the steps, which are easy to understand.

Well written. Good information. This book will take you to another era. No matter your level of experience, (I have 40 years professionally) you should enjoy this volume

Very nice book. Was a gift for my sister she loved it.

Purchased this for a friend for Christmas and she was very excited. What little I got to see of it, the photographs and information is wonderful!

Absolutely brilliant book. This will set the bar for 18th century women's costume how-to for the future. If only someone would do the same for men's costume of the period.

oh my god it is the best!!!

Amazing detailed book

Awesome book!!! If your looking to learn or create period costume pieces this is the book for you!!

If you are even remotely interested in recreating 18th century clothing for women, this the book you need in your library. The techniques and knowledge within this book are absolutely invaluable. You will not regret buying this book.

Love this book! Beautiful color illustrations and lots of detailed costuming information, from proper undergarments to finished look.

Good good good

Excellent instruction on using different stitches for different seam applications.

It's very vivid the book intended to put a lot of information a lot of foreground and background and a pattern

Excellent research that’s well-presented. I have loved making garments from this book.

Just what I expected. Awesome book.

This is a fun book and I love the photos. If you like period sewing then this book is for you.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this book the detail is amazing. just like the Duchess herself.. great fun read

Amazing photos - excellent instructions. Inspiring!

Great info and easy to follow photos!

It well written easy to understand. I know I get a lot of use out of this book

This is one of the best sewing books out there! Everything is written very clearly and detailed and the photos are wonderful. Thank you for such a great book!

I loved reading through this book and when I move into my new house, plan to try my hand at sewing some of these creations.

It’s a good book, but I noticed that the instructions in the book and the instructions in the patterns are not the same. This makes it a little confusing at times.

Inspite of the fact it was a used book, it arrived looking brand new and in brand-new condition. It's a beautiful book!

Love this book! Is so helpful with the dress that I am designing!

Super helpful and easy to read. I love American Duchess!

Very nice book with lots of photos and instructions. I also checked out their website and enjoyed that as well.

Excellent book

I love the step by step instruction photos in this book.

Gives hints on how to sew 18th century clothes.

I have so many costume goals now. I'm already planning a few projects.

A truly amazing and fabulously informative book, these ladies are gifted at what they do! Thier podcast is also pretty great too!

Beautiful book. 10/10

Nicely written and photographed, it explains what you need to make and how to do it in simple terms. It meshes nicely with the patterns they did with Simplicity, #8578 and 8579. These ladies are to be commended for a lovely how-to book!

Awesome book, detailed diagrams, beautiful pictures and instructions. The Italian gown was my favorite.

It's a beautiful and detailed book

Amazing insight to historic dress making

I liked the complete description of each gament.

Gift for a seamstress sister. She loved it. Explanations helpful. Well researched.

This book is absolutely perfect and a must-have for any 18th century sewing enthusiast. The pictures and illustrations are beautifully done and the book is very well written. I cannot express how happy I am with this book!

I love that it has the actual stitches in it. However it’s strangely arranged, the corsetry is never mentioned, the hip bustles are oddly constructed...

Great book! Lots of info! Love it!

This book is amazing. My only complaint is that it doesn't cover stays.

A lot of good information here. However, the Kindle version is awkward to use because the captions and photos don't match. ( I.e. The picture for the first caption in each section is on the following page and this continues for the whole secroon. ) Not sure if the print version is the same, but I would not recommend this for a beginning seamstress.

Beautifully detailed photos of how to make these dresses. I love the patterns given for them,for the small accessories needed to go with them. Its almost like buying multiple patterns but in one book. And they're on a grid, so much easier to grade up.

Good resource for sewers

How could you not give this amazing book 5 stars!! So much information that is well researched in this book. Highly recommend.

Lovely designs - well written and beautifully photographed. Such a joy!

Arrived fast not for me for my sister she loves it

Interesting and useful

Beautiful details perfect for the colonial reenactor or anyone wanting to do 18th century costume.

Fantastic book. Fast shipment !

A great book that will help anyone sew an 18th century gown

MOST excellent book! I can't wait to sew!

This book is wonderful!

I have been costuming and tailoring for 15+ years so I consider myself very advanced. I generally hand-stitch all my historical garments. But, there were still some things about this book that just didn't make sense or were really unclear. I did actually love this book. There is a lot of great information in here and I enjoyed learning about the construction techniques. However, the book often focuses so much on what stitch you should use that it completely leaves out the parts about exactly which pieces of the garment you're supposed to be stitching together and on which seamlines. This sometimes left me extremely confused and perusing the instructions for hours before attempting anything further with the garment. Additionally, the sizings seemed really strange. I'm a VERY small woman, less than 100 pounds, but when I created my pattern for the Italian gown according to the book, even triple checking my work and measurements over my stays, the toille was still FAR too small for me. I had to grade the pattern up about 4 sizes before it even started to fit and I'm usually a size 6 as far as sewing patterns go. I suspect this may have been because, although the instructions constantly reference checking the seam allowance, the seam allowance is actually nowhere specified or noted. I did my initial seam allowance with a standard 5/8" allowance and that proved to be far too much. Additionally, I had a lot of confusion over the back pieces. I eventually surmised that for the back piece you should draw the line and then cut on it but the book only specifies to draw the line. Nowhere does it say to cut this piece in two. However, if you look at the pictures it's clear this piece has been cut in two and then seamed back together with an English stitch. I suspect this may be the root of the strange sizing issues as I would assume no seam allowance is given here and, when I stitched these pieces together for my toille, visually the back pieces ended up looking much narrower than in the pictures. In my second toille I cut this piece with an additional 5/8" seam allowance on each side of the line I drew and it turned out much better. However; it would have saved me a LOT of time, effort, muslin, and frustration had this been stated up front instead of the hours I spend puzzling over it and wriggling into and out of my stays. Again, I really love the book, it's a wonderful treasure of knowledge and I love using the historical sewing techniques taught in the book, but a lot of the measurements seem really really far off and there is some really basic info that is left out (such as seam allowances). I would really have appreciated some pictures such as "this is what your garment should look like at this stage."

I'm only giving 3 stars because their patterns and wording on how to measure is very vague. I've never had a pattern that was so vague before where I could not fogure it out. The false rump is where I'm the most lost, it makes no sense and it only says, do this to add onto your rump. Ok but I'm thinking in terms of thickness and their measurements put me at 16 inches when I should only he adding 4 inches of thickness. I feel there is also important pieces missing from these gowns on all of the pieces that make the whole gown.

This book is absolutely brilliant. It has various eras and a great and simple explanation on how to do each piece of clothing. Shows the hand stitches and the types of material to use. They even give tips about how to work with the materials. I absolutely love this book and is great for anyone who is wanting to sew for cosplay

Not a fan of the style of binding, but great contents.

This book gives you a step by step sewing guide to the 1700's. I also very much appreciate the troubleshooting info in the back of the book.

Ok for beginning seamers. I expected mire so returned the book.

What I liked the most: The inside. What I liked least: The type of binding used. Amazon keeps removing my 3 star reviews, no matter how I phrase them. I wonder why they won't allow a 3 star review when it is simply an honest opinion?

This book does not include patterns!!!! Just had to get that out of the way. It does however, include what you need to draft your own. I would not recommend this for beginners, but frankly I don't think many beginners will be buying this book anyways, since you have to be in a pretty niche sewing community to find it! I have yet to make anything from this book, but I am SO excited to start working on my 1st 18th century gown when I get the time. This book is beautifully printed and the instructions are very helpful. I really love that the authors included a references page in the back, which is awesome for someone who likes researching these things more in depth. This book is a great starting point for someone who already knows how to sew, but is interested in historical costuming!!

To my daughter. She is a seamstress and a re-enactor. She loves the book.

At last, a costume construction book that takes it's subject seriously, but makes making 18thC handmade costume simpler. Detailed instructions and realistic (but very standard) projects to make. The only drawback is the overt Americanisms and tone (it is an American import), and there are not enough UK suppliers listed for any newcomers to costume repro. Overall, a good starter book.

Absolutely brilliant book. The projects shown are incredibly well presented, with accessories as well as the four styles of dress. The book commences with general information about how to use it. It then moves on to historical stitches and how to make them. The chapters following cover each dress, starting with a little information on that style. Patterns and making up instructions follow, finishing with a description of how to put on and wear each outfit. It should be noted that there is no mention of stays. It is however, easy to find patterns of these elsewhere.

This is a really great place to start with historical sewing and you could probably start with this with no previous sewing experience at all. The book is laid out in an accessible manner and lies flat when opened - always useful if your hands are full. It is stuffed with photographs and takes a step-by-step approach. If you are looking for 'how to' it is the right book for you; if you are looking for historical analysis alongside there isn't much here, which is a shame as the two authors are extremely knowledgeable on their subject.

The only complaint I have is the omission of stays. I can't quite understand why they left those out specifically since they are integral to the full ensemble. I can only assume that's done due to the complexity of making those garments.

a really great book with loads of helpful coloured pictures. clearly goes through all of the steps and helps you create amazing gowns. the only drawback is that they don't tell you how to make the corsets needed, that they say are crucial for getting the correct shape. it also arrived on time and in good condition.

This is a beautiful book with clear patterns and instructions. I wish I could wear these clothes every day.

Bought for Christmas present for daughter she absolutely loves it and already has used it to help her in her dressmaking

Delighted with this book.Very detailed step by step information .Well set out.A great addition to my library.Will use in conjunction with the Janet Arnold books.

lOVE it!

I was definitely excited to purchase this book and it is delightful. It contains very detailed patterns on the inside. I'm also going to buy the 18th century beauty by American duchess.

Brillent detailed publication

I bought this for my daughter and she loves it. Written in an easy going style and bursting with wonderful pictures, ideas and information.

Excellent, thank you :0)

Lovely book. Very interesting.

I love this book it is so well written and sort out. Really good examples of 18th-century sewing techniques.

Amazing book! Can’t wait to use it. Arrived on time and in damaged.

Brilliant book, great details, can’t wait to start my Robe a la Francaise!

Beautiful book

Fantastically lay out and well thought out

Zu erst möchte ich anmerken, dass dieses Buch nicht im "Urschleim" zum Thema Mode aus dem 18. Jahrhundert "herumwühlt". Das Konzept des Buches ist darzustellen, wie man sich ein historisch korrektes Gewand schneidert (ohne Korsett- (Schnürbrust-)Anleitung). Dies erfüllt es wunderbar. In lockerleichter Sprache erklären die Autoren Schritt für Schritt das Vorangehen. Die Bilder sind sehr aufschlussreich als auch schön anzusehen. Die Erklärung sind dabei eindeutig, aber kurz. Also wer bisher keinerlei Berührungen mit dem nähen an sich hatte, müsste eventuelle manchen Satz zweimal lesen, um den Inhalt zu verstehen. Dies ist aber für Personen mit vielen Vorkenntnissen sehr angenehm, da mich persönlich lange, ziemlich ausführliche Anleitungen in einem Reprint aus der vikorianischen Epoche sehr gelangweilt haben. Ich kann mir vorstellen, dass es für "Anfänger" ein sehr guter Einstieg ins Thema historische Mode ist, da die Begeisterung der Autorinnen beim lesen überschwappt und einige Quellen zum weiterlesen genannt werden. Für Personen, die sich schon länger mit dem Thema beschäftigen ist das Buch gerade sehr empfehlenswert, da auf einem Blick, sehr gut erklärt, der "Nähstyle" der Rokokos und des frühen Empires erklärt wird. Den nur wenige Personen erhalten die Chance Originale aus der Zeit zu sehen und leider unterschiedet sich das Schneider im 18.Jhd. stark vom aktuellen. Wodurch die Fertigung eines Kleid, im Bereich von Nähten und exakten Schnitt, als schwierig erweist. Dieses Buch löst dieses Problem definitiv. Meiner Meinung nach ist auch das Englisch deutlich einfacher für Nichtmuttersprachler zu verstehen, als andere, vorallem ältere Fachbücher, im Bereich historische Mode. Ich kann dieses buch nur wärmstens Empfehlen. Aktuell besitze ich ca. 22 Bücher zum Thema historische Mode und meiner Meiung nach, deckt es eine Informationslücke im Rokokobereich als auch Empire ab, da es ausführliche Infomartionen zur Fertigung enthält.

Inhaltlich kann ich nur sagen - DAAAANKE für dieses tolle Buch. Die Anleitungen sind super gut erklärt und bebildert. Hier kann ich mich den anderen Bewertungen nur anschließen. Die Bindung des Buches lässt allerdings sehr zu wünschen übrig. Einmal richtig aufgebogen und schon beginnt die einfache dünne Klebebindung aufzubrechen. Bald werde ich wohl die einzelnen Seiten in der Hand halten..... Wer ein Buch mit wirklich tollen Anleitungen und Erklärungen zu historischen Nähtechniken möchte und über die nicht so gute Verarbeitung des Buches (Klebebindung) hinwegsehen kann, der ist hier goldrichtig.

Dieses Buch ist mein erstes in einer (hoffentlich) wachsenden Sammlung von Kostümbüchern. Ich bin relativer Nähneuling, kenne aber American Duchess aus dem Internet und da ich mich gezielt für die Mode des 18. Jahrhunderts interessiere, ist meine Wahl auf dieses Buch gefallen. Die Bebilderung ist wunderschön und sehr detailreich. Nicht nur die Herstellung der Roben wird gezeigt, sondern auch wie man sie richtig anzieht. Ebenso wird darauf eingegangen, wie man Accesoires herstellt, die das Gesamtbild perfekt abrunden. Besonders gut gefällt mir, dass in einem eigenen kleinen Kapitel auf mögliche Probleme bei der Passform eingegangen wird und wie man diese lösen kann. Das Englisch ist gut zu verstehen, wenn man sich in der Sprache ein wenig auskennt. Der Fokus liegt komplett auf dem Herstellen der Kleider mit der Hand, selbstverständlich kann man die gezeigten Kleider aber mit der Nähmaschine fertigen.

I bought this book mostly because I thought there would be corset pattern, got a bit disappointed when I found out there was not! EXCEPT that, the book is GREAT, like every step of dressing in historical costume is there. It was just unfortunate for me not to find what i wanted but I will still definitely use it anyway. The book arrived broken and I'm disappointed about that too.

Un buon libro in inglese, con alcuni cartamodelli e spiegazione dei procedimenti. Trovo solo alcune foto non molto chiare, con qualche pagina in più potevano essere inserite più foto anche più a distanza (perché quando troppo zoommate non si capiscono gli strati/orientamenti della stoffa). Non ho ancora tradotto quindi non so se quello si intuisce dal testo

This book is really lovely, there many helpful pictures to show the process of making stunning 18th century dresses (and accessories). You will need additional patterns etc. to make a full historical costumes but the book provides a lot of information even so. I think the book is probably more suitable for people who already have a basic understanding of sewing, though there are also some small projects in it that can easily be attempted by novice sewists.

I wish this contained foundations as well, but it is a very thorough and useful book for styles of the time period. Since there is some drafting/fitting involved, possibly good for intermediate level.

Excellent book for those interested in creating 18th century women’s dress making. It shows how to make everything but the shift and stays. There are plenty of illustrations to guide you. If you want to dress like you’ve just stepped of the set of Outlander this is a good place to start.

Livre en anglais mais facilement compréhensible. Pas de patrons mais beaucoup d indications et de schémas. A compléter par les patrons de la marque American duchess chez Simplicity si on ne se sent pas de faire soi même le patronage. Le site internet/blog de l auteur donne également des compléments. J aime beaucoup ce livre.

Es ist wirklich alles sehr detailliert geschrieben und mit vielen Bildern sehr anschaulich gestaltet.

Das Buch ist ein Quell der Freude für alle, die sich historisch korrekte Damenkleidung des 18. Jahrhunderts schneidern wollen. Die vielen Fotos sind einfach hilfreich, und gute Tipps gibt es auch. Also, ich hab Spaß....

Le livre 18th century dressmaking guide est parfait pour les amoureux de costumes du 18eme siècle. Il est écrit en anglais (les schémas et photos aident beaucoup cependant). Je l'attendais depuis un moment. Il correspond parfaitement à mes attentes.

For all who love historical clothing and/or sewing and want to know more, this book is really it!! A must read! I couldn’t give five stars, because the book I received was slightly scratched and damaged on the corners and edges.

A useful addition to my library. As a doll maker am always on the lookout for easy information. Even though it is for life size costumes it provides useful ideas on the making of the costumes.

Love this book! Lots of step by step instructions and history on each gown/article of clothing. Happy I purchased this book for my library!

I love this book!!! I love the step by step process with the colour pictures. I also love that in the beginning of the book they provided how to handsew the different types of stitches like the rolled hem or mantua maker seam. So far I've made the 1740s cap and i'm working on the robe a la francaise. Great resource for professional or at home sewers!

Bellissimo libro, vademecum immancabile per chi si approccia al costuming handmade! Sarebbe bellissimo avere una versione italiana...consigliatissimo!

The wealth of patterns and detailed instructions make this book not only an amazing resource, but overall great value, and easy to recommend to anyone interested in the period.

Tolles Buch. Meine Tochter ist begeistert.

Je livre est très bien écrit. Les images très lisible. J'ai juste été surpris qu'il n'y ai qu'une représentation que de 3 costumes. Il manque une petite présentation des différents costumes qui existaient à l'époque, avec plus d'exemples. Même s'il n'y a la place que pour se concentrer sur 3 costumes.

Arrived earlier than expected, it's a really pretty and informative book.

Seriously great book. American Duchess is a class act always.

Love it

Livro maravilhoso com técnicas detalhadas para reproduzir quatro looks específicos do século 18. Um verdadeiro mimo!

Questi libri sono davvero fantastici culturalmente