Ancient World

Ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian & Persian Costume by Mary G. Houston Also by Houston: Ancient Greek, Roman & Byzantine Costume

Ancient European Costume and Fashion by Herbert Norris.  Break-downs of all the fashions in this difficult-to-research period. Some inaccuracies, but many valuable line drawings.

Costumes of the Greeks and Romans by Thomas Hope Written in 1962, this is a collection of over 700 illustrations copied faithfully from Greek and Roman artifacts showing styles of the day.

Egyptian Textiles by Rosalind Hall

Roman Clothing and Fashion by A. T. Croom.  An overview of clothes of the Empire.

Roman Legions Recreated in Colour Photographs (Europa Militaria, Special, Vol 2) by Daniel Peterson and Gerry Embleton Created by a memebr of the world’s only recreated Roman cavalry, and advisor to the History Channel.

Roman Military Clothing (1) 100 BC-AD 200 (Men-At-Arms 374) by Graham Sumner The jury is apparently still out on whether the colors of the tunics are correct, but an overall useful book.
Also by Sumner: Roman Military Clothing (2): AD 200-400

Roman Wives, Roman Widows: The Appearance of New Women and the Pauline Communities by Bruce W. Winter 0802849717 An intriguing study on the evolving fashion of Roman Widows and others—also this trend’s impact on the arising Christians (see Cornithians).

Style and Society in Dark Age Greece : The Changing Face of a Pre-literate Society 1100-700 BC by James Whitley  An examination of Grecian style via funerary art.

Women's Dress in the Ancient Greek World by Lloyd Llewellyn Jones. Conclusions about ancient apparel based on vase painting and murals.

The World of Roman Costume. Covers the early Etruscan period to the early Christian years—clothing, accessories and hair styles.

Costuming

After a Fashion: How to Reproduce, Restore, and Wear Vintage Styles by Frances Grimble and Deborah Kuhn (Illustrator). A beautifully illustrated general book on reproducing historic costumes and restoring and wearing vintage clothing.

Chinese Clothing and Theatrical Costumes by Tonildi Franco.

The Costume Book: The Non-Professional's Guide to Professional Results by Mary Burke Morris While not intended for professionals, it does require experience sewing to reproduce these outfits.

Costuming the Christmas and Easter Play: With Ideas for Other Biblical Dramas by Alice M. Staeheli

Costume Construction by Katherine Strand-Evans. All the things you need to know to create sturdy costumes—clothing, shoes hats—the works.

Costume Design : Techniques of Modern Masters by Lynn Pecktal, Tony Walton. Interviews with the greatest living designers.

The Costumer's Handbook: How to Make All Kinds of Costumes Many practical solutions for common problems, such as fittings, etc.

Costume in Detail: 1730-1930 by Nancy Bradfield. Many costumes in detailed drawings and measurements.

Costuming Made Easy : How to Make Theatrical Costumes from Cast-Off Clothing by Barb Rogers. Cheap and easy guide to costuming.

Costumes and Scripts in the Elizabethan Theatres by Jean MacIntyre

Costumes for the Stage: A Complete Handbook for Every Kind of Play by Sheila Jackson

The Costume Technician's Handbook : A Complete Guide for Amateur and Professional Costume Technicians by Rosemary Ingham, Liz Covey.
Also by Ingham and Covey: The Costume Designer's Handbook : A   Complete Guide for Amateur and Professional Costume Designers
The “bibles." You must have these if you are seriously into costuming.

Elegantly Frugal Costumes : The Poor Man's Do-It-Yourself Costume Maker's Guide by Shirley Dearing. A no-nonsense guide to creating costumes. 

Instant Period Costume: How to Make Classic Costumes from Cast-Off Clothing by Barb Rogers. No sewing... and no realism. But a very handy guide to quick, put-together costumes.

Making Stage Costumes by Tina Bicat. A step-by-step guide on how to create costumes. 

The Magic Garment: Principles of Costume Design by Rebecca Cunningham  An good beginning for those new to the business. However, there isn’t a lot of explication on how the beginning designs turn into the finished product.

Medieval Costume and How to Recreate It by Dorothy Hartley  Originally published in the 30s (and therefore sometimes of questionable scholarship) this book covers costumes for peasants, servants, everyday folk and the nobility. Included are instructions on constructing the garment and how to move in them.

More Costumes for the Stage by Sheila Jackson. Design ideas by the person who costumed the BBC hit “Upstairs, Downstairs."

Patterns for Theatrical Costumes : Garments, Trims, and Accessories from Ancient Egypt to 1915 by Katherine Strand Holkeboer.  A terrific book for the intermediate sewer interested in costume design. Exploded patterns and silhouettes make this a great guide for many eras.

Stage Costume: Step-By-Step by Mary T. Kidd  A beginner’s guide to costume making, which breaks down large projects into easy-to-manage steps.

Your Vintage Keepsake : A Csa Guide to Costume Storage and Display by Margaret T. Ordonez. A slender but invaluable guide on how to keep your creations from self-destructing.

The Wearing of Costume: The Changing Techniques of Wearing Clothes and How to Move in Them, from Roman Britain to the Second World War by Ruth M. Green An interesting primer on how to work with one’s costume once you’ve got it on.

Costume Drawing/Rendering

Character Costume Figure Drawing : Step-by-Step Drawing Methods for Theatre Costume Designers by Tan Huaixiang  Excellent book on creating costume drawings. Be warned that the font is on the small side.

Costume Design: Techniques of Modern Masters by Lynn Pecktal  Not a how-to book; this is about rendering costume drawings, as told by some of the masters of the trade.

Costume Designer's Handbook : A Complete Guide for Amateur and Professional Costume Designers by Liz Covey, Rosemary Ingham  An over-view in how to prepare a design for a show. A little light on very specific step-by-step, but a good beginning point.

A Handbook of Costume Drawing, A Guide to Drawing the Period Figure for Costume Design Students by Georgia O'Daniel Baker. Shows how to produce figural drawings that conform with the period one wants to portray. 

"Dark Ages" European Clothing

Charlemagne's Mustache : And Other Cultural Clusters of a Dark Age by Paul Edward Dutton Cultural life in Charlemagne’s time.

Dress in Anglo-Saxon England, Revised and Enlarged Edition by Gale R. Owen-Crocker  An excellent edition examining the details of attire in the “Dark Ages” and touching on the needs of the re-enactor.

European Civil and Military Clothing : From the First to the Eighteenth Century (Dover Pictorial Archive Series) by Frederic Stibbert

Viking Age Headcoverings From Dublin by Elizabeth Wincott Heckett

Viking Designs by A. G. Smith. A good beginners’ book  

Vikings Recreated Gerry Embleton, Britta Nurmann, Carl Schulze

Medieval European Clothes

Chaucer and Clothing : Clerical and Academic Costume in the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales by Laura F. Hodges  Analyzes Chaucer’s use of character clothing and what it means.

Clothes of the Medieval World by Vincent Douglas Aimed at younger readers.

Clothing in the Middle Ages by Lynne Elliott 

Courtly Love Undressed: Reading Through Clothes in Medieval French Culture by E. Jane Burns

Daily Life in Medieval Times : A Vivid, Detailed Account of Birth, Marriage and Death; Food, Clothing and Housing; Love and Labor in the Middle Ages by Frances Gies, Joseph Gies  This well illustrated over-view of Medieval life covers how it was to live 700 years ago: the hairstyles, fashions and all the details that went into life then.

Dress in the Middle Ages by FranCoise Piponnier, Perrine Mane  Covers the importance of clothing in that period, and the tradespeople who created it.

Encountering Medieval Textiles and Dress: Objects, Texts, Images by Desiree G. Koslin  An examination of the importance of clothing in society from 700 AD to 1300 AD.

English Costume from the Early Middle Ages Through the Sixteenth Century by Iris Brooke  A broad over-view for beginners.

European Civil and Military Clothing : From the First to the Eighteenth Century (Dover Pictorial Archive Series) by Frederic Stibbert

Fashion in the Age of the Black Prince : A Study of the Years 1340-1365 by Stella Mary Newton.  A book for the serious costumer, this book, while providing a wealth of detail, is sadly under-illustrated.

A Knight and His Armor by Ewart Oakeshott

The “London Excavations” Series: These are books covering items excavated from the Medieval Period in London. Each is fabulously detailed and worth at least looking at, if you are recreating this period.
Dress Accessories, c.1150-c.1450 by Geoff Egan, Frances Pritchard
Knives and Scabbards by J. Cowgill, M. de Neergaard, N. Griffiths
The Medieval Horse and its Equipment, c.1150-1450 by John Clark
Pilgrim Souvenirs and Secular Badges  These medallions were important accessories and therefore important to recreating historically accurate attire.
Shoes and Patterns
Textiles and Clothing c.1150-c.1450 by Elisabeth Crowfoot, Frances Pritchard

Medieval Celebrations : How to Plan for Holidays, Weddings, and Reenactments With Recipes, Customs, Costumes, Decorations, Songs, Dances, and Games by Daniel Diehl, Mark Donnelly. A great book for SCA and Ren-faire folk. A little off the mark for medieval wedding planners.

Medieval Clothing and Textiles I by Robin Netherton  An interdisciplinary approach, focusing on the social aspects, but also covers the importance of clerical garb, embroidery and textiles.

Medieval Costume and Fashion by Herbert Norris. A nice book for ideas, but sketchy documentation.

Medieval Costume and How to Recreate It by Dorothy Hartley  Originally published in the 30s (and therefore sometimes of questionable scholarship) this book covers costumes for peasants, servants, everyday folk and the nobility. Included are instructions on constructing the garment and how to move in them.

Medieval Costume, Armour, and Weapons by Eduard Wagner, Zoroslava Drobna, Jan Durdik.  One of the few books to cover clothing and weaponry together. Some illustrations of clothing.

Medieval Costume in England and France : The 13th, 14th and 15th Centuries by Mary G. Houston.  Discusses such rare topics as ecclesiastical, legal and merchant clothing as well as the common bloke. No patterns, but a great place to start for these periods.

Medieval English Clothmaking: An Economic Survey by A. R. Bridbury

Medieval Fabrications : Dress, Textiles, Clothwork, and Other Cultural Imaginings by E. Jane Burns  An Interdisciplinary approach to evaluating how Medieval people expressed themselves in their clothing and other textiles.

Medieval Military Costume (Europa Militaria Special, 8) by Gerry Embleton. Covers all ranks and social strata, including women.

The Medieval Soldier: 15th Century Campaign Life Recreated in Colour Photographs by Gary Embleton, John Howe  Armor and clothes recreated by the Company of Saint George living history group. The author admits that this is a “rough idea’ of what things were like in this period.

The Performance of Self: Ritual, Clothing, and Identity During the Hundred Years War by Susan Crane

Ready-To-Use Medieval Illustrations : 424 Different Copyright-Free Designs Printed One Side by Maggie Kate. Clip Art

Tournaments: Jousts, Chivalry and Pageants in the Middle Ages by Richard Barber, Juliet Barker

Renaissance Clothes

Authentic Everyday Dress of the Renaissance : All 154 Plates from the "Trachtenbuch" by Christoph Weiditz.  The plates in this book depict ordinary everyday men and women of this time period. No patterns or details are offered, but a good look at how the garments were worn as chronicled at the time.

Clothes and the Child : A Handbook of Children's Dress in England, 1500-1900 by Anne Buck

Dressing Renaissance Florence: Families, Fortunes, and Fine Clothing by Carole Collier Frick. Details how the Florentines dressed for success—fascinating!

Elizabethan Costuming (For The Years 1550 - 1580) by Janet Winter.  This is "the bible" for Elizabethan re-enactors. But be forewarned it is hard to get.

European Civil and Military Clothing : From the First to the Eighteenth Century (Dover Pictorial Archive Series) by Frederic Stibbert

Hispanic Costume Fourteen Eighty to Fifteen Thirty by Ruth M. Anderson.  This book concerns itself mostly with Spain, and Italy only briefly. It does not address Portugal at all. But overall, this is a good book showing Spanish influence in Continental fashion. Organized to address each discreet item of dress (shoes, hats) it is easy for the beginner to mismatch costumes. Special Order.

Men in Women's Clothing : Anti-Theatricality and Effeminization, 1579-1642 (Cambridge Studies in Renaissance Literature and Culture, 5) by Laura Levine 

Also by Janet Arnold: Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd: The inventories of the Wardrobe of Robes prepared in July 1600, edited from Stowe MS 557 in the British Library, MS LR 2/121 in the Public Record Office, London, and MS V.b.72 in the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington DC.  The touchstone of Queen Elizabeth I fashion design.

Period Costume for Stage and Screen : Patterns for Outer Garments: Cloaks, Capes, Stoles and Wadded Mantles;
Period Costume for Stage & Screen : Patterns for Women's Dress, Medieval-1500;
Period Costume for Stage & Screen : Patterns for Women's Dress 1500-1800 by Jean Hunnisett.  Very detailed explanations for staging with costumes.

Renaissance Clothing and the Materials of Memory (Cambridge Studies in Renaissance Literature and Culture, 38) by Ann Rosalind Jones, Peter Stallybrass.  A study examining how important clothing was in determining social status, wealth and its uses as a type of "money."

Tailor's Pattern Book 1589 by Juan De Alcega, Jean Pain (Translator), Cecilia Bainton (Translator), J. Nevinson, Juan de Alcega.  This astounding translated facsimile book is THE primary source for Ren fashion. Originally intended for journeyman tailors to extract the maximum pattern from the minimum cloth. This is the ultimate how-to.

Tudor Costume and Fashion
by Herbert Norris.  Break-downs of all the fashions in these difficult-to-research periods. Some inaccuracies, but many valuable line drawings.

Vecellio's Renaissance Costume Book : All 500 Woodcut Illustrations from the Famous Sixteenth-Century Compendium of World Costume by Cesare, Vecellio.  An interesting book focusing on Italian Middle to Upper level society. Some details may have been made up from the author's imagination.

European and American Clothes–17th & 18th c.

The Art of Dress : Fashion in England and France 1750 to 1820 by Aileen Ribeiro.  A study of upper class dresses in both countries. Useful for the beginner, although no patterns are offered.

Buttons And Trimmings by Althea MacKenzie  Covers 18th and 19th c. furnishings.

The Child in Fashion : 1750-1920 (Schiffer Book for Collectors) by Kristina Harris. An overview not just of children's clothing, but the way that we have treated children in society. Special Order.

Clothes and the Child : A Handbook of Children's Dress in England, 1500-1900 by Anne Buck

The Clothes That Wear Us: Essays on Dressing and Transgressing in Eighteenth-Century Culture by Jessica Munns

The Culture of Clothing : Dress and Fashion in the "Ancien Regime" (Past and Present Publications) by Daniel Roche.  An intriguing examination of the "revolution in clothing" in France in the late 18th c.

Costume Close Up : Clothing Construction and Pattern, 1750-1790 by Linda Baumgarten, John Watson, Florine Carr.  An excellent book for the experienced costumer / sewer, it details the clothing, fabrics and patterns of this narrow time period. These are explanations from the pinnacle of restoration / re-enactment, the Colonial Williamsburg folks. You will want this book in your collection!
Also by Baumgarten Eighteenth-Century Clothing at Williamsburg; What Clothes Reveal: The Language of Clothing in Colonial and Federal America 

Costume in Detail: 1730-1930 by Nancy Bradfield. Many costumes in detailed drawings and measurements.

The Cut of Women's Clothes, 1600-1930 ; The Cut of Men's Clothes: 1600-1900 by Norah Waugh A must have!

Dress, Culture and Commerce : The English Clothing Trade before the Factory, 1660-1800 by Beverly Lemire  Covers the complex trade and the men and women who worked in it.

Dress in Eighteenth-Century Europe 1715-1789 (Revised Edition) by Aileen Ribeiro. Discusses fashions in the context of their historical setting. 200 illustrations, some color.

Dress in France in the Eighteenth Century by Madeleine Delpierre.  An excellent and much-needed book about clothing design and evolution on the Continent.

Eighteenth Century French Fashion Plates in Full Color by Stella Blum  Beautiful plates from the Galerie des Modes.

European Civil and Military Clothing : From the First to the Eighteenth Century (Dover Pictorial Archive Series) by Frederic Stibbert

Everyday Dress of Rural America 1783-1800 : With Instructions and Patterns by Merideth Wright, Nancy Rexford (Illustrator).  A great book for beginners with patterns and clear instructions.

Fashion in Detail : From the 17th and 18th Centuries by Avril Hart, Susan North.  This stunning book will appeal to both amateurs and experts! The wealth of photographs from the Victoria and Albert Museums along with clear, compelling text make this a must for your collection.

Fitting & Proper by Sharon Ann Burnston (Special Order). 18th c. garments described in detail with patterns. Some rare outfits described. Not for the beginner.

French Fashion Plates of the Romantic Era in Full Color: 120 Plates from the "Petit Courrier Des Dames," 1830-34 by Judy M. Johnson  From the most popular, and most copied, French fashion magazine. Covers dresses, hats and hairstyles.

Historical Fashion in Detail: The 17th and 18th Centuries by Avril Hart, Susan North, Richard Davis  A gorgeous book from the Victoria and Albert Museum examining the construction of this period’s clothes.

Indian Clothing of the Great Lakes, 1740-1840 by Sheryl Hartman.  Interesting and detailed book. Contains patterns for replication.

Lewis & Clark Tailor Made, Trail Worn: Army Life, Clothing, & Weapons of the Corps of Discovery by Robert J., Jr. Moore, Michael Haynes  Although considered a very fine history of the expedition, the coverage of clothing, uniforms and hats is sometimes inexact. Historical clothiers and reenactors are advised to use more accurate books for clothing construction. But if this is your area of interest, this book is still a Must Have.

Masterpieces of Women’s Costume of the 18th and 19th Centuries by Aline Bernstein. 

Men's Seventeenth & Eighteenth Century Costume : Cut and Fashion.   For the experienced sewer, this book has many ideas about the proper fit of a garment. Everyday clothes and uniforms. Special Order.

Pattern of Fashion 1: Englishwoman's Dresses and Their Construction: c.1660-1860; by Janet Arnold.  An important book for re-enactor / costumer patterns. Each garment is precisely described and instructions as to the construction are detailed–but not recommended for the beginning sewer. Be advised that there is some criticism that the patterns are constructed from detailed drawings Ms. Arnold has studied, and not the actual garment, which can vary.

Period Costume for Stage & Screen : Patterns for Women's Dress 1500-1800 by Jean Hunnisett.  Very detailed explanations for staging with costumes.

Picturing French Style: Three Hundred Years of Art and Fashion by Jill Berk Jiminez

Pirates 1660-1730 (Osprey Military Elite Series, 67)   by Angus Konstam.  Small but interesting books with a general look at piratical gear. Also Privateers & Pirates 1730-1830 (Elite, 74)

Revolution in Fashion: European Clothing, 1715-1815 by Jean Starobinski and Philippe Duboy. The exhibition catalog from the Kyoto Costume Institute (in English) contains some of the most beautiful pictures of the fashions of the period you’ll find.

Ready-Made Democracy : A History of Men's Dress in the American Republic, 1760-1860 by Michael Zakim  An examination of men's fashion in light of political and social developments of the period.

Rural Pennsylvania Clothing by Ellen J. Gehret  A much sought-after book! Easy to use patterns work for most early American clothes.

Stepping Out: Three Centuries of Shoes by Louise Mitchell, Lindie Ward

Stylin: African American Expressive Culture from Its Beginnings to the Zoot Suit by Shane White, Graham White  Examines the importance of African American clothing styles as self-expression and influence on white fashion from the 1600s to 1940.

Textiles for Colonial Clothing by Sally A. Queen.  This book is only for the serious student of costume history or re-enactment–but what an invaluable book it is! Includes actual swatches of fabric so that the reader may compare to modern fabrics.

Tidings from the 18th Century by Beth Gilgun  An excellent book for reenactors, written in an epistolary style (letters). Contains info on life of the period and many garment patterns (be warned that you’ll have to enlarge for anything over a size 7).

European and American Clothes - 19th Century

Ackermann's Costume Plates : Women's Fashions in England, 1818-1828 by Stella Blum. These are fashion plates, and so are “Idealized" versions of this time period’s clothing. 

American Dress Pattern Catalog, 1873-1909 by Nancy Villa Bryk. Patterns and a study of comfort in women’s clothes. 

American Victorian Costume in Early Photographs by Priscilla Harris Dalrymple. Grouped by decade with commentary. 

Buttons And Trimmings by Althea MacKenzie  Covers 18th and 19th c. furnishings

Calico Chronicle: Texas Women and Their Fashions 1830-1910 by Betty J. Mills. Descriptions from the period and window dressings.

Civil War Ladies : Fashions and Needle-Arts of the Early 1860's by R. L. Shep Special Order. Covers fashions, accessories and hairstyles.

Clothes and the Child : A Handbook of Children's Dress in England, 1500-1900 by Anne Buck

Clothing in Colonial Russian America : A New Look by John Middleton

Crinolines and Crimping Irons : Victorian Clothes : How They Were Cleaned and Cared for by Christina Walkley.  If you are serious about 19th c. re-enacting, this is a must read on how they cared for their garments.

Dressed for the Photographer : Ordinary Americans and Fashion, 1840-1900 by Joan L. Severa. This BIG beautiful book contains photos of real people (rich, workmen, men in uniform) in the clothes as they wore them. Of special note are the depictions of African Americans as business people as well as servants. A rare find.

English Women's Clothing in the Nineteenth-Century : A Comprehensive Guide With 1,117 Illustrations by C. Willett Cunnington. A year-by-year survey of noblewomen’s dress: where and when it was worn; influences of fashion and materials used in construction.

European weapons and armour: From the Renaissance to the industrial revolution by Ewart Oakeshott

Fashions and Costumes from Godey's Lady's Book by Stella Blum AND 80 Godey's Full-Color Fashion Plates (1838-1880) by Joanne Olian No 19th century woman could have called herself fashionable without Godey’s approval!

Full-Colored Victorian Fashions : 1870-1893 by Joanne Olian Federalist & Regency Costume : 1790-1819 by R. L. Shep (Special Order). Details how to construct clothing for this period. 

La Mode Illustree : Fashion Plates in Full Color by Florence Leniston AND Victorian and Edwardian Fashions from 'LA Mode Illustree’ by Joanne Olian. What the upper-crust was wearing.

Lord & Taylor, 1881, illustrated catalog and historical introduction. This terrific, special order catalog has men’s and women’s clothing and “furnishings:" women’s suits, walking costumes and dresses, wrappers, shawls, underwear, corsets, shoes, trimmed hats; bridal dresses and sets; men’s furnishings and boys’ clothing; laces and embroideries.

Masterpieces of Women’s Costume of the 18th and 19th Centuries by Aline Bernstein. 

Men's Clothing & Fabrics in the 1890s : Price Guide (Schiffer Book for Collectors) by Roseann Ettinger (Editor).  Not just a price guide! Has actual swatches of cloth. Great for the serious re-enactor of this time. Special Order.

New Raiments of Self' : African American Clothing in the Antebellum South by Helen Bradley Foster (Special Order). One of the few books dealing with African American Clothing.

Nineteenth-Century Costume and Fashion Herbert Norris, Oswald Curtis.  This is a fine "vision book" for those dreaming up a costume to wear at re-enactments, but it is not a primary source and will disappoint the serious scholar.

Paris Fashions of the 1890s : A Picture Source Book With 350 Designs, Including 24 in Full Color by Stella Blum

Patterns of Fashion 2 : Englishwomen's Dresses and Their Construction C.1860-1940 by Janet Arnold.  An important book for re-enactor / costumer patterns. Each garment is precisely described and instructions as to the construction are detailed–but not recommended for the beginning sewer.

Period Costume for Stage & Screen : Patterns for Women's Dress, 1800-1909 by Jean Hunnisett.  Very detailed explanations for staging with costumes.

Picturing French Style: Three Hundred Years of Art and Fashion by Jill Berk Jiminez

Privateers & Pirates 1730-1830 (Elite, 74) by Angus Konstam.  Small but interesting book with a general look at piratical gear.

Ready-Made Democracy : A History of Men's Dress in the American Republic, 1760-1860 by Michael Zakim  An examination of men's fashion in light of political and social developments of the period.

Ready-To-Use Victorian Women's Fashion Cuts : 277 Different Copyright-Free Designs Printed on One Side by Carol Belanger Grafton. Clip Art covering fashions, hairstyle, hats coats and shoes.

Reconstruction Era Fashions : 350 Sewing, Needlework, & Millinery Patterns 1867-1868 by Frances Grimble. A beautiful book that covers some Civil War fashions, too.
Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 1: Undergarments, Bodices, Skirts, Overskirts, Polonaises, and Day Dresses 1877-1882
Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 2: Evening, Bridal, Sports, Outerwear, Accessories, and Dressmaking 1877-1882  Extensive coverage of that era’s dressmaking techniques. A Must Have if you are reproducing this time period consistently.

A Separate Sphere: Dressmakers in Cincinnati's Golden Age, 1877-1922 by Cynthia Amneus, Marla Miller

Stepping Out: Three Centuries of Shoes by Louise Mitchell, Lindie Ward

Stylin: African American Expressive Culture from Its Beginnings to the Zoot Suit by Shane White, Graham White  Examines the importance of African American clothing styles as self-expression and influence on white fashion from the 1600s to 1940.

Style & Splendor : The Wardrobe of Queen Maud of Norway 1896-1938 by Anne Kjellberg, Susan North  From the Victoria and Albert Museum, this collection documents the amazing change from bustles to trousers in one royal’s wardrobe.

Tailoring of the Belle Epoque : Vincent's Systems of Cutting All Kinds of Tailor-Made Garments (1903) by W.D.F. Vincent.  Excellent reprint of the original 1903 guide.

Victorian and Edwardian Fashion : A Photographic Survey by Alison Gernsheim. Terrific photos of real people (rich, workmen, men in uniform) in the clothes as they wore them. 

Victorian Costume for Ladies, 1860-1900 by Linda Setnik. This is a very nice addition to the Victoriana canon. Of special interest are the cultural notes regarding hygiene (personal and clothing), cosmetics and societal impacts which are very useful. Excellent photographs are a bonus.

Victorian & Edwardian Beauty: Hairstyles and Beauty Preparations (Vintage Living Series) by Daniela Turudich. Hairstyles and beauty secrets from the Edwardian and Victorian ages.

Victorian Fashions 1880-1890, Vol. I by Hazel Ulseth, Helen Shannon. Focuses on children’s and full scale doll clothes.

Victorian Fashions and Costumes from Harper's Bazar, 1867-1898 by Stella Blum. Shows women’s daily and evening wear with accessories. Also some children’s clothes.

The Well-Dressed Child: Children's Clothing, 1820-1940 by Anna MacPhail  Many pictures and descriptions.

Who Wore What? : Women's Wear 1861-1865 by Juanita Leisch. If you are a Civil War re-enactor, costumer or Hollywood behind-the-scenes, YOU MUST HAVE THIS BOOK. 300 photos of real women in their finery. One of the Hollywood costumers’ “bibles."

European and American Clothes–Early 20th c.

59 Authentic Turn-of-the-Century Fashion Patterns by Kristina Harris
The Child in Fashion : 1750-1920  An overview not just of children's clothing, but the way that we have treated children in society. Special Order.
The Home Pattern Company 1914 Fashions Catalog;
Turn-Of-The-Century Fashion Patterns and Tailoring Techniques;
Victorian and Edwardian Fashions for Women 1840 to 1919

American Dress Pattern Catalogs, 1873-1909 : Four Complete Reprints by Nancy Villa Bryk  Covers bicycle suits to evening wear.

Art Deco Fashion by Suzanne Lussier  Discusses the designs, hairstyles and lifestyle in “the flapper age.”

A Century of Shoes: Icons of Style in the 20th Century by Angela Pattison, Nigel Cawthorne  An examination of shoes throughout the century, divided into sections.

The Edwardian Modiste : 85 Authentic Patterns With Instructions, Fashion Plates, and Period Sewing Techniques by Frances Grimble.
After a Fashion: How to Reproduce, Restore, and Wear Vintage Styles;
The Voice of Fashion : 79 Turn-Of-The Century Patterns With Instructions and Fashion Plates. These will test your drafting skills, but are invaluable for this time period.

From Paris to Providence, Fashion, Art and the Tirocchi Dressmakers' Shop, 1915-1947 by Susan Hay, Susan Porter Benson  A dress shop abandoned in the late 40's is a time capsule of Paris fashions important to Providence RI women.

Men's Fashion Illustrations from the Turn of the Century. Showing all the details of early 20th c. men’s clothing. 

Men's Fashion in the Twentieth Century: From Frock Coats to Intelligent Fibres by Maria Costantino

Oro Plata: Embroidered Costumes Of The Bullfight by Daniele Carbonel. OK, it’s not strictly historical clothing, but I had to include this unusual and beautiful book. 

Pantaloons and Power: A Nineteenth-Century Dress Reform in the United States by Gayle V. Fischer

Picturing French Style: Three Hundred Years of Art and Fashion by Jill Berk Jiminez

The St. James Fashion Encyclopedia: A Survey of Style from 1945 to the Present by Richard Martin. Covers the last 50 years of fashion designers and their creations.

A Separate Sphere: Dressmakers in Cincinnati's Golden Age, 1877-1922 by Cynthia Amneus, Marla Miller

Stepping Out: Three Centuries of Shoes by Louise Mitchell, Lindie Ward

Stiletto by Caroline Cox  A survey of 60 years of the stiletto heel.

Stylin: African American Expressive Culture from Its Beginnings to the Zoot Suit by Shane White, Graham White  Examines the importance of African American clothing styles as self-expression and influence on white fashion from the 1600s to 1940.

Style & Splendor : The Wardrobe of Queen Maud of Norway 1896-1938 by Anne Kjellberg, Susan North  From the Victoria and Albert Museum, this collection documents the amazing change from bustles to trousers in one royal’s wardrobe.

Victorian & Edwardian Beauty: Hairstyles and Beauty Preparations (Vintage Living Series) by Daniela Turudich. Hairstyles and beauty secrets from the Edwardian and Victorian ages.

Victorian and Edwardian Fashions from 'LA Mode Illustree’ by Joanne Olian. What the upper-crust was wearing. 

Victorian to Vamp: Women's Clothing 1900-1929 by Paula Jean Darnell. An overview of this time period. 

The Well-Dressed Child: Children's Clothing, 1820-1940 by Anna MacPhail  Many pictures and descriptions.

Women's Fashions of the Early 1900s : An Unabridged Republication of 'New York Fashions, 1909' [ABRIDGED] by National Cloak. Nothing like a catalog to get you thinking about all the bits and pieces that go into making a costume.

Film and TV Costumes

The Complete Book of Oscar Fashion: Variety's 75 Years of Glamour on the Red Carpet by Reeve Chace  Fashions from the 20's to today.

Costume Design 101 : The Business and Art of Creating Costumes for Film and Television by Richard La Motte  A fascinating look at costuming for film and TV, and the role of the costumer in the industry.

Costume Design by Deborah Nadoolman Landis  Famous costumes shown from design renderings to finished product. Interviews with many designers.

Costume Design in the Movies : An Illustrated Guide to the Work of 157 Great Designers by Elizabeth Leese  A lovely over-view of movie costuming with great black and white photos.

The Dress Doctor by Edith Head  While this is fabulously dated (written in 1959), it is a wonderful time-capsule of fashion thinking for the period.

Edith Head : The Life and Times of Hollywood's Celebrated Costume Designer by David Chierichetti  Lacks pictures of Head’s many Oscar-winning outfits. Lacks “the dirt” we so often crave in our modern biographies. A good over-view of her career.

Fashion in Film by Regine Engelmeier  370 Movie stills of decades of film’s greatest costumes.

Fashion in Film: Men by Jean Paul Belmondo

Fashion in Film: Women by Prestel Verlag

Gowns by Adrian : The MGM Years 1928-1941 by Howard Gutner  One of the greatest costume designers who dressed the cream of MGM in its heyday.

Hollywood Costume Design by Travilla by Maureen E. Lynn Reilly  Travilla is most famous for costuming Marilyn Monroe, but also dressed Tom Mix, Paul Newman and many others.

Period Costume for Stage & Screen : Patterns for Women's Dress 1500-1800 by Jean Hunnisett.  Very detailed explanations for staging with costumes.

Screen Style: Fashion and Femininity in 1930s Hollywood by Sarah Berry  An academic examination of the interaction between culture and fashion in films.

Star Style at the Academy Awards: A Century of Glamour by Patty Fox  A lovely book with b/w and color photos. Some interesting missed outfits. Also: Star Style: Hollywood Legends As Fashion Icons

Undressing Cinema: Clothing and Identity in the Movies  Doesn’t cover earlier film, but does give one food for thought about the importance of dress in movies. Lots of stills.

General Studies (the history of clothing)

20,000 Years of Fashion : The History of Costume and Personal Adornment by Francois Leon Louis Boucher. A very lovely overview of the history of clothing, richly illustrated.

After a Fashion: How to Reproduce, Restore, and Wear Vintage Styles by Frances Grimble. Put this one on your “must have" list all you costumers and re-enactors!

The Art of Dress : Clothes and Society, 1500-1914 by Jane Ashelford. An overview of fashion through the ages.

The Child in Fashion : 1750-1920 (Schiffer Book for Collectors) by Kristina Harris. An overview not just of children's clothing, but the way that we have treated children in society. Special Order.

Clothes and the Child : A Handbook of Children's Dress in England, 1500-1900 by Anne Buck

The Complete Costume History by Auguste Racinet  Not for the faint of budget, but an absolutely beautiful book!
Also by Racinet: Historical Encyclopedia of Costumes A reprint of the original 19th c. work. The first attempt at an overview of fashion.
Racinet’s Full-Color Pictorial History of Western Costume : With 92 Plates Showing Over 950 Authentic Costumes from the Middle Ages to 1800 A nice overview with some interesting and unusual stops (for instance, a Venetian penitent). The affordable volume.

The Complete History of Costume & Fashion: From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day by Bronwyn Cosgrove. A nice overview with some color prints. Not for those seeking an in-depth view.

Costume in Detail : 1730-1930 by Nancy Bradfield. Incredible line drawings of garment after garment make this book not only useful from a re-enactor's perspective, but also a work of art on its own.

Costume and Fashion: A Concise History, Fourth Edition (World of Art) by James Laver, Amy De LA Haye, Andrew Tucker, Mary Schoeser. A nice overview.

Dressed to Rule : Royal and Court Costume from Louis XIV to Elizabeth II by Philip Mansel  An intriguing book examining the role of the ruling class in fashion. Sometimes wanders off-topic and could be better organized.

A Dictionary of Costume and Fashion : Historic and Modern by Mary Brookes Picken. Very good reference for those studying clothing design. All the terms common and un- to clothing design throughout history.

Dress in Detail from Around the World by Verity Wilson, Jennifer Wearden  From the Victoria and Albert Museum, this beautiful book shows the details in costumes in the museum.

Embroidered Textiles : Traditional Patterns from Five Continents : With a Worldwide Guide to Identification by Sheila Paine. An interesting overview focusing on the roots and traditions of the craft.

Ethnic Dress by Frances Kennett. An overview with interesting insights (men the world over tend to favor white clothing), but not enough description.

European Civil and Military Clothing : From the First to the Eighteenth Century (Dover Pictorial Archive Series) by Frederic Stibbert

European Costume and Fashion 1490-1790 by Francis M. Kelly, Randolph Schwabe. Men’s and women’s fashions in Western Europe through 3 centuries.

The Evolution of Fashion : Pattern and Cut from 1066 to 1930 by Margot Hamilton Hill. A nice overview of English court dress with patterns—but not for the beginner. 

The Fairchild Dictionary of Fashion by Charlotte Mankey Calasibetta. Terms, drawing and some color illustrations.

Fairchild's Dictionary of Textiles, Phyllis G. Tortora, ed.

Fashion in Costume 1200-2000 by Joan Nunn. Over 800 drawing with description of outer and underwear, accessories and jewelry.

Folk Costumes of the World by Robert Harrold, Phyllida Legg. Ignores Africa completely and has sketchy descriptions. 

The Folkwear Book of Ethnic Clothing : Easy Ways to Sew & Embellish Fabulous Garments from Around the World by Mary S. Parker

Four Hundred Years of Fashion by Madeleine Ginsburg, Avril Hart  From the Victoria and Albert Museum, a beautiful over-view of clothing in these periods.

The Habit: A History of the Clothing of Catholic Nuns by Elizabeth Kuhns. Recommended only because there is no comparable work, this is a thin view of "habits," contains little sourced material and uses material from other books.

Haute Couture & Pret-A-Porter : Mode 1750-2000 by Letse Meij. A great overview.

Historic Costume in Pictures. by Braun and Schneider.  A good beginning book for those just starting out in the area of historical costuming. Those with more experience will be disappointed in the sketchiness of the material.

Historical Costumes of England 1066-1968 by Nancy Bradfield. A terrific overview.

The History of Costume : From Ancient Mesopotamia Through the Twentieth Century by Blanche Payne, Geitel Winakor, Jane Farrell-Beck, Jerry Payne. Talk about your broad overviews!

A History of Men's Fashion by Farid Chenoune.  An overview of 230 years of fashion. Has great pointers for details such as the way to button one's glove to display anger.

Leather Apparel Design by Francesca Sterlacci. A misleading title: this book covers techniques and history, but few clothing patterns. 

Men's Fashion : The Complete Sourcebook by John Peacock. An overview of 300 years of fashion, with very little description.

Picturing French Style: Three Hundred Years of Art and Fashion by Jill Berk Jiminez 

Shoes by Lucy Pratt, Linda Wolley  A fabulous overview of the history of shoes and their social significance from the Victiorian and Albert Museum.

Shoes: The Complete Sourcebook by John Peacock  Over 2000 illustrations of shoes from 3000 years ago to the modern era... but not much discussion.

The Study of Dress History by Lou Taylor  A multi-disciplinary approach to the subject by a professor in the subject. Also: Mourning Dress: A Costume and Social HistoryThrough the Looking Glass: A History of Dress from 1860 to the Present Day with Elizabeth Wilson

Textile Designs : Two Hundred Years of European and American Patterns for Printed Fabrics Organized by Motif, Style, Color, Layout, and Period. 1,823 Illustrations in Color by Susan Meller. One of the finest books of its kind. Richly illustrated, excellent scholarly commentary and historical “threads" stitched together to create this fabulous book. Also available in CD-ROM.

The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Fashion and Fashion Designers by Georgina O’Hara Callan. Brief explanations, some drawings, a few in color.

Theatrical Costume, Masks, Make-Up and Wigs: A Bibliography and Iconography by Sidney J. Jowers. A great resource for fashion scholars, lists books and works related to costuming and staging.

Your Vintage Keepsake : A Csa Guide to Costume Storage and Display by Margaret T. Ordonez. A slender but invaluable guide on how to keep your creations from self-destructing.

The Wearing of Costume: The Changing Techniques of Wearing Clothes and How to Move in Them, from Roman Britain to the Second World War by Ruth M. Green  An interesting primer on how to work with one’s costume once you’ve got it on.

What People Wore : 1,800 Illustrations from Ancient Times to the Early Twentieth Century by Douglas W. Gorsline.  A good overview for re-enactors / costumers just starting out.

Women's Costume of the Near and Middle East by Jennifer Scarce. An excellent reference coving the 14^th c. to modern times.

World Textiles : A Visual Guide to Traditional Techniques by John Gillow, Brian Sentence. An overview that points out the similarities across the globe.

Hair Styles

Art Deco Fashion by Suzanne Lussier  Discusses the designs, hairstyles and lifestyle in “the flapper age.”

Charlemagne's Mustache : And Other Cultural Clusters of a Dark Age by Paul Edward Dutton Cultural life in Charlemagne’s time.

Daily Life in Medieval Times : A Vivid, Detailed Account of Birth, Marriage and Death; Food, Clothing and Housing; Love and Labor in the Middle Ages by Frances Gies, Joseph Gies  This well illustrated over-view of Medieval life covers how it was to live 700 years ago: the hairstyles, fashions and all the details that went into life then.

The Eyebrow by Robyn Cosio, Cynthia Robins  A brief history of the eyebrow in fashion, but covers the 20th Century—for men and women—extensively.

Fashions in Hair: The 1st 5,000 Years by Richard Corson. Drawings and photos of hair designs over the millennia.

French Fashion Plates of the Romantic Era in Full Color: 120 Plates from the "Petit Courrier Des Dames," 1830-34 by Judy M. Johnson  From the most popular, and most copied, French fashion magazine. Covers dresses, hats and hairstyles.

Hair in African Art and Culture by Roy Sieber. The exhibition catalog from the very popular Museum of African Art in New York City.

Hair Story : Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America by Ayana Byrd, Lori L. Tharps, Ayana D. Byrd, Lori Tharps  Covers African women’s hair fashions from the 1400s to today.

Hairstyles and Fashion: A Hairdresser's History of Paris, 1910-1920 by Steven Zdatny. 

The History of Hair by Robin Bryer. From Ancient Egypt to modern times, the book covers the styles and influences over those styles through generations.

One Thousand Beards by Allan Peterkin. Facial hair, its message, meaning and styles throughout the centuries.

Traditional Dress : Knowledge and Methods of Old-Time Clothings by Adolf Hungry Wolf. How clothing was constructed, the influence of visions/dreams on design. With photos of clothing, beadwork and hair styles.

Vintage Hairstyles by Daniela Turudich. Lots of diagrams and descriptions of hairstyles of the day. Some illustrations and pictures.
Art Deco Hair: Hairstyles of the 1920s and 1930s;
1940s Hairstyles;
1950s Hair: Hairstyles from the Atomic Age of Cool;
1960s Hair: Hairstyles for Bouffant Babes and Swingin Chicks;
with Laurie Welch Victorian & Edwardian Beauty: Hairstyles and Beauty Preparations

Hats / Millinery

The Century of Hats : Headturning Style of the Twentieth Century by Susie Hopkins. A view of the styles, milliners and famous hat-wearers of the 20th c.

Classic Millinery Techniques : A Complete Guide to Making & Designing Today’s Hats by Ann Albrizio. This book is included in an historical bibliography because Ms. Albrizio an instructor at NYC’s Fashion Institute of Technology. “Classic Millinery Techniques" covers everything she teaches in her course and provides a wonderful background for the historical clothier.

The Cowboy Hat Book by Ritch Rand, William Reynolds  Covers the history and evolution of the cowboy hat in photos and description. Plus how to wear and care for the hats.

French Fashion Plates of the Romantic Era in Full Color: 120 Plates from the "Petit Courrier Des Dames," 1830-34 by Judy M. Johnson  From the most popular, and most copied, French fashion magazine. Covers dresses, hats and hairstyles.

From the Neck Up : An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking by Denise Dreher (Special Order). The milliner’s bible is back! This 20th anniversary edition is arranged in chapter/lessons, teaching the classic techniques of hat-making.

The Hat Book: Creating Hats for Every Occasion by Juliet Bawden  Lots of pictures, some designs. A good book for the advanced beginner.

Hats Design and Construction by Stella Remiasz (Special Order). A fine book on the construction of hats. Also includes some sample swatches to make it easy to understand what materials are being described.

Hatless Jack: The President, the Fedora, and the History of American Style by Neil Steinberg  This amusing book examines the hat and its role with presidents and men’s fashions. The demise that is attributed (wrongly) to Kennedy (thus “hat-less Jack”) and other sociological trends.

Hats on Heads the Art of Creative Millinery by Mildred Anlezark (Special Order). So, you want to join the millinery? Buy this book! An essential for all you hat-makers! Patterns and designs not found anywhere else. 

Hats : A History of Fashion in Headwear by Hilda Amphlett  Covers 2000 years of hats in pictures and descriptions.

Hats : Status, Style and Glamour by Colin McDowell. From crowns and helmets to fashion chapeaus, this book features illustrations of photographs of styles throughout history. An interesting overview with little or no detail.

The Little Hatmaking Book: A Workbook on Turn-Of-The-Century Hats by Bonnie Holt Ambrose  Provides very simple to produce at home.

The Romance of Hats by Editors of Victoria Magazine

Shoes, Hats and Fashion Accessories : A Pictorial Archive, 1850-1940 by Carol Belanger Grafton  No descriptions, just pictures. Few have color, as hand coloring back before color photography was labor intensive.

Viking Age Headcoverings From Dublin by Elizabeth Wincott Heckett

Vintage Hats & Bonnets 1770-1970 : Identification & Values by Susan Langley.  Although strongest in the 19th and 20th c. designs (simply from the wealth of materials), this is a good starting point in construction of haberdashery.

Visual History of Costume Accessories : From Hats to Shoes : 400 Years of Costume Accessories by Valerie Cumming

Old West (American)

$10 Horse, $40 Saddle : Cowboy Clothing, Arms, Tools and Horse Gear of the 1880's by Don Rickey.  An overview of Cowboy accouterments–long on period, short on details.

Calico Chronicle: Texas Women and Their Fashions 1830-1910 by Betty J. Mills. Descriptions from the period and window dressings.

Cowboy Clothing and Gear : The Complete Hamley Catalog of 1942. One of the most popular cowboy catalogs reproduced.

Cowboy Gear : A Photographic Portrayal of the Early Cowboys and Their Equipment by David R. Stoecklein.  Photographs of men in cowboy gear as worn from the mid-1800's to 1920.

The Cowboy Hat Book by Ritch Rand, William Reynolds  Covers the history and evolution of the cowboy hat in photos and description. Plus how to wear and care for the hats.

Cowboys & the Trappings of the Old West by William Manns, Elizabeth Clair Flood, Charlotte Berney  Covers the evolution of the cowboy and his (and her) dress-wear and accessories in pictures and descriptions.

Cowgirls : Women of the Wild West Postcards depicting working cowgirls and those in rodeo.

I See by Your Outfit : Historic Cowboy Gear of the Northern Plains by Tom Lindmier, Steve Mount.  A must-have for Wild West re-enactors. This book contains patterns and plans from "Union suits" to a full riding costume. Also includes what went in to chuck wagons and on a horse.

Stetson Hats & the John B. Stetson Company by Jeffrey B. Snyder  Covers the hat styles this company made for men and women.

Piratical Gear

• Elizabethan Sea Dogs 1560-1605 (Elite Series, 70)
• Buccaneers 1620-1700 (Elite Series, 69);
• Pirates 1660-1730 (Osprey Military Elite Series, 67) ;
  Privateers & Pirates 1730-1830 (Elite, 74) by Angus Konstam.  Some history and illustrations.

Pricing Guides

Antique & Vintage Clothing : A Guide to Dating & Valuation of Women's Clothing 1850 to 1940 by Diane Snyder-Haug. Well-written, but with no references given. Some photos may disappoint. 

Clothing & Accessories from the '40s, '50s, & '60s: A Handbook and Price Guide by Jan Lindenberger.  

Ladies' Vintage Accessories by Laree Johnson Bruton. Covers valuation and identification. A nice collection.

The Official Price Guide to Vintage Fashion and Fabrics by Pamela Smith. Deals with famous designers, as well as fashion overviews. Overly inflated valuations.  

Valuable Vintage: The Insider's Guide to Identifying and Collecting Important Vintage Fashions by Elizabeth M. Mason.

Vintage Clothing 1880-1980 : Identification and Value Guide by Maryanne Dolan. This book covers the Victorian era well, but is a bit slap-dash in the post-1930 range. Some readers have found valuations high. 

Vintage Hats & Bonnets 1770-1970 : Identification & Values by Susan Langley.  Although strongest in the 19th and 20th c. designs (simply from the wealth of materials), this is a good starting point in construction of haberdashery.

Vintage Style 1920-1960 by Desire Smith. A good book on the styles and histories. Excellent photos.

Virtual Vintage : The Insider's Guide to Buying and Selling Fashion Online by Linda Lindroth, Deborah Newell Tornello  An excellent guide.

Reenactors

General

Dakota Epic: Experiences of a Reenactor During the Filming of Dances With Wolves by Bill Markley  Details an actor’s experinces on set and reenacting.

So, Ye Want to be a Reenactor? A Living History Handbook by Brenton C. Kemmer  A basic guide for those just getting started. Be warned it focuses on the French and Indian War reenactors pretty exclusively.

Medieval

Medieval Celebrations : How to Plan for Holidays, Weddings, and Reenactments With Recipes, Customs, Costumes, Decorations, Songs, Dances, and Games by Daniel Diehl, Mark Donnelly. A great book for SCA and Ren-faire folk. A little off the mark for medieval wedding planners.

The Medieval Soldier: 15th Century Campaign Life Recreated in Colour Photographs by Gary Embleton, John Howe  Armor and clothes recreated by the Company of Saint George living history group. The author admits that this is a “rough idea’ of what things were like in this period.

18th Century

Tidings from the 18th Century by Beth Gilgun  An excellent book for reenactors, written in an epistolary style (letters). Contains info on life of the period and many garment patterns (be warned that you’ll have to enlarge for anything over a size 7).

Civil War

Chin Music from a Greyhound: The Confessions of a Civil War Reenactor 1978-1987 by Robert W. Talbott  A lively memoir.

Civil War and Living History Reenacting: About "People of Color"—How to Begin, What to Wear, Why Reenact by Mary L. Jackson Fears

The Civil War Reenactors' Encyclopedia by William C. Davis  An excellent resource book to inspire Civil War reenactors.

Civil War Women: Their Quilts, Their Roles, Activities for Re-Enactors by Barbara Brackman  While providing valuable insights into women’s lives of the period, the quilt tie-in is a bit forced.

Reliving the Civil War: A Reenactor's Handbook by Robert Lee Hadden  While the price list is quite outdated at this point, this is still one of the best beginners books.

Uniforms of the Civil War : An Illustrated Guide for Historians, Collectors, and Reenactors by Robin Smith, Ron Field  Hundreds of pictures detailing—state by state—what each side wore.

Shoes

The Art Of The Shoe by Marie-Josephe Bossan  An overview of the shoe in history.

A Century of Shoes: Icons of Style in the 20th Century by Angela Pattison, Nigel Cawthorne  An examination of shoes throughout the century, divided into sections.

Shoes by Lucy Pratt, Linda Wolley  A fabulous overview of the history of shoes and their social significance from the Victiorian and Albert Museum.

Shoes : A Celebration of Pumps, Sandals, Slippers & More  A brief history of shoes followed by a lengthy examination of 20th and 21st century shoes and their designers.

Shoes: The Complete Sourcebook by John Peacock  Over 2000 illustrations of shoes from 3000 years ago to the modern era... but not much discussion.

Shoes, Hats and Fashion Accessories : A Pictorial Archive, 1850-1940 by Carol Belanger Grafton  No descriptions, just pictures. Few have color, as hand coloring back before color photography was labor intensive.

Shoes and Pattens : Finds from Medieval Excavations in London (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London) by Francis Grew, Margrethe de Neergaard  Excellent examination of Medieval footware.

Shoes : Their History in Words and Pictures by Charlotte Yue, David Yue  Intended for younger readers.

Stepping Out: Three Centuries of Shoes by Louise Mitchell, Lindie Ward

Stiletto by Caroline Cox  A survey of 60 years of the stiletto heel.

Visual History of Costume Accessories : From Hats to Shoes : 400 Years of Costume Accessories by Valerie Cumming

Undergarments

The Corset: A Cultural History by Valerie Steele. Written by the Chief Curator at the Fashion Institute of Technology, this definitive exploration of the history of the corset, the medical effects and gender politics is a must for those interested in fashion history.

Corsets: A Visual History by R. L. Shep

Corsets and Crinolines by Norah Waugh.  This remarkable book is for the expert sewer or research costumer; it is the only book in print on undergarments with patterns.

Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 1: Undergarments, Bodices, Skirts, Overskirts, Polonaises, and Day Dresses 1877-1882 by Francis Grimble. Both these books give instructions on how to sew corsets and other undergarments.

Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 2: Evening, Bridal, Sports, Outerwear, Accessories, and Dressmaking 1877-1882 

The History of Underclothes by C. Willett Cunnington. While this book covers way too great a range (1300s to 1930s) and is a reprint of a 1950s book, it still provides some information not found in other books. Heavily biased to male undergarments.

Inside Out-Brief History of Underwear by Shelley Tobin. Descriptions of the undergarments that shaped women from the 1700's to present. Also details maternity garb (this may be the only book that does) and men’s undergarments.

Lingerie: A History & Celebration of Silks, Satins, Laces, Linens & Other Bare Essentials by Catherine Bardey. An overview of late 19th to present day lingerie.

The Little Corset Book: A Workbook on Period Underwear by Bonnie Holt Ambrose. You must be very familiar with sewing and able to adapt patterns. Also by Ambrose: The Little Bodice Book: A Workbook on Period Bodices

Lord & Taylor, 1881, illustrated catalog and historical introduction.. This terrific, special order catalog has men’s and women’s clothing and “furnishings:" women’s suits, walking costumes and dresses, wrappers, shawls, underwear, corsets, shoes, trimmed hats; bridal dresses and sets; men’s furnishings and boys’ clothing; laces and embroideries.

Support and Seduction: The History of Corsets and Bras by Beatrice Fontanel. A beautiful coffee table-type book that shows the garments of former days (no construction details).

Uplift: The Bra in America by Jane Farrell Beck, Colleen Gau and Jane Farrell-Beck. A historic overview to corset making.

Waisted Efforts: An Illustrated Guide to Corset Making by Robert Doyle  Translated poorly from the original French, this book should be savored for its illustrations and detailed patterns for the 1890-1910 period

Uniforms (pre-20th c.)

Arms and Equipment of the Union by Editors of Time Life Books  Covers uniforms, arms and flags very well. Also: Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy

Battledress: The Uniforms of the World's Great Armies 1700 to the Present by I. T. Schick.  Traces the evolution of the uniform in the 1800's. Many detailed paintings and drawings.

Brassey's History of Uniforms Series Brassey's Book of Uniforms by Timothy Newark; Mexican- American War 1846-48 by Ron Field, Richard Hook
American Civil War : Union Army by Robin Smith, Chris Collingwood;
American Civil War Confederate Army : Confederate Army 
by Ron Field. These fine books, written by experts in the field, are a must for any military re-enactor. Few patterns, but a good overview.

Civil War Gentlemen : 1860's Apparel Arts & Uniforms by R.L. Shep, Peter Dervis, W.S. Salisbury.  Extensive illustrations of not only uniforms, but clothing of the period with pictures from the collections of the Smithsonian and Museum of the Confederacy.

Encyclopedia of United States Army Insignia and Uniforms by William K. Emerson.  Covers insignia and uniforms from 1720 to present.

European Civil and Military Clothing : From the First to the Eighteenth Century (Dover Pictorial Archive Series) by Frederic Stibbert.

Medieval Costume, Armour, and Weapons by Eduard Wagner, Zoroslava Drobna, Jan Durdik.  One of the few books to cover clothing and weaponry together. Some illustrations of clothing.

Medieval Military Costume (Europa Militaria Special, 8) by Gerry Embleton. Covers all ranks and social strata, including women.

The Medieval Soldier: 15th Century Campaign Life Recreated in Colour Photographs by Gary Embleton, John Howe  Armor and clothes recreated by the Company of Saint George living history group. The author admits that this is a “rough idea" of what things were like in this period.

Men's Seventeenth & Eighteenth Century Costume : Cut and Fashion.  For the experienced sewer, this book has many ideas about the proper fit of a garment. Everyday clothes and uniforms. Special Order.

Napoleonic Uniforms by John Elting.  Covers all the uniforms worn by Napoleons troops as well as many of those of his foes. A great resource.

Roman Legions Recreated in Colour Photographs (Europa Militaria, Special, Vol 2) by Daniel Peterson and Gerry Embleton Created by a memebr of the world’s only recreated Roman cavalry, and advisor to the History Channel.

Roman Military Clothing (1) 100 BC-AD 200 (Men-At-Arms 374) by Graham Sumner The jury is apparently still out on whether the colors of the tunics are correct, but an overall useful book.
Also by Sumner: Roman Military Clothing (2): AD 200-400

Uniforms of the Civil War : An Illustrated Guide for Historians, Collectors, and Reenactors by Robin Smith, Ron Field  Hundreds of pictures detailing—state by state—what each side wore.

Uniforms of the Continental Army by Philip Katcher

The Uniforms of the French Army 1660 to 1845 by Paul Willing, Charles Vernier.  Very clearly related and lavishly illustrated.

Uniforms of the United States Army 1774-1889 : In Full Color by Henry Alexander Ogden.  A slender book, containing lovely illustrations.

Vintage(20th c.)

After a Fashion: How to Reproduce, Restore, and Wear Vintage Styles by Francis Grimble

A Century of Shoes: Icons of Style in the 20th Century by Angela Pattison, Nigel Cawthorne  An examination of shoes throughout the century, divided into sections.

Clothing & Accessories from the '40s, '50s, & '60s: A Handbook and Price Guide by Jan Lindenberger

Decades of Beauty: The Changing Image of Women 1890s 1990s by Kate Mulvey and Melissa Richards. Includes not only fashions, but make-up, hairstyle and film’s influence on these looks.

The Dress Doctor by Edith Head  While this is fabulously dated (written in 1959), it is a wonderful time-capsule of fashion thinking for the period.

Dressing Up Vintage by Tracy Tolkien. Shallow but amusing.

Everyday Fashions of the _____ as Pictured in Sears Catalogs by JoAnne Olian An overview of Sears catalog fashion for each decade. Everyday Fashions of the 1909-1920s;
Everyday Fashions of the Twenties;
Everyday Fashions of the Thirties;
Everyday Fashions of the Forties;
Everyday Fashions of the Fifties;
Everyday Fashions of the Sixties

Fashion, the Twentieth Century by Francois Boudot. French fashion writer Boudot covers the rise of Chanel in the 20's and other trends throughout the century. Also very valuable for the 5 page bibliography.

Fifty Years of Fashion: New Look to Now by Valerie Steele. This excellent book is the exhibition catalog from Steele’s first installation at the Fashion Institute of Technology, tracing styles from 1947 to 1997.

Hairstyles and Fashion: A Hairdresser's History of Paris, 1910-1920 by Steven Zdatny. 

Icons of Fashion: The 20th Century by Gerda Buxbaum. Arranged in themes rather than chronologically, this book has multiple essays on various aspects of trends in the 20^th c.

Ladies' Vintage Accessories by Laree Johnson Bruton. Covers valuation and identification. A nice collection.

The Official Price Guide to Vintage Fashion and Fabrics by Pamela Smith. Deals with famous designers, as well as fashion overviews. Overly inflated valuations. 

The St. James Fashion Encyclopedia: A Survey of Style from 1945 to the Present by Richard Martin. Covers the last 50 years of fashion designers and their creations.

Stepping Out: Three Centuries of Shoes by Louise Mitchell, Lindie Ward

Stiletto by Caroline Cox  A survey of 60 years of the stiletto heel.

Vintage Hairstyles by Daniela Turudich. Lots of diagrams and descriptions of hairstyles of the day. Some illustrations and pictures. Art Deco Hair: Hairstyles of the 1920s and 1930s;
1940s Hairstyles;
1950s Hair: Hairstyles from the Atomic Age of Cool;
1960s Hair: Hairstyles for Bouffant Babes and Swingin Chicks

Vintage Style 1920-1960 by Desire Smith. A good book on the styles and histories. Excellent photos.

Vintage Style : Buying and Wearing Classic Vintage Clothes by Tiffany Dubin, Ann E. Berman. The “bible" for those into the Vintage Craze: how to buy, wear and care for these fashions. 

Vintage Wedding: Simple Ideas for Creating a Romantic Vintage Wedding by Daniela Turudich. A fine overview of wedding styles from the 20's through to the 50s.

Your Vintage Wedding: Unique Ideas and Inspiration for Today's Bride by Nancy L. Eaton. Details how to blend styles of the 1920s to the 1950s into your modern wedding.

The Way We Wore : Styles of the 1930s and '40s and Our World Since Then by Marsha Hunt. Hunt was a film actress in this period. She shows her collection through 500 photos.

Wearing Vintage by Catherine Bardey. Describing Men’s and Women’s vintage clothes—written by the woman who started the Vintage rage.

Weapons

General

Arms & Armor : The Cleveland Museum of Art by Stephen Fliegel  Photographs of the museum’s collection, which spans the Medieval through Baroque period.

The Archaeology of Weapons : Arms and Armour from Prehistory to the Age of Chivalry by Ewart Oakeshott One of the best books in the field. Also: European weapons and armour: From the Renaissance to the industrial revolution

The Book of the Crossbow by Ralph Payne-Gallwey  This definitive overview, although outdated (originally published in the early 1900s) is a must for those starting out.

The Complete Blackpowder Handbook by Sam Fadala  One of the bibles of black powder firearms.

The Crooked Stick: A History of the Longbow by Hugh D. H. Soar  Covers the development and use of the longbow, but doesn’t include historical battles.

A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times Together With Some Closely Related Subjects by George Cameron Stone  A basic encyclopedia which doesn’t cover Asian weaponry all that well.

U.S. Martial Flintlocks by Robert M Reilly  An examination of the weapon from the Revolutionary War forward.

Weapons : An International Encyclopedia From 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D., Updated Edition by Diagram Group  An overview of the field.

Dark Ages

Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era, 1050-1350:
Western Europe and the Crusader States by David Nicolle  One of the best books on the subject. Not for beginners.
Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era, 1050-1350: Islam, Eastern Europe and Asia;
Warriors and Their Weapons Around the Time of the Crusades: Relationships Between Byzantium, the West, and the Islamic World

Swords of the Viking Age by Ewart Oakeshott

Medieval & Renaissance

European weapons and armour: From the Renaissance to the industrial revolution by Ewart Oakeshott A Knight and His Armor; A Knight and His Weapons; Records of the Medieval Sword; The Sword in the Age of Chivalry

A Companion to Medieval Arms and Armour by David Nicolle  One of the best books on the subject. Not for beginners.

Hafted Weapons in Medieval and Renaissance Europe: The Evolution of European Staff Weapons between 1200 and 1650 by John Waldman  A discussion of these weapons development and affect on the politics of the time.

The Medieval Archer by Jim Bradbury  Covers the evolution of the archer from the Battle of Hastings to the Death of Richard III.

Medieval Costume, Armour, and Weapons by Eduard Wagner, Zoroslava Drobna, Jan Durdik.  One of the few books to cover clothing and weaponry together. Some illustrations of clothing.

The Medieval Soldier: 15th Century Campaign Life Recreated in Colour Photographs by Gary Embleton, John Howe  Armor and clothes recreated by the Company of Saint George living history group. The author admits that this is a “rough idea’ of what things were like in this period.

Weapons and Warfare in Renaissance Europe : Gunpowder, Technology, and Tactics by Bert S. Hall  Covers the emergence of gunpowder in Europe in Medieval times and its evolution into a WMD in Renaissance times.

19th Century

The Guns of the Gunfighters: Lawmen, Outlaws & Hollywood Cowboys by Doc O'Meara  Focuses mostly on the movie imagery, but an interesting overview nonetheless.

Arms and Equipment of the Union by Editors of Time Life Books  Covers uniforms, arms and flags very well. Also: Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy

Weddings

Accessorizing The Bride: Vintage Wedding Finery Through The Decades by Norma Shephard  A fine coffee table book of one fabulous collection.

Bridal Fashions Victorian Era by Donna Felger

Medieval Celebrations : How to Plan for Holidays, Weddings, and Reenactments With Recipes, Customs, Costumes, Decorations, Songs, Dances, and Games by Daniel Diehl, Mark Donnelly. A great book for SCA and Ren-faire folk. A little off the mark for medieval wedding planners.

Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 2: Evening, Bridal, Sports, Outerwear, Accessories, and Dressmaking 1877-1882 by Francis Grimble  Extensive coverage of that era’s dressmaking techniques. A Must Have if you are reproducing this time period consistently.

I Do: 100 Years of Wedding Fashion by Caroline Cox  A beautiful book, looking at fashions as they evolved from a modern sensibility.

Lord & Taylor, 1881, illustrated catalog and historical introduction.. This terrific, special order catalog has men’s and women’s clothing and “furnishings:" women’s suits, walking costumes and dresses, wrappers, shawls, underwear, corsets, shoes, trimmed hats; bridal dresses and sets; men’s furnishings and boys’ clothing; laces and embroideries.

Vintage Wedding: Simple Ideas for Creating a Romantic Vintage Wedding by Daniela Turudich. A fine overview of wedding styles from the 20's through to the 50s

Your Vintage Wedding: Unique Ideas and Inspiration for Today's Bride by Nancy L. Eaton. Details how to blend styles of the 1920s to the 1950s into your modern wedding.

Wedding Fashions, 1862-1912 : 380 Costume Designs from "La Mode Illustree" by JoAnne Olian  Not just the bride, but theattendants and even the sister of the bride’s dress styles.