Has about 10 pages of text and 1000 illustrations on 144 pages. Gives a good general "feel" of a period of dress, but no specifics of country, etc. ( )

This Dover book shows sketches of clothing reproduced from paintings, statues, printings, etc. from between 0 and 1930 AD. Partly due to the nature of the sources, many of the sketches are of elite, royal, or upper-class individuals, with some armor during certain periods and earlier periods dominated by men whereas later fashions emphasize women. Coverage of the late-classical and medieval periods is thin; there is a page or two per century, just a taste, and individual sketches are not dated more closely or given locations. There are also not many pictures of undergarments, constructions, children's clothes, and the book is black and white line art rather than anything indicating colors. All of this is to say that a serious reconstructionist is going to have limited use for this book, but it is a great sourcebook for those who want to dress up for Halloween, theatre, or other fun events. ( )