Patterns of Fashion, new(ish) book!

Very little got done at Tulip Mansions yesterday. The new edition of Patterns of Fashion 2 arrived mid-morning, and much of the rest of the day was spent poring over it.

Woot!

I've posted before about Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion series on historical costume. You can read about volumes one to four here, and my review of volume five here. The first two volumes have been out of print for a long time, and in 2020 the publisher, Macmillan, gave the rights to The School of Historical Dress, which own Janet Arnold’s estate. Rather than just reprint the original books, the decision was taken to create new versions, to the same standards as volume five.

The new version is almost twice as long as the original, 166 pages instead of 88, and makes extensive use of colour in both the patterns and the illustrations. It is in three parts: information about dressmaking in general during the period covered; colour images; and the drawings from the original version.

Arnold's drawings of the dresses are all included, but drawn more lightly, as if in pencil rather than pen. It's not a criticism, and the details are all perfectly clear, I just wondered why. Perhaps printing techniques have improved since the book was first published in 1966.

The original (top) and the new version

In the original edition, presumably because of limitations on the number of pages, the pattern pieces overlapped a great deal. All the information was there, but had to be deciphered. The extra space in the new version means that the pattern pieces can be more widely laid out, with far fewer overlaps, and the use of different colours makes it clear which pieces are cut from which fabrics.

Pattern pieces in purple, mauve and grey

Arnold's written notes on the patterns have been replaced with printed text. I do miss the written elements, but there's no doubt that the text is easier to read. Plus, as the foreword points out, it is far easier to update for future editions if more information becomes available.

From the original, showing the overlaps and the written text

There are also some extra illustrations, such as this one showing the constructed bodice front of the Laurel Dress.

How to drape the bodice front

For me, it is the second section of the book which really brings the new edition to life. There are colour photographs of every dress featured.

Day dress in sandstone-coloured satin, 1866-67

In colour, with its vivid blue trim

It also contains images, usually fashion plates and photographs, of similar garments from the era to provide context.

Green silk dress, 1894-95

Fashion plate from the same era

Photograph of a similar dress

For anyone wanting to recreate one of the dresses, there are interior shots as well. Arnold's drawings are meticulous, but having a photograph adds extra depth to the information provided.

Bodice drawing of the green silk dress

Photograph of the same

There are also plenty of close-up shots. Again, very helpful for anyone recreating one of the dresses.

Detail images of a 1929-30 dress

The first section of the book contains the information from the original edition, but expanded and with more colour illustrations. It also shows examples of the undergarments worn with different styles of dress, vital for achieving the correct fit.

The underpinnings required for two of the dresses featured

My historical dressmaking has ground to a halt these days, partly because I barely seem to have time for my day-to-day sewing, let alone anything more complicated. But I'm hoping that this fabulous reissue of an old favourite may revive my interest. Along with others in the series, it is available through The School of Historical Dress only, it is not sold through Amazon or other retailers.