Langson Library has a wide range of physical books available for you to learn more about the history of clothing around the world. Here is a very small selection of books that might help you depending on your interests. Use the following list to see the wide variety of resource available to you (most on the third floor, but some also in the Oversize Section in the basement). Hopefully one or more of them interests you, and if not, come over and explore the shelves! If you have any questions, please reach out to me (Scott Stone, Research Librarian for Performing Arts) at: stonesm@uci.edu
The Worldwide History of Dress by 
Encyclopedia of National Dress: Traditional Clothing around the World by
This two-volume set presents information and images of the varied clothing and textiles of cultures around the world, allowing readers to better appreciate the richness and diversity of human culture and history.The contributors to Encyclopedia of National Dress: Traditional Clothing around the World examine clothing that is symbolic of the people who live in regions all over the world, providing a historical and geographic perspective that illustrates how people dress and explains the reasons behind the material, design, and style. The encyclopedia features a preface and introduction to its contents. Each entry in the encyclopedia includes a short historical and geographical background for the topic before discussing the clothing of people in that country or region of the world. This work will be of great interest to high school students researching fashion, fashion history, or history as well as to undergraduate students and general readers interested in anthropology, textiles, fashion, ethnology, history, or ethnic dress.
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through World History by
How people dressed throughout history often reflects how they lived at the time, and Clothing in World History gives the reader a chance to explore clothing in a given place and time while also providing a general history to help put the costumes in context. This set takes the reader on a journey from the beginning of time to present day to look at what people wore in Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. Men's, Women's, and Children's clothing from various social classes, as well as accessories, are be included. This set is a critical guide for secondary and undergraduate students interested in history, social history, art history, fashion, and costume. It covers the history of clothing throughout the world from pre-historic times to 2006. Many cultures are included in this study of clothing within the context of social, political, economic and religious history as they pertain to each time period and place. Researchers can turn to this set first for the most essential information about a time, place, and style of dress. The three volumes are divided into comprehensive parts with the goal of making them easy to use and accessible to readers. There are other books and surveys of the history of costume that mainly concentrate on Western Europe, but few that cover different cultures and how they influence fashion in the western world. This book looks at costume throughout the world and throughout history.
Resplendent Dress from Southeastern Europe by
In the past, girls from rural southeastern Europe spent their childhoods weaving, sewing, and embroidering festive dress so that upon reaching puberty they could join the Sunday afternoon village dances garbed in resplendent attire. These extremely colorful and intensely worked garments were often adorned with embroidery, lace, metallic threads, coins, sequins, beads, and, perhaps most importantly, fringe, a symbolic marker of fertility. Over time new forms of dress were added so that by 1900, a southeastern European village woman's apparel consisted of millennia of layered history. Even today this dress continues to be worn on festive occasions and by older people in rural areas. Lavishly illustrated, Resplendent Dress from Southeastern Europe features fifty stunning nineteenth- through twentieth-century ensembles from Macedonia, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, and neighboring countries, plus one hundred individual items including aprons, vests, jackets, and robes. Elizabeth Wayland Barber traces this twenty-thousand-year tradition of dress in fascinating detail.
Arab Dress: a short history : from the dawn of Islam to modern times by
Hilary Putnam has been convinced for some time that the present situation in philosophy calls for revitalization and renewal; in this latest book he shows us what shape he would like that renewal to take. Words and Life offers a sweeping account of the sources of several of the central problems of philosophy, past and present, and of why some of those problems are not going to go away. As the titles of the first four parts in the volume--"The Return of Aristotle," "The Legacy of Logical Positivism," "The Inheritance of Pragmatism," and "Essays after Wittgenstein"--suggest, many of the essays are concerned with tracing the recent, and the not so recent, history of these problems. The goal is to bring out what is coercive and arbitrary about some of our present ways of posing the problems and what is of continuing interest in certain past approaches to them. Various supposedly timeless philosophical problems appear, on closer inspection, to change with altered historical circumstances, while there turns out to be much of permanent value in Aristotle's, Peirce's, Dewey's, and Reichenbach's work on some of the problems that continue to exercise us. A unifying theme of the volume as a whole is that reductionism, scientism, and old-style disenchanted naturalism tend to be obstacles to philosophical progress. The titles of the final three parts of the volume--"Truth and Reference," "Mind and Language," and "The Diversity of the Sciences"--indicate that the sweep of the problems considered here comprehends all the fundamental areas of contemporary analytic philosophy. Rich in detail, the book is also grand in scope, allowing us to trace the ongoing intellectual evolution of one of the most significant philosophers of the century.
The Sari: styles, patterns, history, techniques by
Covering the entire Indian subcontinent and including remote and restricted tribal areas such as the north-east, it provides analysis of thousands of sari types from different cultures around India. The simplicity of the sari--an untailored length of cloth measuring between four and nine meters long by approximately one meter wide--is set against a wide variety of fabrics, colors, patterns and draping styles. There are diverse regional traditions of color, pattern and weave, analyzed here through a six-fold division of the Indian sub-continent: the West, the East, the North-East and the Himalayas, the Eastern Deccan, the South and the Western Deccan. Each section is accompanied by a display of photographed sari types. There is a detailed analysis of sari design, giving a guide to the symbols, patterns and motifs used, together with their origins and information about how they have evolved. Many rare and unusual saris are featured. There are translations given of Indian words and concepts.
Heavenly splendour : the Edrina Collection of Ming and Qing imperial costumes by 
The Story of the Kimono by
The engrossing story of the development and role of the kimono, from its origins through to contemporary Japan.
Berg Fashion Library is an excellent digital source of information related to clothing from a multitude of cultures and time periods. Some of the highlights on this platform include:
Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Volume 1: Africa by
Lavishly illustrated with over 300 images - most previously unpublished - Africa is the first major reference work to offer a comprehensive overview of dress and adornment in this vast continent of many nations and peoples. This volume examines past and present dress practices, including the ornamental and symbolic meaning of body decoration, the historical significance of cloth and textiles, and the ancient trading relationships and migrations that have shaped Africa's complex material culture. This is a land of contrasts, where age-old ceremonial dress and mask traditions coexist with the trappings of a modern, globalized society. The rich, varied, and often deeply symbolic dress of African peoples is given its fullest coverage to date in this landmark work.
Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Volume 2: Latin America and the Caribbean by
Covering an area of spectacularly diverse topography and climate, from arid Mexican deserts to tropical islands and from Amazonian rainforests to the high Andes, this volume explores the dress traditions of the many peoples inhabiting Latin America and the Caribbean. The style and glamour of Latin American cultural icons such as Eva Perón, Frida Kahlo, and Carmen Miranda have long fascinated the world, and Caribbean carnival is internationally renowned. But this region also has an extraordinarily rich legacy dating back to ancient cultures, such as the Aztecs, Incas, and Maya, as well as unique records in the form of pictogram books indicating the early use of textiles and clothing types. In this important reference work, these topics, as well as the lasting impact of Spanish and Portuguese colonial activity, are introduced and contextualized to show how modern societies that are fully participating in globalized commerce have developed in this region. With over 250 images, Latin America and the Caribbean is an invaluable reference tool and an essential starting point for anyone wishing to learn about the importance of dress to this vibrant region.
Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Volume 3: The United States and Canada by
The United States and Canada provides a comprehensive overview of North American dress. This volume explores the region's varied terrains and climates and how they have contributed to the emergence of vastly different sartorial styles, from cowboy dress and blue jeans to snowgoggles and carnival costume. The splendid dress cultures and heritages of First Nation Peoples and African Americans are covered in depth, together with their influence on mainstream fashion. Hispanic and Jewish cultural traditions are also fully explored, while "Snapshots" provide briefer overviews of the dress practices of a surprising range of cultural and social groups in the region, from the Amish to drag queens. The importance of the North American fashion industry, both past and present, is highlighted, as are major influences that continue to shape trends worldwide, such as the Hollywood film industry and rock music.
Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Volume 4: South Asia and Southeast Asia by
South Asia and Southeast Asia boast a large number of diverse ethnic groups, each with their own languages and cultural practices. Here dress traditions may be rooted in ancient, mystical beliefs. Textiles, many spectacularly embellished, very often have symbolic significance as visual markers of cultural and religious identity. South Asia and Southeast Asia explores this land of sharp contrasts, from the glamour of Bollywood to the vast garment industry, from ritual cross-dressing to Vietnamese fashion designers, and from Bhutanese wedding costumes to Mahatma Gandhi's use of cloth as a powerful political statement. In so doing, it provides an enticing overview of a region of magnificently rich clothing and textile traditions.
Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Volume 5: Central and Southwest Asia by
Central and Southwest Asia explores dress history and practices throughout the vast area linking central Asia to the Eastern Mediterranean. The birthplace of three world religions, this is a region shaped by cultural legacies: Arabs, Iranians, and Ottoman Turks have all left stunning and enduring artistic forms. This volume is the only major work to cover the full range of dress across this region, from the historic Silk Road, which played a vital role in linking dress and textile traditions in the area, to topics rarely before investigated, such as Kurdish dress, the role of the hajj market, and Afghan fashion shows. The region's location as a bridge between East and West is also explored, as are the cultural and symbolic meanings of Islamic dress and the West's romantic fascination with Orientalism. Rare photographs provide fascinating visual evidence of the region's rich and complex history.
Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Volume 6: East Asia by
East Asia covers an area that is home to a quarter of the world’s population. This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the region, followed by separate sections on China, Korea, and Japan. The section on China covers the Han people, China’s ethnic majority, as well as most of China’s fifty-five minority groups. Festive dress, China’s reputation for distinctive hairstyling, and a wide range of adornments linked to ancient beliefs and traditions are all covered. Overviews of Tibet, Mongolia, and Taiwan are included as well. Traditional and modern aspects of Korean dress are explored in depth, and the importance of the textile and garment industries is highlighted. Street and youth fashion, the history of the kimono, dress and masks for Noh and Kabuki performances, and the work of textile artists who are masters of traditional craft are all covered in the section on Japan. Historical backgrounds and accounts of ancient archaeological evidence are also provided. Accompanied by photographs supplying stunning pictorial evidence, East Asia offers a compelling overview of a land where age-old tradition coexists with bustling, technologically advanced modern states.
Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Volume 7: Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands by
Collectively, the Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand represent a varied and culturally complex region. It is home to peoples leading time-honored ways of life, those gradually accepting cultural changes and those inhabiting industrialized society and engaging with all the trappings of the modern world. The influence of colonialism, trade, Aboriginal and Pacific Islander heritage, and the significance of the environment on bodily adornment are some of topics thoroughly addressed in this volume, which provides general overviews of the dress practices of the region's various peoples. Snapshots focus on specialist topics relating to traditional dress as well as recent phenomena, such as the performance fashions of pop star and style icon Kylie Minogue. Throughout, articles are supported by a significant number of previously unpublished photographs. Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands will be of enduring value to anyone curious to learn more about dress in this fascinating region.
Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Volume 8: West Europe by
This volume examines the complex strands that make up the European tradition of dress and fashion. Europe's varied landscapes and climates have influenced ways of dressing, as have continental and regional historical movements. West Europe, while emphasizing the global importance of European dress and fashion since 1800, provides information about the earlier contexts for their development. It also provides an analysis of haute couture as well as concise introductions to ethnic dress traditions and developments in the making and selling of clothing. Mainstream topics such as the changing shape of the female form are analyzed alongside current issues: ethics in the fashion industry, intelligent textiles, and subcultural dress, for example. Articles are illustrated by images ranging from exquisite couture creations to caricatures lampooning the extravagant follies of history's "fashion victims." This volume is the key reference work for everyone wishing to discover more about West Europe's seminal role in both fashion history and the shaping of cultural identities.
Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Volume 9: East Europe, Russia, and the Caucasus by
From the Baltic to the Balkans, and from Siberia to the Caucasus, the lands covered in this volume contain a multitude of cultures with rich and distinctive dress and textile traditions. However, tradition has not been the only factor shaping dress in the region. The contrast between ethnic and urban dress provides a revealing lens through which to consider individual and cultural identities throughout. Attitudes toward dress have also been shaped by socialism and its demise, as the former "Eastern bloc" states have undergone massive upheaval. This landmark volume is the first major reference work to provide a comprehensive overview of dress within this vast and complex region. Broad surveys of individual countries are supplemented with case studies focusing more narrowly on people, practices, and objects to provide both range and depth. The long tradition of exquisite embroidery is highlighted. The volume also has articles on the influence of the Ottoman Empire on this part of Europe, a discussion of Roma dress, and a snapshot on Balkan bandits. A pioneering, major reference work, East Europe, Russia, and the Caucasus also places dress within the political and sociocultural contexts that have shaped people and nations in this region.
A Cultural History of Dress and Fashion in Antiquity by
Whilst seemingly simple garments such as the tunic remained staples of the classical wardrobe, sources from the period reveal a rich variety of changing styles and attitudes to clothing across the ancient world. Covering the period 500 BCE to 800 CE and drawing on sources ranging from extant garments and architectural iconography to official edicts and literature, this volume reveals Antiquity's preoccupation with dress, which was matched by an appreciation of the processes of production rarely seen in later periods. From a courtesan's sheer faux-silk garb to the sumptuous purple dyes of an emperor's finery, clothing was as much a marker of status and personal expression as it was a site of social control and anxiety. Contemporary commentators expressed alarm in equal measure at the over-dressed, the excessively ascetic or at 'barbarian' silhouettes. Richly illustrated with 100 images, A Cultural History of Dress and Fashion in Antiquity presents an overview of the period with essays on textiles, production and distribution, the body, belief, gender and sexuality, status, ethnicity, visual representations, and literary representations.
A Cultural History of Dress and Fashion in the Medieval Age, Volume 2 by
During the medieval period, people invested heavily in looking good. The finest fashions demanded careful chemistry and compounds imported from great distances and at considerable risk to merchants; the Church became a major consumer of both the richest and humblest varieties of cloth, shoes, and adornment; and vernacular poets began to embroider their stories with hundreds of verses describing a plethora of dress styles, fabrics, and shopping experiences.
Drawing on a wealth of pictorial, textual and object sources, the volume examines how dress cultures developed – often to a degree of dazzling sophistication – between the years 800AD to 1450AD.
Beautifully illustrated with 100 images, A Cultural History of Dress and Fashion in the Medieval Age presents an overview of the period with essays on textiles, production and distribution, the body, belief, gender and sexuality, status, ethnicity, visual representations, and literary representations.
A Cultural History of Dress and Fashion in the Renaissance, Volume 3 by
Spurred by an increasingly international and competitive market, the Renaissance saw the development of many new fabrics and the use of highly prized ingredients imported from the New World. In response to a thirst for the new, fashion’s pace of change accelerated, the production of garments provided employment for an increasingly significant proportion of the working population, and entrepreneurial artisans began to transform even the most functional garments into fashionable ones. Anxieties concerning vanity and the power of clothing to mask identities heightened fears of fashion’s corrupting influence, and heralded the great age of sumptuary legislation intended to police status and gender through dress.
Drawing on sources from surviving garments to artworks to moralising pamphlets, this richly illustrated volume presents essays on textiles, production and distribution, the body, belief, gender and sexuality, status, ethnicity, and visual and literary representations to illustrate the diversity and cultural significance of dress and fashion in the period.
Artstor is the best scholarly database for finding images with accurate information related to the culture, time period, etc. Following are links to searches in this resource for "Fashion, Costume and Jewelry" for various geographic regions up to 1500 CE.