The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish

I LOVED this book! Just about the only I would change is the title...

I would change the title because it seems a bit misleading. This book is not intended to teach you how to dress, although you may pick up some ideas as you read it. This is a history book about a network of professional women, who Dr P calls the Dress Doctors, who wrote and taught about clothing, textiles and fashion during the first half or so of the twentieth century. There were new opportunities available to women, and the Dress Doctors were both taking advantage of them for themselves and trying to help other American women position themselves to take advantage of them as well. In many ways, they were some of the first feminists. And then, somehow, history, fashion show more and culture zigged and zagged and all of a sudden these women, who were once leaders of progress for women, were seen as irrelevant or even reactionary.

Highly recommended, but not for fashion tips show less

Dear Miss Przybyszewski:

I received an advance review copy of your book through NetGalley.com and now that I have read it I would like to ask you what is it that you want to this book to do? I ask because, for the life of me, I don't understand. You provide truly excellent biographies and summaries of style tips from top American Home Economists of the past two centuries, and then you stop writing. You fail to tell us how to use these tips to be elegant and fashionable today, when wearing an ankle-length women's suit, no matter how well fitted, will only garner censure from our colleagues and bosses. The book feels like an expansion of the lit review chapter of a PhD thesis, not a purpose-written book and the lack of a useful discussion show more on fashion and style for the woman of 2014, is baffling.

I find your asides to the readers to be snide, out of place and rather offensive. It is not helpful or courteous to say that elegant women should not be seen in a swim suit, or that encouraging self-esteem in teenagers is wrongheaded. A woman, especially a business woman, who tries to make do with only one outfit (or even five), as you challenge us to do, would be an object of contempt. And what is it about open-toed shoes that makes you hate them so much? I am willing to bet a package of sewing needles that few women today feel deprived of the option to wear a cape over their dresses.

I really do not know who would find this book useful, despite the excellent history it provides.

Most sincerely yours,

M. Dokfintong show less

Fantastic read that chronicles the way we dress. Starting with how it was way back when to how it has evolved into today. After a slow start, I really got into this book. The depth and scope of this subject is much more than meets the eye as the author unpacks the history. It is very interesting to think about this topic with a complex lens than to merely scoff or disregard old-fashioned views and fashions. To truly understand what went in to dressmaking and why it was so important is a thought that is all but lost on today’s clothes wearer. Hence, the book title.

I really enjoyed the author’s commentary and opinions dispersed throughout the book. With her breadth of knowledge on the subject, she surely has established credibility show more in this realm. I was especially interested to read that clothes can impart the values of wisdom, sophistication, dignity, and not just for fleeting “hotness.” Worth a read even if you aren’t into fashion. I would like the author to write another book exploring the history of men’s fashion. show less

While the topic was interesting, the catty, opinionated comments really detracted from the history.

If you have any interest in fashion, then you have to read this.
If you have any interest in the art of dress making or sewing, then you have to read this.
If you have any interest in historical development, great illustrations, funny and at the same time informative writing, then you have to read this.

This book is like a biography of dress.

If you have any interest in fashion, then you have to read this.
If you have any interest in the art of dress making or sewing, then you have to read this.
If you have any interest in historical development, great illustrations, funny and at the same time informative writing, then you have to read this.

This book is like a biography of dress.

If you have any interest in fashion, then you have to read this.
If you have any interest in the art of dress making or sewing, then you have to read this.
If you have any interest in historical development, great illustrations, funny and at the same time informative writing, then you have to read this.

This book is like a biography of dress.