Too many books to carry in a neat pile to my dining table.
Today I'm going to show you my collection of serious costume reference books that don't have patterns in them. Later I'll share my pattern books and masquerade costume books. I don't think I have that many books compared to other people I know. There are 70 in this category. I am cheap, so whenever possible I borrow books from the library or friends. And now, of course, we have the internet which is the biggest book in the world. That said, it is still very nice to have good books at home when you need them.
The biggest sub-catagory is general survey books. The one on top "What People Wore" by Douglas Gorsline was my first. This is filled with line drawings of paintings, many famous. And, artwork is one of the best costume resources. But, we can't always get to a museum and art books are expensive. My favorite one to see what clothes look like inside is "Costume in Detail" by Nancy Bradford. And I alway find "The Chronicle of Western Costume" by John Peacock great for a quick look to remind myself of the silhouette of a period.
A page from "Fashioning Fashion/European Costume in Detail" by S. S. Takeda & K. D. Spilker, I think, the most beautiful.
I have 3 books just for Children's clothes.
Two Fairchild Dictionaries and a terrific book for anyone who wears costumes "The Wearing of Costume" by Ruth M. Green. It tells you how to sit with a bustle and walk backward with a train!
Books just for Medieval and the Renaissance, again, don't discount the Eyewitness Books for kids. There are great photos of acturate historic clothing in them.
Books for different decades in the 20th Century, even one for the 1990's!
A few books with photos from movies and theater productions.
The folk costume books I have found most useful have been: "The Book of Kimono" by Norio Yamanaka, "Encyclopedia of American Indian Costume" by Josephine Paterek and "Folk and Festival Costume of the World" by R. Turner Wilcox. | 
And don't discount the kiddie books. Here's a page from "Eyewitness Books - Costume" by L. Rowland - Warne
Books just about American Clothing, the newest "Clothing Through American History 1786-1860" by my friend Ann Wass
3 necessary underwear books, "Corsets and Crinolines" by Norah Waugh being the most famous.
A few books for the 18th and 19th Century. Check out the dress on the left side of the book on the top and look at the photo below this one. I think these are all Dover Books, a great affordable source for costume books.
My assistant wearing the 1895 walking suit I made for Simplicity
A pretty big pile of folk costume books.
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And last ... this is my newest book. A really beautiful one I found out about at The Sewing Box Blog. If you visit this site scroll down to the posting of January 4 to see a bustle pad she made from this book.
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