The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through American History [3 Volumes] From Colonial America Through the Gilded Age, 1620-1899

Find out what we wore and why we wore it in The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing in American History 1620 to 1899. This fascinating reference set provides two levels of information: descriptions of clothing and material styles and discussion of why and how Americans in history wore those types of clothes. Three volumes cover eras from 1620 to 1900. For each volume, the authors provide a historical overview of the period, including information on fabrics, materials, and manufacturing; a discussion of levels of society, daily life, and dress; and the types of clothes worn by men, women, and children of the period, including American Indians, slaves, and people from the lower, middle, and upper classes. The set features numerous illustrations, including many in color; helpful timelines; resource guides recommending Web sites, videos, and print publications; and extensive glossaries.

Culture influences clothing and clothing influences the culture. Clothing can be primarily decorative or highly utilitarian; it can signal our place in society and how we earn our living. Find out what we wore and why we wore it in The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing in American History 1620 to 1899. This fascinating reference set provides descriptions of styles of clothes that men, women, and children have worn in the U.S. since the early colonies of the seventeenth century, and, as important, why they wore them. In addition to chapters describing fashion trends and types of clothes, the work examines the impact that cultural history has on fashion and how fashion may serve as an impetus for change in society. Each of three volumes covers eras beginning in the 1600s, with knowledgeable authors providing a historical overview of the period, including information on fabrics, materials, and manufacturing; a discussion of levels of society, daily life, and dress; and the types of clothes worn by men, women, and children of the period, including American Indians, slaves, and people from the lower, middle, and upper classes. The set also features numerous illustrations, including many in color; helpful timelines; resource guides recommending Web sites, videos, and print publications; and extensive glossaries,