The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Fashion and Fashion Designers (World of Art)

From accordion pleats--"fine, narrow, regular pleating created by sewing or pressing minute DARTS into the fabric of dresses and skirts"--to the Wonderbra--"see BRASSIERE"--and beyond, this dictionary is a reference book for the fashion-forward crowd. In hundreds of concise and informative entries, the universe of fashion from the mid-18th century through the late 1990s is fully documented. More than 300 illustrations (many of them color) offer readers the opportunity to look at designs that are better seen than described: designer Jeanne Lanvin's sketches, the bodystocking, Elsa Peretti's heart-shaped pendants, a 1920s permanent wave, a Fortuny dress. In all, this is a solid reference for readers interested in the history of fashion.