Reddit mentions: The best textile & costume design books

You're asking for quite a lot, but luckily screen printing isn't all that complicated once you understand the process and underlying concept.

Here is a nice guide with some helpful illustrations that should explain the process fairly well. It shows screen printing onto paper with a printing table rather than clothing, but the screens as well as the ideas are the same.

To print on shirts, you'll need a slightly more advanced/modified press, the most basic ones tend to look like this but they also get larger and more complex if you want to print more colours, like this, or as big and intimidating as this. The fundametals behind it all are the same.

To print on fabric you'll need special inks, most commonly an ink called Plastisol. It prints like normal ink, but it doesn't fully dry and resist washing until it's heated up ("cured"), so you need to pair the t-shirt press with a dryer that heats the garment up. The most basic ones look like this and cure the ink as the garment sits on the press. But there are also larger ones like this, with a conveyor belt that take the garment through an oven to cure the ink. There are also water-based inks available that air-dry and do not require curing.

There are a few places to buy equipment/supplies online, especially if you're in the US. The most popular is probably Ryonet.

That sort of runs you through the VERY basics. There is a lot more to learn however, but there is LOTS of information available online, and video tutorials on YouTube as well if you search for them.

Here are some good books for beginners on the subject as well:

Screen Printing Today: The Basics by Andy MacDougall

Screen Printing on the Cheap

And there's a ton of information and answers to common questions on various discussion boards online, two that I found most helpful when I was learning were T-Shirt Forums and the screen printing subforum on GigPosters.com. Most people on the latter forum print on paper, but a lot of the stuff is relevant to both media.

If you have any specific questions, this subreddit is a good place to ask, and from what I've seen we are all happy to share our knowledge. But hopefully this helps you get your mind around how it works.

Start small, get a solid grasp on the fundamentals, and then build.

1. The SCA is fairly welcoming, however, it's a large group of people and can have all the same problems as any group of people. A lot of people are here to hang out and party as much as anything else.
   
   
2. The SCA has nowhere near the standards you're probably used to for CW/WWII reenacting. It sounds like you'll manage the garb side of things pretty easily. There are some oddities about the tailoring/fit of some of the medieval stuff, but probably nothing you can't handle. There are a few books I recommend (links at the bottom of the post). Plastic armor is fine, but it is generally best to cover it with clothing or similar. Helmets must be steel for safety purposes. Most of the well put-together kits are the result of years of work. There's far less of an expectation that you'll have everything 100% ready to go on day 1 than is typical of reenacting groups.
   
   
3. You need your armor ready to go, but after that, you just need to pass a safety test called an "authorization" to fight. It's pretty much about knowing what targets count, making sure you're safe, etc. You won't become a "knight" in our game for a long time (It's one of the highest awards).
   
   
4. Women are welcome to fight and to wear men's clothing if they like. There are no rules about that.
   
   
5. Armor-wise, the Indian made stuff is generally poorly fitting (as in not made to fit a human body) and too thin to use. There are some decent Czech and Ukrainian armories though. That being said, most people are getting their reproduction shoes from a company in Pakistan (usually indirectly) and a lot of the decent chain mail is coming from India IIRC. It's a mixed bag. It is best to go to practices, find some people who you trust to provide guidance, etc. Unfortunately the result of our far less strict standards on gear/equipment and far wider historical scope also means that we don't have a good set of unit standards or the like to help provide guidance.
   
   Costuming books:
   http://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Tailors-Assistant-2nd-1100-1480/dp/0896762955
   http://www.amazon.com/Tudor-Tailor-Reconstructing-Sixteenth-Century-Dress/dp/0896762556
   http://www.amazon.com/Patterns-Fashion-Construction-Clothes-1560-1620/dp/0896760839
   http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Maker-Mens-Century-Doublets/dp/0692264841
   
   Shoes:
   http://www.vikingleathercrafts.com/
   http://boots-by-bohemond.myshopify.com/
   
   Armour:
   http://armourarchive.org/

I currently have two books, both amazing, but if you don't have a teacher or don't already know how to make slopers then I would highly recommend Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph Armstrong. There's a bunch of editions floating around, but I have the 1987 and it has everything I need. Basic patternmaking techniques are not subject to trends or changing tastes, so you'll be fine with any edition.

The other patternmaking book I have is Designing Apparel through the Flat Pattern is also a good book, but I've heard people say that you need to buy a companion book for it to be useful. I've gone through a patternmaking class, so I can't comment on how useful it would be on its own for a beginner.

Best of luck to you! Patternmaking really expands your skill set; you can literally look at something and think of a pattern in your head. :D

Excellent, let me nerd out for a second about suits. Also, that documentary is a GREAT starting point. Personally, it makes me want to become a tailor, and it makes me sad that tailoring is becoming a dying breed of old people who have no younger people to take up their mantle.

---

So, before you get into the process of suit making and all of that, and the art that is tailoring. I encourage you to read up on what makes a suit, a suit. But, I'll cut it down real simply for you and leave some links so that you can read up on in depth if it suits you (hodor).

Let's start with the most basic question. What is the foundation of the suit? Strangely, the foundation of the suit, is the shoulder. The drape of your suit and the cut of your suit starts from the shoulder and moves downward. So like we always say, if it doesn't fit on the shoulder, put it back on the rack. There are tons of different types of cuts for shoulders, and how it's padding, and how the sleeve is attached to the shoulder that is all unique to each cut, although it is becoming more homogenized (Personally, I'm an italian cut kinda guy, Neapolitan in specific). How do you like your shoulders? Straight across? Narrower? No padding at all? Extreme sloping? These are the questions you should consider when bespoking your suit, or purchasing your suit in general. How do you like your shoulder to sing?

Next, lets move onto the beauty that is the lapel roll, the flower of the suit, the thing that blooms, the detail that gives your suit depth. A detail that simply resonates with the rest of your suit, don't be flat (jos. a bank), the lapel roll is a piece of art of itself, and a good dry cleaner will not press the life out of the lapel. Of course, you could just do it yourself.

So now that we have touched the outside of the suit. Let's dig a little deeper, how about the inside of the suit? Perhaps as important as the shoulder, is your canvassing. Why is it important? Because canvas is what gives your suit a shape, it's the thing that slowly molds to your body, a quality suit will slowly mold to your body and drape better and better with each wear. A suit with the proper insides need's no hanger to give it shape (put it on a hanger). It almost wears itself (ignore the fact that they are trying to sell something).

Here is some more reading on canvassing

In closing, how about some master tailors talking about their art?

Rudolph Popradi

Martin Greenfield

Multiple tailors from naples discuss their life of tailoring

And now, some books.

A menswear book, a little more for the older gents and those more intersted in history. But very much a classic book that is highly praised for being all encompassing.

How about a book that teaches you to make your own garments?


And a machiavallian approach to the suit. Maybe not as highly praised, but more reading can't hurt that much.

Let's ask some people about their thoughts on the suit and it's changes through the years.

1, 2, 3, 4.

And let's touch on the tuxedo for a bit, probably a little pretentious (especially that esquire guy), but for some reason I like watching people dress up while giving their thoughts..

And finally, a series of videos on a class about suit construction (mainly for women).

Probably doesn't entirely answer your questions, but hey, suits are awesome. If I had enough money to wear a suit everyday for every situation (james bond) I would. If you have the opportunity to apprentice under a tailor, I highly suggest it, maybe you won't become a master tailor, and you most likely will not get paid, but it would be an awesome experience to be under a master craftsman.

Casual:
Jeans: Jacob Cohen
Shirts: Emmanuel Berg, Hugo Boss
Blazers: Paul Smith, Hugo Boss
Sweaters: Emmanuel Berg (cashmere), Ralph Lauren (merino)
Pants: Hugo Boss
Jackets: Joop, Hugo Boss, Barbour, Burberry
Shoes: crocket & jones

Office/Work:
Shirts: Emmanuel Berg, Hugo Boss, but considering bespoke options
Blazers: Paul Smith, Hugo Boss
Suits: Corneliani M2M, but considering bespoke options
Pants: Hugo Boss
Coats: Joop, Burberry
Shoes: Crocket & Jones, Hugo Boss

Other stuff, like ties (rarely use them), or handkerchiefs, pretty much anything good, emmanuel berg, armani, boss, hermes.

cuff links: anything good.

Hair style: Fairly short, but with an old school cut (think Gatsby).

Note: I am 40,in decent physical shape, and due to the nature of my work, dressing well is kind of a requirement (consulting), so this looks natural on me. Oh, and live in Europe.

Edit:
I should perhaps add that I actually like male fashion in a timeless sense, and take a very hard look at the look I want to achieve (timelessness, natual, refined). For any man who wants to take their wardrobe to the "next level", I'd strongly recommend two books:

http://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449

and

http://www.amazon.com/The-Suit-Machiavellian-Approach-Style/dp/0060891866

They will both give you the basics of suits, materials, etc, with references to old-school male icons... think mad men on steroids... in the style department...

but never forget, style without substance is worthless.. fashion/style is not necessarily "peacocking", but it does help in attraction of course ;)

You should be able to print this, even with your limitations. Oil based inks are safe to clean up by

1. physically scraping up/wiping up as much as you can before adding anything to clean it.
   
   
2. a little vegetable oil to clean up the ink
   
   
3. a little bit of a spray kitchen cleaner, like simple green, to clean the vegetable oil.
   
   I know people that print relief by hand on fabric, you will need to put the block face down on top of the shirt and press from the back. Look up srmprints on Instagram, she posts lots of process shots.
   
   I would pull a nice one or two, the repost the Etsy listing with new photos and describing the product as handmade with natural variations to cover your bum, then as long as it looks cool you are fine.
   
   If you want to screenprint, get a copy of Screenprintig Today, he talks about how to set up “shop” on the cheap and DIY. screenprinting today by Andy MacDougall

For young people, certain things just look like you’re trying too damn hard: bowties, pocket squares, French cuffs, white collars on a colored shirt, suspenders, wide-spread collars, vested suit (sometimes), etc.

It’s easy to blame other people, but your clothes are prompting their reaction. I don’t know you and I don’t know the way you dress. But perhaps you should think about trying to be more subtle: buying nice clothes that aren’t at all ostentatious. Don’t wear bowties if, when you wear one, people make comments.

In my opinion, the majority of advice on MFA will make a high school or college students look good for other high school or college students. If I wore my pants below my natural waste or if I wore wingtips or a bow tie, the men at my work would think I was an immature, insecure, hipster douche bag. There is nothing wrong with those things, but dress to your audience. Being stylish, being able to express your own, personal style, within the bounds of what’s acceptable to your peers is a true and worthy challenge. An artist is limited by the artistic media he chooses to work with. So to, you are limited by your lifestyle, income, peer group, profession, region, etc. Strive to be stylish and express yourself within you lifestyle’s bounds. Then you will look good without looking like you’re wearing a costume to try to look good.

If following the advice on this forum is getting criticism, I’d like to suggest some alternative sources for advice:

http://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344004043&sr=8-1&keywords=allan+flusser

http://www.amazon.com/Clothes-Man-Principles-Fine-Dress/dp/0394546237/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344004043&sr=8-2&keywords=allan+flusser

http://www.amazon.com/GENTLEMAN-TIMELESS-GUIDE-FASHION-Ullmann/dp/3833152702/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

http://www.amazon.com/The-Suit-Machiavellian-Approach-Style/dp/0060891866/ref=pd_sim_b_7 (especially the chapter for “young” persons)

http://www.amazon.com/Elegance-Menswear-G-Bruce-Boyer/dp/0393304388/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344004086&sr=1-1&keywords=bruce+boyer

http://www.amazon.com/Eminently-Suitable-G-Bruce-Boyer/dp/0393028771/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344004086&sr=1-3&keywords=bruce+boyer

Your library should have these, as they are menswear “classics.” The books are well-written and, though older than something like “Esquire The Handbook of Style,” the advice is better. How to dress well is a timeless art.

New Complete Guide to Sewing for general sewing techniques.

For tailoring men's clothes, Classic Tailoring Techniques (and women's.)

For pattern drafting, Winnifred Aldrich has a great line of books.
There's also Fundamentals of Men's Fashion Design, casual and tailored. As well as Patternmaking for Fashion Design.

For corsets, Waisted Efforts and The Basics of Corset Building are good.

For making shirts, Shirtmaking.

For learning to sew stretch/knit fabrics, Sew U: Home Stretch is pretty good.

And for just having a bunch of fun with patterns, the Pattern Magic series is plain awesome. I think there's three of them out now.

Edit: thought of more!

The Art of Manipulating Fabric is great. And www.threadsmagazine.com as well as the corresponding print publication.

I have a degree in custom dressmaking. It's really surprisingly easy, but it does take work and practice. if altering patterns is something you want to do like EVERY time i'd recommend this. it's the book we used for a text book in my "Techniques of Fit" class, where we literally made paper and fabric patterns all semester and just tried different ways to make the pattern fit better to whomever was wearing it! :)

Wonderful. Could you post or DM the link? I have the book, but it would be nice to have a searchable copy.

Here's another helpful book:

Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket

​

This book is on ladies tailoring, but it had excellent information on pad stitching.

Vintage Couture Tailoring

​

This is very advanced.

The Cutting of Canvasses

A Method of Basting in the Canvas

​

I love the books by Yoshiko Tsukiori, including:

Stylish Dress Book: Wear with Freedom

Sweet Dress Book: 23 Dresses of Pattern Arrangement

Amazon carries more by her and others.

Men's patterns are less common, but here are two:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/61669506/mens-coat-by-ryuichiro-shimazaki

https://www.amazon.com/Otoko-No-Shatsu-Hon/dp/4579111109/ref=pd_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=BERT1MM1RQ2Q1PQ491P0

You will find many Japanese pattern books and magazines on Etsy and eBay. Pomadour24 on Etsy carries a lot.

This blog reviews books and magazines.

On this French-language blog, people post the things they've made. A number refers to the book and the style.

Some of the books are only in Japanese, but many people are able to follow the drawings. Lots of sites provide guidance. Some are in French. Increasing numbers are being translated into English.

If you're interested in pattern magazines, I assume you know that you have to trace the pattern. I love the sturdy pattern paper that Japanese pattern book patterns are printed on and the way they can be easily folded back up when you're done traciing. If you find some books you like they can be really economical to use.

I personally don't think you are too old.

I used to sew for fun when I was 16, stopped after leaving school and began again at the age of 23/24. I have been steadily re-learning all of the techniques I was taught at school, and have been attending college courses on sewing and dressmaking too. I am now at the stage where I am working on my own project portfolio, but will happily admit that I am still learning lots of new things.

I will agree with /u/heliotropedit though. you do have to be completely 100% dedicated to learning everything you can.

You will end up spending hours and hours practicing the same techniques over and over again. You will want to quit at times and need to motivate yourself to carry on and push through to the end. You'll want to cry on occasions at how tired you are and how you feel that your work simply isn't good enough and how it never will be. You will see other people wearing beautifully crafted garments and feel angry at your own lack of skills. but when you finally break through and create a perfectly drafted and constructed garment, you will realise all of that time, pain, upset and sheer panic will have been 100% worth it.

But before you ever reach this point, you need to be completely certain that it is what you want to do, the tailoring profession is very difficult to break into and it takes true dedication and sacrifice and time (years) to make it.

NB a few good books to help:- (the first three books are good for beginners, the last 4 books are aimed at the more intermediate level sewers)

Easy Does It Dressmaking

The Sewing Book

The Dressmakers Handbook

Couture Sewing Techniques as recommended to me by /u/heliotropedit.

Couture Sewing: Tailoring Techniques

Classic Tailoring Techniques: Menswear

Classic Tailoring Techniques: Womenswear

5'7" here. I've read a lot of these guides over the years, and this is easily one of the best. Well done.

On suits, I'm going to have to disagree with this:

> Unlike most people, you don’t want your suit jacket to cover your rear completely.

This works for short and slim (and young), but if you've got some, erm, shape to your rear, you'll want to cover it. Cropped jackets also won't fly in most workplaces that require suits.

I've actually been thinking about this a lot lately, and I think a better guide is something like this:

> Jackets should be just long enough to fall straight.

There's probably a better way to word it, but basically, you want the jacket to not flare out at the bottom.

I've also dug into the oft-repeated "rule" about short guys not wearing double-breasted suit jackets, and after going back to sources like The Suit, I've found there's an exception: unless you can have it custom-made.

Couple examples of short guys in double-breasted suits: 1 2

If you love camo, I can recommend Mararishi founder Harvey Blechman's book DPM - Disruptive Pattern Material as a great source of inspiration, and just a great art book in general.

Jesus, I just saw how much this sells for now!

Generally, most pattern drafting books tell you how to draft a sloper (or template of your body,) and then tells you how to manipulate the sloper to get finished designs. You can start with any sloper (from any book or website) that fits you well and jump right to the sloper manipulation part from any book you like.

For womenswear I recommend “Pattern Drafting and Dressmaking” by Dorothy Moore . It’s much, much cheaper than other books, and offers a really good, simplified set of slopers despite the book being so old. When I started drafting, four years ago, I used this book to create a dress shirt with princess seams, as well as trousers, for my wife and her co-workers assumed that they were from Banana Republic. Don’t worry though, the book also has sections on dresses, coats, jackets and even a bonus formula for a contemporary man’s dress shirt.

On a side note, you can draft anything you want, but you have to know how to put it together and most of these books do not give you construction advice. I like Kwik Sew’s instructions because they use simple construction techniques, ¼” seams and teach good habits. If you don’t know how to assemble something you’ve drafted, borrow the instruction booklet from a KwikSew pattern that is similar to what you are trying to make and write down the construction steps. In addition, you’ll see it mentioned here a lot, but "Shirtmaking" by David Coffin offered invaluable tips on how to get the collar, cuffs and yoke assembled in a non-conventional way.

Some of the other books I recommend:
“Patternmaking for Fashion Design” by Helen Armstrong, is an odd book. As a pattern drafting book, I feel that it fails, as it is too big and tries to cover too many bases. But as a reference book, those qualities make it exceptional. This is not something you’ll ever read straight through… you’ll start at the index and jump to the morsel of information that you need, e.g. dart manipulation, or collar variations. Really expensive though.

“The Practical Guide to Patternmaking” by Lori Knowles and “The Practical Guide to Patternmaking for Meanswear” by Lori Knowles are both great. Where Moore’s book looked a little dated, this one has contemporary designs.

This book is amazing! It has patterns and a wide variety of hats through the ages.
http://www.amazon.com/From-Neck-Up-Illustrated-Hatmaking/dp/0941082008
I don't remember if it tells you how to actually conduct the hats or not but I would be more than happy to help. I've done millimeter for theatre, professionally and for college. So let me know if I can be of assistance. :)

>Yes, I'm sure Machiavelli is quoted all the time on Wall Street.

Probably by way of paraphrase, though:

• MANAGEMENT & MACHIAVELLI : A Prescription for Success in Your Business
  
• Machiavellian Management - A Chief Executive's Guide
  
• The Mafia Manager : A Guide to the Corporate Machiavelli
  
• Machiavelli on Management: Playing and Winning the Corporate Power Game
  
• Ancient Wisdom for Modern Management: Machiavelli at 500
  
• Machiavelli, Marketing and Management
  
  Edit: Or even:
  
  
• The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men's Style :)

Hi! Sorry for the delay, I had neglected the moderation queue.

If you are just curious to see starting points, I can recommend (in no particular order):

• [Purchasing Handmade shoes for men] (http://www.amazon.com/Handmade-Shoes-Men-Lazlo-Vass/dp/3833160454) (amazon, non affiliate link) It is an awesome resource, showing the technique (without getting into detail though) but serves as a "aha, that's it" for a beginner.
  
• Marcell Mrsan's blog has several tutorials on construction and patternmaking (he's also preparing a book.) He also posts occasionally a video on youtube with construction tips
  
• James Ducker & Deborah Carré's blog They also post tip posts from time to time.
  
  But these are only useful to know what making a shoe it's like. The only way to learn (without wasting countless hours fiddling around) is to attend a course. There are many shoemakers offering courses (yes, it doesn't look like this but it does, once you know :) ) Marcell gives classes in the US, James and Deborah in UK, and as far as I know there are also teachers in Italy and Spain. Of course I think in most European countries you could find shoemaking teachers, too, but I don't know many more examples.
  
  Also, making a shoe from start to finish involves many things: design, patternmaking and construction. And if you work from start to finish, you can't design something you can't build, so a good tradeoff of abilities has to come somewhere. As you get better in construction, you know what you can design. Patternmaking is another thing, since it can be taught kind of "on its own," but requires also a knowledge of the design and the construction process.
  
  If you need anything else, don't doubt about replying to this thread, I'll be faster this time!

A good book for costuming I’ve found is The Heroes Closet. It’s primarily geared towards cosplay but does come with several basic patterns for costuming (including fantasy coats and pants) as well as guides to walk you through everything from choosing fabric to hand stitching your finishes. It’s a solid book for any beginner who’s primarily interested in sewing for costuming.

Without the collar buttons. And if you get a shirt with long sleeves, the collar will be "dragged down" a bit, too, so that the tie will fit perfectly. Thus a plain white, long-sleeved shirt with no collar buttons.

There are white shirts with concealed button fronts (fly front) that look extremely stylish, but those are for white tie events.

If you are interested, here's a heavily illustrated book on classical menswear: Gentleman: A Timeless Guide to Fashion. It covers everything. Underwear, suits, coats, watches, rings and even how to care for leather shoes. It's conservative, but I learned a lot when I started to dress better.

Edit: Just saw that older, used editions of that book are way cheaper.

Buy this dudes book:
http://www.amazon.com/Screen-Printing-Today-The-Basics/dp/0944094619

The book not only has multiple process descriptions (with photos) but it also does a brief overview on the industry. It will explain all the details you need, including what an exposure unit is. Its a good start.

Andy is a screenprinting saint...or prophet..or...he is just the bomb, is what im trying to say.

Or random internets is always a good source.

http://www.amazon.com/Suit-Machiavellian-Approach-Mens-Style/dp/0060891866

If you've ever been on SF you might be familiar with power user Manton. This is his book. It is pretty good. reads like an ego trip, but definitely provides a lot of insight into tailoring styles and techniques and suits in general. I would strongly suggest this book if you are better than everyone else.

There are a couple good books on millinery for theatre, which is my experience. These books focus on all styles of hats and has patterns and basic tips. Hats Design and Construction is like a course in millinery. The book is written I think by s professor for her class so it's very informative and informal. From the Neck Up is considered the industry standard book but it's very detailed and a tough at times. Definitely feels like the "formal" fancy book. I have both and both are very useful in theatre. I'm not sure how useful they will be for you if you're planning on only sticking with felt fedoras.

Steaming a felt hat is typical how you shape it. I used a head block to shape it too since human heads have a specific shape. Shellac is like a glue and will make it not nearly as soft I imagine but also makes it waterproof I believe is the reasoning. I've never used it on a hat before because the hats I made never were worn outside.

As for sewing on a sweatband, it's just a regular hoop stitch around the edge. I don't imagine there will be too many tutorials because it's a basic stitch. You can see decent pictures online of the sweatband and if you look at a hat you already have you can see. Those books cover it I believe. I'm not at home right now so I can't check.

One thing I like to do when trying a new project is I go to Goodwill and find something similar and disassemble it to see how it's all put together. You can usually find old hats at Goodwill.

Nice, good machine to inherit, and will definitely make sewing Denim easier than a home machine. Backstitch is nice, but only necessary on seams taht arent enclosed by other seams. I hope its a servo motor, those clutch motors are a pain to use. Does the speed adjust depending how hard you push the pedal? If not you can look into an upgrade to a servo motor, they are universal and its nice to be able to adjust the speed the machine sews at.

You know you can learn to pattern from a book actually. This is the book I learned from https://www.amazon.com/Patternmaking-Fashion-Design-Joseph-Armstrong/dp/0321034236

I'm more a 3d thinker so draping is better for me, but that book will teach you how to pattern basic fits for most types of garments, and then you can rework those after a 1st muslin.


Also let me add NICE JOB GETTING FELLED SEAMS ON SLEEVES with a flatbed industrial machine. That shit is nearly impossible to do.

Pattern companies are not making bank. The cost of patterns in the US has been devalued by the constant sales that create the expectation that they are only worth a few dollars. Even when they are not on sale, they are on sale for half off the list price at JoAnn. Try buying the same patterns in Europe.

I think that you are going to be happiest if you develop a few basic patterns that you can modify for cosplay. Most cosplay are the same shapes over and over again. It's the accessories and the fabrics that make the costume. Develop your eye and you will produce outfits that are better than the pattern catalog. You might also find the book, The Hero's Closet, useful for adapting patterns.

You should check out this /r/AskHistorians thread: When did men wearing hats become so universal and when did it cease?

It's worth reading all of the posts, but here's the highest voted one, with paragraphs added by your's truly:

> The reason men no longer wear hats is three-fold: changes in transportation, hygiene, and hair.

> A man's hat was used primarily as a means of protection against rain, dust, cold, and the sun. With the growing popularity of the automobile as the transportation of choice for many Americans, the hat became less necessary as men were no longer required to walk long distances outdoors. The images you've seen of streets in, say, New York was probably a veritable sea of men in felt hats precisely because walking was one of the only means of getting from point A to point B. Because automobiles offer built in protection from the elements, the hat became redundant.

> The second reason the hat lost its popularity is because of the emphasis on hygiene that developed in the late 20th century. In the 1950's, hair washes were weekly instead of the daily ones that we do today. Because hair washes were done infrequently, a hat was necessary to keep the dust and dirt away.

> Finally, the hair fashions of the 1960's and 70's meant that men cared more about their hair and how it looked. In the golden age of hats, men typically had trimmed hair in order to ensure that extraneous strands of hair over their forehead would not stick out from underneath their hat. As men started to care more for how their hair looked, the less reason there was to wear a hat that might crush or mess up their hair.

> Source: "Gentleman: A Timeless Guide to Fashion" by Bernhard Roetzel

Well, the person I quoted--who explained that black is traditionally considered an inappropriate color for suits--is the author of The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men's Style, which has been reviewed by the WSJ (where he has also been published), and he has also been interviewed by Forbes. As far as internet strangers go, he's a pretty authoritative one.

Ultimately, it's like any other "rule" or tradition. You can wear a suit jacket with a center vent, a tuxedo with notch lapels, or french cuffs without a jacket. I'm sure there are people who would find no problem with these things--including wearing a black suit. But as Manton said, "it is still against the rules." The fact that you've observed many people wearing black suits--even (perhaps especially) adults--is not surprising. This is a very common menswear misconception. But that doesn't mean that they're not still flouting tradition and committing a fashion faux pas. Many people wear square-toed shoes. I bet your career center wouldn't stop you at the door if you wore them to a job fair. That doesn't mean that they are appropriate as a matter of tradition or the "rules" of menswear. Same thing for brightly-colored matching vests at weddings.

With respect to your career center's advice, their goal is to make sure that the students don't embarrass themselves or the school by showing up to a career fair in seersucker (apologies if you're south of the Mason Dixon line). Unlike that robin's egg blue tux lurking in the back of the closet, a black suit won't offend anyone or get you dinged during an interview (unless your interviewer is a sartorial enthusiast), and black is such a common choice for a first suit that of course a career center making a list of acceptable suit colors is going to approve that. That has nothing to do with whether black is a correct choice as a matter of tradition or fashion.

You mentioned you've never before heard of this convention. Like I said, neither had I when I was in college. But spend a little time looking into this topic, and you'll find that it's fairly widely known and generally agreed upon--as far as fashion "rules" go. Not to toot my own karma horn, but there's a reason my post got upvoted 100 times and the posts recommending that OP buy a black suit ended up getting buried. It's not that I'm the first person to say any of those things, but rather that the tips I gave him--including not to wear black--are based on the prevailing rules of good menswear.

A booklet of blank croquis so she can sketch ideas easily. Below is a general one, or you can google and find places that will draw a croquis for her own body.

https://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Sketchpad-Templates-Designing-Portfolio/dp/0811877884/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=design+sketch+pad&qid=1567829492&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Tailoring tools like a tailors ham, sleeve roll, clapper, and silk organza pressing cloths.

Pattern drafting materials like medical paper, a crap ton of scotch magic tape, and nice curves (the ones you can see through are best.

https://www.amazon.com/Collins-4-Styling-Design-Ruler/dp/B07FFLVMMC/ref=mp_s_a_1_21?keywords=hip+curve+ruler&qid=1567829770&s=gateway&sprefix=hip+cu&sr=8-21

First if all, thanks for the series!

I don't know if somebody told you that already, but you should absolutely get the book Handmade Shoes for Men by famous shoemaker Lazlo Vass. It explains all the techniques involved in making a quality shoes - you will no longer be surprised by things like ribbons along the heel counter and such. Great book!

Here's a few books on my wish list, a lot of good resources seem to be in other languages.

Fashionary.org - this one looks the most promising, but deciding whether or not to buy this one
https://fashionary.org/collections/book/products/bag-design#

In Chinese, but seems to have a lot of photos. Not sure that it's my style, though
https://www.etsy.com/listing/237921159/hand-sewing-leather-bags-leather-craft?ref=related-2

Art et techniques du cuir -- just ordered this, I don't read French but hoping I can manage... I will post a review if this is any good
https://www.amazon.com/art-techniques-m%C3%A9tiers-du-cuir/dp/2851011383

I recommend joining the Cutter and Tailor forum, which is a terrific resource. As a beginner, you will not be able to post or ask about jackets until you've learned the fundamentals. Learn to sew shirts, trousers, skirts, and vests before attempting a jacket.

There's is an older edition of the below book that probably is cheaper now.

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Tailoring-Techniques-Menswear-Construction/dp/1628921706/ref=dp_ob_title_bk


Good photos, and discusses hand, machine, and hybrid methods:
http://www.amazon.com/Tailoring-Classic-Sewing-Perfect-Jacket/dp/1589236092/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1G1MR8C41H6P2XHD4KD9

Discusses women's tailoring, but the techniques are good, if somewhat lighther than those used for men.
http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Couture-Tailoring-Thomas-Nordheim/dp/1847973736/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459214116&sr=1-1&keywords=vintage+couture+tailoring

If you are interested in more informal clothes, you may like Japanese pattern books. Japanese women tend to be smaller. The fit is also more forgiving.

Here's an example:

http://www.amazon.com/Stylish-Dress-Book-Wear-Freedom/dp/0804843155

So this is probably overkill, but in college I took a class on garment design and construction/pattern making and we used these two books as our textbooks. Again probably way more information than if you just want to learn how to take in some shirts or something, but knowing the fundamentals is of course immensely useful if you wanted to explore this topic further. Also a lot of fun, so I highly recommend learning how to sew for everybody.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321062841/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1563673290/

> haven't read the book you recommended above, but it seems more for correcting fit issues that occur on existing patterns rather than drafting patterns from scratch?

The very first book I mentioned is for copying clothes. Someone suggested that for as option for the OP.

This book shows how to draft slopers and is the companion to this book. They're not really beginner's books but a diligent might person might be able to work her or his way through them.

This Craftsy series is liked by some people.

Camo is overdone right now, but camo done right will always win.

I'd recommend DPM but apparently it costs $900 now, the single book is $400.

Happy Birthday!. I know this would make me giddy like a school girl.


Have an amazing birthday! :)

> You will end up spending hours and hours practicing the same techniques over and over again. You will want to quit at times and need to motivate yourself to carry on and push through to the end.

Very true, and I don't even have professional aspirations.

Vintage Couture Tailoring is another good book.

http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Couture-Tailoring-Thomas-Nordheim/dp/1847973736

I'm in a super cheerful mood.

I'm at work, have finished my assignments for the week, and am piecing through my new copy of this.

If I didn't already have plans this evening, I would probably start on some of these doublets right away!

Sure, some of the general shops that comes to mind:

• schmedt24.de
  
  
• dictum.com
  
  
• lederhaus.de
  
  
• ds-leder.de
  
  
• Deco cuir
  
  
• Cuir textile crea
  
  
• Mando
  
  
• leatherhouse.eu
  
  For learning I would advise to look for Valerie Michael book and this one https://www.amazon.fr/Art-techniques-cuir-harnachement-maroquinerie/dp/2851011383
  
  Good luck!

The book we used when I took pattern drafting classes may be dated by now but it was great for seeing just what the heck is going on in pattern drafting. Besides, the math of fitting a 3-dimensional human body with 2-dimensional fabric isn't ever going to change: "Designing apparel through the flat pattern" https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Apparel-Through-Flat-Pattern/dp/0870057375/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1467818440&sr=1-1&keywords=designing+apparel+through+the+flat+pattern

I own the following books and classes (maybe more):

Vintage Couture Tailoring

Singer Tailoring

Alison Smith Essential Guide to Tailoring

Pam Howard Modern Jacket Techniques

Suzy Furrer Drafting the Tailored Jacket or Coat

​

That said, haven't sewn a jacket...yet! But I think I'm ready, LOL!

You would try it on, but it would fit skintight. Some slopers have a little ease built into them.

A sloper is like a template for a pattern without seam allowances. You make changes to it to develop a pattern. A block pattern is a basic pattern with seam allowances. The online University of Fashion has sloper lessons.

Sloper book for fashion design students:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0870057472/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687542&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0870051474&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=XWHF3N3QTAEXBRBPMPSS

Pattern making book using the slopers:
https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Apparel-Through-Flat-Pattern/dp/0870057375/ref=pd_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SX1RJG2WH9Q7QC2G0X2M

I just got my hands on this: Practical Guide to Patternmaking for Fashion Designers: Menswear

Looks good and detailed, but easy to read.

Edit: Got it used. Cheaper.

>the crotch. If you turn a pair of pants inside out and look at the crotch, you'll notice it sort of curves. You'll have to follow that curve, whereas the outside seam would just be straight.

OP if you do attempt to alter in this fashion I highly suggest that you seek out a book or two on tailoring techniques.

Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Men's Wear (F.I.T. Collection) By Roberto Cabrera Buyitonamazon

Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Women's Wear (F.I.T. Collection) By Roberto Cabrera Buyitonamazon

Also the Cutter & Tailor forums is another excellent resource for menswear

Hi there, looked a bit through amazon and came up with some options with good reviews:

one

two

three

four

five

six

seven

Don't know why the spam filter caught you. Should be fixed!

I own the Tortora book - it's a nice reference. I'm unfamiliar with the second. Are the pattern pieces on a scale-able grid? It sounds like I might need to get an addition for my hoard. I already love my Janet Arnolds, and period patterns can be a pain to drape from scratch.

Screen Printing Today is the best book I have read on the subject.

I personally started with this. Great info.

https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Couture-Tailoring-Thomas-Nordheim-ebook/dp/B00D5FOGCA/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

This book is a godsend. It's incredibly detailed, and walks you through every step. A lot of tailoring books kind of assume you have some level of knowledge, but this one talks you through it like you're a complete idiot so if you're self-taught (and therefore, likely have knowledge gaps) you don't end up getting lost because the author assumed you knew something you didn't know.

Also, don't be offput by 'Vintage' in the titles. The tailoring techniques used by vintage tailors are still the very best in the industry, with most of the more recent developments being time/cost-saving methods that really don't produce as good of results.

Speak with class

look fancy doing it

and

...

Dress with style and sophistication

...

How to play the part

and

also

I don't know what your style is, but I own:

Paris Street Style: A Guide to Effortless Chic

Parisian Chic: A Style Guide

The Official Preppy Handbook

True Prep: It's a Whole New Old World

Gentleman: A Timeless Guide to Fashion

This book has been recommended to me by a menswear teacher.

Fundamentals of Men's Design: A Guide to Casual Clothes.

There's a companion volume that gives drafts for more formal clothing.

Unless you're wearing shirts with very wide spread collars and long collar points, you should be fine. Some of the most conservative sources will say you should only wear button-down collars without a tie, but general consensus seems to be that any type of collar looks fine without a tie and with the top button undone, as long as it isn't so widely-spread so as to hang strangely.

At the end of this book

I think they also have them in the premium forums on gigposters.com

http://www.amazon.com/Handmade-Shoes-Men-Lazlo-Vass/dp/3833160454/

bought this book. you should buy it too. put it on your coffee table and let all your guests know you've got shoe game.

http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Guide-Patternmaking-Fashion-Designers/dp/1563673290