losthitsu's review
5.0
This book is everything the lavish cover promised when it first caught my eye in a bookstore - informative, detailed, deeply engaged with both Austen's work and clothing history, and well supported by ample, beautiful illustrations.
marissab's review
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.75
Lots of pictures! Consistently informative and engaging. A strong point is the inclusion of many personal details of daily life as found in letters, ledgers, etc.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation and Classism
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Slavery, and War
bloodstonecitadel's review
5.0
Not a light read by any means, but incredibly thorough and comprehensive!
Dress in the Age of Jane Austen looks at nearly every imaginable topic relating to Regency-era English fashions - both men and women's clothes, how clothes were made, what they were made from, where those materials came from, and the society and culture surrounding it all.
Everything circles back to Jane Austen, her letters and novels, and her (unexpectedly) worldly family connections.
In addition to sources and image credits, the end of the book also contains a list of all Jane Austen's characters by book, her family tree, a brief overview of dress construction during the Regency in 5-year increments, and a thorough glossary.
Dress in the Age of Jane Austen looks at nearly every imaginable topic relating to Regency-era English fashions - both men and women's clothes, how clothes were made, what they were made from, where those materials came from, and the society and culture surrounding it all.
Everything circles back to Jane Austen, her letters and novels, and her (unexpectedly) worldly family connections.
In addition to sources and image credits, the end of the book also contains a list of all Jane Austen's characters by book, her family tree, a brief overview of dress construction during the Regency in 5-year increments, and a thorough glossary.
hannahlee's review
4.0
I picked this up expecting it might be yet another fluffy, pandering work of Austen fandom, created with the intent of selling something. I was so, so pleasantly surprised to find it not only a work of serious Austen close-reading, but an impressive scholarly piece exploring every possible aspect of dress in the Regency period. Davidson outdoes all expectations in her thoughtful, well-researched, and readable treatise on this subject. This book is incredibly thorough while still being entertaining. It considers the wider context of history while including many entertaining Austen references and a clear affection for the iconic novelist of the period. Worth a read for anyone who enjoys history, fashion, Austen, or all three! Brava!
berlinbibliophile's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
This book was super informative and presented so beautifully. There are plenty of wonderful illustrations to underline the author's points, and by moving out from the body to the wider world Davidsonis able to cover all sorts of nuances of dress without overwhelming the reader with new terminology. I'll definitely pay more attention to dress in Austen's novels after reading this!
whennnow's review
5.0
Not a light read by any means, but incredibly thorough and comprehensive!
Dress in the Age of Jane Austen looks at nearly every imaginable topic relating to Regency-era English fashions - both men and women's clothes, how clothes were made, what they were made from, where those materials came from, and the society and culture surrounding it all.
Everything circles back to Jane Austen, her letters and novels, and her (unexpectedly) worldly family connections.
In addition to sources and image credits, the end of the book also contains a list of all Jane Austen's characters by book, her family tree, a brief overview of dress construction during the Regency in 5-year increments, and a thorough glossary.
Dress in the Age of Jane Austen looks at nearly every imaginable topic relating to Regency-era English fashions - both men and women's clothes, how clothes were made, what they were made from, where those materials came from, and the society and culture surrounding it all.
Everything circles back to Jane Austen, her letters and novels, and her (unexpectedly) worldly family connections.
In addition to sources and image credits, the end of the book also contains a list of all Jane Austen's characters by book, her family tree, a brief overview of dress construction during the Regency in 5-year increments, and a thorough glossary.
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