Dress design $b: an account of costume for artists & dressmakers

"Dress Design: An Account of Costume for Artists & Dressmakers" by Talbot Hughes is an early 20th-century manual that dives into the history of clothing, acting as a resource for artists and dressmakers. It looks at how fashion changed over time, presenting useful ideas and pictures for modern dressmakers, and connects them to past styles. The author shares the book's goals and explains why costume design is important, blending art with how-to knowledge. Understanding costume ideas like newness, how well clothes fit, and mixing design with good work, are very important according to the author. Citing his study of clothing through the years and using examples from old clothes and sewing patterns, Hughes aims to help readers with their own designs, joining old-fashioned methods with what's new.