This is a vivid record, in words, illustrations and working diagrams, of a section of women's clothing design from 1600 to 1930. The author was in charge of costume at the Theatre Studio run by Michel Saint-Denis in the 1930s.

Norah Waugh's book has, for many years, been the definitive work of reference for teachers and students of fashion design, for dress designers, for costume makers - and anyone who is seriously interested in the history and construction of women's clothes.

Each period in the history of costume has produced its own characteristic line and silhouette, and the book includes numerous patterns taken from actual dresses, many of them rare museum specimens, illustrated by line sketches of the garments themselves. There are detailed notes on the production of women's dress with diagrams from and references to early technical books and journals.