from the library

I came across the Dictionary of Children's Clothes at the library the other day. It's a slightly odd book because, as a dictionary, it seems to be missing some important terms. Or at least there were several items I was hoping to read about that I couldn't find.


That said, the book includes a fascinating history of children's clothing and an interesting series of spreads describing the layers of clothing comprising a typical child's wardrobe at various points in history. Of course this was interesting from a historical perspective, but it also surprised me to realize that even today we dress our babies in a lot of layers: diaper, onesie, pants and shirt, sweater, etc. It was surprising to see it all laid out in this manner because I tend to think of our wardrobes as such simple things compared to history. When you compare it all in an apples-to-apples manner, though, those Victorian wardrobes suddenly aren't quite as overwhelming anymore. Not that I'd want to be dressing a child in that manner anyway, but it was interesting to see.



I enjoyed the definitions themselves. But the best part of the book is, of course, the photos! So much to look at. After all, it's published by the Victoria and Albert Museum which, if you've ever visited, contains an amazing collection of design artifacts that defies simple description.

Take a look at the little girl in the corner of this photo. She looks so rounds and tumbly in her layers.


Of course the yellow Mary Janes grabbed my attention, too.


You can see how beautifully each page is laid out, with lots of space given for the photos. Visual candy, really.


I never thought I would give much thought to the design of swim suits for kids (especially girls' swimwear), but this suit caught my eye. It reminds me a bit of the leotard designs on the Wovenplay site. So great.