The best Fashion books: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

I find it unfortunate that Bodega didn’t give more credit to scholar and author W. David Marx (aka Marxy), who wrote the definitive book on Ametora, called... wait for it… Ametora! The article shamelessly rips a lot of its substance from the pages of his amazing book.

Highly recommended reading. Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style https://www.amazon.com/dp/0465059732/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xHFsCbB3PYVTQ

Edit: more than half way through he gets two mentions, one of which calls his book the Bible of Ametora, so I revised shameful to unfortunate.

One fun thing to do is take this dress, make a pattern from it, and then make some tailoring adjustments for your next dress. With each one, you will learn new techniques. It's sort of fun to learn how your body fits clothes. This book is very pattern-oriented, but it is amazing for figuring out "fit issues". Excuse all the dorky looking clothes and models. https://www.amazon.com/Fit-Real-People-Clothes-Pattern/dp/0935278656

Very cute! Added to my liked patterns. There are seamed patterns out there, I'm exaggerating a little, but they're definitely far, far outnumbered by circular sweaters.
This is why I design my own patterns a lot of the time. The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns is really, well, handy for this, since it breaks a lot of the math down for you based on gauge. If you want a design feature like a puffed sleeve or something you have to futz with it, but it's a good starting point.

Not an article (sorry), but I really enjoyed this book. It does sort of lean more into the Japanese streetwear trend towards the second half of the book, but it's all around a great read if you haven't heard of it before. You could also check Heddels for their articles on the history of particular fashion brands and articles of clothing, they might have something.

Bing bing bing! That would be great if your boobs were located under your armpits. :D

Yes, you need to add the fullness where the mountains are located. There are different methods for an FBA and I've even created a few more. Too bad I never made a video, but lots of ppl follow my blog for this very reason.

Anyway, as a starting point, I recommend:

• Fit for Real People (book)
• Full Busted? (video) - I left a review on this video back in 2011, when it had zero reviews. Now it has a lot!

By the way, I use different techniques for knits, wovens, princess seams, etc.

Good luck!

There are a lot of crap YouTubers. They often have a lot of confidence in their self-taught ability, and then they proceed to teach the worst technique. I’d get a good book first so that you can approach YouTube with enough knowledge to be a little skeptical.

Pattern Drafting for Fashion Design is common for those learning it for the industry.

https://www.amazon.com/Patternmaking-Fashion-Design-Joseph-Armstrong/dp/9332518114/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=FGZTIIL5BL6C&keywords=pattern+drafting&qid=1671034620&sprefix=pattern+drafting%2Caps%2C324&sr=8-4

You can ask questions at r/patterndrafting

I’m going to try the raglan from The Knitters Handy Book of Sweaters for the first time. The book might be worth a look from your local library. I also have a copy of Knitter's Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges but it’s a more complicated method, but worth a look if you can check it out of the library.

Your sweater looks very nice and fits well, but if you want to have it go easier next time, try The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges. I’ve knitted hats, mittens, and gloves using a different book in the series, but I’m referencing that one for my next cardigan, the first of my own design, mostly because I can’t find the right free pattern for my latest Ice Yarns bargain.

David Page Coffin — Shirtmaking: Developing Skills for Fine Sewing (Taunton Press) — published in 1998, still in print. The “definitive resource” — tons of good information, excellent presentation. One of my all-time favorites.

I just looked at the pattern again and realized that row gauge is important. If you follow it as written without adding rows, it with be too short. I suggest you might want to buy a nice used copy of The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges. You can make sweaters in different sizes and gauges.

There’s a book on Amazon that is like the fabric bible but I believe it’s crazy expensive.

I’ll be honest, there’s a lot to learn. The best way is to just buy swatches, go to your local fabric store and investigate. Touch, feel, understand.

This is the book.

Over time you’ll learn what you like and what you don’t like and you’ll learn all about the fibres but just take it slow, don’t try to learn everything at once, and have fun!

This book, Shirtmaking, is how I learned to make my own shirts.

Whenever you learn sewing get this book: Patternmaking for Fashion Design https://www.amazon.com/dp/9332518114/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_QQ6FC85Q4KVC5W84EH0A It will help guide you through a lot of basics for garment construction. And was a course textbook in my fashion design education. All of your designs looked possible to make.

It's basically the height and width of a knit stitch and the height and width of the intended garment. The former depends on yarn, needles, knitter and even knitter's mood. Looking at a pattern that has a good schematic will help with the latter.

Ann Budd's Knitter's Handy Book Of Sweater Pattern: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges may give you some answers if you can borrow it from a library (or buy it). She has tables of measurements.

I would recommend this book. I have a small stack of men's shirt patterns, but I haven't made any of them yet so I can't really recommend any particular one. The one's I've made were from patterns pulled from existing shirts.

As for whether or not it's foolish, I certainly don't think so. I'd start with an inexpensive fabric and make a toile or two, figure out the fit and any alterations that may be needed, but I'd also suggest finishing them as practice. There are quite a few ways to turn collars and to attach them, so I'd make a few of those for the practice and to see what works for you. You'll probably also want to test the buttonholes and such on scrap fabric.

The way you finish the seams and small details and how much you press as you go will really determine the difference between looking professionally made and looking home made. If you can encase a seam or fell it, it'll almost always look and feel better than overlocking no matter what the pattern says. If you don't have one, buy a good iron.

Get a copy of 'Dressing the Man' by Alan Flusser. It has been in print for almost two decades and is becoming a classic. ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060191449 )

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1931499438/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_JQ61WXVDDDCYYGFR9SJE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Ann Budd's book - Knitter's handy book of sweater patterns! It does provide some patterns, but it primarily talks about design and how the patterns work. (She has a similar book for top-down sweaters, if you like those better!)

I'm going to second swatching it. The pattern should have a schematic of the blocked sweater so you can do some Fancy Math™ to figure out how many stitches you need to have for the size you're looking for. The armhole decreases on the sleeves and the body will need reworking as well, but you could probably use a resource like The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns to help you with your calculations.

I found this book helpful way back when I had the bandwidth to think about construction outside patterns The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns https://www.amazon.com/dp/1931499438/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_P7GYMFYHQ6H53P49FJP4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Dressing the man leans towards classic styles, but it also has some really good tips, including what colors go best with what skintones and how to match things. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060191449/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_N2Q59S2M9KKQ20182ZD8

Very clumsily worded, but, Japanese reiterations of western garments are on another level.

And folk in Japan who are into clothes are deeply immersed in it, very knowledgeable about fabric, cut drape and the history of garments..

Quite a few British heritage brands openly admit that without the very specialised nature of the Japanese market that their goods would no longer be in production.

W.DAVID MARX's Ametora is a good primer in Japanese cultures obsession with Americana..https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ametora-Japan-Saved-American-Style/dp/0465059732

Strange Brew by tin can knits is a good base pattern for colorwork yolk sweaters. Also, books for how to design a sweater and good recipe type things with lots of different gauges and sizes. Here is one I have and like

I recommend these two books

The Knitter's Handy Book of... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1931499438?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Vogue® Knitting The Ultimate... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1942021690?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

The relationship between Japan and traditional American styles (prep, Ivy looks, workwear, western wear) is really fascinating. “Ametora” is sort of <em>the book</em> when it comes to learning about this trend, but there are plenty of good summaries available online.

That’s why some of the “best” Americana or Ivy League type clothes are actually coming from Japanese brands - Kamakura, Beams, and roughly a million different selvedge denim brands.

https://www.amazon.ca/Fruits-Shoichi-Aoki/dp/0714840831

the dudes hair is spikier a than clouds. but you tell me about historical construction of race in anime. lol.

the blond on black trend started in japan.

you sound so fucking white. imagining yourself in all the things. literally this is a fight i have with white weebs all the time. they cant stand theyre not the protags of everything.

i guess i can view a world that is not axiomatic to whiteness and produced in asia.

A lot of the styles in this game was inspired by the street fashion of early 90s Japan. https://www.amazon.com/Fruits-Shoichi-Aoki/dp/0714840831/ref=nodl_

The book Fruits. Is a nice visual collection of a lot of the popular street styles.

I had a job where I had to wear suits every day for a few years. I can't recommend Dressing the Man by Alan Flusser highly enough. I didn't have the traditional family unit and I credit this book for teaching me how to navigate formal and business dress.

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

I would recommend a grey suit and a navy, find your color palate and patterns you like, and buy items that fit within that. For me, I like white dress shirts with cool color, small scale checks which are usually blue. Medium to large scale striped or patterned ties, and a tan belt and shoes.

Stick with the same colors and cuts forever, those are dictated by your body type, but then experiment with patterns, pattern scale, and textures. Wool and knit ties are nice in the fall and winter, for instance.

I have, on numerous occasions, waxed poetic about my utter disdain for loafers. They have even caused a negative visceral reaction on occasion. However, I just finished Ametora and I keep reading those stupid Style and Fashion drawings from Put This On, and I feel the Dark Side of the Force taking hold.

As much as I’d love to teach this myself, I feel like I should just recommend you a textbook I use a lot in my design program. I’m on mobile so I can’t embed, so here’s a link:

Patternmaking for Fashion Design https://www.amazon.com/dp/9332518114/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RWQhBbMKVEAAE

It gives a pretty solid walkthrough on drafting loads of different garment elements, as well as slopers from measurements. There’s a good number of different sleeve types, as well as how to fit them to different bodies. I’ll admit it’s not great at including menswear options, but hey, they’re usually simpler, so I can usually manage those on my own. It’s pretty cheap for something so useful, especially if you buy used.

> Any idea the price range on Alan flusser?

I have no clue however he is an authority on how to choose clothing based on your individual characteristics. This book of his explains what he means:

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

> Also, any thoughts on balani custom clothiers?

I am not familiar with them.