Well read
TITLE Swinging Sixties
AUTHOR Edited by Christopher Breward, David Gilbert and Jenny Lister
PUBLISHER V&A Publications
Even just a quick flip through this eclectic book will take readers directly into the swinging era in which an attitude of "anything goes" reflected the shifting politics and culture of the day.
Sixties fashion belonged to London and the book focused on fashion in London and beyond from the period from 1995 to 1970 in which the Brits set the tone of the fashions and fads and the world pretty much followed.
Lavishly illustrated with lots of great photographs, the book showcases the lively fashion of the sixties period, in which tailored suits, mini skirts, pretty dresses nipped in at the waist and trench coats featured dominantly.
We also get some insight into the designers who have shaped this era in a fashion sense including John Bates, Ossie Clark (a major force behind short structured clothes) and Mary Quant (better known for her jersey mini dress and off beat designs) and talks about their sources of inspiration which included American teenage fashions and R&B Music.
There is also a chapter devoted to London's boutique look and the techniques shop owners used to attract customers - open rails, theatrical effects, topless models, sophisticated window displays, sliding wall to wall mirrors and fantasy themes to name a few.
Other areas explored include city life, the media, film and "London on tour".
Lavishly illustrated and packed with interesting facts about this exciting era, this book will interest anyone with a penchant for sixties fashion. It creates a
TITLE The New English Dandy
AUTHOR Alice Cicolini
PUBLISHER Thames & Hudson
Unlike most fashion books that focus on women's fashion, this book is refreshing in that it focuses purely on men's fashion and the elite notion of dandyism.
The reader is offered six "takes" on modern British gents in their peacocky prime and the designers who design for him.
Over six chapters, and 260 illustrations, we are introduced to The Gentleman (the "standard bearer for contemporary quality"), the Neo-Modernist (who wears "sharp, tailored suits, with crisp, clean lines, cut from luxurious materials in sombre tones"), East End Flaneur (rooted in a "flamboyant urban camouflage"), the celebrity tailor (featuring vibrant colour and sparkling fabric), the terrace casual (characterised by meticulous attention to detail and dedication) and the New Briton ("visual languages made through reflection on cultural change").
The English Dandy sets the pattern for modern masculinity and celebrates the return of the well-dressed man. Cicolini has also included a reference section with a tailor's glossary, various style tips and contact information.
After a number of years working in the London offices of the British Council, author, Alice Cicolini is now based in Delhi where she heads the Arts and Culture Department of the British Council in India.