Note: After a Fashion is currently out of stock.

How to Reproduce, Restore, and Wear Vintage Styles

By Frances Grimble

Praise for the First Edition

“A complete guide to the reproduction, restoration, and wearing of vintage styles. … There’s a large and unique section on making your own patterns from a variety of sources, such as from gridded scale drawings or pattern drafts from books, scaling pattern drawings with a projector, copying original garments, writing your own sewing instructions once you have the pattern, and even using vintage patterns. [The book includes] detailed sections on taking body measurements and altering patterns, and on repairing and altering vintage garments.”

—— Threads

“The techniques are shown on each of the periods, but in ways that apply to all, so you get the maximum benefit throughout the book. With practical instructions and clear illustrations, the author and illustrator lead you through research, pattern drafting, choosing the best patterns and materials, reproduction techniques, mending and altering period or vintage garments, and much, much more. A large appendix of resources, books, supplies, periodicals, and organizations is a treasure trove. The author … openly shares all the tips and hints she’s learned along the way.”

—— Reenactor’s Journal

“Most of the book’s sewing instructions are numbered and illustrated, and they’re among the clearest I’ve seen in any sewing resource. The entire book is organized for easy reference.”

—— Sew News

“The introduction to this book states that it ‘is for everyone who wears historic styles, reproduction or real’ including reenactors, vintage clothing collectors, dealers, and others who need to produce their own costumes. If you are any of the above and if you could buy only one book, this book should be it. … Should become the standard source on this subject.”

—— Rags

“One of the most wonderful sewing/historical costuming books I’ve ever read.” “I will recommend this book to people starting to sew their reenacting clothes. It covers basically everything a costumer (or costume collector) needs to know about historic clothes.” “Whenever I’m trying to figure out how to restore a vintage piece, this is the book I turn to.” “A wonderful work that has something for everyone—beginner to advanced.” “I’ve been sewing for over 30 years, and After a Fashion is definitely the most valuable sewing book I own. It’s just full of great advice, and absolutely indispensable if you’re repairing and restoring vintage garments.” “Hard-to-find information is unified and clearly presented. I know I’ll use it as a reference for a long time and recommend it often.” “Like five books for the price of one.” “Engaging, informative, well written—a wonderful resource!”

—— Reader comments

Table of Contents (readable with Adobe Acrobat)

Author Biography

Frances Grimble is the author of The Lady’s Stratagem: A Repository of 1820s Directions for the Toilet, Mantua-Making, Stay-Making, Millinery & Etiquette, Reconstruction Era Fashions: 350 Sewing, Needlework, and Millinery Patterns 1867–1868, Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 1: Undergarments, Bodices, Skirts, Overskirts, Polonaises, and Day Dresses 1877–1882, Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 2: Evening, Bridal, Sports, Outerwear, Accessories, and Dressmaking 1877–1882, Bustle Fashions 1885–1887: 41 Patterns with Fashion Plates and Suggestions for Adaptation, Directoire Revival Fashions 1888–1889: 57 Patterns with Fashion Plates and Suggestions for Adaptation, The Voice of Fashion: 79 Turn-of-the-Century Patterns with Instructions and Fashion Plates, and The Edwardian Modiste: 85 Authentic Patterns with Instructions, Fashion Plates, and Period Sewing Techniques. Over 60 of her articles on sewing and vintage clothes have appeared in national magazines, such as Threads, Sew News, and Antique Trader Weekly. Frances Grimble has been a how-to writer and editor since 1983. She has worked for book publishers, magazine publishers, and software companies; she has written a number of user manuals and coauthored a computer book.

Frances Grimble has substantial formal education in researching social history and in clothing design. In 1974 she began making historical reproductions for periods from the Renaissance into the 1920s; she tries to schedule regular sewing time in addition to that required by her writing projects. Since 1972, she has collected vintage clothing and accessories from the late 18th century into the mid 20th.

Publication Data

8 1/2” x 11” quality paperback
376 pages
147 line drawings
Bibliography, resource list, metric conversion table, index
ISBN: 978-0-9636517-0-9
LCCN: 98-66237
Cover price: $38

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