Bloomsbury Dress and Costume Library

Content This recent addition to Bloomsbury Fashion Central supports the exploration of historical dress and costume history and design through a range of scholarly and practical materials. There are more than 65 ebooks, including definitive reference works (The Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Film and Television Costume Design; Norah Waugh’s Cut of Men’s Clothes and Cut of Women’s Clothes; several books from Richard Corson’s seminal “Fashions In” series), many of which are available digitally for the first time. There are also 10 garment study videos that analyze key garments and contextual articles from dress historian Valerie Cumming that provide insights into, for example, worldwide dress and the work of early dress historians. Among the other resources is a visual time line of key moments in costume history, from the ancient world through the 21st century.

Usability Bloomsbury Dress and Costume Library is visually appealing and intuitive. Dropdowns in the homepage’s top navigation menu allow browsing by content type, design house, person, period, and place. A separate section on content type provides easy access to articles, ebooks, encyclopedias, and videos. Users can also click on suggestions for popular starting-off points (“construction”; “the Ancient World”; “hair styling”). The interactive time line at the bottom of the page (also accessible through the top menu) offers snapshots of pivotal moments and trends in dress history.

Researchers conducting more focused searches can use the prominent search bar at the top of the homepage, with options for keyword and advanced search. Results are drawn from Bloomsbury Dress and Costume Library and may include materials from the larger Fashion Central platform, depending on each library’s subscription package. Relevant results are displayed at right, and options for refining results are at left; response time is outstanding. Searches can be limited by content type and by a definitive list of categories, (including “design and making,” “dress,” “fashion business,” and “textiles, materials, and colors”) and relevant subcategories. For instance, the “design and making” category is subdivided into “design,” “tools and equipment,” “couture,” and “construction.”

Pricing Bloomsbury Dress and Costume Library is available by subscription ($720 to $4,321) or as perpetual access ($4,321 to $25,929) with annual updates available for purchase. A mandatory hosting fee of $200 to $600 will begin one year after the initial purchase; the fee is waived in any year that additional content is purchased. Pricing is based on size and type of institution, and discounts may be available from consortia.

Verdict This well-designed, stimulating resource offers robust content for students, instructors, and researchers of dress history and design, including film and theater costuming. Essential for institutions subscribing to Bloomsbury Fashion Central and highly recommended for institutions seeking an interdisciplinary resource on dress and costume history.