Ready To Tear: Paper Fashions of the 60s
By Jonathan Walford, Published by Kickshaw Productions, May 2007 - ISBN 0978223004
Paper clothing may have seemed like a space age idea at the time, after all, the 1960s weren’t about the past, they were about the future, and what else was the space generation going to wear in lunar cities? Disposable paper clothing of course! Disposable and easily alterable, paper dresses became canvasses of Op Art and Super-graphics or psychedelic paisley and flower power prints. And in the days before T-shirt art, the paper dress was the fashion billboard. Advertising products or political candidates, the paper dress was the perfect medium for the message. However, there had been an established use of paper for making fashions dating back centuries before the self-consciously modern 1960s came along. Ready to Tear is a fascinating foray into a fantastic fad. From its origins to its popular and revolutionary use and quick demise in the 1960s, the paper dress evoked so much media attention at the height of its popularity that few thought it would ever go away.

Signed editions available:
http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?BID=9549301007&pwork=10589305&siteID=5Nv03vHgBCI-HRWGiN61WiuhSyytLlkptQ

 

The Seductive Shoe: Four Centuries of Fashion Footwear
By Jonathan Walford, foreword by Beth Levine, Published by Thames & Hudson, September 2007 -  ISBN1584796227. Also available in French, German and Italian editions.
The Seductive Shoe is a walk through the closets of the past four hundred years. From spiked stilettos to negative heels and from platform soles to ballerina flats, all is documented in this bible of footwear styles, materials and production methods. Organized by time and by style, this ravishing book, uniquely illustrated with photographs of real period shoes is a must have for the shoe addict. Exploring how historical events and social change have influenced styles and production, Jonathan Walford shows why almost-forgotten designs will still appeal today. Fabulous images of conversation-starting shoes with revealing commentaries fill the pages. There is an illustrated section devoted to biographical notes on shoemakers, designers and manufacturers who have shaped footwear history, and a detailed glossary of all the main terms. Reviewed in publications including British Vogue and The Daily Express, and available from a variety of retailers, from Amazon.com to Neiman Marcus.

Signed editions available: http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?invid=9549918446&quserid=KICKSHAW&qsort=&cm_sp=merch-_-sellerstore-_-title

 

Forties Fashion: From Siren Suits to the New Look
By Jonathan Walford, Published by Thames & Hudson, November 2008 ISBN 0500514291. Also available in a French edition.
When war was declared in September 1939 the priorities of fashionable women were altered. In Allied nations governments stirred patriotic hearts for women to become involved in the war but duty did not take priority over femininity. Advertisers were sure to instill that looking lovely at all times was a necessary morale booster for the path to victory even in the wake of rationing, utility fashions, and making do and mending. With Paris severed from the role of fashion delineator, styles were created independent of the traditional centre of creativity. Using the least amount of fabric possible, a broad-shouldered silhouette made women appear tall and capable, ready to take care of the home front while the men were off to fight. But despite everything that worked against extravagance, fashions continued to change. In America, designers had their chance to finally work, free of the influences of Paris, to create a truly American style that became the foundation of American sportswear. In peace, Paris regained its role as fashion doyenne, but never with the same absolute power it had enjoyed.
 Available November 2008