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Theatre History & Practice

This subject guide is designed to help you find resources for the study of theatre and dance.

Finding materials on costume design

Here are some subject headings to use in searching for books on costumes and makeup:

Costume

Costume design

Costume history

Clothing and dress

Fashion

Masks

Theatrical makeup

Large Pictorial Costume Books

For large pictorial costume books, be sure to check the GT 500 call numbers in the Reference Room on the second floor of Gorgas.  Here are some highlights:

Recommended Journal

Costume: The Journal of the Costume Society.  GT500 .C67x
The print copy of this journal is shelved on floor 4M.  Also available electronically by clicking on the link.

A couple of useful databases

Berg Fashion Library
This database provides both text and images on world dress and fashion throughout history. Content includes the Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion.

Vogue Archive
This is a complete searchable archive of American Vogue from 1892 to the present. Every page, including cover, ads and fold-outs, is included. This is a great resource for costume designers.