CONS: Costume Design

The Library of Congress site provides access to thousands of photographs and documents in its collection. A number of photo collections record life during the Civil War, nineteenth and turn of the century America, small town and rural life during the Depression, architecture and design from the 1930's to the 1950's and more. Other digitized historical materials include manuscripts, prints, posters, maps, sound recordings, motion pictures, books, pamplets, and sheet music.

Access to 1,900 images of architecture and interior decoration covering 2800 B.C. to late twentieth century from the eight volume slide collection Architecture, Interiors and Furniture by Stephen Sbarge. Textual description for images of each period is included as a PDF.

This site is an archive of over 400 digitized photographs of professional Shakespeare productions on stage, screen, television, ballet and opera. This site may be of special interest to theatre costume specialists.

This gallery created by costumer Penny E. Dunlap Ladnier offers over 2,500 images of fashion and costume from the Byzantine and Medieval period to the 20th century.

Links to information on ethnic, theatrical, science fiction, and fantasy costumes. Includes museums as well as "how-to sites", and sources for supplies.

A selection from collections at Wayne State University, The Henry Ford, Detroit Historical Museums and Meadowbrook Hall online so that researchers may "look" closely.

Excellent source for information on the history and design of Elizabethan costume.

Offers links to clothing & costume history sites and museums & visual resources.

Access to 1,488 images of costumes through the ages from the six volume slide collection History of Costume by Jeanne Button, Patricia Quinn Stuart and Stephen Sbarge.

Period costume from the Middle Ages to early 20th century with 4,000 costume pictures, articles and some period patterns.

A rare collection of renderings for over 150 productions in England and the U.S. designed by the Motley Group from 1932 to 1976 for plays by Shakespeare and modern classics, opera, ballet, and motion pictures. Images include costume and set designs, sketches, notes, photographs, prop lists, storyboards, and fabric swatches

Links to a number of sites for costume and art. There is a helpful "Timeline of Costume History" with information and links to costume resources covering ancient Babylon to twentieth century western costume.

Includes 500 designs for historical dress from ancient times through the 19th century.

Over 30,000 digitized images from the New York Public Library Picture Collection. Most of the images were created before 1923. Many costume categories are covered (clothing & dress, fashion drawings, fur fashions, gloves, hats, hairdressing, hosiery, shoes) but additional categories cover American life and history.

Links, resources and information about many areas of technical theatre.