All the Rage

This is one of my favorite books! I may have a different edition than another reviewer referenced here, but my copy is extensively sourced (detailed bibliography in the back, extensive picture credits) and the paintings appear to be the real deal. The editors of Time Life didn't mess around with fakes.I am particularly interested in this topic; I also have other books in this series and it is clear that the editors attempted to assemble a huge library of information, approaching it from quirky angles. In this volume, the subject is fashion, and each chapter deals with a different aspect of our obsession with appearance. The extreme ways in which we have manipulated our bodies in pursuit of an ideal, self-destructive cosmetic practices (like the Elizabethans whitening their faces with deadly lead and reddening lips with mercury), hair removal practices through history, hair styles and styling techniques going back to the ancients and including the towering creations of the 1700s, etc. And, of course, clothes. There is a whole chapter on "trend setters," folks like Beau Brummel, Mary Pickford, The Duke of Windsor, Twiggy, Madame de Pompadour, and lots of other fascinating characters from history. "All the Rage" came out in 1992, before piercing and tattooing were as mainstream as they are now; I remember being awed by the photos of both practices found here.I'm surprised at the age range listed here. I would say this book is for age 12 to adult. Fashion serves here as a jumping off point for great stories and historical lessons. The design is dated, but the info and pictures are still great. It is too bad this volume is out of print! Grab a copy if you can get one.