This piece of work is a marvelous piece to be published under the topic of Fashion History. As it was the first book I read on my interest of the subject it thoroughly explained to me all details of society, politics, sociality, influence and many other aspects belonging to the history of Fashion. The pages are well presented with many images. Photographs, portraits, plates and many other sources. Quotations are used effectively, without disturbing the texts. There is a wonderful flow to the novel, it moves through time so concisely, it is really interesting and has lead me into the world of Fashion History with great enthusiasm.
As for positive aspects, the flow of the book, and such knowledge in the novel, one barely notices how many details enter ones memory. Generally, the texts describe the coming and development of a certain piece of Fashion, also how it appears, and how many new techniques have been formed and precisely how they were made. The only negative critisism which I can valuably make, is that not all the techniques used in costume-description were not explained, merely refered to, and as a beginner I was not familiar with the term. However, Laver has built a fine book of interesting subjects and remarks, honoured by his fine language, to build this piece of literature.
The novel is of perfect size, neither too short nor too long, I honour the talent of James Laver for writing "Costume and Fashion: a Concise History (World of Art" in such a magnificant manner, I can say that it is well recommended by me. I did not only find this novel a great entrery into this subject but I very much enjoyed reading it. Laver has used humour in some mild cases so that ironic twists noted upon in his sources have been mentioned, this also helps the reader to experience the qualities of the source (if it is a diary) and this helps that time period to spring alive to the reader.