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Fashion and Textile Studies

A guide to resources for the study of fashion, clothing, and textile history.

Spines of books on a shelf in BGC Library's stacks

BGC Library's Collections

Browsing

The study of clothing and textiles is vast and interdisciplinary, and the wide range of call numbers where you can find relevant material reflects this diversity of approaches. It also reflects the shortcomings and inherent biases in the Library of Congress Classification system. The call number ranges listed below are good places to start when looking for books.

E98.T35—Native American textile fabrics and weaving
E99—Native American tribes and cultures, alphabetically by tribe
GT500-2370—Costume, dress, and fashion

  • Early ranges include more general works like books on exhibitions and collections of costumes as well as dictionaries and encyclopedias. Books are then arranged by time period, region or country, and class (including age, gender, and occasion), followed by books on specific materials and articles of clothing.

GV749.U53—Sports uniforms
HD—Industries and labor
NK 2775-3296—Rugs and carpets, tapestries, upholstery, drapery
NK4700-4890—Costume and its accessories

  • Early ranges include more general works like books on exhibitions and collections of costumes, followed by display and conservation techniques. Books are then arranged by region or country, followed by books on specific artists or firms.

NK8800-9505.5—Textile art and needlework, including books on embroidery, lace, quilts, and printed/decorated fabrics

  • Early ranges include more general works like books on exhibitions and collections of costumes, followed by display and conservation techniques. Books are then arranged by region or country, books on specific artists or firms, and then books by material or type.

TP890-933—Textile bleaching, dyeing, printing, etc.
TR679—Fashion photography
TS1300-1865—Textile industries
TT198—Upholstering 
TT387-410—Soft home furnishings, including bedding, curtains, and pillows
TT490-695—Dressmaking, tailoring, and fashion

  • TT 505 Designer biographies

TT699-854.5—Homecrafts, textile arts and crafts

  • TT700-715—Sewing
  • TT720-730—Mending 
  • TT740-829—Decorative and fancy needlework
  • TT835-836—Quilting and patchwork
  • TT845—Tools and supplies
  • TT848—Weaving

UC460-535—Military clothing and equipment
UC590-595—Standards. Colors. Flags
VC300-345—Sailors’ uniforms

Searching

In addition to using keywords, try searching by subject in the library catalog to find relevant books. Because subject headings use consistent language, using them to search can help you find books in other languages and books lacking descriptive records that you might not discover through keyword searches alone. As you find books in the catalog, you can note the different subject headings used and try them in future searches.

Below are a few commonly used subject headings to do with clothing and textiles:

  • Clothing and dress​
  • Clothing and dress in art
  • Costume 
  • Design - fashion
  • Dyes and dyeing
  • Fashion 
  • Fashion designers
  • Fibers 
  • Textile design 
  • Textile fabrics 
  • Textile printing

Some subject headings may be divided, or made more specific, by geographic location, ethnicity, or era:

  • Embroidery - Japan
  • Fashion - United States - 19th century

Topics can be further specified as follows:

  • Silk - China - History
  • Fashion - Social aspects
  • Costume - Symbolic aspects

Related headings of note:

  • Social life and customs