Janet Arnold was a historian of fashion, which combined her two greatest passions: the theatre and clothes. Her early books were conceived as aids for the fashion and theatre students she taught, but as her unique range and depth of knowledge became apparent, more and more museums and other institutions sought her advice and, today, her books are essential tools for the study of dress and have been used throughout the world. Jenny Tiramani was Janet's last pupil and during the first ten years of Shakespeare's Globe she worked with Janet's published patterns to realize accurate copies of the original garments and their accessories. Santina Levey is Janet Arnold's Literary Executor and a historian of fashion.

Patterns of Fashion 1 focuses on Englishwomen's dresses and their construction form 1660 up to 1860--when the sewing machine came into general use. Drawings taken from original garment specimens in collections throughout England are supplemented with details showing their construction and laid out on grid paper along with construction comments and fabric details. From wrapping gowns, riding habits, pelisses, and chemises to sack dresses, morning dresses, and wedding dresses Janet Arnold lays out patterns for costume construction. Contains 180 black and white illustrations. 28 patterns.