Book excerpt: Directoire Revival Fashions 1888-1889 contains an in-depth selection of high-quality women's clothing patterns from the end of the bustle era. During these years, picturesque styles evoking the late 18th and early 19th centuries were popular. The silhouette progressively deflated from one with considerable back fullness and puffy draperies to the comparatively narrow one of the early 1890s. This book contains practical patterns for undergarments and morning wear; wrappers and tea gowns; skirts and overskirts; ensembles consisting of a bodice, skirt, and draperies; ensembles consisting of a polonaise and a skirt; house, street, and evening dresses; outfits for lawn tennis and riding; and outer jackets, coats, and wraps. The patterns are drawn from rare original issues of The Voice of Fashion magazine. They were used by both amateur and professional dressmakers to make up the mainstream styles of the day, and are very similar to patterns published by Butterick. These patterns are enlarged with apportioning scales, which are provided in this book, along with step-by-step instructions. Apportioning scales are special rulers that enable you to draft custom sizes, from queen size to doll size, without doing arithmetic. Many patterns in this book are accompanied by supplementary illustrations with detailed descriptions, drawn from Butterick's Delineator magazine. Each supplement shows optional style variations that can be produced by using flat pattern alteration techniques, or by substituting a garment section from a different pattern in this book. The descriptions include information on construction and fabrics. Selections from fashion columns in The Delineator and Harper's Bazar, and from a circa 1890 dressmaking manual, add information on construction and on style trends. Also drawn from The Delineator are instructions and illustrations for 34 trimmings and 85 accessories. The book's glossary explains period fabric names and dressmaking terms. Directoire Revival Fashions 1888-1889 is a rich pattern source for readers who recreate period clothing for theater and film; living history; Old West and single-action shooting events; steampunk and goth outfits; bridal parties; or dolls. It's a valuable identification and dating tool for costume historians and vintage clothing collectors. And it will spark ideas for fashion designers.