Men’s Fashion Book Guide – 100 Books For Your Menswear Library

We often get asked: what books do you recommend for someone like me? As you can imagine, it all depends on you: your needs, your taste, your budget, your preference…

At the Gentleman’s Gazette, we have hundreds of books related to men’s clothing and it is always difficult to pinpoint what book works best for one person.

Therefore, we curated a list of 100+ books from my collection that we recommend for various reasons. Not every book is good for everybody, except our must-haves. For nice to have or niche books, we try to explain who the book is for.

Some of you may be interested in creating a library of your own, while others want to learn more about men’s clothing or maybe just investigate a specific detail. To facilitate the process of finding the right book for you, I created a table with the 100 titles that contains just the basic information. In addition, I added the following functions:

1. Search: Just type in a keyword at the top right, hit enter and see what comes up

2. Sorting: You can sort the books by title, author, genre or importance, so you can quickly find what’s right for you

3. Pages: You can choose on the top left, whether you want to see 10, 25, 50 or all 100 books at once, so it’s up to you whether you want to scroll or not. If you display less than 100, you can still sort or just click through the various pages on the bottom right.

This list only contains English language books, and it is by no means definitive. I simply selected the ones that I thought are most useful to you, and as such I omitted all dissertations since they are often very focused on just one particular matter and too academic for most people to enjoy. Moreover, I dismissed a few titles that I don’t think are worth reading and sorted out others that were too specialized. However, if you think we must have missed something, please let me know, and we might add it if I think it makes sense.

To order the book you like from amazon simply click on the link or the cover picture.

Gentlemen of The Golden Age by Sven Raphael Schneider

A Gentleman’s Wardrobe  by Paul Keers

A clothing guide from the late 1980’s on 120 pages – nothing revolutionary new but he mentions a few things that  you won’t find in Flusser’s must-haves.

A History of Men’s Fashion by Farid Chenoune

In my opinion, a must have, because Farid Chenoune really dives in deep to the matter of men’s clothing history and although not a dissertation, it is academically sound. He provides a wealth of helpful pictures and explains how menswear evolved, especially over the last 200 years from a French perspective.

A Man’s Book by Jane Waller

Great book about men’s fashion in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

A Style Is Born by Anderson & Sheppard

I would call this a vanity book by the bespoke tailor shop that prides itself on the drape cut. Apart from beautiful pictures and tidbits about the history, you will also find a large section on customers and how they wear A&S suits. For more information, take a look at my review.

A Well-Dressed Gentleman’s Pocket Guide by Oscar Lenius

A pocket guide by the German haberdasher SøR that will be helpful to the one who wants to learn about classic men’s clothing without becoming overwhelmed.

ABCs of Men’s Fashion by Hardy Amies

Encyclopedically structured book from with subjective focus on terms related to men’s fashion from A to Z with helpful advice.

Accessoires by F. Volker Feyerabend

Bilingual (English & German) book full of illustrations of accessories for men and women that will be interesting to designers.

Antique Cufflinks 1860 – 1960 by Guy-David Lambrechts

Coffee table book with several thousand high-quality pictures of cuff links by the Belgian collector Guy-David Lambrechts. For more information, click here.

Apparel Arts: Fashion is the News by Giannino Malossi & A. Shugaar

Very rare book about the famous magazine Apparel Arts that I cite quite frequently. Although just a small fraction of the magazine’s illustrations are the subject matter of this book, it provides some commentary about the period and its style. If you can get your hand on one of these, grab it and if you don’t like it, you can always sell it to us. 

Bert Bacharach’s Book For Men by Bert Bacharach

A 159-page clothing guide from the 1950’s written by an American fashion editor. Interesting tidbits and rules in an easy to read format.

Bespoke by Anderson Richard Anderson

Autobiography / vanity book of a Savile Row establishment.

Bespoke James Sherwood

Picture-driven coffee table book about the tailoring houses on Savile Row.

The manufacture of Boots and Shoes F.Y. Golding

Interesting insights into how quality shoes used to be made. Considering it is free, there is no reason not to take a look at it.

British Military Uniforms by James Laver

Small book with illustrations about glorious British Military Uniforms – definitely only of interest to the advanced clothes enthusiast.

Cary Grant: A Celebration of Style Richard Torregrossa

Book about the stylish actor.

Churchill Style by Barry Singer

Analysis and biography about the style of Winston Churchill, for more information, take a look here.

Classic Tailoring Techniques by Cabrera Roberto Cabrera

A book for people interested in the tailoring aspect of men’s clothing.

Clothes And The Man Sidney by D. Barney

Small British clothing guide with interesting tidbits and tables about what to wear on what occasion. Take a look at my review.

 

Clothes And The Man by Alan Flusser

I consider it to be a must have because Alan Flusser probably sold the most books worldwide about men’s fashion, and although not his first book, this one is the foundation of his fame.

Brioni by Farid Chenoune

A little book with some insights to the famous Roman tailoring house.

Buttons & Sundries by Vittoria De Buzzaccarini

Niche book, just about buttons.

Clothes Cleaning and Renovating Allen and Vincent

Old British book about how to get rid of stains and dirt as well as how to rejuvenate fabrics. Very interesting to see what was used to clean clothes back in the day with quite a bit of advice on how to do it.

Collars, Stocks, Cravats: A history and costume dating guide to civilian men’s neckpieces by Doriece Colle

The title says it all.

Colored Gemstones: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide byAntoinette Matlins

Although gemstones are primarily the domain of the ladies, some men like rings and cuff links and this book gives you a good understanding of what to look for and how to spot fakes or inferior quality stones.

Cowboys & Hatters by Debbie Henderson

Well researched book by an academic about the origins and making of the cowboy hat, the Stetson myth and in depth interviews with old hatter personalities.

Cuff Jewelry Howard Bell Jr.

A self-published book from the 1990’s about cuff links, with quite a bit of photography.

Cuff Links Susan Jonas and Marilyn Nissenson

Good book about cuff links and its history but not as many pictures as antique cuff links.

Cuff Links Bertrand Pizzin and Jean-Noel Liaut

Probably the weakest cuff link book of all the listed options, but since there is not much out there, I still put it on the list.

Diamonds: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide by Antoinette Matlins

Diamond knowledge will never hurt, no matter whether you look for a precious piece for your sweetheart or for a nice set of dress studs.

Divinely Elegant: The world of Ernst Dryden by Anthony Lipmann

Biography about fashion illustrator and stylist Ernst Dryden-Deutsch, who helped brands like Knize to become famous.

Dressing in the Dark by Marion Maneker

Unlike the title may imply, this is not a book about what not to wear but rather an examination of men’s clothes worn in films.

Dressing The Man by Alan Flusser

Probably one of the most popular men’s clothing guide books out there. Full of beautiful pictures and advice, this book is a good start to the collection of a clothes enthusiast. However, I noticed many consider what Flusser says to like the holy standard, however I think it pays to also learn in the process that there are many exceptions to there ” rules”“. I have better books in German but I consider it nevertheless a must have because, all other English clothing guides are judged compared to Dressing the Man.

Elegance: A Guide to Quality in Menswear

Mr. Boyer is a better writer than Mr. Flusser in my humble opinion and so if you like well written essays, Boyer will never disappoint you. This guide focuses on the basics with humor and wit.

ELEGANCE AND STYLE TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF MEN’S FASHION by Vittoria De Buzzaccarini

Big Italian coffee table book about male elegance that provides an interesting Italian perspective that American / English speaking natives usually don’t have.

Eminently Suitable by Bruce Boyer

This 206-page guide from the 1990’s is aimed at businessmen who wish to dress for success. In eight chapters, Boyer touches history and advice on men’s clothing, provides a brief glossary of style terminology, and it contains a now outdated appendix on men’s clothing stores.

Esquire’s Encyclopedia of 20th Century Men’s Fashions Oscar E. Schoeffler

The most comprehensive book in English about men’s fashion of the 20th Century. Written by Esquire and Apparel Arts veterans, it contains a lot of information about every aspect of men’s clothing divided into chapters by subject, and time as well as a glossary at the end of the book. Of course, everything in this 1970’s book as a heavy American influence but  it is still a must have. At times, this book can cost over $1000 but sometimes you can find it for $100. Most are priced somewhere in between.

Fashion by F. Volker Feyerabend

German / English book about fashion styles and cuts using modern fashion illustrations only.

Fashion Dictionary by Guido Vergani

Fashion dictionary including designers, some tailors and garments but not complete and clearly inferior to the German fashion dictionary by Ingrid Loschek. Unfortunately, there is nothing better, which is why it is listed here.

Fashion For Men Diana De Marly

Good for you if you are interested in men’s fashion in the medieval times and subsequent centuries and how it developed over time.

Fred Astaire Style Bruce Boyer

Small book about Fred Astaire and his style.

Fashion in Film by Regine Engelmeier and Peter W. Engelmeier

Pictures of silver screen stars from a great archive.

Fashion at Royal Ascot by James Sherwood

All about this famous horse race and Mecca for morning dress.

Furs for Men by Anna Municchi

All about fur coats for men.

Gary Cooper Enduring Style by Bruce Boyer & Maria Cooper Janis

Biography by Bruce Boyer in collaboration with Cooper’s daughter. More about it here.

Handbook of English Costume in the Nineteenth Century by C. Willett Cunnington

Text heavy British guide about men’s and women’s clothing with black and white illustrations that serves as a valuable guide to help dating garments.

Handbook of English Costume in the 20th Century, 1900 – 1950 by Alan Mansfield & Phillis Cunnington

Same as above just for the time period of 1900 – 1950.

Handmade Shoes for Men Laszlo Vass

The  first book about quality shoes for consumers.

Harris Tweed by Platman by Lara Platman

Book about the craftsmen on the Isle of Harris and their process of creating the famous cloth but not much on the sheep.

Hat Talk Debbie Henderson

Great book about quality hat making. For mere see here.

History of Men’s Fashion Nicholas Storey

Title a bit misleading but still an interesting British read.

History of Men’s Accessories Nicholas Storey

The second part of the series about traditional accessories for the British gentleman. In depth review here.

Icons of Film: The 20th Century by Peter W. Engelmeier

Pictures of iconic male & female film characters from the largest private film archive in the world.

Icons of Men’s Style by Josh Sims

A take on style icons from various decades.

In Vanity Fair by Roy T. Matthews and Peter Mellini

A collection of satiric fashion illustrations of British Gentleman from way back in the day.

Ivy Style: Radical Conformists by Patricia Mears, Christopher Breward, Christian Chensvold, Masafumi Monden, Peter McNeil, Bruce Boyer

Analysis of the American Ivy Style and how it developed. More here.

Le Snob:Tailoring by Simon Crompton

Tiny pocket guide about the process of bespoke tailoring, by the creator of the blog permanent style.

Making Trousers for Men & Women by David Page Coffin

Tailoring book for novices about how to make trousers.

Men in Style by Woody Hochswender & Kim Johnson Gross

Popular book with fashion illustrations from Apparel Arts and a bit of commentary.

Men’s Coats by Buzzaccarni Vittoria De Buzzaccarini

All about men’s overcoats from an Italian point of view.

Men’s Fashion The Complete Sourcebook by John Peacock

Colorful fashion illustrations as seen by the British.

Men’s Fashion Illustrations from the Turn of the Century by Jno. J. Mitchell Co.

Reprint of vintage men’s fashion illustrations.

Men’s Fashion in the Twentieth Century by Maria Costantino

Often overlooked book with some interesting photographs and conclusions about classic men’s clothing

Men’s Hats by Giuliano Folledore

All about hats from an Italian point of view.

Mr Lock Of St James’s Street by Frank Whitbourn

Book about the famous hat store lock and the invention of the bowler hat.

Mr. Classic by Jeremy Hackett

Mr. Hacketts vanity book on classic men’s style reinterpreted.

One Hundred Years of Menswear by Cally Blackman

The title says it all.

Panama, a legendary hat by Martine Buchet

Great book about the artfully handwoven Panama hat from Ecuador.

Psychology of Clothes by J.C. Flugel

Classic about the psychology behind clothes.

Savile Row Story: An Illustrated History by Richard Walker

Introduction to the old tailoring houses on Savile Row with some insights but outdated pricing guide.

Scottish Estate Tweeds by Johnstons of Elgin

Informative book about the patterns of scottish estate tweeds.

Sharp Suits by Eric Musgrave

Great book about the history and development of the suit. More about the book here.

Shirtmaking by David Page Coffin

Tailoring book for novices about how to make shirts

Sleevehead’s Guide To Sicilian Tailors by Juhn Maing

Great guide about bespoke garments in Sicily. In depth review here.

Textiles for Tailors by Ernest Ostick

Vintage British book about cloth, different weaves and names of cloth.

Style And The Man by Alan Flusser

Another style book by Flusser with few pictures and a shopping guide. Not too long ago, it was republished without the guide but basically the same information.

Take Ivy by Teruyoshi Hayashida

Japanese book with lots of pictures about Ivy Style. You can find more information here.

Textbook on Footwear Manufacture by J.H. Thorton

The title says it all.

The Abruzzi Tailor’s Workshop Yesterday and Today by Guido Vergani

Great book about the history of Italian bespoke tailoring and discussion of Caraceni.

The Allure of Men by François Baudot

Huge coffee table book with all kinds of pictures including classic suits and African tribes.

The Art of Fitting Gentlemen’s Garments by Reuben Sytner

Informative tailoring book about how to properly fit suit, overcoat, trousers etc. Although written for tailors it can help to consumer to understand what to look for when order bespoke garments.

The Book of Ties by François Chaille

Great book about the history of the tie with many pictures.

The Boutonniere: Style in One’s Lapel by Umberto Angeloni

All about the flower in the buttonhole.

The Duke & Duchess of Windsor Sotheby’s

Boxed set of auction catalogs of the belongings of the Duke of Windsor and his wife, including pictures, of clothes, accessories, furniture etc.

The Duke of Windsor: A Family Album Duke of Windsor

Autobiography of the Duke of Windsor with many pictures and references to clothes, his tailors, and his style.

The Elegant Man by Riccardo Villarosa and Giuliano Angeli

Italian Clothing guide that is a great addition to Flusser and Roetzel.

The Englishman’s Suit by Hardy Amies

Excellent book about the development of men’s fashion.

The Executive Look by Mortimer Levitt

1980’s guide on how to dress for success.

The Fairchild: Encyclopedia of Menswear by Mary Lisa Gavenas

The attempt of creating a menswear encyclopedia with a slim bibliography, and often incomplete or non existant entries. Even in combination with Vergani’s fashion dictionary it is nothing to rave about but at the same time there is not much else in English, hence it made it on the list.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Timeless Fashion by Bernhard Roetzel

Translated in many languages, this German book with an Anglophile touch features some good pictures and is a basic guide for the clothes novice. I call it a must-have because many men use this as their first book along with Flusser’s. Of course, it is not definitive but it is now almost a golden standard. It was republished not too long ago with a few updates here and there, but overall there is nonoticeablele difference. So if you have the old version, don’t upgrade.

The Gentleman’s Slipper by Fiona Dreesmann

A book about Albert Slipper – for more information click here.

The Glitter and The Gold by Ulysses G. Dietz and Newark Museum

Book about the American jewelry and cuff link industry in New Jersey.

The Gentry Man by Hal Rubinstein

Analysis of the 1950’s men’s magazine Gentry.

The Handmade Felt Hat by Debbie Henderson

Great book on the felt hat and how it is / was made.

The Handkerchief by Paolo Peri

All about the handkerchief.

The Male Image by Penelope Byrde

Book for people interested in fashion development from the 14th – 20th century.

The Savile Row Cutter Michael Skinner – Hormazd Narielwalla

Biography and insights to bespoke tailoring on Savile Row. More about the book…

The Suit by Michael Anton aka Nicholas Antongiavanni

Clothes Guide written in the style of Machiavelli’s Il Principe.

The Tie: Trends and Traditions by Sarah Gibbings

Book about the history of the tie.

The Top Hat by Debbie Henderson

Book about the top hat, its history and the making as well as the difference to a chapeau claque.

Vintage Ties of the Forties & Early Fifties by Rod Dyer, Ron Spark and Steve Sakai

The titles says it all.