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…
- Gentlemen of The Golden Age by Sven Raphael Schneider
- Get it here
- A Gentleman’s Wardrobe by Paul Keers
- A History of Men’s Fashion by Farid Chenoune
- A Man’s Book by Jane Waller
- A Style Is Born by Anderson & Sheppard
- A Well-Dressed Gentleman’s Pocket Guide by Oscar Lenius
- ABCs of Men’s Fashion by Hardy Amies
- Accessoires by F. Volker Feyerabend
- Antique Cufflinks 1860 – 1960 by Guy-David Lambrechts
- Apparel Arts: Fashion is the News by Giannino Malossi & A. Shugaar
- Bert Bacharach’s Book For Men by Bert Bacharach
- Bespoke by Anderson Richard Anderson
- Bespoke James Sherwood
- The manufacture of Boots and Shoes F.Y. Golding
- British Military Uniforms by James Laver
- Cary Grant: A Celebration of Style Richard Torregrossa
- Churchill Style by Barry Singer
- Classic Tailoring Techniques by Cabrera Roberto Cabrera
- Clothes And The Man Sidney by D. Barney
- Clothes And The Man by Alan Flusser
- Brioni by Farid Chenoune
- Buttons & Sundries by Vittoria De Buzzaccarini
- Clothes Cleaning and Renovating Allen and Vincent
- Collars, Stocks, Cravats: A history and costume dating guide to civilian men’s neckpieces by Doriece Colle
- Colored Gemstones: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide byAntoinette Matlins
- Cowboys & Hatters by Debbie Henderson
- Cuff Jewelry Howard Bell Jr.
- Cuff Links Susan Jonas and Marilyn Nissenson
- Cuff Links Bertrand Pizzin and Jean-Noel Liaut
- Diamonds: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide by Antoinette Matlins
- Divinely Elegant: The world of Ernst Dryden by Anthony Lipmann
- Dressing in the Dark by Marion Maneker
- Dressing The Man by Alan Flusser
- Elegance: A Guide to Quality in Menswear
- ELEGANCE AND STYLE TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF MEN’S FASHION by Vittoria De Buzzaccarini
- Eminently Suitable by Bruce Boyer
- Esquire’s Encyclopedia of 20th Century Men’s Fashions Oscar E. Schoeffler
- Fashion by F. Volker Feyerabend
- Fashion Dictionary by Guido Vergani
- Fashion For Men Diana De Marly
- Fred Astaire Style Bruce Boyer
- Fashion in Film by Regine Engelmeier and Peter W. Engelmeier
- Fashion at Royal Ascot by James Sherwood
- Furs for Men by Anna Municchi
- Gary Cooper Enduring Style by Bruce Boyer & Maria Cooper Janis
- Handbook of English Costume in the Nineteenth Century by C. Willett Cunnington
- Handbook of English Costume in the 20th Century, 1900 – 1950 by Alan Mansfield & Phillis Cunnington
- Handmade Shoes for Men Laszlo Vass
- Harris Tweed by Platman by Lara Platman
- Hat Talk Debbie Henderson
- History of Men’s Fashion Nicholas Storey
- History of Men’s Accessories Nicholas Storey
- Icons of Film: The 20th Century by Peter W. Engelmeier
- Icons of Men’s Style by Josh Sims
- In Vanity Fair by Roy T. Matthews and Peter Mellini
- Ivy Style: Radical Conformists by Patricia Mears, Christopher Breward, Christian Chensvold, Masafumi Monden, Peter McNeil, Bruce Boyer
- Le Snob:Tailoring by Simon Crompton
- Making Trousers for Men & Women by David Page Coffin
- Men in Style by Woody Hochswender & Kim Johnson Gross
- Men’s Coats by Buzzaccarni Vittoria De Buzzaccarini
- Men’s Fashion The Complete Sourcebook by John Peacock
- Men’s Fashion Illustrations from the Turn of the Century by Jno. J. Mitchell Co.
- Men’s Fashion in the Twentieth Century by Maria Costantino
- Men’s Hats by Giuliano Folledore
- Mr Lock Of St James’s Street by Frank Whitbourn
- Mr. Classic by Jeremy Hackett
- One Hundred Years of Menswear by Cally Blackman
- Panama, a legendary hat by Martine Buchet
- Psychology of Clothes by J.C. Flugel
- Savile Row Story: An Illustrated History by Richard Walker
- Scottish Estate Tweeds by Johnstons of Elgin
- Sharp Suits by Eric Musgrave
- Shirtmaking by David Page Coffin
- Sleevehead’s Guide To Sicilian Tailors by Juhn Maing
- Textiles for Tailors by Ernest Ostick
- Style And The Man by Alan Flusser
- Take Ivy by Teruyoshi Hayashida
- Textbook on Footwear Manufacture by J.H. Thorton
- The Abruzzi Tailor’s Workshop Yesterday and Today by Guido Vergani
- The Allure of Men by François Baudot
- The Art of Fitting Gentlemen’s Garments by Reuben Sytner
- The Book of Ties by François Chaille
- The Boutonniere: Style in One’s Lapel by Umberto Angeloni
- The Duke & Duchess of Windsor Sotheby’s
- The Duke of Windsor: A Family Album Duke of Windsor
- The Elegant Man by Riccardo Villarosa and Giuliano Angeli
- The Englishman’s Suit by Hardy Amies
- The Executive Look by Mortimer Levitt
- The Fairchild: Encyclopedia of Menswear by Mary Lisa Gavenas
- The Gentleman’s Guide to Timeless Fashion by Bernhard Roetzel
- The Gentleman’s Slipper by Fiona Dreesmann
- The Glitter and The Gold by Ulysses G. Dietz and Newark Museum
- The Gentry Man by Hal Rubinstein
- The Handmade Felt Hat by Debbie Henderson
- The Handkerchief by Paolo Peri
- The Male Image by Penelope Byrde
- The Savile Row Cutter Michael Skinner – Hormazd Narielwalla
- The Suit by Michael Anton aka Nicholas Antongiavanni
- The Tie: Trends and Traditions by Sarah Gibbings
- The Top Hat by Debbie Henderson
- Vintage Ties of the Forties & Early Fifties by Rod Dyer, Ron Spark and Steve Sakai
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.
100 Menswear Books You Should Have in Your Library
Book Title | Author | Topic | Importance |
---|---|---|---|
Gentlemen Of The Golden Age | Sven Raphael Schneider | Fashion Illustrations & Clothing Guide | must have |
Clothes and the Man | Alan Flusser | Clothing Guide | must have |
Dressing The Man | Alan Flusser | Clothing Guide | must have |
The Gentleman's Guide to Timeless Fashion | Bernhard Roetzel | Clothing Guide | must have |
A History of Men's Fashion | Farid Chenoune | Men's Clothing History | must have |
Esquire's Encyclopedia of 20th Century Men's Fashions | Oscar E. Schoeffler | Men's Clothing History | must have |
The Englishman's Suit | Hardy Amies | Men's Clothing History | must have |
Bespoke Menswear: Tailoring for Gentleman | Bernhard Roetzel | Men's Style | nice to have |
I am Dandy | Rose Callahan, Nathaniel Adams | Men's Style | nice to have |
True Style | G. Bruce Boyer | Men's Style | nice to have |
A Gentleman's Wardrobe | Paul Keers | Clothing Guide | nice to have |
A Man's Book | Jane Waller | Men's Clothing History | nice to have |
A Style is Born | Anderson and Sheppard | Style Icons | nice to have |
A Well-Dressed Gentleman's Pocket Guide | Oscar Lenius | Clothing Guide | nice to have |
ABC of Men's Fashion | Hardy Amies | Encyclopedia | nice to have |
Accessoires | F. Volker Feyerabend | Fashion Illustrations | nice to have |
Antique Cufflinks 1860-1960 | Guy-David Lambrechts | Accessories - Cuff Links | nice to have |
Apparel Arts: Fashion is the News | Giannino Malossi - A. Shugaar | Fashion Illustrations | nice to have |
Bert Bacharach's Book for Men | Bert Bacharach | Clothing Guide | nice to have |
Bespoke by Anderson | Richard Anderson | Bespoke | nice to have |
Bespoke: The Men's Style of Savile Row | James Sherwood | Bespoke | nice to have |
The Manufacture of Boots and Shoes | F.Y. Golding | Shoes | nice to have |
Cary Grant: A Celebration of Style | Richard Torregrossa | Film | nice to have |
Churchill Style Book Review | Barry Singer | Biography | nice to have |
Clothes And The Man | Sidney D. Barney | Clothing Guide | nice to have |
Cowboys & Hatters | Debbie Henderson | Accessories - Hats | nice to have |
Cuff Jewelry | Howard Bell Jr. | Accessories - Cuff Links | nice to have |
Cuff Links | Susan Jonas and Marilyn Nissenson | Accessories - Cuff Links | nice to have |
Cuff Links | Bertrand Pizzin and Jean-Noel Liaut | Accessories - Cuff Links | nice to have |
Divinely Elegant: The world of Ernst Dryden | Anthony Lipmann | Biography | nice to have |
Dressing in the Dark | Marion Maneker | Film | nice to have |
Elegance: A Guide to Quality in Menswear | Bruce Boyer | Men's Style | nice to have |
ELEGANCE AND STYLE TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF MEN'S FASHION | Vittoria De Buzzaccarini | Men's Clothing History | nice to have |
Eminently Suitable | Bruce Boyer | Men's Style | nice to have |
Fashion in Film | Regine Engelmeier and Peter W. Engelmeier | Film | nice to have |
Fashion | F. Volker Feyerabend | Fashion Illustrations | nice to have |
Fashion Dictionary | Guido Vergani | Encyclopedia | nice to have |
Fred Astaire Style | Bruce Boyer | Biography | nice to have |
Gary Cooper Enduring Style | Bruce Boyer & Maria Cooper Janis | Biography | nice to have |
Handbook of English Costume in the 19th Century | C. Willett Cunnington | Men's Clothing History | nice to have |
Handbook of English Costume in the 20th Century 1900 - 1950 | Alan Mansfield & Phillis Cunnington | Men's Clothing History | nice to have |
Handmade Shoes for Men | Laszlo Vass | Shoes | nice to have |
Hat Talk | Debbie Henderson | Accessories - Hats | nice to have |
History of Men's Accessoires | Nicholas Storey | Accessories | nice to have |
History of Men's Fashion | Nicholas Storey | Men's Clothing History | nice to have |
Icons of Film: The 20th Century | Peter W. Engelmeier | Film | nice to have |
Icons of Men's Style | Josh Sims | Style Icons | nice to have |
Le Snob:Tailoring | Simon Crompton | Bespoke | nice to have |
Making Trousers for Men & Women | David Page Coffin | Tailoring Book | nice to have |
Men in Style | Woody Hochswender & Kim Johnson Gross | Fashion Illustrations | nice to have |
Men's Coats | Vittoria De Buzzaccarini | Men's Clothing History | nice to have |
Men's Fashion: The Complete Sourcebook | John Peacock | Fashion Illustrations | nice to have |
Men's Fashion In the Twentieth Century | Maria Costantino | Men's Clothing History | nice to have |
Men's Hats | Giuliano Folledore | Accessories - Hats | nice to have |
Mr. Classic | Jeremy Hackett | Clothing Guide | nice to have |
One Hundred Years of Menswear | Cally Blackman | Men's Clothing History | nice to have |
Sharp Suits | Eric Musgrave | Men's Clothing History | nice to have |
Style And The Man | Alan Flusser | Clothing Guide | nice to have |
Textbook on Footwear Manufacture | J.H. Thorton | Shoes | nice to have |
The Book of Ties | Franรงois Chaille | Accessories - Ties | nice to have |
The Boutonniere: Style in One's Lapel | Umberto Angeloni | Accessories - Boutonniere | nice to have |
The Duke & Duchess of Windsor | Sotheby's | Auction Catalog | nice to have |
The Duke of Windsor: A Family Album | Duke of Windsor | Biography | nice to have |
The Elegant Man | Riccardo and Giuliano Angeli Villarosa | Clothing Guide | nice to have |
The Executive Look | Mortimer Levitt | Clothing Guide | nice to have |
The Fairchild: Encyclopedia of Menswear | Mary Lisa Gavenas | Encyclopedia | nice to have |
The Gentlemanโs Slipper by Fiona Dreesmann โ Book Review | Fiona Dreesmann | Shoes | nice to have |
The Glitter and The Gold | Ulysses G. Dietz and Newark Museum | Accessories - Jewelry | nice to have |
The Gentry Man | Hal Rubinstein | Men's Style | nice to have |
The Handmade Felt Hat | Debbie Henderson | Accessories - Hats | nice to have |
Book Review โ The Savile Row Cutter: Michael Skinner Master Tailor | Michael Skinner - Hormazd Narielwalla | Bespoke | nice to have |
The Suit | Michael Anton - Nicholas Antongiavanni | Clothing Guide | nice to have |
The Tie: Trends and Traditions | Sarah Gibbings | Accessories - Ties | nice to have |
Vintage Ties of the Forties & Early Fifties | Rod Dyer, Ron Spark and Steve Sakai | Accessories - Ties | nice to have |
The Perfect Gentleman: The Pursuit of Timeless Elegance and Style in London | James Sherwood | Accessories | niche book |
The Parisian Gentleman | Hugo Jacomet | Men's Style | niche book |
A Dandy Guide to Dating Vintage Menswear: WW1 Through the 1960s | Sue Nightingale | Men's Style | niche book |
Best of British: The Stories Behind Britain's Iconic Brands | Simon Crompton, Horst A. Friedrichs | Men's Style | niche book |
Rowing Blazers | Jack Carlson | Men's Style | niche book |
Henry Poole: Founders of Savile Row: The Making of a Legend | Stephen Howarth | Men's Style | niche book |
The Gentry Man: A Guide for the Civilized Male | Hal Rubinstein | Men's Style | niche book |
One Savile Row: Gieves & Hawkes: The Invention of the English Gentleman | Many | Bespoke | niche book |
Best of British: The Stories Behind Britain's Iconic Brands | Simon Crompton, Horst A. Friedrichs | Men's Style | niche book |
British Military Uniforms 1742-1895 | James Laver | Men's Clothing History | niche book |
Classic Tailoring Techniques | Roberto Cabrera | Tailoring Book | niche book |
Brioni | Farid Chenoune | Bespoke | niche book |
Buttons & Sundries | Vittoria De Buzzaccarini | Accessories - Buttons | niche book |
Clothes Cleaning and Renovating | Allen and Vincent | Clothes Cleaning | niche book |
Collars, Stocks, Cravats | Doriece Colle | Accessories | niche book |
Colored Gemstones: The Buying Guide | Antoinette Matlins | Accessories - Jewelry | niche book |
Diamonds: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide | Antoinette Matlins | Accessories - Jewelry | niche book |
Fashion at Royal Ascot | James Sherwood | Morning Dress | niche book |
Fashion For Men | Diana De Marly | Men's Clothing History | niche book |
Furs for Men | Anna Municchi | Men's Clothing History | niche book |
Harris Tweed by Platman | Lara Platman | Fabric | niche book |
In Vanity Fair | Roy T. Matthews and Peter Mellini | Fashion Illustrations | niche book |
Ivy Style: Radical Conformists | Patricia Mears (Editor) | Men's Clothing History | niche book |
Mr Lock Of St James's Street | Frank Whitbourn | Accessories - Hats | niche book |
Panama, a legendary hat | Martine Buchet | Accessories - Hats | niche book |
Psychology of Clothes | J.C. Flugel | Psychology of Clothes | niche book |
Savile Row Story: An Illustrated History | Richard Walker | Bespoke | niche book |
Scottish Estate Tweeds | Johnstons of Elgin | Fabric | niche book |
Shirtmaking | David Page Coffin | Tailoring Book | niche book |
Sleevehead's Guide To Sicilian Tailors | Juhn Maing | Bespoke | niche book |
Textiles for Tailors | Ernest Ostick | Fabric | niche book |
Take Ivy | Teruyoshi Hayashida | Men's Clothing History | niche book |
The Abruzzi Tailor's Workshop Yesterday and Today | Guido Vergani | Bespoke | niche book |
The Allure of Men | Franรงois Baudot | Men's Style | niche book |
The Art of Fitting Gentlemen's Garments | Reuben Sytner | Tailoring Book | niche book |
The Handkerchief | Paolo Peri | Accessories - Handkerchief | niche book |
The Male Image | Penelope Byrde | Men's Clothing History | niche book |
The Top Hat | Debbie Henderson | Accessories - Hats | niche book |
Learn more about Gentlemen of The Golden Age
Gentlemen of The Golden Age by Sven Raphael Schneider
Learn from the men who wore Classic Clothing best.
How To…
Improve Your Style
Look & Feel Better
…and much more!
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.
Get to Know Jeremy Hackett
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.
Mr. Schneider,
The collection of mens wear books that you highlighted is certainly a cornucopia of mens fashion knowlegde, in fact I already own “Clothes and the Man” by Mr. Alan Flusser and have for many years and credit it for my fashion savvy…again I wish to applaud you for your fine effort in sharing this information.
It was quite a bit of work to narrow it down to 100 and then create a sortable list that is actually useful. So, if it helps you, please share it, thanks.
Now here’s the challenge: cut this list down to your Top 10 recommendations…..
Ray, that really depends on the person. Am I recommending books to a novice, intermediate or advanced dresser? A vintage lover like you or a modern day man?
That’s why I added some comments because otherwise my Top 10 are not really worth a whole lot, are they?
For example, for you I would A Man’s Book by Jane Waller would be my top recommendation – do you have that?
Everyone has a favorite book that may not be on another’s radar. My introduction was Dress for Success by J. T. Molloy. It is wonderful to see a collection. I shall read as many as I can.
It;s off-putting that the first book on your list that’s rated “must have” is a) out of print and b) going for $350+ online… Just saying.
Brian M.,
The first book that pops up for me is A Gentleman’s Wardrobe by Paul Keers, which currently sells for $2.90 for the hardcover version and $0.99 for the paperback edition.
You are probably referring to A History of Men’s Fashion and it has always been expensive because it is out of print, good and hence in demand.
However, it is not for everybody and also available in libraries. Just check their online catalog before you go.
I really tried to include titles for everybody. If you go through the list, you will find plenty of books that sell for under $10 used.
Sven, thank you for the immense work you went through to share your references and enthusiam.
You are most welcome! This is in fact only a fraction of the references I use since I also have a lot of men’s fashion magazines and books in German, French an Italian. But since these are not easily available in the US and most readers would not be able to understand what’s in them, I did not include any of those.
Hello Mr. Schneider,
just to say thank you for taking the time to present this information in a concise and easy to find manner. Your site and the content that you create and gather is first-class and speaks quality.
Best.
Thank you James.
Great list. I have about ten of them which is probably enough for me particularly when the net provides such a trove of photo references to people like Luciano Barbera who is to me the doyenne of pattern mixing particularly sportscoats.
Well, different people are happy with different things, though to master something, it requires a lot of time, passion and books ;).
Very good list! Looks like I have some new reading material. I have always been intrigued with 1940’s fashion. Also I recommend anything on the subject of fitting for clothing. A great fit really makes a great look.
Thank you Nick.
Great collection of book must have taken an age to put that list together. Thanks
Great resource! I think there are not enough men interested in fashion like there were in late 19th century into the early 20th century. I have only recently gotten into fashion and I will definitely be checking out these books. Thanks!
Shawn, I think there are more men interested in classic clothing now then 30 years ago, so that’s a good sign.
Already own the Cary Grant: A Celebration of Style.. Checking out Churchill Style by Barry Singer!!
More recycled old tosh
Yep. Americans take this stuff so seriously.
Great list… sad that it is limited to books available (also) in English… the books written by Baron von Eelking are actually a must-have, too, if you can understand the German language.
What a wonderful post – so many interesting books.
Thanks Simon! Glad to hear that. Do you have any favorite on the list?