Here is the definitive costume book, embodying a wealth of research that is unlikely ever to be superseded. From the plant-fibre skirts of the Neolithic, Ancient Egyptian linen shifts and togas of the Classical Age, to 19th-century Tyrolean dirndls, contemporary African ceremonial attire and the Middle Eastern burqas of our own age, every notable geographical region, historical period and style of dress is covered. Complete with an extensive reference section, this book is a glorious celebration of ethnographic clothing and is destined to become the standard reference work.