John Peacock's books are all over the place, and it is such a shame. Any costume design or history class will teach you that for correct research, you need original sources, and unfortunately, this book has none. Personal interpretations carry with them the style of the period within which they were drawn, as well as the artist's own slant, and this is especially true in the works of John Peacock. With the vast amount of bad costuming found in theatres and some films, I hate to see how often this book is lauded as a great source and looked to for advice. Costume and Fashion: A Concise History by James Laver is a much better choice. Take the words of other reviewers and myself into consideration - if you are looking for valuable information, look somewhere else!