The Book of Costume

The Book of Costume
by Mary Margaret (Stanley) Egerton Wilton
Adopted by
Ramona Howerton
in memory of Cathrene Willis Howerton
on May 11, 2017
Cover of The Book of Costume

The book of costume: or, Annals of fashion, from the earliest period to the present time

By Mary Margaret (Stanley) Egerton Wilton. London: H. Colburn, 1846.

The publisher cited the author of this illustrated history only as “a Lady of Rank.” We discovered that her name was Lady Mary Margaret Stanley Egerton, Countess of Wilton, who managed to produce this book despite having 11 children and being a woman in nineteenth century England. Perhaps Lady Mary was inspired to write this history of costume by her mother, an actress named Elisabeth Farren, the second wife of the 12th Earl of Derby. However, this book is not about theatrical costume – it provides an overview of all types of clothing dating back to ancient Rome and covering many different parts of the world. The lovely frontispiece is a hand-tinted wood engraving of a 16th century courtier and his lady.

Discover more about this book in our Catalog.

Adoption Type: Build and Access the Collection