A History of Maternity Wear: Design, Patterns, and Construction

A History of Maternity Wear: Design, Patterns, and Construction explores pregnancy clothing worn throughout the decades, providing historical information, images, and patterns.

Filled with photos showing extant attire, with intricate details and sample patterns that can be recreated to scale, this book examines how maternity clothes were constructed, provides historical context, and aids readers in designing their own maternity garments. Each chapter includes examples of commonly worn maternity styles from a number of regions of the English-speaking world, with information from the United States, Britain, Australia, and Canada. The book concludes with a chapter on historically accurate underpinnings from the 17th century to the present day.

A History of Maternity Wear: Design, Patterns, and Construction is written for costume professionals looking to research historically accurate characters and costumes for production, as well as fashion historians and costume enthusiasts.

Lydia Semler is the Professional Practice Assistant Professor of Costume Design at Utah State University. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Costume Design from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Theatre Arts from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Jana Hill is a fashion historian specializing in women’s studies. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Home and Family Living from Brigham Young University.

Ilea Magdelina Bonner is a professional historical costumer. She holds an Interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in History, Theater Costuming, and Family and Consumer Science from Utah State University.