Fashion-plate’ is related to a series of ‘Cosmetic Studies’ of the same title made in 1969, in which Hamilton put together fragments of photographs of models from fashion magazines. The poet Charles Beaudelaire, in his essay The Painter of Modern Life, described fashion plates as an image of the "ideal self" and thus a reflection of the artistic, historical, moral, and aesthetic feeling of their time. Peasant influence from European dress was particularly applied to the name of coats, cloaks, and mantles such as the Witzchoura redingote an empire cloak of Russian origin.

This meant that people of varying social classes could afford to purchase these stylish images, more so than in the previous century. Regency, Romantic, Victorian, Edwardian, Flapper,1940’s Utility Rationing, Dior’s New Look, 1960’s Mini dress, 1970’s Disco, 1980’s New Romantics, Power Dressing, Haute Couture, Royal Robes, Fashion Semiotics, and Body Adornment, each retro fashion era, and future fashion trends are all defined. How two typical Caribbean dishes have been influenced by British trade in enslaved Africans, indentured labour and colonisation within its flavours. Imagery found in newspapers, magazines, television, film and advertising is subjected to collage and painting techniques.

They were pulled back by the narrow cut of the bodice and this restricted arm movement to a certain daintiness. Bouet Willaumez, Bouché, and Christian Bérard had begun to convey the essence of style, scene, and above all movement, in vivid and impressionist plates, though occasionally their lack of detail was deplored.

The history of costume : from ancient Mesopotamia through the twentieth century / Blanche Payne, Geitel Winakor, Jane Farrell-Beck ; drawings by Elizabeth Curtis.Costume is interesting because it is splendid, ridiculous, useful, pompous, dignified, sombre, gay, fantastic – because, in short, it is human.