Art & Architecture Collection > Costume and Fashion History: A Guide to Resources

Using the Library’s Catalog

For general instruction on using the Library’s catalog, please consult “How Do I Find a Book.”  The following information is specific to the subjects of costume and fashion history.

Subject headings in our online catalog, CATNYP, derive from Library of Congress Subject Headings, available at the reference desk in Room 300. The following categories of subject headings will provide a working guide to what kinds of headings should be used.

The most commonly used terms are:

Clothing and dress
Costume
Costume Design
Fashion
Fashion Designers

Note: since Costume is an older term in use, more entries for historical titles will appear under this heading than for Clothing and dress. A comprehensive search should make use of both main headings. 

These headings can be subdivided by time period (century) and geographical location.

Clothing and Dress—United States
Costume—Great Britain
Costume—Austria—Tyrol

Narrower terms exist, including the following selected headings:

Aprons
Belts (Clothing)
Children’s clothing
Clothing and dress measurements
Coats
Collars
Color in clothing
Dress Accessories
Footwear
Fur garments
Jackets
Men’s clothing
Millinery
Nationalism and clothing
Neckwear
Riding habit
Sleepwear
Sports clothes
Suits (Clothing)
Sweaters
Tailoring
Underwear
Uniforms
Vintage clothing
Women’s clothing
Work clothes

Searching by subject will usually generate the most accurate and beneficial results. However, if you are not certain of the correct subject heading to use, you may have better luck with a keyword search on CATNYP, particularly if you are looking for a specific dress mode or historical term. For individual artists or designers, you should search by both author and subject.