10 Best Fashion Coloring Books from the Last Century
A Shopping Guide for Adult Fashion Colorists
You know what they say: fashion is art, and art is life. Fashion coloring is surging and here are just a few of the reasons why: the popularity of adult coloring books, the calming and therapeutic benefits of coloring, and the way fashion can inspire our own personal style.
The best fashion coloring books are both a source of inspiration and an outlet for self-expression.
In this post we discuss why fashion coloring is so popular today, the criteria to use to determine the best fashion coloring books, and finally our list of the 10 best fashion coloring books from the last century. If you love coloring and have ever wondered how you can use the medium to express yourself in new ways, then these books will provide the answers!
We’re not the only ones who think that adult coloring books are a great way to express your creativity.
Adult coloring is skyrocketing. Indeed, the coloring book industry has grown by 50% in just two years and is worth over $1.3 billion. There are even more people buying coloring books than before, which means more artists are creating them and more retailers selling them (including us!). More and more people are starting to see coloring as a real hobby adults can pursue and illustration as a legitimate art form.
What’s interesting about this trend is that it seems to be taking place for kids as well as adults—children are re-embracing coloring too! But why? The answer lies in the way it helps people relax, express their inner selves, and explore new ideas through art. However, there are unique benefits for children, including enhancing cognitive development.
Fashion coloring in particular is on the rise, especially as more and more women and girls leverage social media to become fashion influencers and childrenswear begins to dominate mainstream fashion. Some are now moving from simply consuming fashion, to designing their own fashion. Notice the proliferation of “fashion design kits” for tween and teen girls. So there is a whole new generation not only interested in fashion design, but also fashion history. Fashion coloring is the perfect way for women and girls not only to learn about fashion but to draw inspiration for their own art and design.
Keep reading to learn more about the exciting new trend in fashion coloring that's changing how we see our own styles and what it means to be fashionable.
Even if you're not a fashionista, fashion is one of the best ways to exercise self-expression and can tell you a lot about a person. If you’re a student of human behavior or psychology, clothing should fascinate you and the best fashion coloring books really highlight psychological aspects of culture.
Fashion also tells you a lot about a period of history. In the case of fashion coloring, almost every period style can tell you how women were viewed during that time and what constituted the rules of feminine decorum. For example, every inch the skirt hem was raised can be directly correlated with greater freedom for women.
Beyond telling us more about human behavior and history, fashion can be an amazing source of inspiration and creativity. As a kid, I was obsessed with a little set of fashion plates that I colored. They were filled with things like chic suits, high heels, purses and hats—all the things my little self thought were "cool." As an adult, I still get excited about seeing what people are wearing on the street or in magazines and on TV shows! Even better: now I can “design” those super sophisticated clothes myself and share them with the world in my coloring books.
The best fashion coloring books can be a source of inspiration and style, while allowing us to express our inner “psychological” selves creatively. We hope the books we’ve highlighted in this post will help you to express yourself and become inspired.
Before we can provide our definitive list of the best coloring books, we should also be candid about the criteria we used to select the books on our Top 10 list. After all, a great fashion coloring book is more than a bunch of pretty pictures. It should be an artful experience, which not only helps you relax, but also inspires you by providing a glimpse into both history and glamor.
Here are some criteria we used to select the books on our list, and we recommend you should use when selecting your next fashion coloring book:
Original Designs: Fashion designers draw inspiration from many fields, but there's no denying that their works are influenced by their surroundings and the people around them. As such, it makes sense for fashion coloring books to reflect this fact by incorporating original designs—not just paintings or drawings of past fashions! If a coloring book lacks originality, it will feel dull and unexciting and you’ll get quickly bored. For these reasons, originality really gives coloring books a special flare and really sets apart mediocre books from exceptional books. For these reasons, we think originality is the most important criteria when selecting a great coloring book.
Length: There are thousands of decent coloring books to choose from these days and hundreds that focus on fashion. The reason for the glut of “coloring books” is that most of these so-called books aren’t actually coloring books. Many only include 8 or fewer pages of illustrations to color. It goes without saying that drawing eight images is a considerably easier task than drawing 30 or 40 original illustrations, yet these books are still classified as legitimate “books.”
Moreover, many publishing companies are outsourcing fashion illustration to graphic design farms and spitting out uninspired fashion coloring books designed by people who really have no interest in fashion and are mediocre artists. Colorists who are genuinely interested in fashion need more than 8 images to color. When they purchase a full coloring book, they expect it to provide weeks if not months of entertainment. In short, they expect to be a considerable project that will take them time. The best coloring books realize this and are long enough to challenge a colorist for a good length of time.
Variety: The best coloring books provide enough variety to continue to challenge the colorist and help them learn more about the art of coloring. Fashion coloring books should obviously include many stand alone full-body fashion illustrations, but should also include images that show fashion closeup, including accessories and hair styles. So we believe great fashion coloring pages and books should also include close up portraits that show jewelry, hairstyles, and hair accessories that define fashion for the period.
Beyond this, the fashion coloring book should showcase the wide range of fashion for a given period–not just evening gowns, but clothing that women wore throughout the day or for specific occasions–such as an afternoon tea gown, a promenade outfit, or dinner dress.
And finally, a wide range of “scenes.” Seriously, do we really want to color the same looking figures with just a different set of “ornament flowers” for 30 pages??? A great fashion design coloring book will place each design in its historical context–whether the city or country, inside or outside, morning or night, summer or winter etc.
Quality of the Book, Including Paper Thickness: Not much to say here that isn’t already obvious. If you’re an adult, and not a child, you should be coloring images that are printed on only one side of the paper and on high quality paper that resists bleed through. In short, the paper quality is everything in a great coloring book. The best coloring books are printed on cardstock with a minimum of 120 GSM paper weight or greater. Nothing is worse than spending hours or days on a coloring page only to discover later that the colored image on the other side of the sheet is showing through, obscuring the finished product on both sides of the sheet. For example, every coloring book we produce at Chub & Bug is printed on the highest quality cardstock (238 GSM).
Coloring Guides: Every colorist is at a different place in their coloring journey. Some are beginners, while others are intermediate and advanced. But even the most seasoned colorists still have things they can learn to improve their coloring, especially on easy designs like a mandala. Many colorists still don’t know basic coloring tips or even basic color theory that will transform their coloring experience and digital art. So, a great coloring book should include a coloring guide–even a basic one–to help each colorist get the most out of their coloring experience. But if your latest coloring book doesn’t include a coloring guide, no worries–you can review our comprehensive guide on the art of digital coloring or download our free Color Scheme Kit .
Test Pages: Coloring is relaxing, but also challenging in the best ways. Test pages allow colorists, no matter what their level, to “test” out color combinations as well as how their coloring media, such as markers or pencils, will react to the particular paper the fashion illustrations are printed on. Test pages, in other words, help colorists to do their best work and ensure they know what to expect when they go to color an image. This assurance not only improves the coloring experience dramatically, but also improves the finished product.
Historical Essays on Fashion: A good fashion coloring book will not only teach you about different styles through visual examples, but also provide historical context for why those styles came into being in the first place (or why other ones fell out of favor). For example: did you know that Victorian-era women wore corsets because they believed tight lacing would help maintain their figures during pregnancy? Reading these kinds of facts can give insight into what life was like during specific periods in history as well as teach us something new about cultures past and present. In short, a great fashion coloring book should provide some essential “context” for why the artist “designed” the illustrations or fashion the way they did and how those styles fit into the historical period. It provides the colorist with the information they need to do their best work and create the most beautiful colored pages.
Extras: That’s right, a worthwhile coloring book will also include links to grab extras, such as free additional designs to download and color or discounts for coloring supplies or additional coloring books etc. In short, customers who have purchased the book should be given the VIP treatment and provided special extras and deals that the average public doesn’t get. Customer loyalty should be rewarded :)
Okay, we’re now ready to dig in. Whether you’re looking for the best coloring books for fun or you’re a fan of fashion and coloring, but haven’t found the right art book to express it, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.
Here is our list of the Top 10 best fashion coloring books from the last century that will have you looking good and feeling even better.
#1 — The Roaring Twenties: Golden Age of Paris Fashion by Lynn Langmade
This book is a great fashion coloring book for anyone who loves the period of the Roaring 20s, and it’s the only book on our list that met all eight of our coloring book criteria.
The originality and variety of the drawings is phenomenal. The book includes all original designs by the artists with a wide variety of scenes and fashion. At root, the illustrations are all black-and-white drawings of women in vintage clothing from the Jazz Age doing various activities such as dancing or enjoying a picnic. But it’s so much more than that. The colorist can color Paris city attractions such as the Eiffel tower or the inside of a Parisian boudoir. Fabulous snow scenes are complemented with fun-filled summer beach scenes. From sportswear to luscious Jazz Age wedding dresses, this book includes such a huge variety of illustrations to keep the colorist challenged and interested.
The book also has intermediate and advanced level coloring pages, with enough detail to excite a colorist but not so much that it becomes stressful. Very well-balanced.
In terms of quality, this book’s quality is exceptionally high. It includes 30 full-page, detailed fashion illustrations printed on cardstock with over 238 GSM weight, which means each colored illustration won’t bleed through to the other side and the paper is thick enough to be framed and hung should the colorist wish to display their completed work.
Beyond this, it includes a basic color guide, test pages, a fashion essay on the Roaring 20s, and extras–including additional free coloring pages and discount code for additional coloring books on the artist’s website. Feel free to read more about the features of this fabulous coloring book in our post.
#2 — Victorian Fashions Coloring Book by Tom Tierney
If you’re looking for a book that will inspire your next fashion design, look no further than the Victorian Fashions Coloring Book by Tom Tierney. We first came across Tom Tierney’s work through our mom who used to color his fashion books and paper dolls. So we’ve always been a huge fan of his work and in reality, his books set the standards for all fashion coloring books that followed. The intricate patterns and styles are sure to get your creative juices flowing!
This book meets many of the criteria on our list and especially shines in the area of historical accuracy and detail. The fashion essays in Tierney’s books–and this one is no exception–are of the highest quality and a reader will come away really understanding the historical period and have a new appreciation for the era of fashion. Highly recommended.
#3 —Vogue Fashion Coloring Book by James Enrique
The Vogue Fashion Coloring Book is a great fashion coloring book for adults and this book’s popularity has inspired follow-up “Vogue” fashion coloring books. It has a variety of designs featuring fashion from the 1950s, which are bold and incredibly stylish. This book really captures the essence of 1950s fashion and is recommended for fashionistas and fashion lovers who truly love high fashion and haute couture.
This book has 32 pages of illustrations to color, so it more than passes the length test.
However, some reviewers have rated the quality of the paper in this book and that the second half of the book is an exact replica of the first half. This could be a net positive as in many cases colorists like to experiment and color the same pages differently. We also think the book could benefit by having more complexity, as many of the images aren’t full page and are simple line art.
#4 — Erté Fashions Coloring Book by Marty Noble (Editor)
Erté is a fashion designer, artist and illustrator who was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1890. He moved to Paris when he was 15 years old to study fashion design at the Beaux-Arts Institute, but left after two years because of financial difficulties. After leaving school he began working as an assistant to couturier Paul Poiret, where his work was featured in Vogue magazine.
His colorful and flamboyant style quickly made him one of the best-known artists in France by 1920s; many compared his work to that by Gustav Klimt since both artists were known for their use of heavy lines with lots of detail. A big influence on other designers like Christian Dior and Alexander McQueen later on! And of course, a massive influence on me as an artist :)
This book, edited by Marty Noble, includes 30 of Erte’s fashion designs during the years 1915 to 1922 “adapted” for coloring. So this is a lengthy book and also superb in terms of design originality and variety designs. A colorist will never be bored and will be quite honestly awed by the sheer artistic beauty of these drawings. The line work alone is worth the price!
If you want some inspiration for your next clothing design project then look no further than Marty Noble’s Erté Fashions Coloring Book!
#5 — Fabulous Fashions of the 1950s Coloring Book by Ming Ju Sun
Would you like to color fashion sketches from the 1950s? The Fabulous Fashions of the 1950s Coloring Book by Ming Ju Sun has all the fashion coloring pages that you'll need. Each page features a different stylish woman wearing modest clothing with full skirts, long sleeves, high necklines, and fashionable colors and patterns. There are also fashionable accessories such as hats and gloves. There is tremendous historical accuracy to the drawings in this book.
While the book gets massive praise for us for its quality and attention to detail, we would like to see more variety and full-page “scenes” in future work by this artist to really help the colorist understand the historical context behind the fashions. It also includes 30 pages of fashion illustration to color, providing many days or weeks of pleasurable coloring. Once again, we believe this is a good solid coloring book.
#6 — Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge Royal Fashions Coloring Book by Eileen Rudisill Miller
If you’re looking for a coloring book that shares in the joys and delights of your favorite royal family member, look no further than Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge Royal Fashions Coloring Book by Eileen Rudisill Miller. This particular book features images from various moments throughout Kate Middleton's life. She has been in the spotlight since she was young, so the subject matter provides a wealth of images to choose to illustrate and bring to life, which increases the “variety” of the book and thus coloring fun :)
This book gives you 30 full pages of designs to color so there is plenty of opportunities for creativity with its collection of glamorous dresses and gowns.
#7 — The Dress Book: Adult Coloring Book by Collette Renee Fergus
The Dress Book: Adult Colouring Book by Collette Renee Fergus is one of the best fashion coloring books for adults. It’s got almost everything you need: including 35 illustrations of vintage fashions and patterns, pages that go from intricate to simple depending on your mood and talent level, and even a few pages where you can add your own designs!
This fashion coloring book was created with the designer in mind; each page has a different theme (dress types like ball gowns, evening wear and more), so it's easy to find something you love without having to flip through dozens of pages first. The Dress Book also has plenty of generic coloring pages if you don't have time for themed designs—the choice is yours! Indeed, an excellent choice if you love coloring clothing more than the people wearing it.
This book is a good solid choice when you want excellent fashion coloring.
#8 — Fanciful Fashions by Marjorie Sarnat
This amazing book of fashion illustrations has a lot to recommend it. It’s not only drawn by a well-known coloring book artist, but it has a great depth and variety of design to it.
This book outstrips others on our list in terms of length. There are 49 unique fashion illustrations to color in this book for a very fair price, which means this book could keep a colorist comfortably coloring for months.
However, a warning that the book does not really cater to fashionistas and those who like fashion per se. The fashion “designs” in the book aren’t especially original or inspirational. The book functions more like a traditional “abstract” coloring book focusing on dense pattern designs than actual fashion flare and art. As the title suggests, the designs in the book are not connected especially to any one period in fashion history.
#9 — The Masters of Fashion Illustration by Wendy Piersall
This book, designed by artist Wendy Piersall, is a collection of some of the most influential fashion illustrations from the the period leading up to the Jazz Age in Paris. What makes this book special is that it includes “re-creations” of original fashion illustrations from some of the most notable illustrators in history–those who have worked with Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, among other publications.
Get ready to see a side of fashion you may not have known before: artists who have reinvented fashion design–making it exciting again.
The book contains over 30 pages that feature many styles and techniques in addition to being an educational resource for anyone looking for information about fashion illustration! It also includes test pages and a historical essay to provide context for the drawings.
#10 - Gibson Girl: American Fashion Icon by Lynn Langmade
We’re partial to this book, not only because it’s ours but because it honestly contains some of the most amazing fashion from the Gilded Age in any coloring book. Although it has fewer pages than most of the books on this list, what this book lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in sheer originality, beauty, and complexity.
This book includes 24 color pages printed on high-quality cardstock with original designs inspired by the original work of famous illustrator Charles Gibson, whose images of women in America, especially New York, created a quintessentially American style of beauty. The historical fashion essay included with the book really sheds light on who the Gibson Girl was and includes detailed drawings of New York in the 1890s, including the Flatiron building, 5th Avenue, and Central Park.
This book is sure to give you hours of coloring pleasure.
Conclusion
In short, the best fashion coloring books–especially the 10 best fashion coloring books we provide in our list–should provide the colorist with a fulfilling project, inspiration and creativity.
So whether you want to learn about the history of clothing or simply want to express your style through color, there's a book for everyone on this list.
Fashion coloring may not be for everyone but if you love fashion and coloring then these are the best books for your coloring fun!