Mary P. Merrifield’s Dress as a Fine Art argues that clothing deserves the same principles of harmony, color, and proportion that govern painting and design. Writing in the mid-nineteenth century, Merrifield offers thoughtful guidance on dressing tastefully, including practical suggestions on children’s dress.
An authority on art and color, Merrifield treats fashion as an aesthetic discipline rather than mere ornament or vanity. Her counsel blends artistic theory with everyday application, reflecting Victorian ideals of beauty and refinement. An influential early argument for dress as art, the book is available here as a free EPUB download.