The earliest clothing was likely made of leaves, fur, and leather and worn primarily for protection from the elements. This section includes works on Medieval, Renaissance, and early clothing practices, which varied by region, era, social status and wealth. The section covering the years 1700-1900 addresses clothing in the newly-formed United States, and includes select works on the development of dress and clothing from the founding of the United States to the turn of the 20th century. The section on Civil War Clothing includes works specific to that era, however, information on Civil War clothing and dress is also discussed in many of the resources found in other sections of this guide.

The following titles link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are included when available.