Harry Ransom CenterThe University of Texas at Austin

Costume Research Library

Making period costumes as historically accurate as possible often required time-consuming costume research. At the offices of the London costumier B. J. Simmons, a variety of published and unpublished materials were available for this purpose, among them the Costume Research Library. Designers and clients could consult not only the standard histories of costume, but also treatises on the customs, habits, pursuits, and ceremonies of the peoples of various countries, as well as books about famous artists and historical figures. The Ransom Center holds a representative collection of over 150 volumes from Simmons' research library, most published between 1880 and 1950. To locate individual titles, go to the UT Library Catalog, click on Call Number on the left, and enter "Simmons" in the Other Call Number field.