The clothes worn by our ancestors afford an unparalleled insight into lifestyles that have disappeared forever. Choice of dress has always been governed by a series of influences — social and economic, artistic and technical — and, of course, the vagaries of individual taste. Jane Ashelford has used the National Trust's stunning costume and textile collections as well as its historic house portraits, family correspondence, diaries and household papers to produce a fascinating account of the history of dress over the past four centuries.