Just blathering
Like a moth to a flame, I can't help myself when it comes to buying costume books on Amazon. I particularly like the classics that have held up for decades, but it's also great to see the resurgence in the craft - no doubt thanks to reality tv shows, comic cons, cosplay, etc. over the last decade. The great thing about a growing industry is that it benefits everyone. Fabric makers, tools of the trade, things that were once a pain in the ass to find (like corset making supplies) are now abundant.
The down side is a murky distinction between hobby and professional interests and more than once I've been attracted to a book based on it's title and premise only to realize it's... well... not professional at all. I guess it only frustrates me because their intended audience isn't made clear - like they're fronting this professional approach but it turns out to be nothing more than frankensteining commercial patterns (which most people figure out on their own).
Of course, I also get irritated with the murky boundary between historical accuracy and historical fantasy.