There are SO many fashion and style-how-to books out there, but sometimes they can be worthwhile, and that's how I am feeling about Tim Gunn's newest book, Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible: The Fascinating History of Everything in Your Closet. I am excited about this one, as it not only talks about the pieces you should own, but describes the history behind those items! I haven't read it yet, as it isn't on shelves until September 11, but I've only heard good things about it! Publishers Weekly says it's for everyone who gets dressed in the morning, not just an elite crew in Manhattan.
Here is amazon.com's book description:
In the beginning there was the fig leaf...
and the toga. Crinolines and ruffs. Chain mailand corsets. What do these antiquated items have to do with the oh-so-twenty-first-century skinny jeans, graphic tee, and sexy pumps you slipped into this morning? Everything! Fashion begets fashion, and life—from economics to politics, weather to warfare, practicality to the utterly impractical—is reflected in the styles of any given era, evolving into the threads you buy and wear today.
With the candidness, intelligence, and charm that made him a household name on Project Runway, Tim Gunn reveals the fascinating story behind each article of clothing dating back to ancient times, in a book that reads like a walking tour from museum to closet with Tim at your side. From Cleopatra’s crown to Helen of Troy’s sandals, from Queen Victoria’s corset to Madonna’s cone bra, Dynasty’s power suits to Hillary Clinton’s pantsuits, Tim Gunn’s Fashion Bible takes you on a runway-ready journey through the highs and lows of fashion history.
Drawing from his exhaustive knowledge and intensive research to offer cutting-edge insights into modern style, Tim explains how the 1960s ruined American underwear, how Beau Brummell created the look men have worn for more than a century, why cargo capri pants are a plague on our nation, and much more. He will make you see your wardrobe in a whole new way. Prepare to be inspired as you change your thinking about the past, present, and future of fashion!
He covers both men's and women's fashion, from the past to the present, including his dislike for the capri pant, which I couldn't agree more with!
I think this is one book I will have to add to my shelf....will you?
Another new book coming out is by the ever famous, Stacy London, from TLC's What Not to Wear. Her book is titled The Truth About Style, and is due out in early October 2012. This is Stacy's second book, her first was co-written with her co-star Clinton Kelly, titled Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding The Style That's Right for Your Body.
Her new book digs deep into how fashion can help a person get through tough times/emotional battles; it's almost more of a memoir, then a "how-to." She even talks about her own personal experiences with body image and style.
With her unique talent for seeing past disastrous wardrobes to the core emotional issues that caused these sartorial crises, style savant Stacy London has transformed not only the looks but also the lives of hundreds of guests who have appeared on What Not to Wear. Now for the first time in print, London turns that expert X-ray insight on herself.
Like the women she’s transformed, London has plenty of emotional baggage. At eleven, she suffered from severe psoriasis that left her with permanent physical and mental scars. During college, she became anorexic on a misguided quest for perfection. By the time she joined the staff at Vogue, London’s weight had doubled from binge eating. Although self-esteem and self-consciousness nearly sabotaged a promising career, London learned the hard way that we wear our insecurities every day. It wasn’t until she found the self-confidence to develop a strong personal style that she finally became comfortable in her skin.
In The Truth About Style, London shares her own often painful history and her philosophy of the healing power of personal style—illustrating it with a series of detailed “start-overs” with eight real women, demonstrating how personal style helps them overcome the emotional obstacles we all face. For anyone who has ever despaired of finding the right clothes, or even taking an objective assessment in a full-length mirror, The Truth About Style will be an inspiring, liberating, and often very funny guide to finding the expression of your truest self.
Do you read fashion & style books?
Do you think they help you with your own personal style? Will you be adding either of these books to your nook, your kindle, or your coffee table?!
