The Little Black Book of Style

Okay, I admit it.  I've never watched Project Runway (the author of this book, Nina Garcia, is apparently a judge on the show).  I always get it confused with America's Next Top Model, and have been much chastised for it.   Yet, even though I've talked much about my complete and total lack of style, it doesn't mean I don't want to have style.  I just don't think I have any sort of natural knack for it.  Inherently, I'm lazy, and that's a problem when you're trying to be stylish. It's an even bigger problem if you aren't dripping in money - if you aren't, then you have to seek out vintage and massive discounts and dredge the racks at T.J. Maxx.  I thought maybe Nina Garcia's Little Black Book of Style would help me.

The book is almost half about its appearance, which is nice.  I wouldn't expect anything less from a book of style.  The illustrations by Ruben Toledo were so yummy, I spent quite a bit of time just looking at them.

I liked half of the chapters, but the other half I didn't identify with at all.  The chapters on the basics and what to wear when were quite helpful.  The endless name-dropping of designers and lists of the author's favorite scenes in movies puzzled me. I understand why Garcia would list the designers she's worked with - after all, designers are supposed to be stylish - but one quote from each would have been sufficient for me.  The effect of so many quotes and lists of cool kids ended up making me feel like it was more a high-school yearbook than a style guide.  Garcia started out making me feel as though maybe I could be cool, but by the end, I felt like maybe it wasn't worth it at all.

The end result of the book, though, was a once-through of my closet and a bit of introspection regarding my own style, what I like and why I like it.  And I think that was Garcia's intention.  Thanks to the Parent Bloggers Network for hooking me up.

Comments

[sanbreakity]

Without reading the book, my guess would be that she brings up the movie scenes because of the sense of style they invoke. Or, it could just be that she can't keep to her subject.

It sounds to me, just from your review, that the book is almost as much about fashion as it is about style. I would say, personally, that many designers are fashionable. Few of them are truly stylish. Then again, I'm a bit of a cat when it comes to fashion.;-)

You do have style. Maybe you aren't up with the current fashions, but you have your own personal style that expresses who you are, and it is infinitely better to be stylish than to be fashionable. In the words of Yves St. Laurent, "Fashions fade. Style is eternal." Can you change your style? Certainly, but it involves changing you.

Before I start really pontificating on the subject, I'll say, it sounds like an interesting book, and I might see if I can get it through interlibrary loan.