I love to read books about fashion and style, as do most of my image consultant colleagues. This is, of course, in addition to the multitude of fashion magazines that I go through every month. It all adds up to a lot of reading, which is why my head feels like it wants to explode most of the time. (lol!) I thought I’d share some of my favorite fashion reads with you, in case you’d like to dive in yourself. Some are new and others, not so, but they are worth your time. (The little Wild Women book in the back is a favorite gifted book from a dear friend that I use to write down ‘favorite things’…sayings, mantras, and so on. Isn’t she just the cutest little wild woman?)
Starting from the bottom up:
Toss the Gloss, by Andrea Q. Robinson. Make-up and beauty advice for women over 50 from an industry insider. Lots of great tips for working with the face and hair you’ve got now, starting with the mantra around which the book is titled, “It’s time to take those sticky, tacky, lacquered tubes of high gloss and shine and toss them out!” You may or may not agree with all of her advice (that’s our prerogative of course!) but this book is written from the perspective of embracing our imperfections and working with them. I love it!
Advanced Style, Older & Wiser, by Ari Seth Cohen. This is Ari’s second book, following along after the original Advanced Style, which I also purchased the minute it came out (you notice how I use his first name? I don’t know him personally, yet I feel that I do because of following his style blog, Advanced Style, for years.) This book features some of the same stylish elders from his first book and adds in some new faces, along with their pithy thoughts on age and style. For example, 80-year-old Roberta Haze says, “Aging gracefully is mostly about acceptance, not dwelling on the past or trying unnaturally to look younger. Beauty and sexuality is an inside job.” You’ll be inspired by both the comments and the photography.
In the Dressing Room with Brenda, by Brenda Kinsel. This is one of my favorite books by colleague, Brenda Kinsel. In fact, I could have put all five of her books in this pile because they offer such a wealth of information. I’m in the business of image & wardrobe consulting, and I still learn from reading, and re-reading, her books. She starts this one off with “It’s a lot like a Zen koan: In order to forget about clothes, you have to think about them.” Because of course, we all think about clothes in one way or another. Her books will start you on the path to a healthy conversation with yourself about your wardrobe. I can’t recommend them highly enough!
The Outside/Inside Magic of a Great Image, by Carrie LaShell. Full disclosure, Carrie is also a friend and colleague in the business of image consulting. (By the way, just so you know, I get no compensation for recommending any of these books.) That being said, I so enjoyed reading this, her first published work. She takes the challenges we all face with our wardrobes and image (and yes, I mean, all of us – including image professionals) and provides practical guidance using specific examples from her work with clients. At only 74 pages, the book could be a quick read, but it’s so full of great advice you’ll want to take your time and digest it all. Here’s one quote I love, “Recognize that the myths you have been taught about your body, your style, and the clothes you should be wearing may be sabotaging who you can be. Allow yourself to open up to new possibilities based on how you really want to look.”
I’ve got lots of other books that I love, which I’ll share with you at another time. These four should keep you in plenty of reading material for the rest of your summer, and beyond.
Happy Reading – and please share with your fashion-loving friends!
Adena
