Hi! This is noblebeeyotch from Call Me Stylista and the lovely Michelle asked me if I could do a post here on Wicked Whimsy. Let me tell you how incredibly excited I am about being here.
There are people (like us) out there who are born with style and fashion in their blood. We call them the Stylistas. But there are the unfortunate others who do not have an inkling of what style or fashion is. What should we call those? Anyway, whatever you call them, they are what they are and we are the ones who have to help them. (Just kiddin’. I personally believe everyone has a little personal style and fashion ingrained in them.) Moving on, there are some people in the world who by the virtue of their position or standing in the fashion scene feel as if it is their duty to impart their superior fashion knowledge to the measly commoners. They create television shows (Hello, Ms. Zoe!) or write books to fulfill their responsibilities of making the whole world fashionable or rather making fashion accessible to the masses. Some of their endeavors fall flat on the face, but there are some jewels that live up to the expectations and hype. I thought I’d share some of the more interesting and readable fashion/style books out there.
- That Extra Half an Inch by Victoria Beckham
I’ve always been a girls’ girl. And I know from experience that making the very best of yourself is something any woman can do. I was never the six-foot-tall pin-up. I’ve always been the girl-next-door who got lucky. I’ve come a long way in the last ten years, but this book isn’t my attempt to tell you what or what not to do. It’s just to share some of what I’ve learned.
That Extra Half an Inch is a beautiful, nothing-but-the truth, easy-to-use book on fashion, beauty and style. Victoria shares her personal style secrets so whether you’re getting ready for work, a night out on the town or even doing the school run, you too can feel confident and look great every time you step out of the front door.
- Vanitas Inshallah by Alexsandro Palombo
The book features around 100 illustrations by Palombo in which the designer analyses eleven years of his creations, accompanied by a symbolical figure, a melancholic yet exuberant little clown called Vanitas who, turning into a Virgil-like figure, guides him through the personal memories and dreams behind Palombo’s collections. The reader joins them through this journey, takes part in the making of the various garments and sits down in the front row to see the final catwalk, which represents the climax of this adventure into the world of fashion. During the final catwalk Vanitas presents Palombo’s new creations while the designer makes a satire of the fashion universe and of its main representatives.
- The One Hundred by Nina Garcia
Exactly what are fashion’s timeless pieces? The One Hundred answers this question and provides women with a tangible style map to follow when planning a shopping trip and stocking one’s closet. With illustrations from world-renowned fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo, The One Hundred contains the 100 items that Nina believes will never go out of style, and that have become absolutely indispensible for any woman reaching for her own eternal fashion look.
- My Wonderful World of Fashion by Nina Chakrabarti
An interactive coloring book for fashionistas of all ages, My Wonderful World of Fashion is packed with beautiful and sophisticated illustrations specially created by the leading fashion-illustrator Nina Chakrabarti.
The book encourages creativity, with illustrations to color in and designs to finish off, as well as simple ideas for making and doing (how to make a sari, turn a napkin into a headscarf, dye a T-shirt, and so on). Covering clothing, shoes, bags, jewelry, and other accessories, the illustrations span both vintage fashions—drawing on beautiful and interesting objects from past ages—and contemporary designs from the illustrator’s own imagination.
- The Sartorialist by Scott Schuman
Scott Schuman just wanted to take photographs of people on the street who looked great. His now famous blog was an attempt to showcase the wonderful and varied sartorial tastes of real people – not only those of the fashion industry. The book is a beautiful anthology of Scott’s favourite shots from around the world. They include photographs of well-known fashion figures as well as those shots of the anonymous passerby whose imagination and taste delight the viewer. From the streets of Rio to Bejing, Stockholm to Milan, these are the people that have inspired Scott and in turn, inspired designers and people of all ages, wages and nationalities with an interest in fashion.
These 5 fashion and style must-reads cover a wide range. From fashion illustration to fashion and style guide to fashion inspiration, this list has a book for everyone. These books will be a delight to savor for any stylista out there and I would love to hear you thoughts on these. You could also share your own recommendations here. In short, discuss, comment, make me feel welcome here and I will love your forever!
(Big thank you to Swati for sending me this post! Definitely stop by her blog and say hi!)
