Get your style up to snuff with some grand fashion books. Some are dedicated to vintage fashion and others are just for fun -- ones that I found incredibly inspirational and a treat to read, really. I hope you find a book you like. Don't forget to check with the public library if they are too pricey! That is likely to be the case with something like Cheap Chic.
Anyone else love to see what other people were wearing long ago? “Street style” shots have been going on a long longer than a lot of people think. Back in the day, there would be a street photographer out in the street, snapping pics of people as they passed by on the sidewalk. The pictures would be developed, and you could go home with an action snap of you and friends and/or family. But in life, we get the journalistic side of photography that includes more than just street photos, but also family photos from other profiles and stories. One of my favorite is The Private Life of Gwyned Filling.
Trousers are truly tricky, but the styles of the 1930s were nothing like our skinnies and bells today. Trousers were roomy -- nay, HUGE -- and were worn with the briefest of tanks and jackets. A scarf around the neck? Divine. If you have a tiny dog, even better. These ladies were glam in the extreme (nothing even compares today), although I should also mention that most were millionaires or heiresses in their own right... and on the Riviera to boot.
Talk about fashion p-rn. The heroines in these novels are beautiful, sophisticated, and otherworldly in their glamour. Faith Baldwin depicted the richest of the rich and did it very well. Her books aren’t just filled with romance and intrigue, but with lace and silk, clutches and slingbacks. I swoon over the description of each dinner dress and piece of coral jewelry. “Polarized glasses” just sound so much better than “sunglasses,” anyway.
1. 75 Years: The Very Best of Life
Anyone else love to see what other people were wearing long ago? “Street style” shots have been going on a long longer than a lot of people think. Back in the day, there would be a street photographer out in the street, snapping pics of people as they passed by on the sidewalk. The pictures would be developed, and you could go home with an action snap of you and friends and/or family. But in life, we get the journalistic side of photography that includes more than just street photos, but also family photos from other profiles and stories. One of my favorite is The Private Life of Gwyned Filling.
2. Mother Nature's Beauty Cupboard by Donna Lawson
Need to get inspired to go natural, organic, vegan, or just earth-conscious? This book by Donna Lawson always gets me going. I love her descriptions of mixing up your own cosmetics, why it’s great for your face and health, and why the back-to-nature movement is perfect for you. No, it’s not about style per se, but when you go natural like that, you just start thinking different about what you put on your body, too.3. Elegance: The Seeberger Brothers and the Birth of Fashion by S. Aubenas, et al
Trousers are truly tricky, but the styles of the 1930s were nothing like our skinnies and bells today. Trousers were roomy -- nay, HUGE -- and were worn with the briefest of tanks and jackets. A scarf around the neck? Divine. If you have a tiny dog, even better. These ladies were glam in the extreme (nothing even compares today), although I should also mention that most were millionaires or heiresses in their own right... and on the Riviera to boot.
4. Cheap Chic by Catherine Milinaire
This book is very hard to find, but if you do, you’ll be very happy. It hasn’t aged at all, really, and it’s chock-full of great ideas for the stylish dresser on a budget. There’s a great bit about RIT dye combinations and making up your own colors at home, and there’s another section on what accessories and jewelry you should invest in. There’s mention of high leather boots, quality satchels, gold jewelry, and silk scarves, all of which I covet and co-sign. There’s more eclectic stuff like making your own swimsuit, creating cover-ups with a single large piece of jersey, and creative headwraps.5. Faith Baldwin Novels - Any!
Talk about fashion p-rn. The heroines in these novels are beautiful, sophisticated, and otherworldly in their glamour. Faith Baldwin depicted the richest of the rich and did it very well. Her books aren’t just filled with romance and intrigue, but with lace and silk, clutches and slingbacks. I swoon over the description of each dinner dress and piece of coral jewelry. “Polarized glasses” just sound so much better than “sunglasses,” anyway.
6. Vintage Style by Tiffany Dubin
This book was produced in an earlier wave of vintage-loving, and it’s so cool to take a look at in our post-Etsy age. The women are glamorous, eclectic, refined, and well-educated, and they speak of their love of vintage styles like only a true fan would.
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