I just finished reading Nina Garcia’s The Little Black Book of Style. I’m pleased to report it’s not a little black book of superficial information about how to be the next Paris, Britney, Ashley or Mary-Kate. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Her inspiration comes from real women.After a summer of bad blog pitches and tag lines making females feel like they’re never good enough, Nina Garcia starts the season off with a feel good message for young girls and older women alike – it’s inner beauty that matters. No matter what you wear (and this book goes into great depth about what to wear and what not to wear) it’s how you feel about yourself and how those feelings contribute to your personal sense of style that’s important. Yeah, Nina!
According to Garcia:
“Style comes from knowing who you and what you want to be in the world; it does not come from waiting to be somebody else, or wanting to be thinner, shorter, taller, prettier. Many of the most stylish women in the world have not been great beauties, but they have all drawn from an enormous amount of self-confidence. They made us think they were beautiful simply by believing in themselves.”And don’t be fooled by her pedigree. This Elle fashion director and Project Runway judge with a penchant for the finest fabrics, jewels and designer labels, still knows the value of a bargain and has a warm place in her heart for H&M, my current fave.
When it comes to her tips on editing your closet, she wisely advocates buying clothes that fit instead of sizes you hope to wear someday:
“I much prefer to be seduced by chocolate and a pair of pants that flatters me.”
I think we’d get along famously. ; ) Garcia shares all kinds of great advice in this elegant coffee table book. I’m thinking of sharing in future “Tip of the Week” posts (of course I’ll be sure to give her credit.)I thoroughly enjoyed The Little Black Book of Style. It’s written in an engaging fast-paced conversational style. Mini-interviews with couture designers including Michael Kors and Christian Louboutin and, successful models such as Iman and Heidi Klum (who shares her tips about pregnancy dressing) are insightful and inspiring. The playful illustrations by Ruben Toledo help make this a lovely gift for any woman in need of a boost.
Best of all, thanks to the folks at HarperCollins Canada I have a brand-new copy to give away. Interested? Share your favorite style tip. Leave a comment with your style tip by 5 p.m EST, Thursday, September 27. Comments will be entered into a random draw and the winner will be announced on the blog Friday, September 28. (Note: anonymous comments will be disqualified.)
Technorati tags: Elle, HarperCollins, Nina Garcia, Project Runway, Ruben Toledo, The Little Black Book of Style
No matter what your style is, everyone needs a way to fix stains and other style emergencies. Forget Tide to Go... baby wipes come in travel sizes, and are cheaper. They get out every stain...including red wine! (trust me) And, due to their variety of uses, they make more sense to keep in your purse than a stain remover pen.
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Stop & Check - trust me, no matter how busy you think you are, you're never too busy to stop and check your appearance and your bag before you leave the house, office or washroom. On my personal list are; rear view check, lipstick & blot paper check (I'm in the South), blackberry check, and "what else do I need in the hours ahead" check.
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how many times a rear view check has helped me tidy up hem lines, shoulders and smooth things out so I look as polished as possible. And being prepared with what I need in the hours ahead keeps me from looking frazzled and harried - bad style indeed.
My favourite style tip ( not sure if it qualifies as such but my life has been so much easier since I figured out how to do this right) is always carrying some statement-making accessories if you have somewhere to go right after work and won't be able to change. A basic black suit you have to wear to the office, once you add some jewellery and/or a funky belt and/or strappy shoes can take you right to cocktails with only 5 minutes of prep time.
ReplyDeleteStyle Tip: This is an obvious one but mae sure you are comfortable. Style comes from within before anything else. If you are not comfortable in what you are wearing, it wil show and you could be rocking the latest designer clothing and it won't look right. Wear what works for you, forget about the up to the minute trends. Wear what you like and walk with your head high!
ReplyDeleteMy Style tip is simply this: moisturize, moisturize and moisturize. find a moisturizer that's right for your skin type and for the part of the face you are moisturizing (and your body!) and then never go out or to bed without moisturizing. It helps you glow and look soft and fresh no matter your age!
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