Book Description
A celebrity fashion stylist reveals the tricks of her trade and shows women of all sizes how to pull together their own polished, individual look.
Whether she's petite, average, or plus size, every woman has experienced the frustration of searching for flattering clothes. In The Pocket Stylist every reader can have a consultation with her own personal stylist and use the author's behind-the-scenes wardrobe wisdom:
- Taking her true measurements—from eight different body zones—to ensure an attractive fit based on the reader's unique silhouette and the proportions that will flatter it best
- Why ready-to-wear isn't, and how and when to use a tailor for a custom fit
- The best fabrics for your unique silhouette
- How to balance trends with the classic, indispensable pieces that are the backbone of any well-conceived wardrobe
- What “closet archaeology” can unearth and reveal about your wardrobe needs
- Why the right lingerie makes a critical difference in the fit of your clothes
- Tips from other experts on the beauty principles that ground your everyday look— Bobbi Brown and Sonja Kashuk for makeup and Kevin Mancuso for hair—offer backstage access
- Accessories that give an outfit an individual look and that no versatile wardrobe should be without
Best of all, The Pocket Stylist features specifically edited shopping lists for various body types. Four “styled” looks for each silhouette—from jeans-casual to cocktails—illustrate ideal proportion and fit. The reader becomes Kendall Farr's client and will learn to shop and dress herself like a pro. The Pocket Stylist delivers the behind the camera expertise of a veteran stylist in one purse-size indispensable guide.
Customer Reviews:
First Rate!!!!!.......2007-09-22
This is among the very best for timeless advice on what is fashion style and elegance. There are clear guidelines and clear rationals. It is exceptionally well written. I found her short section of advice to petites to be better than any book I have read . In this section she succintly makes 27 points on how to dress TALL. This book is the real deal.
A good wake-up call.......2007-08-27
After reading this book, I gave myself a good talking to about my closet. Now I've found a tailor, had all my falling hems fixed, skirt hems adjusted and favorite items tailored to fit me better. More importantly I got rid of all the things that no longer fit me, are no longer in style, or are just plain unattrative. What a relief!
So glad I was given this book. I feel like I have a whole new wardrobe without doing any shopping!
Like this one.......2007-08-18
I read this book cover to cover. It is very informational for someone like me who has a hard time putting outfits together and seeing what I need and what I don't need. I like the detailed advice on the difference between cheap and well made. Also the tips on where to find well made things at a better price. I didn't find my body shape in her descriptions but at 5'11" that's not easy to do. I wish someone would write a book for tall women. I am still giving it 5 stars though because I found the rest of the book very informative.
A book for the "little people" out there...........2007-08-12
One reviewer mentioned that Kendall Farr is condescending toward her audience. There are remarks such as "now _you_ have a fashion stylist of your very own" that is a little reminiscent of Fairy Godmother...I wanted tips, not someone to address me as if I were some "Clueless" project.
One hallmark of being condescending is that she repeatedly uses words that fly over my head... "Am I just a fashion dummy? I thought I knew something..." I keep saying to myself as I flip through the book and futily Google words that don't seem to have a solid definition. Farr says, "Make sure you choose styles with pintucking, ruching, bomber style, motocross style, nipped at the waist..." It goes on and on and on, page after page until I feel like she assumes we all know the fashion lingo that she uses daily. A glossary would have been merciful.
I do match body type B and am still foggy on what she wants me to do. Very wordy, atmospheric suggestions with no pictures, no diagrams, no sketches... just 4 figures of women with "the look" that I should be trying to achieve.
I do appreciate how she targets the pitfalls of fashion and how she encourages only shopping for a few pieces at a time to make sure you have the right fit, material, and comfort level. I also appreciate how she sort of says to dress your age (ie, "Goodbye Hello Kitty t-shirts"). I am 29 and having a rough time with finding fashion that suits the age... Shopping at American Eagle or Abercrombie or even Old Navy leaves me feeling, uh, just not put together well, and sometimes I even feel like I must be manifesting a lack of maturity by my fashion choices. So I can handle her prompts for increasing sophistication, and I have had luck finding things that match her descriptions in stores such as TJ Maxx, Maurices, and even at the local thrift shop. So I thank her for that.
Oh-- and if you want help sorting your closet, she has good tips. She eerily starts reminding me of a person with obsessive compulsive disorder by the end of the chapter, but the first half got me into gear and my closet is in great shape now.
I own the Lucky Style Shopping Manual as well, and have read both of these books practically word for word. Lucky makes sure that you understand every word with pictures of beautiful clothing ensembles, diagrams including terminology, etc. But I'm still glad to have heard Kendall Farr's approach. I probably won't keep her book, but it was a good one-time read. I'll be keeping Lucky forever.
Good commonsense advice........2007-08-06
Even though I'm still having some difficulty figuring out which body type I am, her advice is solid. This is my new reference guide for all things fashion. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting a rundown on the basics and anyone who feels sort of hopeless in this area. She doesn't talk down to her audience, nor does she engage in a lot of industry jargon. She just gets down to business. I appreciate that, exactly what I was looking for!
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
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History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Customer Reviews:
Hmmmm!.......2007-03-09
Speaking for myself it didn't do much for me, I didn't realize it was so old.
A Must Read for business people.......2007-01-19
If you haven't read this book, you need to! I bought this copy for a friend. It was in very good shape, no obvious wear,and of course, it is a very good read. Highly Reccommended!
It ain't changed in the Boardroom.......2006-08-24
This book, taken with due care, is still the Bible for how to dress for success. There have been some contemporary changes in business dress. But if you are not a rock star or a computer whiz, don't bet your career that dressing like one will get you to the Executive Suite.
Look instead in business periodicals and you will see that almost all of the top dogs in power positions dress as though they were Malloy's models. Those who want to get there someday will dress as though they already are.
I say as a business consultant that this book has enhanced more careers than a lot of the Business Schools have done. A great deal of career success is all tied up in other's perception of you.
21 year old managers wearing pinstripe in a godawful blue/purple color with a shirt with a neck two sizes too small because they hear that pinstripe is 'powerful'. Older men wearing 'Cool Business' thinking it makes them seem more dynamic and 'with it'. Men allowing their wives or girlfriends to dress then for business. Guys wearing ties that make you wonder if their team lost or they're pledging a frat. Men wearing brown suits to a management meeting. All doomed to make their career progression a lot harder than it has to be.
Take the straight route. The tried and true. Do not fall for the lines about how 'things have changed'. If things have changed, why do the President and most Senators - where the projection of power and confidence are critical - still dress straight from 'Dress For Success'?
Your first impression and perception by others is fast - and permanent. Molloy's book is the inside lane on how to make a great impression and reflect a perception of executive capability.
A dandy is a flash chap.......2006-06-20
A "dandy" was in the 19th century a man who dressed in the latest styles. For example, he was careful to wear a top hat and thunder and lightning trousers in the 1840s.
Ironically, the original "dandy", "Beau" Brummell, an intimate of the Prince Regent, recommended in place of cheap flash attire dressing with utmost care, neatly and soberly. He moderated the *incroyable* fashions of the *jeunesse doree* of the 1790s, who'd adopted extreme fashion in reaction to the Puritanism of Robespierre.
John Molloy's book is completely out of date. Ask your boss what you should wear to work. But following the precepts of the original "dandy", Beau Brummell, dressing neatly and cleanly, should always work.
Don't wear board shorts to work unless you work in a beachside cafe.
dated, but the best I've found.......2006-05-22
I'm leaving the military, and read this book on the advice of a couple different headhunter firms. It is a little out of date, but still is a great book.
Here are some great quotes: "You do not want to look like Lou Costello with his pants under his armpits, and you do not want to [sag and] look like a member of the lower middle class." (pg 47). [If your cuffs are higher than 5.5 inches from your thumb], you will look like a Broadway crapshooter, a fashion model, or a dandy." (pg 52). "You can, if you are already very rich and very successful, or if you desire to have an affair with an Italian contessa, wear silk shirts." (pg 71). "You will never, ever, as long as you live, wear a short-sleeve shirt for any business purpose, no matter whether you are the office boy or the president of the company..." (pg 86). "When we showed the picture with the monogram showing, the answers were not positive; in fact seventeen percent of the respondents identified him as a hooker-booker." (pg 87) "One of the things that made the evening so memorable was that at one point all of the young men got together, put their hands on a Beatles album, and swore that they would never, ever, ever, wear a tie." (pg 92). "Do not wear [a bow tie] to business unless you are a clown, a college professor, or a social commentator." (pg 115).
I could go on and on. This guy is hilarious, intentionally or not, and gives some good general fashion advice. Sure, things have changed a little, and the "four pages of full color photos" are a little '80s looking, but reading this book will save you from many fashion mistakes. At least it has caused me to develop an agenda as I shop for suits, and I have planned my interview attire.
The best part is at the beginning, when he tells you not to listen to your wife. My wife always tells me what to wear, and it's nice to have a legit book that I can cite when I don't listen to her. It's true, the surveys and facts cited aren't particularly academically rigorous, but it's worth heeding, none the less. As a testament of the quality of this read, just look at the cover- despite being forged during the fashion nightmare of the '70s and '80s, the dark pinstripe suit, white shirt and tie are very appropriate, even today. That's his whole point- eschew fashion for the time tested, well respected look. It's a starting point, at least.
The controversial point about Afros and hair grease for Hispanics is not controversial, in my book. He's not saying they're bad- he's just saying that in his experience, ethnic looks do not sell well to people from different demographics, which is probably true, even today. He also advises Southerners not to wear cowboy hats and bolo ties to NYC, and that doesn't seem to have stirred up controversy. In my opinion, that's the exact same thing. He's not telling people they can't dress as they like- he's just pointing out that any difference from the norm does not maximize your efficacy.
This book is a definite buy, particularly as cheaply as it is offered used. And by the way, does anyone know what a "dandy" is?
Customer Reviews:
almost a great tool.......2007-08-01
The text, as the previous reviewer writes, is excellent. I love the preliminary chapters for content and ability to communicate various concepts of fashion thinking. However, in the tutorials there are enough missing or unclear steps to frustrate someone attempting to learn new software. It would be helpful if the reader/user has previous familiarity with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop in order to work past these issues. Needless to say, the text components that integrate Illustrator and Photoshop tools are quite helpful and promote realistic ways to use the software applications together. I am pleased with the text, but do look forward to a second edition.
Fab!!! Worth the money.......2006-08-11
Very insightful, very useful, easy to understand. Totally worth the money.
Customer Reviews:
Common Sense Approach to Rules.......2006-11-10
I think this book is great. I am a young (under 30), short girl. Do you know how hard it is to be taken seriously in an all-male manufacturing environment? These are classy ways to still be a woman and taken like the professional I am. I notice the difference in obeying the rules and then sometimes just wearing whatever I want. This book is valid to my career. I am a Finance Manager, the financial consultant to the business.
Overall good but, very outdated .......2006-11-04
Good overall message about dressing professional but, the clothing styles he writes about are from the 1980's.
Not very helpful for business casual.......2006-11-03
I appreciate John Molloy's research into business clothing; however, this book is only helpful if you work in a company where clothing is not too casual, or if you need to figure out what to wear for job interviews. If every day is "business casual" at your job, this book will help you figure out the best colors and quality, but it won't help you understand what to wear. John advocates always wearing a business-like skirt when possible, and always having a jacket on hand. In my job as a computer programmer, where most men where slacks and polo shirts, this would be too formal.
The book is somewhat repetitive, but it helps to drill the right attitude into your mind - clothes are important, quality is very important, and navy blue is always a good choice. There are a few black-and-white illustrations, but they seem outdated to me.
[...]
Still Relevant For Today.......2006-07-15
I was never a fan of Malloy's books when I first read them in the 1980s and 1990s. But I must admit that his basic principles hold true today. Classic attire is best for interviews and companies (such as pharmaceutical sales) that are still traditional suits-only fields. He is also correct when he says that the fashion industry works against professional attire for women, and that if you are excessively stylish in a corporate setting, you will lose credibility. Changing fashion styles are an incredible waste of money. However, you should disregard the outdated suits, rigid hairstyles and hard attache case in favor of more contemporary classic styles. A better book for that is "Dressing Smart" by Chic Simple Author Kim Johnson-Gross. Moreover, if you work in a creative field, you must not follow the navy & white starched formula of dressing--this could get you demoted. Malloy does mention this point, but doesn't really advise for creative jobs.
read it and do what it says.......2006-03-22
All women should read it and do what it says. As a manager, I know what high importance is placed on presentation. In the workplace today, people have become too casual. Why not do all you can to earn more money, gain more respect and be percieved optimally as a professional? It is very easy for women to make wardrobe mistakes at the office today because of the sexy and casual fashions we see in all the stores. This is a bible for the working woman!
Book Description
"Clothes make the man."
Mark Twain never worked in today's fast-paced workplace, but his observation has never been keener: clothes do make the man. With The Suit, Nicholas Antongiavanni provides a masterly manual on what it takes to succeed: advice on how to dress with style, flair, and an eye toward gaining power. That's because "business casual" has proved itself a one-way ticket to a lifetime in the corporate dungeon. But if you apply the sartorial advice proffered in The Suit to your clothes, you will project elegance, bravado, and success.
Drawing inspiration from Machiavelli's The Prince, Antongiavanni has crafted an essential handbook for the ambitious man who recognizes that smart and stylish appearance is a lever to power. From neckties to footwear, belts to suspenders, lapels to handkerchiefs, The Suit leaves no garment or accessory untouched and will inject a dose of good taste into your closet. The debates over double-breasted vs. single, two-buttons vs. three, English vs. Italian, and many others are settled with wit by Antongiavanni's wealth of knowledge in the art of dress.
The Suit is much more than a simple how-to manual -- Antongiavanni packs these pages with insightful and sometimes stinging commentary on celebrities and the clothes they wear. Leading public figures from David Letterman to Donald Rumsfeld are picked apart at the seams. Antongiavanni uses powerful men in the public eye as entertaining examples of how to dress properly and what garish mistakes to avoid. Whether you are already a corporate Prince -- or if you are a Joe Cubicle aspiring to be something greater -- The Suit will teach you how to make your clothes work for you. No matter what your physical build or your status in the workplace, let Nicholas Antongiavanni be your fashion consultant.
Customer Reviews:
A funny, sophisticated and indispensable guide........2007-09-03
The Suit by Nicholas Antongiavanni is a parody of Machiavelli's The Prince. It not the type of parody which ridicules, but rather it is the type that uses the tone and design of a previous work as inspiration to create a new work of art. I've read this little book twice now, and I think it might take a college level course to unearth all the literary devices used by the author to imitate The Prince. I keep discovering more clever references each time I read The Suit, and it is amusing and astonishing to note the level of craftsmanship involved.
However, that is really not the principal reason to own this book. The Suit can save you money, time and face! Most men I know do not enjoy shopping for clothing, especially professional clothes, because the whole process is usually fraught with anxiety, and often results in time that feels wasted, wallets that feel much lighter, and closets full of mistakes that no one will ever wear.
Arm thyself with knowledge! This book can help guys wishing to update their wardrobe. It can help people preparing for important occasions, and I think it could also help women who wish to make presents of garments to men.
The Suit is thoroughly researched and seems to derive its sartorial sensibilities from 1930's Apparel Arts Magazines (which I am fortunate enough to have seen) and the current but timeless work of Savile Row and Neapolitan tailors. Many people might feel those influences are way too old fashioned, hidebound or impractical. Not so,says Antongiavanni. I must agree. Once a person knows the "rules" of good dress, it is remarkable how valid they are. Just look at pictures of the world's most successful modern men. Those men send out subtle visual cues with their clothes. The initiated will consciously notice, but the rest of the world's mortals at least sense something is special.
Read The Suit and you will also increase your enjoyment of old classic movies from the 1930's and 1940's. I only recently noticed how consistent the modes of dress are in those movies. Men wear suits in town, and they wear odd jackets in the country with brown shoes. They wear dinner jackets in the evening, at dinner, of course! By having appropriate clothes for every occasion, the classic movie stars looked great for all time, and who doesn't want to look great?
I am especially amused by the author's criticism of black suits for business and formal daytime occasions. In fact, there is a notorious internet thread which I believe involves this author strongly making points against any black lounge suit. This guy is right! I am a musician, and I perform at many wedding services. Black suits and Tuxedos (in the book you'll learn much more about that term) really do look pretty bad in the daylight out in the garden. In fact, although most of the male guests I see at wedding services are fairly comfortable financially, I've seen maybe only two all summer who adhered to the values explained in The Suit. Those men stood out head and shoulders above the rest. I don't know how those "well dressed" gentlemen acquired their ability to dress well, but now that skill is available to others who might read and understand The Suit.
This book reveals the secrets of "proper dressing" to those that are willing to study the concepts and learn the vocabulary. I might also recommend that readers not familiar with the jargon of men's clothes check out Style and the Man by Alan Flusser. That book, with all its photographs, can be a starting point for those wishing to understand The Suit.
Finally, I really wish The Suit was required reading for people in the men's clothing industry--especially retail clothing salesmen and people that call themselves tailors. I am amazed how much ignorant advice is out there. I bet many clothing salesmen might actually enjoy knowing the history and traditions of their business, rather than just feeling compelled to make something up in order to close a sale.
Read this book and you will be able to select your own ties! A person that makes use of the information in The Suit is far more likely to come up with winning combinations of clothes. Give yourself some time to take it all in and reap the rewards.
Flawed gem: very informative but not well written.......2007-08-12
If you want to learn specifically about men's formal clothing (suits, ties, shoes, etc), this book pack plenty of good info. Unfortunately, there are no pictures, so it is often hard to imagine what the author is describing. Therefore, this should not be your first or only book about men's style. Alan Flusser's books are better introductions to this field.
Given that I already knew quite a bit about this topic, I was impressed how much new and interesting things I discovered in this book. For example, one interesting "advanced reading" chapter was "On the Difference Between Formality and Dandification"
The main problems that prevent the book from getting a higher rating are: lack of illustrations, difficult-to-read Machiavelli-style language, expectation of prior knowledge, and somewhat poor organization (e.g. it could have been faster and easier to get to the point on many occasions). Note that the author is an active participant in online forums devoted to men's style (London Lounge, Ask Andy, Style Forum), so many of the glowing positive reviews are from other members of these forums.
Overall: recommended reading.
The Suit is a Poor Fit!.......2007-04-11
I have read all of the leading books on men's clothing and style over the years. This ranks at the bottom of the list. It was boring and not well written. I put it aside about a quarter of the way through. I am surprised by the other reviews. I felt like they must have been reading a different book! Save your money on this one. Buy any of Alan Flusser's books. They are all about great style and how to dress.
Edifies while it entertains.......2007-03-15
Reading the numerous reviews of this work was painfully interesting. It's ok not to like something or disagree vehemently with it, but I found it surprising how a little tome about 'how to dress well for best advantage', stiched together in a style seeped in irony and hyperbole, could engender such a vitriolic response from some of the reviewers. I fear that perhaps not a few sacred cows were tipped over in the night. (One of the reviewers evinced a need for literalness so perfervid that I fear he'll misunderstand my previous sentence. "No, sir, no cows in India (where they are sacred) were harmed by the author.")
Rules have motley origins. For clothing, they come from numerous sources, including, but not limited to: what respected people did in the past, what flatters particular body styles, the mathematics of proportion, the aesthetics of colors and patterns, what 'other' successful people wear, and--most importantly--how people in our immediate peer group dress. The latter appears to be the most powerful sartorial force in today's society. Aristocratic snobbery has been steadily replaced by democratic slobbery. If anything that demonstrates that entropy exists in the realm of style, and that style--to sustain itself--must adapt successfully to its environment while maintaining its slowly evolving form. Not everything that worked in the past will work in the future; but a few things will. These 'few things' constitute the core of permanent style.
One important lesson I learned from the book is that a healthy understanding of past traditions is required to understand why things are the way they are and sets the proper context for understanding how things 'might be and ought to be.'
To paraphrase Santayana: 'Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to defeat it.'
fun to share.......2007-01-12
This book was enjoyed by several of the guys in my family over vacation. Those in the know especially enjoyed the subtleties of Machiavelli's The Prince showing through. Seemed to be a fun guy book on lots of levels...I even found my husband dusting off some suits and seeing how they matched up to his body type.
Book Description
Tens of thousands of professionals have attended David W. Merrill's acclaimed "Style Awareness Workshops" The goal: improvement of interpersonal effectiveness skills-inspiring better communication, improved productivity, and a more harmonious working environment. Students preparing for business, management, or sales careers can also benefit from Merrill's techniques, presented in Personal Styles & Effective Performance. Merrill's approach emphasizes the interrelationships between behavior and social style-encouraging students to consider how their own actions influence responsiveness from others. Those actions tend to be rooted in one of four primary social styles: Analytical, Amiable, Driving, and Expressive-which readers are invited to compare and contrast with their own styles, as a starting point for potential improvement. First published in 1981, Personal Styles & Effective Performance continues to be a popular resource for the self-improvement minded. By learning its lessons now, tomorrow's business professionals can have the edge in interpersonal effectiveness-one of the most important facets of a successful career.
Customer Reviews:
Necessary Read.......2007-05-15
Great Book for anyone who is in a position that deals with other people!!! (also for anyone who wants to improve on their communication skills with day to day people)
Personal Styles and Effective Performance.......2007-02-01
One of the best resources to really understand the "Social Styles" personality typology. Written by the pioneer researcher, the book is written with the rigour of a personality theorist, but is very accessible and applicable.
How to motivate people.......2001-03-03
The person who reads this book will be the most likely to succeed in any endevor where other people are involved. The ability to mirror someone's behavior and thus earn their confidence and trust is the skill that the reader will gain, if they take the concepts in this book to heart. All of the interpersonal skills a person has accumulated come together when applying the concepts of 'versitility'. It is the morter that holds everything together. Read the book that lays the foundation for all human behavior techniques and you will be able to effectivly motivate others to reach THEIR potential and help YOU get what you want.
Book Description
Alan Flusser, one of America's foremost menswear designers, knows fine clothes and where to buy them. He shares all this in his insightful and elegantly written treatise for the man interested in savvy attire. Tuck this volume into a corner of your suitcase and you'll be armed with a connoisseur's knowledge of the dos and don'ts of buying and wearing quality clothes and how much they should cost, from dinnerwear to casual sportswear. Open Style and the Man and learn about:
- what to wear when you shop and why
- the difference between a $395 and a $1,000 suit (and how to make sure you're getting your money's worth)
- what two words to look for on a costly dress shirt's label
- why the folds in a cummerbund should always be worn facing upward
- how to recognize sports clothes capable of providing stylish longevity
Turn to the author's 200 favorite men's stores spanning seventeen cities in eight countries' both celebrated designer flagships and tiny shops known only to a privileged few and discover:
- the little-known New York store that sells shoes that offer instant "cachet"
- where the fashion set goes for the best T-shirt
In Style and the Man, Alan Flusser has created the perfect traveling companion for those men wishing to expand their sartorial knowledge as well as their wardrobe.
Customer Reviews:
mostly for collectors.......2007-03-30
I enjoyed A.F.'s other books enough to buy this one, although it is not nearly as practical. The sections on where to buy clothes are not only out of date by now, they are also designed for people who have far more money than most. Actually, I don't know why this book was published originally since, if you have the money to shop at these stores, you probably already know about them. It almost seems like a matter of credentialing, but who knows.
I would buy one of A.F.'s other books if you are just looking for a men's clothing guide. However, if the subject matter really interests you, you will find that each of A.F.'s books covers much of the same ground, but in slightly different ways, so that there is value in reading all of them, including this one.
Outdated sure, but still relevant.......2006-04-10
This book, published in 1996 and half of which is a directory of shops, was bound to be outdated months after publication much less ten years after, as it is now. Hence the four stars instead of five.
Given that, the first part of the book is crammed with a precis or summary of Flusser's recommendations that he has used several hundred pages to expound in his other books ('Clothes And The Man', 'Dressing The Man') and makes the book worth the (used) book price.
I do not understand others who warn against this book because they think it is not objective enough! This is a book written by Flusser so of course you will get his subjective view. Had it been written by a committee of tailors, well then, I would expect a more balanced view, but it is not. It is up to the intelligent reader to understand they are getting a product of one man's opinion and then proceed accordingly.
Dated yet still relevant.......2005-01-03
As noted by many reviewers, the clothing fact information is first rate.
The second part of the book on shopping and retail establishments is so out of date in 2005 that I really question whether a purchase is worthwhile if retailer information is primary purpose of proposed purchase. A good 60% of the information on establishments in the US and London is totally outdated or the stores have gone out of business.
Try the library or borrowing from a friend to see if any of the desired information is still relevant before purchasing. This book needs a serious update.
Terrible.......2003-06-07
What if you live outside of New York? This book isn't applicable for anyone outside "The City." Buy a book from John Bridges instead.
Overrated book.......2003-05-21
I bought this book a year ago, mainly because of its high ratings. But I was disappointed. I read it once and I found the style of writing outdated and the content not so useful: many addresses where you should buy things, but how useful is that? I don't live nearby these places, and I want to learn WHY you should buy certain things so that I can decide for myself what is good to buy and what not. Such info is given only very briefly.
Book Description
In a nation recovering from economic turmoil, today's business men and women need every advantage to keep precious jobs and get new and better jobs. In the CHIC SIMPLE DRESS SMART books, veteran style mavens Kim Johnson Gross and Jeff Stone walk readers through the basics of building a work-appropriate wardrobe that provides a look of confidence and competence, and expresses personal style. Whether its buying the right blazer for a middle management position, or assembling the most versatile pieces for someone just entering the workforce, these savvy and informative guides provide the straight answers to how people can put their most positive image forward at work.
Customer Reviews:
Is not worth it.......2007-06-15
Common sense dress code. I read more informative book about dressing.
Found help to professionalize my image.......2007-02-20
My coworkers see a person destined for clerical glory when they interact with me. My wardrobe needs a serious makeover. However, my concern is not so much "the interview, succeeding in the job, and getting a better job". I'm starting a home-based business and I purchased this book to help me to kick up my image as a businesswoman. I didn't know how to put together a serious professional wardrobe until I purchased it. I love the pictures, the suggestions - I love everything about this book. I'm going to obtain the black, navy, gray, and beige suits in the high-quality fabrics recommended, as well as in a couple of other colors. I'm also going to follow pretty much all of the advice in here tweaked to my personal professional style. I most highly recommend this book.
One of the Best.......2007-02-19
I have been purchasing various books on how to dress and this is my favorite book. I love how the information was presented. I bought both the Women and Men books and I have enjoyed both. These books are essential for me in improving my dress from my current wardrobe. I also really enjoy the travel tips, very useful. I dress both my boyfriend and myself from the great tips these books offer. GREAT BOOK.
I have enjoyed and employed this book since the eighties.......2006-11-21
This book is spot-on accurate. I grew up in an exclusive area full of well-to-do people and long-time "well-bred" families. The information in here may seem outdated at times but it is still the right info if you want to make it big-time. There are people and companies that still follow these styles. If you just want to do-alright or be happy in an average job, this book will make you shine above the rest and will give you the extra push needed during an interview. If you are applying to an ivy league college, this book will help you fit in. If you have some common sense and can adapt the information in this book to your current job needs, then use this book as a guideline. Remember, don't outshine your superior! If they dress like a slob or like they shop at ross or macy's, your brooks brothers suits might intimidate them. Many jobs may require you to be less formal, but the information here reminds you that you are an employee, not a prostitute, college kid or someone who has no idea how to dress. Your job as employee is to inform your employer that you are capable and NOT to tell them what music you like, what style you wore in high school and cerainly not to tell them that you are a hottie, even if you are.
Oh, and navy is not always the right colour. Dark grey should be the first choice, navy is the second choice.
Have fun being the best you can and looking it, too!
Good buy.......2006-08-24
If you're fresh out of college and are looking for a guide to how to dress in the workplace, this book is pretty useful. If you've been in the workforce a while then it can be used to enhance your wardrobe. The tips are abundant, the language clear with lots of illustrations. It's a good gift for any college graduate and the male version is good too. Of course job culture is always evolving and sometimes the book can appear dated. In conclusion, this book is a good place to start a professional looking wardrobe but common sense is also needed to fit the adivce to the specific character of your workplace.
Book Description
The business world swarms with alpha males—powerhouses who take charge, produce astonishing results, and bring enormous value to their organizations. But many alphas also leave a path of destruction in their wake. Competitive, belligerent, and impatient, these hard-charging leaders can run roughshod over colleagues and employees, to the detriment of their careers and the bottom line.
In Alpha Male Syndrome, Kate Ludeman and Eddie Erlandson build on their Harvard Business Review article “Coaching the Alpha Male”—sounding a wake-up call to all alphas and the companies they work for. The authors show alphas how to leverage their unique strengths while confronting their destructive “flip side risks.” They describe the distinguishing dynamics of the alpha male syndrome and identify four breeds: commanders, executors, strategists, and visionaries. By understanding each type’s nuances, alphas can transform themselves into more effective leaders. And those who work with alphas can transform nightmare work groups into collaborative dream teams. Exercises, checklists, and tips enable readers to harness the enormous power of the alpha personality while minimizing the downsides of alpha behavior.
Customer Reviews:
Alpha Male.......2007-08-23
Very good book for those who want to understand what's going on in the management team. All managers should read this book. A must
A Landmark Management Study of Alpha Male.......2007-05-09
Two management consultants have jointly written this book about alpha males who occupy some 75% senior management positions in America's business world. According to them, alpha males are indomitable, tenacious, and persevering enough to reach the apex of their career. They inspire awe and respect but could move people to fear and trembling. Despite having great career success, the downside of their traits and behaviours such as the `laws of the jungle' attitude, interpersonal impatience, and difficult controlling anger can have devastating effect to their health, marriage, and other people surrounding them.
Both writers marry hard data on some 1,500 executives and base on their abundant coaching experience with senior executives from Fortune 500 firms to figure out why such top dogs become pit bulls that snowball problems and expose their vulnerabilities. In short, alpha males are various in terms of their different traits they possess such as commander, visionary, strategist, and executor. Some are inclined to act like visionaries that often dream up exotic ideas but hate naysayers. Others have an uncanny ability to deal with crisis but tend to exercise their authority through intimidation and domination. Both writers conclude that Trump's `apprentice' mentality would do more harm than good. In today's business environment where trust, respect, and collaborative dialogue between corporate bigwigs and coworkers are vital for business survival and growth, both writers offer alpha males a list of `awareness of self and others' tools that could guide them beyond the `alpha triangle' trap and move themselves and their people to effectiveness.
This book is a comprehensive study of alpha males. It is also a landmark management study that not only fills need for alpha males but also provides an impetus for further research on this subject. Revealing the importance of tapping human potentials in teams to high performance, alpha males should learn how to involve the whole team that harness their intelligence, vitality, and drive without wreaking havoc on working relationships. They have to put aside their `zero-sum' jungle mentality as well as personal glory in pursuit of the alchemy of human connections. This book is accompanied by a website that contains an online alpha assessment to testify whether you are an alpha male or not and also your alpha strengths and risks. It helps readers undertake a self-awareness exercise in order to understand and modify their tendencies and risk areas. Chapter 8 provides alpha males with a repertoire of tools to practice emotional and physical reset such as stress relief and endorphin increments in order to achieve high-level health and wellness.
This book is highly recommended for readers who are interested in understanding more about the upside as well as downside traits of alpha males. It is also a highly recommended book for alpha males who aspire to leverage their strengths and subdue their flip-side risks for the best interest of shareholders and their people.
Brilliant Insights for the Many Alphas at the Helm.......2007-03-03
It is hard to not wax poetic about this book as I was so excited to literally walk into it in an airport store soon after it was published. Not one to usually look at hardback books, the title was alluring and the content took my breath away. Here were two top consultants working with some of the best and the brightest who had characterized the execs into four categories. Their process of categorization allows a much greater understanding by the executive than most of the others I have seen over the years.
Each of the four "types" (and most of us have a mix) have specific strengths and risks when it comes to leadership and effectiveness as a top executive. As an executive coach, I really like helping each "alpha" I work with to look at the "risks" of their personality traits rather than call anything a weakness. We play to our strengths and mitigate our risks. This offers a framework from which we can look at what is working, what isn't, and set very specific goals for behavioral change.
Every successful executive has some/many alpha traits. Kate Ludeman, PhD and Edie Erlandson, MD at Worth Ethic, offer an online test that is incredibly helpful as it provides very clear explanations of the specific strengths and risks indicated by the individual. The conclusions and recommendations they offer are extremely valid (from a practical point of view). Having worked with hundreds/thousands of alphas over the past 25 years, I wish I had the benefit of this screen and understanding of their conceptualization process for each client earlier. This is one of the few items I always use when working with a new client.
Breaking the traits into strengths and risks is really what it is all about. Although I have used a SWOT analysis for years in all levels of work (with individuals or with boards and strategic planning), I've always hated the "W" term, weakness. This is such a judgmental and pejorative term to most people, and sounds very permanent. The term "risk" is ever so much better to work with (and hints at the situational component). So even if SROT won't be a best seller, I now explain that what I want to look at are their personal risks, not weaknesses. Every exec is comfortable with risk. It's how we live, and really is an important part of what gives the fabric of life a certain richness and depth. A risk is something that one can assess and make decisions about. A weakness is just, well, yuck.
An Insightful Book For Alphas and Those Who Work With Them!.......2007-02-14
What I appreciate about this well written book is that it doesn't just give "quick fixes" for alphas. Instead, Kate and Eddie invite us all to explore the deeper issues going on underneath the surface in order to create lasting changes. As an Alpha, I learned more about my own challenges and as a coach to Alphas, gleaned much wisdom from the examples Kate and Eddie shared from their vast experience. I also recommned taking their alpha assessment online [...]
It's not about ramping back - it's about making better choices for leadership success. .......2007-02-09
The business world is packed with powerhouse people who take charge and produce amazing results: but these same winners are also often hard to get along with, running over colleagues and employees in order to pursue the best interests of their careers and corporation. ALPHA MALE SYNDROME explores and focuses on these detriments, examining the psychology of the 'alpha male' and how to better manage 'alpha' behaviors. It's not about ramping back - it's about making better choices for leadership success. Libraries strong in business management - and mangers in particular - will find it filled with insight.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Books:
- The Skinny: How to Fit into Your Little Black Dress Forever
- The Truth About Beauty: Transform Your Looks and Your Life from the Inside Out
- Tiffany at auction
- Tiffany Pearls
- Versace : The Naked and the Dressed: 20 Years of Versace by Avedon
- Victorian Lace Today
- Visionaire No. 49: Decades (Visionaire)
- Welcome to Oz: A Cinematic Approach to Digital Still Photography with Photoshop (VOICES)
- What Is the What
- What You Wear Can Change Your Life
Books Index
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