Book Description
It is published to coincide with "Colors for Modern Fashion" and it is necessary to discuss some of the aspects of the new book to understand the changes in this one. This new edition of "9 Heads" is the re-statement of the author's approach to the subject of black and white drawings, incorporating the most developed thinking and views, both in terms of what the end product should look like, and how best to achieve it. "9 Heads" also presents a different style of finished drawing, one where figures are usually more fleshed-out and where garment fabrics are more rendered than in the drawings of the previous edition. This edition has been extended in scope as that together with "Colors for Modern Fashion" the two books constitute all the elements of modern fashion drawing from Beginners through to Advanced.
In-depth treatment in men's fashion. More serious treatment of children's fashion. Completely revised and expanded chapter on drawing clothing on the figure. New chapter on fabrics shows how to make drawings so the fabrics can be identified from the drawing. New appendix with hundreds of flats of modern garments. Quality of the drawing is far higher than the other books on the market.
Ideal for those who have no previous formal training in drawing and who have a need to learn the basics of fashion drawing quickly.
Customer Reviews:
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT BOOK.......2007-10-03
This book is a must have for anyone who is seriosly into Fashion Illustration. I do some of my teaching with it, and students go crazy over the simplicity of the explanations.
9 Heads.......2007-07-07
This book is a must have for anyone who wants to learn to draw human figures or wants to go into fashion design. The language is easy to understand and the results are great. Your drawing skills improve and your drawings become more realistic. A must have for artists and future fashion designers.
9 Heads is the best.......2007-01-12
Great book for fashion illustration beginners and an excellent book for anyone with fashion illustration/art experience. Glossy pages,rendering,shading folds etc,. Up to date illustration sketches; many sketched poses,and flats in this book. My classmates were borrowing this book from me during class. You won't regret this purchase. This book is really heavy;Cover is made cheap. The front cover has fragile thick plastic corners that tear.
9 Heads book.......2007-01-04
This was a gift for my daughter. This item came very quickly and in really good shape for being used. My daughter is a talented woman and she has designed clothes since she was 5 yrs old. This book is incredible for her to continue her gift and talent in designing.
Best sketching book out there!!.......2006-12-23
I was really weary of buying this book because of the price, but I actually got it for a discounted price and it's SO worth it. It's a huge book and this new edition includes chapters on men and children. Personally I got it because I'm applying to F.I.T in NYC and I need help with my sketching skills (I have none). I found this book to be the best that I have seen and it has helped me so much. The instructions and the "9 heads" theory (9 heads make up the human body) are very simple and easy to understand. I love that she uses the "box" method to help you draw faces. I have never been an artist and this book helped me to draw some fabulous fashion sketches. SO worth the money if you really need to learn to sketch for fashion design.
Book Description
FROM THE STYLE GURUS WHO TAUGHT YOU WHAT NOT TO WEAR...
TRINNY AND SUSANNAH ARE BACK--AND THIS TIME THEY'RE NOT FOOLING AROUND. THEY'RE OUT TO CHANGE LIVES.
Here is the "bible" from the authors of the New York Times bestseller What Not to Wear. What You Wear Can Change Your Life shows you how to redefine your look and style from head to toe.
Trinny and Susannah go over the basics of choosing colors that suit you best, what underwear to buy, which accessories to look for, how to store clothing, how to revamp your wardrobe at no cost, and how to make the sartorial most of being pregnant.
This is a gorgeous, lavishly illustrated package--a resource to consult again and again. Trinny and Susannah anticipate the needs and questions of every woman and address them with the surefire style, self-deprecating wit, and friendly but firm empathy that have made them the last word in looking better.
Topics covered include:
- Defining the Shape
- Underwear
- How to Wear Color
- What to Keep, What to Toss
- Accessories
- Storage
- Make-up
- Travel
Customer Reviews:
Not up to expectations.......2007-07-21
I am a huge fan of WNTW and I am really dissapointed in this book. Trinny and Susannah are the only models and the advice isn't very realistic. The only thing that makes this (maybe) worth the money is the color chapter which shows which colors go with which.
I was slightly offended by the constant knocking of black and wearing black with color. Who doesn't? Maybe in England they don't.
If you want help matching things (but not with black) buy this. If not, try Stacy London and Clinton Kelly's book or the Lucky fashion manual. Much more helpful tips and useful info.
Indispensable.......2007-07-06
How sad am I to see Amazon may not continue carrying this book. So very sad.
I got this after a friend raved about the color chart in it. I thought there was just one chart. In fact, there is one for every color-and the variations within it. Don't know what to pair with those bubblegum pink pants you bought? Turn to page 86 and see that purple, orange and forest green all can be successfully combined with them. Pistachio green? See page 72. And so on for pretty much everything in your wardrobe OR for items that you've thought of buying but weren't sure what to pair them with. Plus the authors themselves take turns posing in every color family and give some great suggestions. There's literally something you'll use on every page.
But there's more. Find out what type of shoes, belts and jewelry work best for you, how to store clothes and accessories (I'm definitely taking their advice on necklaces and scarves), tips on all steps in the makeup process (and sorry ladies, but I'm not throwing out my bronzer) and how to hide all manners of figure flaws. For the flaws segment, the authors themselves once again bravely model so it's impossible to take offense. Throughout, Trinny and Susannah display more wit, charm and warmth than you might expect from a fasion how-to book. I can't emphasize enough how helpful they've been. I have the book from the American version of the show as well and while it too is very helpful, this one is my favorite.
The only complaint is some of the information might be a bit too geared towards women with fair skin and hair (as both the writers have.) The friend who recommended it to me is African-American and while she swears by the color charts, she says some of the advice simply doesn't work for her. Since the authors are the only models provided, this can be limiting if you are trying to imagine a look on darker skin and/or hair. So do keep that in mind. (Having said that, my friend still loves the book)
What you wear can change your life.......2007-05-07
This book was a great help in helping me update my wardrobe to look better in what I wear.
Good book to have..........2007-05-07
Very Clear and has great insight on what you should be wearing.
Really down to earth and enjoyable read.......2007-03-17
This book doesn't tell you what to wear. It tells you what not to wear and gives you the confidence to realize what you should be wearing. I expected a clear cut, "if your body is this shape, this size and you're this height you look good in, such and such and such and such" but no, it just gives you ideas not specific wardrobe assignments. And yes, what you wear CAN change your life, for the good or for the bad don't forget it goes both ways.
Book Description
Within this compendium, the very first knitting books have been translated from sketchy, often-inaccurate instructions into richly-colored, exciting patterns for modern-day accessories. This blend of history, mystery, and hands-on technique debunks myths about Victorian life as it inspires beginners and ambitious knitters alike. Included are instructions for Victorian lace as the Victorians never saw it—in glorious detail, up-close and on location in and around Cambridge, England. The lace patterns progress from the first, most basic, edgings to the sophistication of "real" lace. Forty patterns are included—scarves and shawls, capes, and fichus—with comprehensive information on the tools and techniques of lace knitting for beginners and enough challenges to keep experienced or ambitious knitters engaged. Delicate and decorative, historical lace patterns are within the reach of today's knitters in this book of adventurous ideas with a vintage touch.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful Lace Shawls!.......2007-09-23
What a wonderful book! This book is loaded with patterns for absolutely gorgeous shawls. The author impliments a variety of fibers and colors into her work. The shawls are in a variety of shapes and sizes. Yes, there are even several examples of scarves! I've gone through my book countless times and it is full of page markers so that I can "quickly" find which project I want to make next. With most books this might be 3-5 projects. This is a large book and I have page markers going down the entire side of the book! I began a shawl last night and already I can see that it is going to be scrumptious! The pattern is so simple to understand that it will be finished in no time at all.
I highly recommend this wonderful book!
The delight of lace!.......2007-09-09
Jane Sowerby's book provides wonderful photographs, clear instructions, and many options for the knitter who loves to work with detail...but you do not have to be an expert to tackle her projects! It is one of the nicest collections of lace knitting...primarily for shawls...that I have found. I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Sowerby, and she is as charming as her works of art. I do recommend this book highly!
Gorgeous, inspiring.......2007-09-02
The settings and photos are excellent. The projects range from easy to experienced & everything inbetween. For those of you who learn new things easily and want to get creative, it also tells how to plan out your own shawls, with or without borders. Inspirational but initially daunting for those of us who have never tried lace. But the projects are just so lovely.... It wasn't enough to keep borrowing my friend's book - I had to buy my own. I have a project on my needles now & can't wait to wear my new - & gorgeous - shawl.
Victorian Lace Today.......2007-08-26
This is a lovely, hardbound book with beautiful pictures of shawls and scarves including the patterns. My personal preference would have been more shawls and fewer scarves, however. There is a brief section at the beginning on history of lace knitting. The section on Techniques at the back of the book might have been more useful at the front of the book.
This is a beauty!!.......2007-08-11
This whole book is beautiful. The shawls and scarves are gorgeous and the photography is also wonderful. Even if you never make any of the projects it will make a lovely coffee table book.
Customer Reviews:
The Art of Fashion Draping.......2006-02-27
Good information in general, but there a lot of instructions that are unclear and/or EXTREMELY poorly edited (spelling/grammar mistakes etc). The book itself is not good quality and pages are already starting to fall out of my barely-month-old copy.
good intro to draping.......2000-03-15
Excellent intro for novice sewers as a text, or experienced sewers wanting to learn draping skills. Covers tools/equipment, terms/elements of draping, the basic bodice/skirt/shift/sleeve, princess bodice/dress, skirt variations, pants, sleeve and armhole variations, collars, cowl necks, yoke variations, knits, and a few intermediate fashion features like sculptured pleats, bias, boned bustier, ruffles/flounces/gathering, and peplums. To follow the exercises, you must have a dress form (preferrably professional) to work with. But with numbered steps giving a very simplified process, and the very clear and numerous b/w diagrams, you should be able to teach yourself the rudiments of draping unless you are also a beginner at sewing. As a veteran sewer and novice draper, I received this as a textbook for my first draping class and appreciated it as a reference. But it's no substitute for a beginning sewing class. I would strongly recommend this for home sewers ready to move beyond commercial patterns or for first year fashion students.
Book Description
Captures the unique style of fashion maverick Iris Apfel and her exuberantly idiosyncratic personal chic.
With remarkable panache and discernment, Iris Apfel combines styles, colors, textures, and patterns without regard to period, provenance, or aesthetic conventions. Now in her mid-eighties, she is a unique style icon.
Over ninety sumptuous color plates, photographed by Eric Boman, show off a selection of Apfel's extraordinary outfits on wittily posed mannequins, some sporting her trademark outsized spectacles. The originality of her style is typically revealed in her mixing of Dior haute couture with flea-market finds, Dolce & Gabbana lizard trousers with nineteenth-century ecclesiastical vestments, pink Lanvin worn with ropes of Navajo turquoise. Apfel's eclectic pieces might come from a Parisian couture house, an American thrift shop, or a North African souk, or they may have been made to her own design in a tiny studio.
Detailed captions describe every aspect of the outfits, including names and dates of designers, plus full information on fabrics and accessories. A selection of audacious accessories also comes under the spotlight: a giant necklace made of bear claws, a turn-of-the-century Indian horse ornament worn as a necklace, a parrot's-head brooch in colored glass and rhinestones.
The book includes an introduction by Harold Koda, director of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and an essay by Apfel herself, describing her lifelong love affair with style and illustrated with vintage photographs from her personal collection. 169 illustrations, 149 in color.
Customer Reviews:
A delightful inspiration.......2007-06-11
This book reminds all its readers that true style grows from individuality. In a time were you would recognize a stylist's style easier than the style of a designer, Iris Apfel's approach to and interpretation of fashion is the light at the end of the tunnel, she certainly has nudged me into the one or the other "true to myself experiment". Iris Apfel's witty introduction perfectly accessoirizes the clothes and jewellery presented, not only poviding background information on how this exhibition came to life but also shedding light on a certainly most interesting and colorful life in a warmhearted and humorous way. This book most certainly will be a longterm occupant of my coffee table.
Need more like her!.......2007-05-22
Loved, loved this book. The comments, the photography and most importantly the crediting of designers to each style was extremely well done. This rare bird of fashion serves us notice that we should embrace our individual style and glory in it and not follow the herd or be shy about manifesting our true "feathers".
Iris Apfel, what a rare bird indeed..........2007-04-02
I was lucky enough to view the exhibit 'Iris Apfel - Rare Bird of Fashion' at the Norton Museum in Palm Beach, and what a visual treat it was... Not only is she an icon of fashion, but her style, her combinations of colors and her very different approach to the matter is something everybody should see and study. I have seen and met her in New York, she is the most terrific person!!! The book is amazing as well, great photography!!! I will always treasure this book and every time I open it, there is something else to marvel at or read about... An absolutely great source of inspiration, that simply makes you smile! One could only wish there will be other 'rare birds' to follow her lead.
Book Description
A celebrity fashion designer gives every woman the red-carpet treatment in this foolproof guide to choosing clothes that make you look fabulous—with tailor-made tips for forty-eight body types.
The average American woman is 5"4' tall, weighs 160 pounds, wears a size 14, and bears no resemblance to the typical runway model. Yet the runway model sets the standard for “ideal” wardrobes. Top L.A. designer Bradley Bayou has dressed women of all shapes and sizes and knows that every woman has her own natural combination of silhouette shape, height, and weight. Style is not about fitting into the size you think is sexy, it is about picking clothes that fit your body correctly and that create balance. Perfect balance is perfect style.
In The Science of Sexy, Bayou helps readers identify their silhouette shape (triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle, or hourglass) and combines that information with a height/weight chart to determine which of forty-eight “fitting rooms” to go to in the book. Each fitting room has Bradley's specific advice for that woman on the clothes and accessories to wear and avoid, and how to create balance using color, scale, proportions, and fabric.
With a fabulous design and instructive and fun four-color illustrations throughout, The Science of Sexy takes the fear out of shopping and gives all women the gift of confidence that they deserve.
Customer Reviews:
so worth it!.......2007-10-03
I realize there are only 4 pages per body type to explain the dos and don'ts, but its the quality not the quantity. I used the tips and share them with all my girlfriends, family, coworkers - everyone! and the response is fantastic. So many little mistakes we never knew we did, yet are SO easy to fix. I love the glossary in the back for the not so fashionistas, it makes the vocabulary much easier. Buy this book and have yourself a science of sexy party with your girlfriends!
Some good info but...........2007-09-20
It had good info on how to dress for your body type, however half of the book is a break down of all the different body types. So half the book is useless to me, becuase I only need the summary on MY body type. I saw the book on the TYRA show, I like it though, very informative.
Excellent source of information for all figure types.......2007-09-12
As a women's clothing retailer, I found this book to be "coffee table material" in my shop. I leave a tape measure on the book to invite women to investigate the contents. So many women have difficulty selecting the right clothing for their figure types. This book offers the best visual and written information that is easily understood and appreciated. Bravo to the writers. I have a library full of books on the subject and have never seen one that is so informative, well written and assists all figure types and personalities.
Enjoyable and helpful read.......2007-07-27
I really got excited when I saw this book. It looked like it had lots of photos and covered a topic with which I am very concerned. What I found was an interesting book that did help me determine my body type (I was always confused about whether I was an inverted triangle or a rectangle - I'm a rectangle) and offered a few tips to help dress in a style more flattering to me.
I thought he offer useful fashion tips to help address each body's assets and how to highlight them without drawing attendion to its "flaws". I also like that he offered celebrities who shared that body type - it made it a little easier to visualize how certain fashions work or don't work on that type.
I think my biggest complaint is that I wish it had more photos, especially photos of the celebrities who shared the body types listed in fashions that work or don't work for them. That would have been really helpful. Especially since some of the plus size celebrities don't usually get included in typical magazines "week in fashion" reviews. I also would have liked it if the author could have included more than one example of celebrities who fit the various body types.
Overall I like this book and would recommend it to others.
Brief but worth it.......2007-07-19
I really like this book and think its a amazing tool for people that really need a visual for looking their best and how to avoid the worst. I do wish it would give each profile more than 2 pages but i am not complaining. Thats the only reason i didnt give it 5 stars
Book Description
Renowned for its comprehensive coverage, exceptional illustrations, and clear instructions, this hallmark book offers detailed yet easy-to-understand explanations of the essence of patternmaking. Hinging on a recurring theme that all designs are based on one or more of the three major patternmaking and design principles–dart manipulation, added fullness, and contouring–it provides all the relevant information necessary to create design patterns with accuracy regardless of their complexity.
Sewing guides included for the pleated trouser (with pattern layout), belt/loops, pockets, and zipper; the jean pant with pockets, countour belt, and fly front; and the gusset. Updated jacket foundation draft includes fabric preparation, interfacing, chest piece, tape control, and shoulder pads. Pant drafts–Trouser draft including pocket, waistband, and loop; dungaree foundation draft; grunge pant draft; and three jean waistline variations including pocket and sewing instruction. Includes fitting corrections for the basic patterns. Unique section on patternmaking for bias-cut garments.
For anyone developing their patternmaking skills.
Customer Reviews:
Well worth the money.......2007-07-18
Patternmaking for Fashion Design and DVD Package (4th Edition)
I'm an intermediate level sewer and haven't had a course in patternmaking. However I have found this book invaluable even though it is written as a textbook. I haven't read it cover to cover because I regard it as a reference book. However, after having reviewed the sections that relate to the sewing I do, I have found it very enlightening. There are certain principles that I didn't understand until I read it, such as dart rotation. This, for instance, will be very helpful to me in altering commercial patterns to make them fit better. I plan to do some pattern drafting, but will probably use it mostly in altering commercial patterns. For instance, I was recently altering a pants pattern and wondered if I was changing the ratio of the width of the front leg to the back. The book answered my question while books on pattern alterations didn't address this issue. The layout of the book has been thoroughly explained in other reviews, so I won't go into describing it. I will say, however, that I highly recommend this book for anyone who sews as a hobby because it answers a lot of questions one would have when it comes to altering commercial patterns or drafting simple patterns. It's expensive, but money well spent. This book should be in the library of any serious sewer.
No, No, No.............2007-01-23
This book is outdated, outmoded, and nearly useless. It contains tons of information on how to manipulate fabrics that aren't even in use anymore. Hardly anything on dealing with knit fabrics, which look better and are easier to manipulate. Ask anyone under 50 if they have ever seen any darts in their clothes? And all this slashing and turning and manipulating??? not only is it sloppy, its useless, Useless, USELESS! Lots of money spent for vague instructions on basic blocks, and only clothes made in the 80's. Save eyour money, just because this book is expensive, doesn't make it useful.
Extensive, but a few mistakes..........2006-11-03
I was required to purchase this book for my fashion design class. At first I was completely blown away at how comprehensive it was. It talked about measuring, darts and manipulation, basic patterns and principles, women, mens, children, knit, and sportswear. From what I can tell, it's based off of " Industry Standards". So It's not your everyday Joe book.
During class though, many of my teachers noticed discrepancies in the instructions. Particularly the fitted arm block. It made me fail my class twice because the first and second teacher didn't catch that the instructions were incorrect, causing me to continually make an incorrect arm block. It took my DRAPING teacher to find out that the book was incorrect in the instructions for the sleeve cap.
We also had a problem during class, when the instructions made an extremely wonky sleeve pattern, and also a two dart bodice. The student was extremely frustrated with the book and the teacher for their lack of help and knowledge. The student was not an " industry standard" size. So the measurement guides were not available to her to make a proper judgement. She had to receive a bad grade because the book would not produce the correct pattern, and the teacher didn't know what to do.
Otherwise, this book is still a great reference. Many of the styles seem outdated, but yet can be played on to create current looks. But some of the wedding sleeve types are somewhat awful, but that's personal opinion.
Some Instructions Inadequate.......2006-09-10
I purchased this book as my figure has changed and I needed to re-do my basic slopers. The pattern design books I currently have did not cover trousers so I was delighted to find a new book that was apparently so comprehensive.
I found however that the method used to create basic bodice slopers, simply did not work with my measurements. There was no way the strap measurement was going to reach the line it was supposed to and there is no way to work around it as the rest of the drafting works from the point created.
I would also have liked some instructions on how to take measurements on live people rather than just models. If "the strap measurement may cover the armplate", what happens with an arm in the way? After all at least a few fashion students would hopefully go on to work with actual people rather than just standard measurements or models. I thought it was a major flaw in the book that there was no instruction on taking personal measurements & so little instruction on creating the basic slopers. It is really disppointing to have to find another method before I can use the rest of the book.
Finally ! Best value for my dollar.......2006-09-01
I received this book yesterday and read the first 100 pages. I've sewn all my life and consider myself an advanced seamstress. I've sewn and made my own patterns for childrens' heirloom, business suits, and now enjoy making (jazz) dance costumes. I'm the one in line at the fabric store buying ten patterns, just to combine different details and features in different sizes, especially if sewing for a group. I probably own hundreds of patterns and almost that many books. For me, this book will pay for itself many times over. It isn't a sewing "how to" book and it wouldn't be the first book for a beginner. The reader should be familiar or use other reference books for actual garment construction techniques. I've bought other, less expensive sewing books to learn pattern manipulation and fitting techniques. I put off the purchase of this book, being put off by its price. But, finally! This book is so inspiring and liberating. In just the first 100 pages, I've gotten through the basic patternmaking and dart manipulation. I think I may never have to buy another pattern again ! This is definitely a must have for the serious sewing enthusiast.
Book Description
Dressing the Man is the definitive guide to what men need to know in order to dress well and look stylish without becoming fashion victims.
Alan Flusser's name is synonymous with taste and style. With his new book, he combines his encyclopedic knowledge of men's clothes with his signature wit and elegance to address the fundamental paradox of modern men's fashion: Why, after men today have spent more money on clothes than in any other period of history, are there fewer well-dressed men than at any time ever before?
According to Flusser, dressing well is not all that difficult, the real challenge lies in being able to acquire the right personalized instruction. Dressing well pivots on two pillars -- proportion and color. Flusser believes that "Permanent Fashionability," both his promise and goal for the reader, starts by being accountable to a personal set of physical trademarks and not to any kind of random, seasonally served-up collection of fashion flashes.
Unlike fashion, which is obliged to change each season, the face's shape, the neck's height, the shoulder's width, the arm's length, the torso's structure, and the foot's size remain fairly constant over time. Once a man learns how to adapt the fundamentals of permanent fashion to his physique and complexion, he's halfway home.
Taking the reader through each major clothing classification step-by-step, this user-friendly guide helps you apply your own specifics to a series of dressing options, from business casual and formalwear to pattern-on-pattern coordination, or how to choose the most flattering clothing silhouette for your body type and shirt collar for your face.
A man's physical traits represent his individual road map, and the quickest route toward forging an enduring style of dress is through exposure to the legendary practitioners of this rare masculine art. Flusser has assembled the largest andmost diverse collection of stylishly mantled men ever found in one book. Many never-before-seen vintage photographs from the era of Cary Grant, Tyrone Power, and Fred Astaire are employed to help illustrate the range and diversity of authentic men's fashion. Dressing the Man's sheer magnitude of options will enable the reader to expand both the grammar and verbiage of his permanent-fashion vocabulary.
For those men hoping to find sartorial fulfillment somewhere down the road, tethering their journey to the mind-set of permanent fashion will deliver them earlier rather than later in life.
Customer Reviews:
Great manual to test your sartorialism!.......2007-09-19
Great manual to test your sartorialism!
lot's of examples and illustrating pictures. Nice hardcover tablebook.
fantastic.......2007-06-21
This book is amazing, it has everything you could possibly want to know about dressing a man.
Beautiful. Classic Manual...Comes Across As A Little Dated.......2007-05-23
This book falls into one of my most favorite genres of such; Men's fashion, grooming, style manuals. This one is beautifully photographed with many, many tried and true guidelines for men who wish to appear well dressed. A good number of the photos are from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 40's and 50's. This was a time when many of the rules for fashionable men were firmly established. On the other hand, there have been many cultural changes in how American and European men approach fashion and style. For these men (of which I am one) portions of Mr. Flusser's book will seem dated and irrelevant. I found this true of the section that addresses a man and his accessories; especially jewelry! The best thing about Mr. Flusser's style chronicle is that is does establish the ground rules for what is appropriate for business, casual and formal wear. One who is so inclined may veer from the foundations to find one's own sense of style. I enjoy this book and I reccomend it to anyone wanting to establish a wardrobe foundation. Worth the price.
I fully enjoy this book. I recommend it.
Excellent with one caveat about the format..........2007-04-18
All of Mr. Flusser's books are superb and make reliable guides for anyone interested in classic men's dress (as opposed to fleeting fashion trends). I do have one critical observation to make however. Having recently picked up a used copy of the authors first book Making The Man: The Insiders Guide to Buying and Wearing Men's Clothes and having browsed through all of his books since one thing has become very apparent to me. A good 75% or more of the information in his books is simply recycled for each publication for the simple reason that the fundamentals of classic men's dress doesn't change or date...that's why it's considered "classic". In the introduction to his second book Clothes and the Man he says outright "With the publication of my first book, Making the Man, I thought I had answered most of the questions men asked about dressing." and indeed he had. For this reason I am surprised that the author hasn't simply published an updated edition of Making the Man every few years with the information on the specific retail stores updated. The real reason probably comes down to the fact that large hardcover books make more money for the publishers than oversized trade paperbacks do. Flusser's first book was a deserved success but each new one has been more lavish and pricey than the last...from Making the Man published back in 1981 as a $10 oversized trade paperback to the latest one, Dressing the Man weighing in as a $50 hardcover.
There was a period in the 60's and 70's where the U.S. seemed to be entering a sort of golden age of quality oversized paperback publications, perhaps taking after France where almost everything (even bestsellers like the Harry Potter books) are published only in paperback. The books (and I have many of them) were solid, printed on good acid-free paper and light enough to carry on the bus or subway to work. We seem to have headed back to the point where hardcovers are seen as prestigious and the bigger, heavier and more expensive the better. This book is full of the same useful information that all of the authors books are but his first one, Making the Man, (along with The Indispensible Guide to Men's Clothing by Josh Karlen) remain the most concise, straightforward and compact of my men's dress references and therfore my favorites.
Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion.......2007-04-14
This was just the book I needed when I decided to update my wardrobe after fifteen years on neglect. Perfect for learning or re-learning the basics.
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!
Books:
- America's National Parks: The Spectacular Forces That Shaped Our Treasured Lands
- Baby Bargains, 7th Edition: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on baby furinture, gear, clothes, toys, maternity wear and much more! (Baby Bargains)
- Back on Blossom Street (The Knitting Books #3)
- Balenciaga and His Legacy: Haute Couture from the Texas Fashion Collection
- Barbie Fashion, 1959-1967 (Barbie Doll Fashion)
- Blizzard of the Blue Moon (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
- Blue Shoes and Happiness (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Book 7)
- Bridal Gowns: How to Make the Wedding Dress of Your Dreams
- Bushido : Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo
- Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith
- Spanish Now! Level 1 with CDs
- Possessing the Secret of Joy
- Navajo Weaving Way: The Path from Fleece to Rug
- Photoshop Elements 4 One-on-One
- Principles of Combustion
- The Accidental Investment Banker: Inside the Decade that Transformed Wall Street
- The saga of Texas cookery;: An historical guide of more than one hundred twenty recipes illustrating
- Paddle to the Amazon: The Ultimate 12,000-Mile Canoe Adventure
- A Very Intimate Occupation
Fashion Design
| Commercial
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Colors for Modern Fashion
Portfolio Presentation for Fashion Designers
Patternmaking for Fashion Design (4th Edition)
Fashion Sketchbook
Figure Drawing for Fashion Design (Pepin Press Design Books)
