The Fashion Book

Looking to update your wardrobe for the new year, but not sure what direction to go stylistically? Look no further than The Fashion Book, dewey # T746.92B in the non-fiction section. 

This colorful and fun book is divided into short chapters which details fashion trends by decade and talks about the famous people who helped popularize them (everyone from Cleopatra to Marie Antoinette to Madonna and beyond). Following each chapter are tips on how to modernize these trends for today's world, because wearing a ginormous hoop skirt or 10-inch platforms are just not practical or comfortable (obviously)--unless, of course, it's Halloween. Either way, you'll find some awesome ideas in this book!

Other topics covered are fashion trends around the world, a day in the life of a runway model, and what's next for fashion. Would YOU wear a color-changing mood shirt, a skirt where you could change the pattern with only a few clicks of your Smart Phone, or accessories (or even entire outfits) printed on a 3-D printer? 

According to The Fashion Book, anything goes (and anything is possible) when it comes to crafting a signature look! Just have fun with it!

As for me? I'm totally going to hit up the thrift stores and vintage boutiques to hunt for some 60s & 70s-era styles! --AJB

10 Minute Makeup

In today's busy world, what girl has hours to spend getting ready? Boris Entrup, makeup artist from America's Top Model, understands the busy schedules of today's girls and has gives us 10-Minute Makeup: 50 Step-by-Step Looks From Fresh & Natural to Catwalk Chic. 

The Review:

The first section of the book is devoted to proper skincare, explaining the right tools (brushes & sponges & such) for the right job, and which products you'll need to achieve the desired looks. One thing I noticed and liked about this section is the author does not try to promote any particular brands--so it doesn't matter if you buy expensive department store brands or the cheapest stuff you can find. Apparently it all works.

The second section is devoted to "how to's" for various looks, from barely-there natural to freaky-weird stuff you wouldn't likely see outside of a Halloween party (page 121 is particularly zombified!), and how to make them happen. Special attention is given to techniques for applying concealer, blush, mascara, and lipstick.  There are also tips and tricks for maintaining eyebrow shapes and how to successfully pull off the "smoky eye" look without appearing as if you lost a fight with this year's heavyweight champ. 

The book then discusses how to carry your makeup looks into your 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond.

Lastly, a special S.O.S. section gives attention to common beauty problems (dark circles, blemishes, etc) and beauty blunders (smudged mascara).

The Verdict:

I can see how parts of this book will be helpful for women of all ages. The health and beauty tips, for example. And some of the styles listed early in the book. I'm just not sure how practical some of the other looks are--unless, of course, you're Lady Gaga. There are the clownish (pgs. 127, 128, 133), the scary (pgs. 119, 121, 122, 125), the soon-to-be outdated, and the styles that make the poor models look like department store mannequins (and not in a good way).  

Of particular note, most of the models in this book were skinny white girls. There were a couple people of color, but they were, sadly, few and far between.

My advice, as a reader, is: Check out the book, experiment, have fun, but ultimately do what you think looks best for you. --AJB

Fearless Fashion, by Alison Bell

Hey Ladies (guys too): It's never too early to start planning your Back to School wardrobe--especially with all the stores having huge blowout sales (if they haven't started yet, they will soon). 

This in mind, a fun book to check out is What's Your Style: Fearless Fashion, by Alison Bell, which can be found in our nonfiction section under Dewey call # T391B. Take a quiz to determine your overall style, and learn about some of the various fashion trends out there and how to identify them in your friends and yourself (for example, I discovered that I'm sort of Hipster/Boho). There's even a chapter about health and beauty (hair & makeup). Plus, there's a ton of great ideas for enhancing your individual style or cultivating an entirely new look.

Overall, What's Your Style: Fearless Fashion is tons of fun. Another great book to check out is Popular: Vintage Wisdom from a Modern Geek, by Maya Van Wagenen. Pair it with it's companion book, Betty Cornell's Teen-Age Popularity Guide for the full experience. --AJB