Book Description

Any first-time visitor to Japan will be struck by that most beautiful symbol of its ancient culture: the kimono. This book contains a selection of the numerous encounters photographer Paul van Riel had with people wearing kimono all over Japan. Although its popularity has dwindled somewhat over the last 25 years, the national garment of Japan is still deeply rooted in Japanese culture, as these photographs testify. Liza Dalby describes the kimono's transformation from daily clothing to formal wear over the course of the 20th century. Her personal experiences give us a glimpse of the meanings the kimono has for the geisha. Introduction and captions by Liza Dalby, photographs and text by Paul van Riel. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A wonderful suprise
... The ... suprise was the book itself. I have to be honest I bought it because Liza Dalby wrote the introduction and because Arthur Golden was quoted saying it was a good book. Having read the books by Liza Dalby and Arthur Golden I wanted to see some pictures of kimono and geisha that were more than just snapshots. And that's exactly what this book does, it gives you 120 beautiful pictures and a lot of information. A wonderful suprise.

The book is neatly divided into sections: - The use of kimono in festivals, - Kimono you see in the street, - Tradition in its manufacture (weaving,spinning, dyeing), - The commercial side of kimono (fitting, kimono shops), - Maiko and Geisha (including some wonderful pictures made at the Nyokoba Geisha Training school on Kyoto), - Men wearing kimono (storytellers, sumo referees, tea ushers, monks) - Kabuki (this is my favorite. You see a kabuki player getting dressed for a female role) - Work (the kimono as a uniform) - Footwear (an interesting detail) Apart from the beautiful pictures this book has an informative introduction by Liza Dalby and with each picture you get a caption that gives you some little piece of insight that changes the way you look at the picture. Having been to Japan this book to me is a souvenir of some of the things I've seen, the people wearing kimono in the street, the festivals. But it also showed me some things I could never see (the behind the stage kabuki pictures and the manufacturing of the kimono). If you have been to Japan you too will recognize some of these pictures. If you have not been to Japan this book gives you a great impression of what to expect (kimono wise that is). Last but not least the book has a beautiful design, it's a great coffee table book. ... Read more

Book Description

Guido is, quite simply the most influential hair-stylist in the world.As a young hairdresser at the heart of hip London, he transferred that energy and inspiration from London's youth-culture to the global mainstream by pioneering radically unstructured styles, seen on the likes of supermodel Kate Moss.Guido's innovations enabled women to think about their hair in a different way: to wear it in public as they would in private, to react against salon styles, to find their own personal looks based on inspiring cutting, coloring and -above all- new ideas.In this collection of 100 Guido classics, one stunning headshot follows another in images of the world's most beautiful models by renowned fashion photographers David Sims and Steven Klein.But this is not just a book for the fashion glitterati: here are not only styles, but also a way of thinking which is so universally powerful that it has influenced an entire generation.With an introductory essay by the out-spoken fashion commentator, Neville Wakefield, this is a hairdressing book like none that has gone before.

Images include styling for Gucci, Jil Sander, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace and Calvin Klein

Features supermodels Kate Moss, Emma Balfour and Stella Tennant

Guido has been creative director for several international hair salon groups ... Read more

Reviews (1)

disappointing
If you are expecting beauty, hairstyling ideas, or a nice coffeetable book, you will be disappointed. The photos are not visually appealing and don't seem to have any artistic intent, though some do have the dark lurkings (without the genius of lighting) of the back-room B&W nude photos by Mapplethorpe. Aside from a young Kate Moss, these young faces exhibit marked sun damage and acne scars; perhaps these were "before" photos for a dermatologist's office. The hair cuts and styles are crude (perhaps intentionally), and with the amplified pits and valleys in the skin they leave the reader wondering what Guido's intention was in publishing this, as it hardly flatters his talent or esthetic sensibility. ... Read more

Book Description

"I defy anyone to underestimate the power of hair and its ability to transform the way you look and feel!" says internationally-renowned hairdresser, Charles Worthington. Drawing on his experience and his team of stylists, The Complete Book of Hairstyling makes fabulous hair accessible to everyone every day of the year. Filled with creative hairstyles, easy-to-follow instructions, valuable tips and salon secrets, The Complete Book of Hairstyling is an indispensable hair bible for all women. This wealth of knowledge is supplemented by the fun and fictional story of four young women as they pursue their careers and love lives and solve their own hair dilemmas. You'll never have a bad hair day again!

Features include: - over 100 fabulous and achievable hairstyles to suit every occasion: city hair, big date hair, vacation hair and big day hair - color and cut advice for all face shapes, hair types and skin tones - hair and styling basics - updos do's and don'ts - tips on maintaining peak condition hair for vacations - simple ways to 'jazz up' hairstyles to create unique looks - everyday hair problems and solutions - S.O.S. emergency quick fixes for vacations, weddings and work - tips on the right kinds of hair products to use for peak condition hair

The Complete Book of Hairstyling is illustrated with hundreds of specially commissioned photographs and illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I love this book!
I don't know why it was given one star by the other reviewer. It has many up-to-date, step-by-step instructions on how to do over 100 different, modern styles. Unlike other book that have ugly styles, these are hip for clubbing, work, different locations, weddings, fun, and vintage. I'm excited to try the different styles out. Every style I've tried so far has worked and looked like I spent a lot of time! Not all styles are time-consuming, like the other review said. It is faster to blow-dry your hair w/ a product than airdry it anyway. The negative reviewer was confused or needs to buy a good hairdryer. The products make the hair. By the way, a really good book on haircare products w/o breaking your wallet is "Don't go shopping for haircare products w/o me". These styles seem to be targeted to Jr High, college, and older women as well. It's not for little girl styles. I'm excited to try the dreadlocks!

Um....
This book wasn't the best one I've read about hairstyling. The book does give a few good hair-care tips, but many of the styles in here are a little difficult to do and I don't think anyone who isn't good at hairstyling would be able to do them without help. Most of the styles in this book are for special occassions like weddings, dates, and vacations. "The Complete Book of Hairstyling" would be a good book if you want to find a style for one of the occasions above, but other then that, it would be wise to skip this book.

Complete book of hairstyling
I found this book informative and interesting, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. If you looking for a step by step book, Hair: A Book of Braiding and Styles/Book and 3 Scrunchies
by Anne Akers Johnson looks like it would be more help.

compleat book of hairstyle
good condition , not enough step by step graphics, other then that its a good book

Buy this book to be told what you are doing wrong
The tips in this book are not for real people, they are written for people who have too much time and money to spend on their hair. I do not know anyone who actually has the time to wash, condition and blow dry their hair in the manner detailed in this book, let alone style it. The author makes it sound like you MUST blow dry your hair and coat it with expensive styling products in order for it to be healthy; there is something wrong with that thinking. If you have the time and the money to spend hours on your hair, this book is for you. ... Read more

Book Description

Peter Lindbergh is one of the most talented photographers of his generation.His vision ranges from a world seen through the eyes of Fellini to that of post-war Berlin.His brilliantly posed fashion photographs depict women whose beauty is striking in its intensity.This remarkable collection features Lindbergh's most famous photographs, as well as never-before-published images from the past three years of his career.This visually stunning book includes an interview with Lindbergh by critic and photographer Antonio Ria. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Magazine clippings
In this book you can find the images from the fashion magazines like Vogue (USA & Italian) and W magazine. He has photographed Milla Jovovitch, Amber Valetta, Shalom Harlow, Karen Elson, Esther Canadas and husband Mark van der Loo and many more. It's a very nice book, but if you have saved your old copies of the magazines mentioned above, you allready own the book!

great!
Lindbergh is one of the best photographers in the world. all his books are fabulous.

Haunting and "real" fashion images by a master.
I enjoy this collection of Lindbergh's most recent work because of its reality-based imagery, as opposed to plastic fashion photography being done now. I have each of his books and follow the evolution of his work. Here, it seems to have been stripped of as much excess artifice as possible. He eschews the "rules" governing much of today's celebrity-driven fashion imagery. The pictures exude glamour while suggesting a reality and vulnerability of their subjects. I appreciate this book as a telling document of our present time (1990s), and think it is collector-quality. ... Read more

Book Description

Horst P. Horst's images are the essence of elegance. Glamorous and sexy, they capture the celebrity and style of the 20th century. In this, the first book devoted specifically to Horst's portraits, 170 full-page photographs immortalize the actors and artists, designers and models, royalty and socialites who sat for him during his 60-year career. Coco Chanel, Joan

Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, Gertrude Stein, Salvador Dalí, Steve McQueen, Noël Coward, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Calvin Klein are just a few of those pictured. Culled from private collections as well as from the archives of American, British, and French Vogue, a number have never before been published.

Horst Portraits includes an informative introduction, extensive notes on both the subjects and the sittings, and a complete chronology.
150 photographs, 130 in duotone and 20 in full color, 212 pages, 9 x 11" ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Elegant, Stylized Classical Portraiture
Horst P. Horst was at the top of his game as a photographer for a career that spanned 60 years. The key to his appeal lies in a sound foundation in portraiture composition of the sort that the great painting masters used. To this, he added echoes of form, sensuous light and shadow, and a frequent ability to catch people at their best. While I find his faces often over or under lit for my taste, this book contains dozens of virtually flawless images that you will cherish. One of the nice elements of the book is that Mr. Horst was adept at color photography, as well as black-and-white. The book contains 130 duotone images and 20 in full color. His subjects are usually actors, models, fashion designers, and artists. The three Vogues (American, British, and French) were his most frequent employers. The volume is greatly improved by an introduction that explains how his career developed and his relationship with other photographers and magazine editors. I thought the detailed captions for the photographs were very interesting and impressive, giving the volume a depth that most fine photography books lack. The quality of the book, paper, reproduction, and design are all superb. This show will open in Boston in mid-October, and I plan to see it then!

Here are a few of my favorite images: Noel Coward, 1933; Coco Chanel, 1937; Deanna Durbin, 1936; Ethel Waters, 1939; Lud, 1938; Janet Gaynor and her husband Adrian, 1940; Merle Oberon, 1942; Salvador Dali, 1943; Muriel Maxwell, 1940; Loretta Young, 1943; Lisa Foussagrives, 1940; Gloria Vanderbilt, 1941; Carmen Dell'Orefice, 1947; Lady Diana Cooper, 1946; Rita Hayworth, 1947; Tallulah Bankhead, 1940s; Carlos Chavez, 1946; Irving Penn, 1951; Lucie Bose, 1952; Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy and her sister Lee Radziwell, 1955; Maria Callas, 1952; Franco Zeffirelli, 1964; W.H. Auden, 1970; Diana Vreeland, 1979; Kerry Harper, 1980; Duran Duran, 1986; and Catherine Bailey, 1989.

After you examine these thoughtful portraits, ask yourself what you want to learn from a portrait. Personality? Occupation? Habits? Relationships? Beliefs? Soul?

Exude your desire to connect and help others . . . so they will turn to you for aid!

... Read more

Book Description

An essential element of fashionable dress from the Renaissance into the twentieth century, the corset has been viewed not only as an object of eroticism but also as an instrument of torture and subjugation. This lavishly illustrated book explores the cultural history of the corset. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

in depth history
Love the book!! Its a must have for any corset lover! Detailed history and pictures.

corset history
I found this book to not only be informative about the origin of corsets, but beautifully illustrated with period photographs and poetry concerning corsets throughout the centuries.
I am very pleased with this book!
Melissa Hawes.

An Unrestricted History
Women, rejoice! You have given up your corsets, thrown off the painful cinches which restricted your natural form into a warped male ideal, and refused to comply with yet another imposition of male domination. Except... you haven't. We might think of the corset as being an outdated fashion accessory that has no place in the twenty-first century, but according to Valerie Steele in _The Corset: A Cultural History_ (Yale University Press), the corset is still here after hundreds of years. Her book is a large-format work with plenty of beautiful illustrations (not many that have a direct erotic appeal), but it is also a well-referenced text that gives a broad history of a controversial garment. It isn't just controversial now; a writer in 1731 wrote, "The Stay is part of modern dress that I have an invincible aversion to, as giving a stiffness to the whole frame, which is void of grace and an enemy of beauty." Steele reproduces many funny satirical pictures of tugs-of-war to get the stay cinched up tight (and everyone remembers Scarlett O'Hara's comic fight for a smaller-corseted waist in _Gone with the Wind_). Corsets were blamed for cancer, circulatory diseases, asthma, ugly children, and death. Probably corsets did not distort the body permanently; once undone, everything shifted back to natural positions. Corsets worn for workaday use were probably not very restrictive. It seems that, despite a wide belief to the contrary, fashionable "wasp waisters" did not have their lower ribs surgically removed; there is no written evidence of such a procedure, which would have to be performed without anesthesia and antibiotics.

Corsets have gone in and out of fashion in response to changes in styles, deliberate dress reform, and historical and economic forces. Steele shows that insisting that men were responsible for inflicting corsets on women is simply incorrect, and how the French Revolution, the industrial revolution, and both world wars affected corsetry. A rebound after the Second World War was cut short by the hippies and women's liberation. After that, Steele argues, we have had a run of exercise corsetry, shaping the body by aerobic exercise and weight training, an ideal that still holds sway. Surgical corsetry via liposuction continues the centuries of bringing women's bodies into agreement with the ideal of beauty, whatever that is.

Through all the centuries, corsets have had an erotic and a sadomasochistic pull. Corseting girls, and even boys, was a theme in literature having to do with their boarding schools, although it is doubtful that such corseted academies actually existed except in fevered imaginations. One can count on fashion designers to continue to include corsets on their most showy productions. Such lights as Madonna have taken advantage of the fetishistic potential of corsets, and they seem still to be desired under bridal gowns, reinforcing a sexual link. Steele has a dry sense of humor to enliven a sometimes academic text; she laments, "Admittedly, we know nothing about underwear in the premodern period," or puns "The English especially believed that a straitlaced woman was not loose," and she deadpans her research within a periodical titled _The Corset and Underwear Review_. One can look at the impressive illustrations she has gathered in this book (the often hilarious Victorian advertisements are the best) and see easily that men and women are going to have to change into entirely different creatures before they have corsets no more.

Fashionably Great
Steele's book is well-researched, elegantly written, and, of course, fabulously illustrated. It's a great read for history buffs interested in Victorian manners as well as modern fashion-hounds who've noticed Britney Spears and Julia Stiles sporting updated corsets on the covers of Cosmopolitan and Rolling Stone magazines.

Chief curator at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and author of several other scholarly books on fashion, Steele approaches the subject of body-sculpting lingerie with utmost seriousness. For this book, she teamed up with cardiologist Dr. Lynn Kutsche to investigate the damage wrought by tight-laced corsets on women from Renaissance courtiers to modern Hollywood icons. She clipped accounts of corset-induced casualties from Victorian medical journals and visited the Smithsonian Institute to view its collection of female skeletons with rib deformities. Though she eventually ruled out the idea that the Smithsonian skeletons were deformed by corsets, Steele did find that corsets were responsible for many milder health predicaments, including shallow breathing, shortness of breath, atrophied back muscles, and potential difficulty in labor.

Why did women persist in wearing these waist-cinchers for nearly four centuries? Steele doesn't pretend to fully unravel that mystery, but she tantalizes us with details about the origins of the corset and the rise in its popularity, especially during the Industrial Revolution, when mass-production first made fashion available to the middle-class households, and corsets were no longer soley the province of aristocratic ladies.

Structure and meaning
Valerie Steele studied the history of the corset, "probably the most controversial garment in the history of fashion," for more than twenty years. This beautifully produced book consists of six compulsively readable chapters and hundreds of illustrations. I couldn't put it down.

In the first chapter "Steel and Whalebone: Fashioning the Aristocratic Body" Steele provides an overview of corseting. An "essential element of fashionable dress for over 400 years," the corset nonetheless was oftentimes condemned, perceived by historians and some contemporary thinkers as an 'instrument of torture,' an accessory to the sexual exploitation of women.

Steele has studied her subject deeply and widely, and so can confidently object to simplistic rejections of the practice of corseting, its heir tight-lacing (no waist is ever small enough, in the views of the women who practiced this), and other attempts at female self-modification, asserting that, in fact, it "was a situated practice that meant different things to different [women] at different times," and that "the corset also had many positive connotations - of social status, self-discipline, artistry, respectability, beauty, youth, and erotic allure."

The history, economics, and sociology of the Renaissance corset are discussed, along with the corset's unmistakable relationship to the earlier armor of Rome and the middle ages. (The Madonna, wearing a snug laced-bodice dress, one breast bared for her son, was painted by Jean Fouquet in the fifteenth century.) Men were not immune to their own versions of the corset. "A polished and disciplined mode of self-presentation was important for members of the elite," with physical self-control uppermost, but in 1588 Michel de Montaigne wrote of female deaths by corseting, describing the ultimately fatal voluntary modifications of the body that could take (and did) place. Steele points out that corseting was often condemned by the medical establishment, but that there is much more to the story. The corset's role in the erotic lives of men and women is undeniable.

Steele explores the medical controversies that raged around corseting and tight-lacing, the considerable medical and feminist controversies of both the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, fashion history, theories of sexuality and politics, and their inevitable intersection. There is fitting and thrilling supporting evidence for a variety of ways to think about the corset, culled from literature, media, advertising, contemporary accounts, fashion history (Europe, the US, and Africa), studies in sexuality and psychology, along with examples of the corset in art (paintings of corseted women Manet, Degas, Seurat, Toulouse Lautrec are reproduced) The corset's historical and contemporary role in erotics, along with its use as fetish apparel (another area in which Steele is an expert) is thoroughly explored. Fashion photography of this century and Madonna, too. There is the eventual introduction of latex, the birth of the rubberized girdle of this century, and the ultimate demise all of these tight everyday things, except as openly sexualized accessories, curios, or ironic artifacts.

Finally, Steele discusses women's corseting of the past relative to contemporary ideals of female youthfulness and thinness, some women's enthusiasm for various aspects of self-discipline and alteration, "the hard body," along with dieting, exercise regimes that intend the sculpting of the female body, and elective surgical practices such as liposuction.

There are pages of endnotes, an amazing Bibliography, and a good index. Great book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cartier Splendour
A ravishing book with photographsof Cartier objects d'art, Art Deco era fantasy clocks, and other amazing masterpieces, almost certainly beyond creation today,and many I've never seen in anyother book. Glorious! Get it whileyou can! ... Read more

Book Description

Designed to help novice sketchers learn the basics — and sketchers with intermediate skills learn to improve and refine their drawings.Offers comprehensive coverage of all aspects of fashion illustration and drawing — using step-by-step drawing and teaching methods for each type of illustration and technique. Emphasizes drawing specific garments and style details. Covers rendering fabrics in detail. Also considers new computer graphics tools. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Definitely worth reading!
I thought that this book had alot of really helpful ideas and tips.Personally,this book has improved my skills from "not so good" to unique and lifelike! My regards go out to Sharon Lee Tate and Mona Shafer Edwards...Excellent Job on writing an outstanding book!

bad drawing book
This book is poorly put together. It looked as if it had been copied and it was even double copied on some pages. It also had no cover or colored pages. Figures are small proportions, not up to date with fashion figures. It was a bunch of copied pages

Content = 5 stars Quality of book itself = 2 stars
Yes, this book is very helpful with developing design skills. The only thing I was unhappy with when I recieved it in the mail was that on the preview of it on this website Amazon.com it looks as though it would be in color...only when it came it looked like it was xeroxed (and a bad job at that) it was obviously printed in color to begin with but has since been printed in black, gray & white. For instance, it goes to describe a color scale but the "color" scale is gray & black. It also has a section about highlights & skin color yet alas, it is gray & black...Very helpful but at the same time very disappointing...

The Complete Book of Fashion Illustration
This is the best book I could ever find. It's excellent. I was looking for something like this because in Mexico it is very difficult to find topics about sketching but this is it.It is clear, it gives you examples, it has exercises, and comments that can help you to improve your work. It is usefull since you are a begginer or if you have better skills. Please congratulate the author for me.

Great
I love this book. My artwork went from blah to magnificent. It has helped me sooo much. Anyone looking into the fashion, or the advertisement career should definitly get this. ... Read more

Book Description

Known as "the poet of glamour" and "the man who adores women," Peter Lindbergh has been a driving force in the world of fashion and the evolution of the supermodel. He has approached his shoots as fashion "stories," working almost like a movie director on a set. This book features not only Lindbergh’s print photo campaigns but also the outtakes, Polaroids, and scouting photos of the photographer’s "little films" that have redefined fashion photography with their compelling realism and depth of emotion. The 250 color and duotone photos feature never-before-published images of Milla Jovovich, Kate Moss, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen, Cindy Crawford, and Amber Valletta. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Disappointing
Peter Lindbergh's earlier books are far superior to this. Maybe I am missing something here but this book isn't really "Stories" at all. I thought the stories would be mysterious, enchanting, romantic, sensual or at least interesting photographs. Nothing here is. Everything is overly contrived including a ridiculous invasion by midgets in flying saucers. Really!? ...

True there are a few, very few in my opinion, gorgeous pictures of beautiful models. Most of the models have disgusting cigarettes hanging from their lips or dangling from their fingers -- not very sexy. In fact this book seems more a tribute to the Marlboro man than to the beauty of his models.

Wim Wenders wrote the introduction and I admire and respect his work very much. He apparently sees things in this book that I am clearly missing. I have paged through this book three times now to see if I could "get it". I don't. Wenders introduction drones on with the continuing question "How does Peter Lindbergh do it?" I don't know what Lindbergh has done except contrive and exaggerate to absurdity. I am disappointed.

The fashion industry is largely based on hype. Evidently, those working in that industry begin to believe all this hype themselves. Perhaps that is what has happened to Lindbergh, he believes everything he puts out is a masterpiece -- it isn't.

Not what I expected
I was a bit disappointed by this book. I am a huge fan of Lindbergh and have followed his work for years in various magazines. I have all books; I can say that I am VERY familiar with his work. I thought this book was going to be a more of "behind the scenes". It's not. It does have out takes, Polaroid's, and a collage of written letters that are mostly eligible. I had hope there word be some views by Lindbergh on his "little films". There were none. There is a long-winded intro by Wim Wenders. I'm not sure why they picked him. I guess simply cause they're German. The work that is shown in this book really isn't his strongest. Images of Women, another Lindbergh book, can clearly demonstrate this. For all the people interested in Models, Milla Jovovich is the star of the book. There must be at least 50 pages of her. All in all this book really is beautiful but in comparison to Images of Women, it simple lacks. ... Read more

Book Description

The great American western shirt is no longer hiding in the back of grandpa’s closet—it is now a highly collectible piece of American fashion history, a treasured piece of Western Americana. Western Shirts: A Classic American Fashion is the resource on understanding the history behind these uniquely American pieces of art, and on what to look for in collecting them, because while fashion trends may come and go, quality design and construction are always recognizable. The book contains a complete list of 250 western shirt labels to help identify the manufacturer and date of your finds, and though many of the early brands are gone, this survey of makers and their designs covers the quality of design, workmanship and materials of the different brands on the market from the last 70 years. The good old shirts get bought by collectors and go out of circulation, which is why this book is so necessary—and so cool.

With chapters on:-The History of Western Shirts-Vintage Shirts as Collectables-Design Elements of Western Shirts-The Manufacturers (including Miller Western Wear, Rockmount Ranch Wear Mfg. Co., H Bar C, Levi Strauss & Co., Karman Inc., etc.)-Importance of Labels in Dating Vintage Shirts-Sources of Vintage Western Shirts

Steve Weil is the third generation to run his family’s firm, Rockmount Ranch Wear Mfg. Co. His love for vintage Western wear began in high school when he raided his grandfather’s closet for shirts from the 40's. Today he heads the company and is responsible for all design of the brand’s many lines. Steve lives in Denver with his wife and son. G. Daniel DeWeese was raised on a ranch near the Black Hills in South Dakota. Dan studied creative writing at the University of South Dakota before going to West Africa with the Peace Corps. Dan has worn Western shirts all his life. He lives with his wife in Minnesota. ... Read more

Book Description

Beads have been a fascinating method for embellishing fashion since ancient cultures sought personal adornment. The twentieth century has seen some of the most innovative, colorful, and wonderful uses for beading as an enhancement in apparel, and, recently, beads have come into fashion as never before. Both vintage and recent costume are desirable as much, if not more, for their beading as for the overall design. This lavishly illustrated book includes chapters on the history, techniques, preservation, and collecting of beads in the world of fashion. With 534 beautiful color photos, a detailed text, captions, value guide, index, and bibliography, it is the first to cover both vintage and recent costume and accessories in one volume. With clothing by designers, ranging from Fortuny and Mackie to unknowns, this volume will delight anyone in the field of fashion. ... Read more

Book Description

What makes fashionistas willing to pay a small fortune for a particular designer accessory -- a luxe handbag, for example? Why is it that people all over the world share the conviction that a special occasion only becomes really special when a champagne cork pops -- and even more special when that cork comes from a bottle of Dom Pérignon? Why are diamonds the status symbol gemstone, instantly signifying wealth, power, and even emotional commitment?

One of the foremost authorities on seventeenth-century French culture provides the answer to these and other fascinating questions in her account of how, at one glittering moment in history, the French under Louis XIV set the standards of sophistication, style, and glamour that still rule our lives today.

Joan DeJean explains how a handsome and charismatic young king with a great sense of style and an even greater sense of history decided to make both himself and his country legendary. When the reign of Louis XIV began, his nation had no particular association with elegance, yet by its end, the French had become accepted all over the world as the arbiters in matters of taste and style and had established a dominance in the luxury trade that continues to this day. DeJean takes us back to the birth of haute cuisine, the first appearance of celebrity hairdressers, chic cafes, nightlife, and fashion in elegant dress that extended well beyond the limited confines of court circles. And Paris was the magical center -- the destination of travelers all across Europe.

As the author observes, without the Sun King's program for redefining France as the land of luxury and glamour, there might never have been a Stork Club, a Bergdorf Goodman, a Chez Panisse, or a Cristophe of Beverly Hills -- and President Clinton would never have dreamed of holding Air Force One on the tarmac of LAX for an hour while Cristophe worked his styling genius on the president's hair.

Written with wit, dash, and élan by an author who knows this astonishing true story better than virtually anyone, The Essence of Style will delight fans of history and everybody who wonders about the elusive definition of good taste.

... Read more

Book Description

Learn how to take great beauty and glamour shots with this practical guide from professional photographer and teacher,Jon Gray.

Beauty and glamour photographs require the same technical skills as any other area of portraiture ­ strong compositions, competent use of lighting, an awareness of how to pose your model to the best effect. The best shots also demonstrate a creative flair on the part of the photographer that goes way beyond mere titillation.

In this beautifully illustrated guide, Jon Gray explores both the techniques and the aesthetics of his subject ­ creating a book that is both informative and a joy to look at.

Covering everything from easy-to-replicate studio poses and lighting set-ups to exotic location work, Beauty and Glamour Photography is guaranteed to give your photography that all-important creative edge.

Jon Gray has been a professional photographer for 25 years. He specializes in glamour, beauty, fashion and advertising photography and numbers Vogue, Armani and Gucci among his clients. He teaches fashion and advertising photography at the American University in London and presents workshops for Bowens lighting, Mamiya cameras, Lastolite, and Fuji film. He also gives lectures and workshops to professional organizations, colleges and universities in both the UK and the USA. Jon lives in London. ... Read more

Amazon.com

You're invited to an evening wedding in Atlanta in July--and you live in Quebec. Or maybe you're going to court to fight a speeding ticket. Or your high-school reunion is next week. What on earth are you going to wear?

Have no fear, the Chic Simple folks are here to put your worries to rest. What Should I Wear? Dressing for Occasions combines the classy, artsy photography and graphic style of past Chic Simple titles with comprehensive help for working out those wardrobe conundrums. You'll learn how to clean out your closet--and stock it with flattering looks that go beyond the black dress or suit. Geared toward both men and women, the book covers the sometimes dreaded "casual day" at work; how to accessorize; how to pick shoes for any outfit; how to clean your clothes to preserve color, texture, and shape; and best of all, what to wear to almost any occasion, be it a funeral, barbecue, shower, job interview, rock concert, gallery opening, a New Year's eve bash, or a night at the opera. What Should I Wear? also covers (pun intended) international dress codes, so you'll fit in whether you're visiting the Middle East or Seattle, where it's acceptable by many to wear jeans to a semiformal wedding.

The book is peppered with fun, sometimes racy quotes ("This dress exacerbates the genetic betrayal that is my legacy" --Janeane Garofalo in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion). But the most important one is from the authors themselves: "The more you know, the less you need." ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Worth buying
I really love this book. The pictures are wonderful. They show many clothes the average woman can't afford to spend but using the pictures and advice the writers give to the reader, it is quite easy to see you probably already have many items you will need to dress for all occasions. This is a must have book for all woman who just aren't sure what to wear!! I love clothes and I love this book. I keep reading it and reading it and finding something new each time to help me put my best foot forward. A worthwhile buy--not to pass up.

A bit unimaginitive?
In reading/looking at this book, I was amazed at not only the beautiful clothes, but the way the authors had chosen to accessorize the outfits they'd chosen for the book. However, the response from some of the other readers is not what I had expected. In putting expensive clothes into the book, I don't believe the authors were saying that in order to achieve the look they showed on the page, you had to go spend a fortune. The outfits shown were mere ideas; a guide to go by. People, if you can't afford the actual items shown in the book, it is completely acceptable to buy a less expensive knock-off. You can still get the basic look of the clothes shown in the Guide by A). Bargain-hunting and B). Using your imagination a little bit. Let's show a bit of creativity here, ladies!

Women under 30, this book is NOT for you!
I was so dissapointed when I got this, especially after the great reviews I had read. Whoever said this book was for the under 30 crowd was seriously, seriously mistaken. I don't know how older people think the under 30 set dresses, but it's certainly not anything like this book!! As a 22 year old fashion-forward woman, I wouldn't wear a single piece in here! The looks are dowdy, frumpy and matronly. I don't know anyone my age, or even 30, who could pull off these looks without being mistaken for someone twice their age. I even showed the book to my 47 year old mother who said that even she couldn't wear the clothes shown.

Think I'm being too harsh? If you see this book at your local bookstore, have a look at the 80's snow suit on page 166 and the horrible 80's couch fabric dress on page 186, as examples. (They need no explanation once you see them for yourself.) Also, two of the occassions this book dresses you for are an Invitation to the White House and the Academy Awards. I don't know one real person who has ever gone to the White House, and if you're going to the Academy Awards you don't need this book because you have a stylist!

The "tips" for each region in this book are strange and rigid. I certainly haven't had to wear a Chinese dress while attending a dinner party at someone's home in LA (page 198). Also, as other people have said, this book is poorly laid out. Perhap the looks in this book would work for someone who is 50, but I think they may have trouble reading the tiny font; I know I did.

I received this book today, and I'm returning it today. To get USEABLE tips for my style, age and budget, The Lucky Shopping Manual is the way to go!!

As timely in 2003 as when it was written several years ago.
I adored this book. It gave great advice about dressing for every occasion, season and even city across the US and beyond.

Fashion challenged? You don't have to be...
This is a gorgeous book, organized by season with a sizable section for situation-specific outfits. This is the best ChicSimple women's book because it covers the areas that work, etc. cover, only now you get bonus material and only have to buy one book!

Some have criticized it for showing designer clothing or a more formal look than we in the South wear. Well, you can't go to the department store and find a one-off of some fabulous designer item if you don't know what it looks like. The ChicSimple team is using the book to train your eye so that you can put the looks together or approximate them. Most people don't actually see the REAL clothing from the runway, let alone see it put together in a wearable arrangement. The authors do it in a way that isn't fussy, but practical and comfortable. They do an especially good job bridging the work/work-casual chasm that so many people face with sections showing you how to work a black blazer or basic camel pants. ... Read more

Book Description

In the five years since her introduction by the Tonner Doll Company, Tyler Wnetworth has risen to the top of the world of fashion dolls.This book is a comprehensive collector’s reference to all things Tyler, and a commemoration in words and photos of this groundbreaking doll.Entertaining and informative, The Tyler Wentworth Fifth Anniversary Album is a unique collection of facts, fiction and photos.

In this book, Tyler’s storyline continues and is illustrated by new photographs featuring her and her friends in settings from their lives, such as Tyler’s apartment and the fashion runway.Well-known contributors such as A. Glenn Mandeville, who traces Tyler’s place in the history of the American fashion doll, and Louise Fecher, as well as fashion designer Timothy Gunn, discuss Tyler’s importance in various arenas.Masterful photographers Ernest Padro-Compos and Barry Sturgill pay homage to the doll in beautifully styled pictures, exclusive to this book.The collector’s reference section shows every production doll and outfit ever made, with identification information as well as collector’s notes, including nearly every exclusive and one-of-a-kind. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must have for any fashion doll collector!!!!
As a collector of Robert Tonner dolls, this book is a must have as a wonderful reference and history of his dolls. Photographs are gorgeous and wonderful details. I highly recommend this book and Amazon has a wonderful deal on it. This book is first class just like the Robert Tonner doll company!!! A++++++++++ ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Beautiful photos of ethnic textiles
This beautiful, large, coffee table type book is full of gorgeous color photography. There are tunics from Syria, embroidered veils from the Ottoman Empire, incredibly complex gowns from Afganistan, and wedding saris from India. The chapter on the Far East starts with a large color photo of a peasant's palm fiber rain costume while the next pages are full color photos of Manchurian court dress. The juxtaposition of the two is extrordinary. While there is a whole chapter on South East Asia, with some beautiful textiles from the region, I was dissapointed to find nothing in this book from Vietnam. I also wish some of the costumes could have been modeled on mannequins or people. It's hard to tell exactly what you're looking at in some of the photos, and if you're not familiar with the styles of the clothing, it's often difficult to envision how the pieces are worn. ... Read more

Book Description

Q'ero is an isolated indigenous community in southern Peru, on the eastern slope of the Andes. In this harsh environment, a rich and complex textile tradition, the chief artistic expression of the Q'ero people, has endured from pre-Hispanic times. Woven from the hair of local alpacas, the colorful shawls, ponchos, bags, and other textiles produced are worn daily and form part of the rituals and ceremonies of Q'ero. Examining the textile traditions that are distinctive to Q'ero within those of the Cuzco area in general, Hidden Threads of Peru combines ethnography, anecdote, and textile art to offer fascinating new insights into a culture that can trace its traditions back to the Inca empire. The Q'ero people themselves discuss the significance of the fabrics they make and the nature of their Andean life, while photographs taken from the early twentieth century to the present day illustrate the daily life and rituals of the Q'ero people, as well as-in sumptuous full color-the textiles themselves, revealing the evolution and range of patterns over a one-hundred-year period. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Gorgeous Pictures!
The best thing about this book is definitely the pictures. If you love jewelry, this book is for you! Tiffany & Co. is one of the world's most famous jewelry stores, and this book does justice to their legendary status. The accompanying captions and articles left a little to desire, but the photographs made up for it. A must have for any jewel maven. ... Read more