As you may know I’m on a mission to define style. I feel that when you understand the different styles, can describe your own style a bit more clearly and perhaps even know your style statement, you will be better able to dress yourselves, feel better in your clothes and shop better.
To that purpose I’m talking to people, experiment with my own clothes and read books about style.
One of the books I have read recently is: I love your style, how to define and refine your personal style by Amanda Brooks and I really loved this book!
Who is Amanda Brooks?
The books starts with a foreword from none other than Diane von Furstenberg, who gives a glowing description of Brooks. “Amanda Brooks was born , bred, and raised in style!” She writes. “She’s experimented with it as a child, as a teenager, and soon she became a ral pro. She has a true eye and a natural instict for understanding fashion. ” .
I was actually not familiar with Amanda Brooks before I bought the book, but she is a fashion consultant who has written about style for the New York Times Magazine and Vogue. She was also a former muse and creative director of Tuleh and has appeared on various TV shows as a fashion expert. She now lives both in New York and Oxfordshire, England.
What is this book all about?
Well, as the title suggests it’s about style first and foremost. It’s a very visual book and what sets it apart from some others that I’ve read is that it’s also very personal. Amanda starts every chapter with her experience of a certain style. She is familiar and has experimented with most styles but when she hasn’t, like with the minimal style, she goes into length to experience the style herself so she could write it about it in the book. Some of the styles she tackles are: classic, bohemian, minimal, high fashion, street and eclectic. She also writes chapers on shopping for basics, cheap chic, designer and vintage clothes.
What is so good about the book?
I like the personal touch of the book. She writes about her own successes and misses in each style (with photos) but also lists her own favorite things in each chapter. And I love the fact that there are many pictures to illustrate the book and showcase the styles. Jackie O, Audrey Hepburn, Jerry Hall, Kate Moss, Catherine Deneuve, Mick Jagger, The Olsen twins and Brigitte Bardot are just a few of the many celebrities that are featured in this book. This book gives ideas and provides some style essentials for each style. It is then left up to you to combine all these ideas and inspiration and create your own style.
About finding the right clothes: “Figuring out the foundation of your wardrobe is arguably the most important part of knowing your fashion idendity, and half the battle is finding the right shape in the right color at the right price. While it may take a few tries to find these things, whether in stores or online, it’s essential that you don’t stop looking until you’ve found the things that work for your body, your life and your style”.
About finding your style: “My greatest belief about clothes is that style does not come to you unless you pay attention to it”.
Things you may not like
Although there is a lot to read, this is very much a visual book. For me it was the perfect combination of text and images.
She is very unapologetic for loving and wearing a lot of real fur. So if that is not your thing, you may not like that so much.
Conclusion
If you like to get some inspiration for your own style or wish to define your style a bit better, then this book is a good start. It will help you recognise which style most appeals to you and will give you ideas on the essentials you may need to complement your style. All the photos in the book are fantastic and in my opnion the book is worth the expense for those alone. I love your style, how to define and refine your personal style by Amanda Brooks is availble at Amazon.
Have you read this book? What did you think about it?
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Thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed the book Jules. It sounds that you got out of the book what I did as well which is a lot of inspiration and confidence to explore. Your last sentence says it all and I believe that is exactly what Amanda wanted to achieve with this book.
I read this book after reading your review. In fact I ordered it immediately, which says a lot for your influence 🙂
It is truly wonderful, inspiring, and I can’t think of any area it does not cover. I really enjoyed seeing all the old and new photos of stylish women past and present.
Most of all, I loved her writing style. I can see why she has so many interesting and fashionable friends in so many photos with her, she seems like such a friendly person with a vast knowledge about fashion. In fact, even after only a few pages, and seeing so many photos of the author at various ages throughout the book, I felt like she would be a friend of mine, we have so much in common, we would get on well etc as if I knew her and her journey so well. How is that, to have the skill of writing as if the reader were a personal friend. So because of that, I felt that the book was written for me, and useful for me. And with Amanda’s book beside me, it feels that I have been given guidance and confidence to explore and experiment with my own wardrobe and clothing collections a little deeper.
What fun!
I found this book at Urban Outfitters around I year ago and I loved it! Highly recommended. I just saw somewhere else that Amanda is now the Creative Director (or some such title) at Barney’s. I hope she can knock some sense into this outfit. I was there a few weeks ago and had an uncomfortable experience. It’s been a while since I’ve experienced the perfectly condescending sales person!
Thanks for your comment Denise. How interesting that she has taken up that position. Incredible to read about the experience you had with the sales person. Hope Amanda can make a difference!
I have not read this book but you have made me want to! Great review.
Thanks. It was a lovely book. Great for inspiration!