The New Secrets of Style: The Complete Guide to Dressing Your Best Every Day (Instyle)

Not what you expect 2010-04-26

Reviewer: Kiwi

I have expected something completely different and am quite disappointed because of a variety of reasons.

1.) I saw the book title and was led to believe, how to put together a special outfit, for example basics and accessories that should be worn to achieve a special statement. As like "Jackie Kennedy" versus "Gypsy" or something similiar.
Well, that doesn't happen.

2.) I have read a few books from Trinny & Susannah, and especially the "Body Shape Bible" is stunning. When you compare it to this book, again this one is a disaster.
As an example there is a photo of Selma Hayek (an hourglass!), and she is wearing a dress that looks utterly marvelous: deep wide V neckline, bandaged waist, etc. And there is a dreadful photo, showing her in a high Mandarin collar. My point is - there are always two pictures of each celebrity in the T & S-Book: a What-Is-Not-To-Love-One and a Please-Beware-One.
"Secrets of Style" only looks on the clothes and how they are put together (which might be okay, no doubt of that), but not that it is looking like a nightmare on the person who is wearing them.
In terms of the hourglass Selma Hayek, "Secrets of Style" shows her in crisp white top, buttoned almost to the top, and a broad belt - both an absolute fault on an hourglass, and she looks ... well... certainly not sexy, as in the description. She looks like a dwarf with a monstrous bosom.

3.) The book does NOT show, as the title suggests, how to dress your best every day. It is rather an encyclopedia of clothing. They have a list in each chapter, which tells you, according to your shape (curvy, short, boyish, narrow shoulders, broad shoulders, full bust, small bust, tummy), what to "look for", what to "avoid" and what not to forget.
Example "jacket". All different types of jackets are listed and shown: tuxedo, peplum, menswear-tailored, boyfriend, military, bomber, safari.
Then comes the above mentioned list of body-types (or rather body-part-types? what if you are curvy and have a tummy and are short?...???).
And then come THREE examples of how to combine them. SEVEN different jackets... THREE examples... Where are the other four? And why can I see men's-style cut only with a dress and highheels? No jeans? No skirts? No different styles?

I have chosen the example with Selma Hayek to show, how bad the research truly is.
The body-part-list is frustrating.
The styles and combinations simply do not occur.
The celebrities in the examples look wonderful in 1/3 of the pictures. The other 1/3 is okay, not more, not less. The last 1/3 is rather a How-They-Should-Never-Appear-On-The-Red-Carpet-Picture.

I just don't get it. (And send the book back immediately.)

Good 2010-02-17

Reviewer: J.D.

It's good and easy to follow book. Very simple and smart with some great advices of how to take care of your clothes and on what you should pay attention while shopping for new clothes.