One of the things I've always wanted is someone to dress me in the morning, or at least lay out my clothes so I know what to wear. I do OK with colors, but combining separates and appropriately accessorizing them to create a good looking style just baffles me. (One of my college room mates was studying to be a fashion designer, and I can't count the number of times she rolled her eyes and said "my God, what do you have on??" before rooting through my closet to try and improve matters.)
"How to Get Dressed" is not the definitive book on pulling yourself together sartorially, but it's a very good start. The author, Alison Freer, is a costume designer in the movie business, and she lets us in on some secrets. Did you know, for example, that most of style is proper fit? A liberating concept, because it inverts the usual requirement for a particular weight or body type or hair color. The clothes should fit the body, not the other way around. She goes into depth on jeans as an example, showing how different "rises" best match particular shapes, and then discusses what actually makes a good fit in skirts, blouses, jackets, and even bras.
There are chapters here on dumb fashion rules and how not to follow them, laundry (including how to avoid dry-cleaning), underwear (you don't need as much as you think), and vintage shopping. Those readers who can sew will find this book particularly useful - the rest of us may need to consult a tailor or learn some alteration techniques. Most good-fitting clothes require some alteration.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books in return for a review. The image above links to the book's Amazon page.
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