Fashion
Advanced Style by Ari Seth Cohen
What the Nose Knows by Avery Gilbert
Perfume nerd essential book alert.
Tipped off by the lovely Katie Puckrick and her blog’s book division, I have wolfed down this fabulous science-y adventure in understanding a bit more about how our noses work. The science of smell is… Read More
Mary Quant by Mary Quant
Mary Quant was the first female designer to encourage women to break with convention and be whoever they wanted to be. The inventor of the mini skirt, her revoloutionary ability to innovate and re-define the way women dress, is still… Read More
Pants on Fire by Maggie Alderson
Last week when we had a glitch in our technicals, the lovely Maggie Alderson (amongst others) mailed us to tell us when things went wrong. I loved the column Maggie used to write in The Times so it’s a real… Read More
The Printed Square by Nicky Albrechtsen
A lovely book, we did the review here
Buy here
… Read More
Blue Jeans: The Art of the Ordinary by Daniel Miller and Sophie Woodward
Middleagedad found this for me on the BBC website and I’ve just ordered it. It’s a book on both denim and people; why we love denim so much and what it says about us. It’s written by anthropologist Daniel Miller… Read More
Branded Beauty by Mark Tungate
Recently I had to get up to ‘expert’ speed on the beauty industry as part of the day job. I found this newly released book by Mark Tungate really useful. I love to read Mark’s writing, he’s an old colleague… Read More
Gay Men Don’t Get Fat by Simon Doonan
More quirky, life affirming ramblings from Mr Doonan, who has a habit of observing the best and worst of human behaviour (mostly happening in the fashion and media world he inhabits) and feeing it back to us in amusingly absurdist… Read More
Culture Chanel directed by Jean-Louis Froment
This one is for readers who are building up their own personal fashion library and Chanel geeks only.
The hefty and a tad pricey Culture Chanel, Directed by Jean-Louis Froment, published by Abrams Books at £140, is a visual… Read More
Stylists, New Fashion Visionaries by Katie Baron
Heads up on this lovely looking book, it’s not out until early Feb 2012, but it is going to be a fabulous one to have on your coffee table. We have to fess-up here and say we know young Katie,… Read More
Vintage Style by Sarah Kennedy
I may be a little biased when it comes to this book, as the author Sarah Kennedy and I have been friends since we were 15 and dressed like Olivia Newton John in Grease! We have been through every hideous… Read More
100 Years of Active Resistance by Vivienne Westwood
Dame Viv’s been busy recently down at Occupy London, supporting the protesters, but she’s (as always) been ahead of the protest curve for quite a while. This is her timely new book of 100 great images on active resistance, This… Read More
Daphne Guinness by Valerie Steele
Diane Vreeland The Eye Has To Travel by Lisa Immordino Vreeland
This book is an essential by for Diane Vreeland fans. If you have Allure then you have to buy this, no question. It’s an assessment of Vreeland’s career as an editor on Vogue, Harper Bazaar and at the Metropolitan Museum… Read More
Celia Birtwell
Harper’s Bazaar Greatest Hits by Glenda Bailey
One of many big fashion tomes coming out this autumn 2011 season, this covers the last ten years of US Harper’s Bazaar under the stewardship of the British editor Glenda Bailey. A fashion coffee table must-have for the next few… Read More
Scarves by Nicky Albrechtsen & Fola Solanke
A gorgeous book by Nicky Albrechtsen & Fola Solanke, illustrating some of the most iconic and beautiful scarves ever. One for the dressing table while you practise looking fabulous tying yours……We saw this on the Anthropologie website, but also available… Read More
Hussein Chalayan by Hussein Chalayan
Possibly one of the most creative and boundary-pushing designers left, now Mr McQueen is no longer with us, Hussein Chalayan is one of our heros. We will be getting close to the book (which we haven’t seen yet) on Thursday… Read More
To Die For: Is Fashion Wearing Out the World? by Lucy Siegle
Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
It’s almost worth buying this for the lenticular cover that flips between a fresh faced picture of Alexander McQueen and a silver glossy skull. The contents, however, do not disappoint; beautiful photography of McQueen’s amazing clothes seen altogether make you… Read More
I Love Your Style, by Amanda Brooks
There have been a number of these style definer books recently, most are a bit rubbish, but this ones good. Great retro pictures and good advice, although remember we are in the world of American Vogue here, where being slim,… Read More
Harper’s Bazaar Fashion by Lisa Armstrong
it’s Lisa Armstrong, so a cut above the rest of the ‘personal style’ development books. Nice gold cover too… Read More
Yohji Yamamoto, Ligaya Salazar ed.
This book accompanied the V&A exhibition Jane and I went to and loved this year (2011). A must for all Yohji fans.… Read More
Perfumes: The Guide by Luca Turin and Tanya Sanchez
Quite the best book you will ever find on how to buy perfume. The essays at the front are entertaining and informative and once you’ve read the reviews, you’ll never buy perfume without consulting it first ever again. Amanda has… Read More
My Mom, Style Icon by Piper Weiss
We hope all you mums are having a lovely day and have enjoyed breakfast in bed on a tray, and maybe even a small gift.
We sometimes forget who were before we became mums and many women loose their confidence… Read More
Pictures by Tim Walker
We love the work of photographer Tim Walker and his book Pictures, is one of our all time favourite coffee table books. His recent work for the Mulberry S/S2010 ad campaign has all his trademark over the top eccentricity and… Read More
Storytelling through fashion
Biodegradable dress by Helen Story Dress made of pins by Susie MacMurrayOver the holidays I went to a great exhibition at the Royal Academy called Aware: Art Fashion Identity. It examines how artists and designers use clothing as a means… Read More
Hitchcock Style by Jean-Pierre Dufreigne
Are we fed up of tailored 60s dresses and Mad Men styling yet? If not, then Hitchcock Style, by Jean-Pierre Dufreigne is a gem of a book for inspiring ways to wear a fitted pencil skirt, tailored two piece suit… Read More
Emilio Pucci by Vanessa Friedman
As the proud owner of an original pair of Pucci leggings and a lover of vibrant colour and pattern, I have long been a fan of the visionary fashion house of Pucci.
Emilio Pucci created his boutique on the island… Read More
Rare Bird of Fashion: The Irreverant Iris Apfel by Eric Boman
Iris Apfel has long been one of the Womens Room favourite Style Icons. We are fascinated by her eccentric style, amazing use of colour and complete refusal to conform and dress like an old lady (she’s 88).
An exhibition dedicated… Read More