Read a Book, Blow the Rent

Read a book....



Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style
By Tim Gunn and Kate Moloney

If you watch Project Runway you are probably familiar with Tim Gunn. As the "den mother" for the PR contestants, he's known for giving sage design advice and telling the contestants to "Make it work." As you would expect from Tim Gunn, his book is full of good style guidance for those who feel a little confused or lost by the world of fashion. The book is well written and offers solutions on how to prune your closet, what to wear to compliment your body type and the essentials for every woman's wardrobe. Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style even has a glossary of clothing design words that the average consumer might not be familiar with and some good movies and other books to read for fashion inspiration.

My one problem with this book (and all style books for that matter) is the inherent paradox in the advice. Like any book that gives its audience advice on how to dress, it tells the reader to know themselves and find their own personal style... Unless that style is completely appalling, in which case, conform to what the rest of us are wearing. This is always where I think these books fall short. But otherwise, I would highly recommend this quick and engaging read.

Blow the rent....
In his book, Tim Gunn advises that ballet flats are ideal for chic women seeking comfortable footwear or a pair of shoes they can tuck into a purse to wear when their high heels have become unbearable. These Pedro Garcia ruffled flats are an elegant alternative to a pair of sneakers or worse yet, Crocs.

Pedro Garcia Albany Ruffle Ballet Flat $336

Pucci Turns 60

The Pucci brand celebrated its 60th birthday with a party in Florence, Italy last weekend. The party brought out celebrities and socialites alike, as would be expected since Pucci has been dressing the jet-set since its inception. Known as "the Prince of Prints," Emilio Pucci's dresses have been staples for style icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The founder of the brand, Emilio Pucci, died in 1992. Christian Lacroix took over as head designer from 2002 to 2005 and the current head is the king of boho, Matthew Williamson. You can read more about the party and the history of Pucci here.

For whatever reason, I always associate Pucci with summertime. It must be the bright prints that looks so beautiful on a woman with a tan. So let's celebrate summer being right around the corner and Pucci's 60th birthday with fun Pucci prints!

Pucci Montalban Tank $159

Pucci Plume Shift Dress $509

Pucci Leite Print Scarf $65 (on sale!)

Pucci Lava Print Terry Wedge Mule $179 (on sale!)

And we can't forget another iconic Pucci wearer... Jacqueline Susann! In the late 60's and early 70's, she was the queen of the trash novel and frequently wore Pucci on her book interviews. So with your hair tied back in a Pucci Leite Print scarf on the beach, read a fun and trashy Jacqueline Susann novel while you're relaxing.

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

Read a Book, Blow the Rent

It's important to lead a balanced life. While improving your mind, you must also improve the feet. So read a good book and blow the rent on fabulous Fendi shoes.

The Beautiful Fall: Lagerfeld, Saint Laurent, and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris by Alicia Drake

The author weaves together the lives of two of the world's most iconic fashion designers with a huge rivalry: Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent. Drake interviews the designers' friends and colleagues and offers revealing inside stories about the excess of the 1970's French fashion scene. It's a study in narcissism, the pursuit of surface perfection, drugs and glorious collections: all there is to love and hate about fashion.

Fendi Patent Leather "B" Pumps $505

Read a Book, Blow Your Rent

I love to read and I love shoes. Why not merge my two loves by reading a book about fashion while wearing fabulous, "blow-the-rent" shoes? Here are two of my favorite books about the fashion industry:

Fashion Victim: Our Love-Hate Relationship with Dressing, Shopping, and the Cost of Style
By: Michelle Lee

Michelle Lee exposes the seedy underside of fashion and how it has grown into a $200 billion industry. I didn't see my shopping the same way after reading it... but of course, I continued to shop.

Fashion Babylon
By: Imogen Edwards-Jones and Anonymous



This is a fictional account of a British designer trying to take her small, luxury clothing label to the next level. While it's a work of fiction, there are tons of true anecdotes about designers and models that pepper the story and give you the feeling of being a fashion insider.

While you're reading these great books, blow your rent money on these shoes:

Miu Miu Patent Mary Janes

Yves Saint Laurent Wedges