Book Description
There seems to be no one more qualified or equipped to ponder or even, dare I say, dictate 'quality, taste, and style' than Tim." -Sarah Jessica Parker, actor/producer
Television has introduced the world to a new fashion authority: Tim Gunn. As Bravo's style mentor and Chair of the Fashion Design Department at Parsons The New School for Design, Tim delivers advice in a frank, witty, and authoritative manner that delights audiences.
Now readers can benefit from Tim's considerable fashion wisdom in Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style. He discusses every aspect of creating and maintaining your personal style: how to dress for various occasions, how to shop (from designer to chain to vintage stores), how to pick a fashion mentor, how to improve your posture, find the perfect fit, and more. He'll challenge every reader-whether a seasoned fashionista or a style neophyte-to "make it work!"
Customer Reviews:
supercilious.......2007-10-02
I'm well educated and I didn't understand half the allusions Tim made. If you can understand the references, you don't need the book.
But can I make it work for me?.......2007-09-23
I confess, sometimes I like those makeover/reality shows that come a-creepin' across my television screen. Sometimes, when it is the show that progresses by attrition, I get a smug look when some lout who truly deserves it gets booted off. But where I really enjoy it is when I can learn something. And when I heard that the advisor to the contestants on Project Runway was coming out with his own book on fashion, I was certainly interested.
Tim Gunn works with Kate Moloney to produce this slender little book of fashion tips, designed pretty much for women, especially those that have overflowing closets and nothing to wear. It gets worse when you realize that not only don't you have anything that looks good, but you're not even inspired to do anything about it, and keep on wearing clothing that makes us look dumpy, flat, and wide. And most of all, where do we even begin to figure out what is going to work, and what isn't?
Each chapter has a little note at the start, explaining what The Lesson is going to be, then the text, often with various line drawings inserted to either instructor or to amuse, and a note at the end titled The Blind Spot that mentions where things can go a bit haywire.
The information is pretty much what can be found in most books on clothing and fashion, working from getting to know yourself, tackling your overstuffed closet and culling it down to the necessities, figuring out a fashion style that will work for you, getting inspiration from famous fashionistas from the past, how to minimize problems with your figure, the importance of self care, an entire chapter on accesories, and especially the handbag, and how to shop using your brain and eyes instead of just emotion and advertising. What I found most useful was the chapter of various items that every woman really needs to have in her wardrobe, and how to keep things to a minimum without losing your mind. The final chapter goes into special occansions and how to cope with them.
One really fun touch comes at the end, with a list of movies on style and fashion that mostly focus on what we think of as classic and timeless. I wasn't surprised at all to see several of my favorite films on that list. There's also a brief snippet on the use of perfume and scent without going crazy with it. Finally, a glossary about all sorts of topics dealing with clothing, cloth, trims and terms that will help to sort things out a bit.
Throughout the book, I found myself chuckling over Mr. Gunn's observations about modern life, and the role of style that affects everyone. He's canny, but not cruel, in pointing out that everyone makes mistakes, and gently suggests what might work instead. Co-author Kate Moloney is a bit harder to detect here, and I suspect that she was ghosting and editing in spots. It's a minor quibble -- what really matters in this book is what Tim Gunn is saying, and it's very sensible, logical advice as well.
Summing up, I found this to be an interesting book to read, but not exactly the sort of book that I could actually use. While I am not at all in question of Mr. Gunn's taste and style -- he is immaculate and very well turned out -- there are some mighty big holes for the reader to fall into. It's not the perfect book on fashion, but it is certainly a keeper of a book, and one that I plan to go back to now and then to give myself a good kick in the fanny and to stay focused on the essentials. By all means, be certain to take a look at Tim Gunn's Guide to Style on BravoTV, where he puts much of what this book is about into actual practice.
About three and a half stars, rounded up to four, as I can't give half-star rates. Drat.
Well worth the investment but not what I expected.......2007-09-21
I ordered this book with the expectation that I would learn more about the ten key pieces that Tim talks about on his new TV show. What I really wanted were the kinds of details that would, for example, enable me to understand why he consistently puts women over a certain age/size in tops that reveal those upper arms that are only attractive if they belong to a woman of twenty-something, in sleeves that often hit the arm at the widest wiggliest point. This seems to contradict everything he says about picking the optimal skirt length for ones body. Surely he has a reason for this apparent madness. I haven't been seen in public in a sleeve that did not conceal my entire arm in more years than I can count. But I digress. Tim's warmth and humor shine through the pages of the book. My problem with his philosophical musings on various icons of fashion is that with a few obvious exceptions, I did not have a clue who he was talking about or what they might have worn. Why then did I give the book 4 stars? Because his section on posture is more than worth the investment of my time and money in the book. Among other things, I learned that my pelvis has been in the wrong position for all of my 62 years. And that "shoulders back" does not mean what I thought it did. I have corrected my posture and the impact has been almost beyond belief. My next project is to rid my closet of everything that does not make me feel fabulous. I will continue to watch him on TV in the hope that I will pick up tidbits here and there that I can use to make my own wardrobe "work" better. If you are a fan of Tim Gunn, you will probably enjoy this book.
Quick read .......2007-08-26
Cute book. I tossed a lot of ill fitted close from my closed and kept just my favorites. Now, I can actually see what I have, than you Tim
Not especially helpful.......2007-08-14
Amazon recommended Tim Gunn's book to me, and I decided to check it since there were some very positive reviews about its content. Nevertheless, I really did not find it that helpful.
First of all, when I pick up a style book, I do expect there to be some discussion of selecting clothes for your body. Even if the book is helping you to cultivate your personal sense of style, it should be honest about what kinds of clothes are just not going to be flattering on you. Gunn dealt with the body problems in two pages, and one gets the impression that his body "flaws" were more for models, instead of the everyday woman. A woman with a very curvy hourglass figure, for example, would need to dress in head-to-toe dark colors, according to his advice.
Secondly, the chapter on fashion icons had a great deal of potential, but it fell flat. This section would have greatly benefited from pictures. The icon descriptions were woefully underdone, so that I had to read the chapter three times to make any sense of them.
However, on the positive side, Gunn does offer some excellent suggestions for shopping, closet purging, and fit, which are well-worth a glance through. The tone is rather elitist, but in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way.
Overall, I would recommend checking it out from the library, skipping the sections on style mentors, and heading straight for his information on fit, your closet, and shopping. Grade: C-
Book Description
Dressing Rich means dressing with elegance, class, and taste. It is the understated, sophisticated, classic look that has been the signature of stylish women from Garbo to Jackie O. Fashion trends may change from season to season, but the concepts of elegance and classic chic defy time and will always be a winning constant.
In Dressing Rich: A Guide to Classic Chic for Women with More Taste than Money style guru Leah Feldon gives you all the strategies you need to put together a look that is polished, prosperous, elegant and chic—even on a shoestring. With the wit and insight that has propelled her to the top of her field, Feldon details the earmarks of a status look, as she offers practical advice on how to achieve them. She offers the bottom line on wardrobe basics, fabrics, color, design, handbags, and hairdos, and shows you that what you lack in capital you can make up for with savvy, imagination, resourcefulness, and a winning spirit.
Customer Reviews:
More of the same.......2007-01-10
I have read three of Leah's books now and the advice appears to be the same in each. Whilst on the one hand this means the author is consistent in her advice on what constitutes style and how to attain it affordably, on the other hand there is little new material to pick up from each new book.
Taught me a lot about how to dress.......2005-08-16
I bought this book as a young teenager and used it for many years as a reference guide for how to dress for occasions where I was unsure how to look. I came from a less-than-privileged background (we weren't poor, but my parents were teachers and there wasn't a lot of money) but many of my friends were from affluent families. My grandmothers and mother are very classy people and they did their best to teach me about how to dress, but they had no experience with, say, dressing for a golf tournament dinner or for a day on a sailboat.
Over the years, through college and my professional career, I would refer back to this book a lot. Yes, the drawings are dated; yes, some of the advice is dated. But there are some great tips in this book about how to buy basics for your wardrobe that will last for years, how to recognize quality fabrics and workmanship, how to combine high-end and low-end items for a complete polished look, what looks always work and what will always be questionable, etc. If you come from a working-class background, but because of your job or your spouse's social status you need to socialize with affluent people, it is great to have a guide telling you what works and what doesn't, and how not to make a fool out of yourself. That is what this book did for me. Over the years I have used the advice in the book over and over, to build a classic, conservative, professional wardrobe that helps me whether I am going to an important meeting at work or a black-tie charity function.
There are some sections of the book that you have to take with a grain of salt, especially since now this book is over 20 years old. But if you are totally at a loss about what to wear to a given social event, or you feel you're at a disadvantage because you socialize with people who can afford much better clothes than you can, this book is a great primer about what to wear. It's a classic, and the advice is still as relevant today as it was back when the book was written.
Get Your Hands on a Copy ASAP!.......2004-03-02
I have read all of Leah Feldon's books, and Dressing Rich is my all-time favourite. Yes, some of the information is dated, such as references to former First Ladies, etc, but the underlying principles still apply. If you put into practice the principles in this book, trust me, everyone will think you're loaded, even if you're far from it.
Very Dated.......2003-02-01
I really enoyed Leah Feldon's book, "Does This Make Me Look Fat" and wanted to read some more of her work. Based on the good reviews this book received and the interesting chapter titles, I ordered it sight unseen.
Be warned-this book is from 1982. Nancy Reagen is often held up as a rich dressing woman to emulate. (What?!)Most of the fashion drawings show very heavily padded shoulders and wide belt styles a la 1980s. But worst of all, the 1980 advice often contradicts Leah Feldon's 2000 advice. For example: 2000 advice: wear dark colors-author's wardrobe is mostly black & dark colors-looks richer.1980 advice:off white jackets and slacks are "fashion essentials." (Miami Vice?) Even the cover is a contradiction-in the book the author states that long hair never looks elegant hanging loose,yet the cover shows a woman with a mane of hot-rollered slightly frizzy long hair hanging loose.
Sure the book covers basic concepts like cashmere makes for a rich sweater, and the fashion "types" in the first chapter are interesting. Had I been able to see this book in person though, I would have immediately dismissed it as dated. Buy instead, her new book from this decade.
Still valuable after 14 years.......2002-12-11
I bought this book in 1988, just out of college, and I still keep it handy. It's very useful for special events, business situations, you name it. Also fun to read, and helpful in planning "investment" purchases. This book has saved me lots of money, and has helped me figure out how to use things I already have. Just a terrific book.
Average customer rating:
|
The Taste for Beauty (Cambridge Studies in Film)
Eric Rohmer
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Guides & Reviews
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
History & Criticism
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Media Studies
| Mass Media
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Media Studies
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
French
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Arts & Photography
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Entertainment
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All French Books
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Language and Symbolic Power
-
The Field of Cultural Production
-
The Practice of Everyday Life
-
Eric Rohmer's Six Moral Tales - Criterion Collection
ASIN: 052138592X |
Book Description
The Taste for Beauty is a collection of essays by the film-maker and critic Eric Rohmer which were originally written for the French Film review Cahiers du Cinema between 1948-1979. Rohmer, one of the founding members of the French ‘New Wave’ cinema, was also one of the journal’s original critics and served as its editor. Divided into four sections, the essays deal with fundamental and theoretical questions of film-making from a single theoretical viewpoint. Rohmer, a film-maker of great eloquence and erudition, writes in depth on the issues most fundamental to film: what the camera best portrays; the role of sound and colour; the use of drama and comedy; the role of speech; and the problem of literary adaptation; he also includes a personal defence of his films. The final section is devoted entirely to the film-maker Jean Renoir. The Taste for Beauty will be appreciated by students and critics of film, as well as those who love French cinema in general.
Book Description
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.
Average customer rating:
|
Gender and the Formation of Taste in Eighteenth-Century Britain: The Analysis of Beauty
Robert W. Jones
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
18th Century
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
General
| Criticism & Theory
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Movements & Periods
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Arthurian Romance
| Beat Generation
| General
| Gothic Revival
| Medieval
| Modernism
| Postmodernism
| Renaissance
| Romanticism
| Surrealism
| Victorian
General
| Gender Studies
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
18th Century
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
British Literature
| English
| Humanities
| New & Used Textbooks
| Stores
| Books
General
| History
| Humanities
| New & Used Textbooks
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0521593263 |
Book Description
Beauty is one of the most important and intriguing ideas in eighteenth-century culture. The concept of beauty was central to debates about art, culture and taste, and was invoked, in various and contradictory ways, to determine acceptable behavior for women. Robert W. Jones traces changing concepts of beauty in the eighteenth century through a wide range of material, including philosophical texts by William Hogarth and Edmund Burke, novels by Charlotte Lennox and Sarah Scott, and representations of the celebrated beauty Elizabeth Gunning.
Customer Reviews:
Everything Old Is New Again.......2007-03-03
This book was written with a late 1990s viewpoint. It is odd to see how Joan trashes the 1970s looks that are so popular now, while applauding man-tailored clothing. But that was the 1990s, and this book is a bit dated. It is still a fun trip down memory lane to see how everything you swore you'd never wear again is right back in style. Proof for your kids who think leggings and bellbottoms are the newest thing. Have a good laugh, and don't miss the updated version of this book that is in color and much better.
'Glamourous' Nostalgia.......2005-10-11
If you remember Glamour Magazine's popular old 'Do's and Don'ts' column, you'll find this book lots of fun. It's full of do and don't photos that appeared in the magazine from the 60's through the 80's. I've bought the book before and got it again now as a little gift for an old college friend. My only complaint is that the pictures aren't in color.
Book Description
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.
Book Description
Planet Simpson is the first book to bring in-depth analysis to that most important pop-cultural institution of the last decade-Fox TV's "The Simpsons"-and use the show as a microcosm of the Western culture it has hilariously (and mercilessly) reflected and influenced. In an age of unprecedented transformation, "The Simpsons" alone has had the depth, intelligence, scope, and, most importantly, humor to chart the links between popular culture and the world we live in. Planet Simpson is broken down into scathingly funny chapters analyzing each major character's relationship to different facets of the American character: Homer Simpson, the ultimate everyman of the American century; Lisa Simpson, the voice of the show's social conscience; Bart Simpson, punk icon; Marge Simpson, maternal voice of moral authority and anchor of Simpsons family values; C. Montgomery Burns, unchecked capitalism personified...and every bit character on down from Barney to Smithers to Krusty the Clown, coupled with intelligent, friendly, and entertaining analysis of the show's greater themes. Going well beyond a critical discussion of a single television program, Planet Simpson will use "The Simpsons" as a window on the culture at large to deliver first-hand reportage of the Internet boom, the alternative-rock explosion, the triumph of irony, the cultural origins of anti-globalization, and other defining events and trends of our accelerated, confounding era.
Customer Reviews:
Hurrah! Intelligent life on TV .......2007-04-16
If you like the Simpsons and appreciate it's humanistic, smart, hip, culturally knowledgable view of the world, then you'll love this book. If you are a disgruntled liberal-hating conservative with no sense of irony and the attention-span of a goldfish, then stay away - you'll hate it and will probably only give it one star.
A witty intelligent look at the culture and a must-read for hardcore fans.
Excellent book.......2007-01-17
This is one of my favorite books that I have purchased. The author does an excellent job of comparing either an episode or a character to the subject that he is comparing it to. He adds quotes from the show in his writing that helps one to enjoy reading this book. If you are a fan of the show I am sure that you'll enjoy this book.
Essay on Gen X, WTO, and other flashbacks from the 90's.......2006-11-14
Turner's book relates a collection of his opinions and personal anecdotes regarding 90's culture/counterculture, and the pivotal role (he argues) the Simpsons played in all of this. While the premise was thought-provoking enough to keep me reading out of curiosity, the book falls short in several ways.
First, you probably won't learn much new about The Simpsons!
Secondly, this book is long and dense; Turner's writing style is not just erudite, but overly sophisticated in a way you'd expect to see from a college student who is really, really, trying to earn that A++ grade. His style often slides back and forth from "academic" to "hipster". You find yourself marveling at his vocabularly... That is, until the umpteenth reference to "American hegemony"... Which brings us to the second problem...
Political bias intrudes all too often. While I'm not at all offended by his taking a liberal perspective on the Simpsons, Turner's unrelenting focus on The Simpsons' supposed fight against "American hegemony" gets old and starts to look downright immature. More importantly, he seems to miss the point -- The Simpsons satire *everybody*, right? The Simpsons writers have always skewered aging hippies and disaffected youth (liberal targets) right along with the "easy" targets such as corporate stooges and lazy Americans.
Turner's impassioned analysis often gets derailed by his own inability to take a break from his own pet concepts. Pages that may have been devoted to something like what The Simpsons says about childhood in America (much could be mined from the whole world of Ralphie, Nelson, Milhouse and others), are instead given to rambling tangents about 90's zeitgeist and such things as the raves and concerts the author attended. In this way (as other reviewers have said here) the book is too often about *Chris Turner*, and not often enough about *The Simpsons*.
Some parts are actually very funny... But it should be noted that these funny parts tend to be in the footnotes, which re-tell in detail various antics from Simpsons episodes that perhaps you haven't seen for awhile... As other reviewers have rightly pointed out, you may as well just put your money toward the DVDs and enjoy it firsthand!
This hefty book is clearly a labor of love. Overall, it's a mildly interesting, sometimes amusing, and often annoying essay. While it's *long* enough to be a good academic treatise on The Simpsons and Society, a disappointing number of pages are consumed by the author's birdwalking socio-political rants and stories.
Pop Culture and The Simpsons - Great Book with Semi-Serious Undertones.......2006-07-26
Perfect book that reflects on the seemingly symbiotic relationship between pop culture and The Simpsons. The author reviews the various characters and situations from the show which reflect the issues of the day in many surprising ways. It gives a view on The Simpsons that most basic viewers never notice. The Simpsons is a lot deeper than you'd imagine and more intricate than only one viewing can show you. Adn in turn, as 'The Simpsons' were a reflection of society, society is increasingly a partial reflection of 'The Simpsons'. Within the pages of this book you can really see how much 'The Simpsons' is a perfect , albeit odd, view of today's realities. The book shows how 'The Simpsons' is a smart show that's funny for everyone from dumb to Einstein. (And based on that bit of horrible English, I'm moving towards the former)Definitely a great pick for a serious Simpsons Fan.
Now if they would just hurry and make that movie they've always talked about...
I liked it, just not all of it........2006-07-13
This isn't a bad book in a sociological sense, just one sided. This Turner guy is a liberal. I actually agreed with about 80% of the authors political positions, and he reminds me why that is the case. He talks with more understanding and education than a typical conservative.
As a book for the sake of entertainment, don't count on it. I'll watch the Simpsons instead of reading about them for entertainment.
I did learn a lot about the show, although all of it would have been available elsewhere. This book, though, is primarily sociological discourse, and it's openly left-wing, so right-wingers will hate it. I'm suprised that it ever got published, and I won't blame anyone for not taking seriously the opinions of a Canadian fanboy. He certainly thinks he knows whats been happening in the minds of the best TV writers on Earth, which happens to coincide perfectly with his views. In that way, he tries to hard, making spurious connections between the writers and sociological situations. It isn't unreasonable, just not totally convincing.
Turner's opinions on big business, family, the War on Drugs and globalization take up as much room in the book as Simpsons trivia. If you're ok with that, read the book. The show DOES have an political and social opinion that's fairly well understood and defended in this book. If you're not into that, just buy the Simpsons on DVD and laugh, like the rest of us.
Books:
- Trainspotting
- Untitled
- Vinnie And Abraham
- Vivien Leigh A Biography
- Woody, From Antz to Zelig: A Reference Guide to Woody Allen's Creative Work, 1964-1998
- Writing the Screenplay: TV and Film, 2/E
- A Cast of Friends
- A MIRROR FOR NARCISSUS
- A Thousand Faces: Lon Chaney's Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures
- A Very Dangerous Citizen: Abraham Lincoln Polonsky and the Hollywood Left
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Principles of Money, Banking, and Financial Markets plus MyEconLab Student Access Kit
- History: Fiction or Science
- Workbook for Methods of Macroeconomic Dynamics - 2nd Edition
- Accounting for Lawyers: Materials on
- China's Global Reach: Markets, Multinationals, and Globalization
- Edge of Evil
- Contemporary Marketing and Consumer Behavior: An Anthropological Sourcebook
- Contours of Descent: U.S. Economic Fractures and the Landscape of Global Austerity
- A Tiger by the Tail: The Keynesian Legacy of Inflation
- Jaws of Steel
The Little Black Book of Style
The 5-Minute Face: The Quick & Easy Makeup Guide for Every Woman
Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That's Right for Your Body
The Lucky Shopping Manual: Building and Improving Your Wardrobe Piece by Piece
Bobbi Brown Living Beauty
