VERSUS
I picked up these two books at a Big Lot's this past week. They were each $3, so I thought "Hey! Why not? I could learn something!" On the left, we have Sam Saboura's Real Style: Style Secrets for Real Women with Real Bodies and on the right, we have What You Wear Can Change Your Life.
We'll start with Sam. Apparently, this guy hosted "Extreme Makeover". This means nothing to me, as I don't watch reality TV. The book was written in 2005 and is 191 pages. First issue: It's all drawings (very nice ones, mind), no photographs. I like to see people's style ideas on real bodies, not drawn ones. Particularly a guy making such a point of it. Still, maybe they didn't give him the budget for it. The book is VERY big on dressing well for your shape. There's a whole chapter on body types, and every style in the book is related back to which shapes it will and won't work for. This book has a lot of good tips and .... JESUS, THE BOOK IS JUST BORING TO READ STRAIGHT THROUGH, OKAY? HE JUST DRONES ON AND ON AND ON AND ON...
Conclusion: This book would be better (in tiny doses) as one you dip into briefly. Or one you don't get at all.
Now on to Trinny and Susannah's What You Wear Can Change Your Life. These two Brits host "What Not to Wear". The book was written in 2004 and is 264 pages. Let me say first off, that I don't always agree with them on style issues, but they are DAMN funny. And courageous! The book is filled with photographs, all of the two of them, right down to good and bad underwear! There's the obligatory shape chapter, and what I found to be a truly useless color chapter. The very last chapter was one on dressing during your pregnancy, which I thought was great! (Not that I want any kids.) There's a traveling chapter that includes packing and how to pose for the best photos according to your body type! And finally, you just have to love women who write sentences like this: "Got up this morning feeling like shit? Don't reach for the vodka bottle, the cure lies in your wardrobe."
Conclusion: Funny out the arse, and fairly informative. Get it just for the sheer entertainment. It's only $3!
Good to know! If I see the Trinny and Susannah one out and about I'll pick it up!
ReplyDeleteI used to take Trinny and Susannah books into the breakroom to read over lunch when I was working at a used bookstore.
ReplyDeleteThey are hilarious, and have good tips! :)
thanks for the post (i've been needing something like that). have you read stacy london & clinton kelley's book (they host the american what not to wear). they're pretty excellent. :)
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