(photo via alamodeappraisal)
And it has nothing to do with the recycled fashion advice. What bothered me most about this book was its lack of depth.
I know, I know. "Grishma, it's a fashion book, are you really expecting depth?!"
Yes. Because unless you go to fashion shows like it's your job and report on them regularly like actual writers at fashion magazines, you're not going to be sharing any advice women haven't already heard. And that's okay! Because what you can offer--what only you can offer--are your stories. Stories about how clothes make you feel, why you like certain styles over others, about what fashion means to you. Don't just tell me that a colorful, patterned skirt goes well with your white blouse. Tell me about why you wanted to stand out at the office party you wore this outfit to. Tell me about how paranoid you were that you'd spill on your white blouse so you only drank clear liquids. Tell me more than just a pairing of clothes.
There are so many fashion books out there, that you have to really know clothes to write a good "how to dress" book. Whitney Port isn't a fashion expert (yet), and I hope that someday she writes a book with a stronger voice.
Until then, here are my top picks for fashion books:
1. Style, by Lauren Conrad: Great advice about choosing and maintaining clothes. She knows what she's talking about.
2. The Truth About Style, by Stacy London: Filled with meaningful stories, this is less of a "how-to" book and more of a "why should you care about clothes" book. She invites 9 women to share their stories (and helps them find clothes they feel confident in), and her empathy and humor is so charming that book was a really enjoyable read.
3. Style, by Kate Spade: The book has ingenious color palettes. I learned that certain colors I wouldn't intuitively combine actually look great together.
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