Customer Reviews

Women's Wardrobe (Chic Simple)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I bought Chic Simple Women's Wardrobe when it first came out, and had reason to pull it out again when my wardrobe needed a complete overhaul due to weight loss. To my delight, the advice and the styles contained within are as fresh now as they were eight years ago. If you're looking for good, basic advice on how to build a classic wardrobe, you won't go wrong with the Chic Simple philosophy, and this book is a wonderful embodiment of it.

I thought that the photos were great. I thought the text was very odd. The font sizes jumped all around and seemed to consume a page that could have been half used to illustrate the point instead of +20 font size. Artsy is fine. But if I want to get the simple idea, I want it simple -- not 'dressed' up.

When I think of a wardrobe, I think of work. So I didn't want to go into jeans too much. But I will check out Dress Smart and see if that complements this book well.

I did find the 'where' list in the back very helpful. I can visit the places and see what quality is and then shop around to find the best price.

This Chic Simple book is written for those who have a closetful of clothes but nothing ever to wear. It helps women pull together a total wardrobe and focuses on such key elements as:

*style
*elements of clothing (color, fabric, texture)
*clothes (underwear,outerwear,suits etc)
*care of clothes
*definitions/glossary of fashion jargon

The book is very well illustrated with full color pictures and drawing. It does not give specific advice and seems to be written more for those in the clothing business/fashion designers. But overall, i enjoyed this book.

This is a good book if you often, as I am, finding yourself at sea either in clothing stores or in your own closet. It gives you an idea for a basic wardrobe on which to build, and then ideas for special occasions.
What I didn't like about the book is that it didn't have enough of the basic, this is what you should buy information. It talked a lot about types of fabrics and cuts, and things only fashion designers need to know. It is set up more like a coffee table book than a how-to.

the song "get a job" usually pops into my head, because most of the clothes (sans the summer beachwear) are for proffesional wear, and may be too formal for everyday (buisness casual is getting more and more casual). That said, this is the BEST fashion source book I have ever read because rather than focusing on the avant garde, it gives simple instructions on how to build a wardrobe, not imitate anything trendy, and I have seen many reveiws complain that this book is difficult to follow on a thrift store budget, but I regularly shop at the Salvation Army, and haven't experienced a problem finding simple cut black blazers and beige sweaters. (Anything you can find at the Gap you can find at the thrift store three months later) If you do want a good thrift store guide try anything by Rachel Ashwell, or the book Second Hand Chic.
But I think this book can save you money, because it does suggest that you look through your wardrobe for your favorite pieces and shop in your closet, mixing and matching what you already have. Finding new combinations of outfits really can be like having new clothes, it also suggests swapping accesories to vamp up something you already have. These options are much cheaper then running out to the store (even the thrift store) to get new clothes.
This book is also very well designed, with full color pictures and wonderful typography, but the best reason to get this book is the back section, it is true that this is not the flashiest part of the book, that there aren't even any pictures, but it does give a guide of what to wear based on where you live and what your body type is. It covers all kinds of body flaws and how clothes can help you hide them. (If you have a big bust, don't wear high pants with belts, etc.) At the very least, it helped me find a good suit for interviews.

Since I was in high school (I'm now 35), other women have stopped me and complimented me on my clothing and the way I put outfits together. Often, the people who admire my clothes the most are women who look as if they have no interest in clothing whatever, but surprisingly, that isn't the case -- they are women who greatly appreciate style, but freely admit they just have no clue how to put things together or where to begin.

I've always believed that style cannot be taught, but I think this book may change that. When I first saw it a few years ago, I thought that if I were to write a book on fashion, this would be it. I now happily refer people who ask my advice to read it.

I also frequently refer to the book myself to get ideas, or to simply relax. Like all of the other Chic Simple publications, it is practical, yet wonderfully entertaining. And it's great for either the novice or the confirmed fashionista (if you're looking for a gift for the latter, it's just perfect.) A great read that I'm certain will never go out of style.

While sometimes skimpy on content, this book has wonderful pictures that give you ideas on what you can do with the clothes in your closet. A good edition to any fashionista's library.

At first I wasn't sure I would like it. Once I began to read all of the information provided I realized how useful this book really is. I have a closet of clothes and it is teaching me how to combine textures and different pieces to create my own style. This book is a timeless book because it stresses the importance of classic clothes. It allows for fads but it's basic intention is to show the consumer how to shop and actually spend less money by buying classics and working from a starting point. For those who want to always look pulled together this book is it.

Beautiful color photos make this book visually interesting, and solid information makes it more than a comic book for grown-ups. The writing style is breezy and inviting and accessible to everyone from fashion-conscious teens to single-again midlifers.

Season-by-season, the authors serve up strategies for developing a functional wardrobe from the odd assortment of garments that clutter many women's closets. Tried and true looks are emphasized for their versatility and longevity, but they are supplemented with numerous helpful hints about changing the looks with accessories and tailoring them for occasions. The authors discuss shoes, underwear, handbags, and jewelry among other items--the whole clothing gamut.

The photos typically feature upscale designer garments but the authors make it clear that the look is important, not the brand, as less expensive clothing styles frequently follow in the footsteps of their more illustrious relatives. "Women's Wardrobe" is about finding your personal style, not about making Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren wealthier.

There are plenty of tips to make weeding out your closet less painful, and good advice on determining what replacement items to buy. (Forget about buying colors according to what "season" you are--most people can wear most colors if they know what they're doing.) Attention is paid not only to actual calendar seasons, but to regional influences and body types.

"Women's Wardrobe" is great fun, useful head to toe, under to outer. Make sure you take it as a starting point, though, and not as the final say in cultivating a personal style. But after a sensational start like this book, who would want the fun to end anyway?

This book has great pictures -- full color, lots of white space (like those great DK books for kids). I found the clothing to be slightly matronly and not exactly pret-a-porte, but perhaps that's because I'm younger than the target audience (women 30+).

What this book does right: give you a basic understanding of a basic wardrobe and how to shop intelligently to put together a good closet of basics; a checklist of must-have items (or at least items to think about owning); a basic understanding of higher fashion and why/when it's useful to own some more expensive pieces of clothing; great photos (of not-necessarily-great outfits).

I enjoyed the tone of the book, intelligent and sassy, like an older more-fashionable friend. I also enjoyed a section that gave a general picture of how fashion plays out in different regions, just for the social science buff in me.

I wouldn't make this book your fashion bible, but if you are fashionably clueless, it's a good place to start.