Doesn't it look like Tim Gunn is so proud of me over there? He should be, because... I am DONE! I realize that most of this lateness has been self-inflicted (I finished books throughout the year that I did not write about immediately), buuuut... the last-minute delays were an unforeseen setback.
Excuses, excuses. Yup, I'm
In a nutshell: I really enjoyed it. Tim Gunn explores most (if not all) of the items in our closets and tells us both the history of those items, as well as his opinions of them. And by "history," I mean the briefest, most Tim Gunn-y reviews of the history of those items, which is absolutely perfect!
So I learned a little bit, I laughed quite a bit (In the chapter about "shaping garments" [AKA "Spanx"] he says, "Tight underwear is your friend, America!" [265*] Moments later: "As in life, when it comes to your underwear, you have to make a choice between freedom and security." [267]), and I found out (not surprisingly) that Tim Gunn really, really hates Crocs, jeggings, and athletic wear worn for any non-athletic activities (yoga pants for grocery shopping... Tim is looking right at you!)
There are a fair number of photos and diagrams, which is helpful in illustrating what Tim is telling us all about and it was also neat to see some iconic fashions from the past (J Lo's Versace dress, Michael Jackson's single glove, Princess Grace and her Hermès Kelly bag [re-named for her!], Mr. Rogers in his cardigan, just to name a few.)
The fun thing about reading this book is that we all have an attachment to our clothes (even if we are not "into" fashion) and Tim covers basically everything we wear, so there is some point at which we are either chastised for our choices (flip-flops) (sorry) or we can proudly say, "Yes! I wear/wore that!" For example... The cape! He writes: "Jackets are still, as of this writing, far more common than capes. I think that’s in part because jackets are more practical— it’s hard to carry an over-the-shoulder bag when you’re wearing a cape!" [3465] So true, Tim. I struggled to carry my bookbag all through high school, but I did not care. I loved that cape!
He also offered plenty of useful advice and infographics along the way such as: "Dress choices: Are you a Cleopatra (draped/flowing) or a Helen (tailored/structured)? [1069] (I am a Cleopatra. You are a Helen.) and "Which jeans are right for your figure?" [830] (Based on Tim's diagram, I need a mid-rise straight- or boot-leg that falls from the widest part of my hip). The grand finale was a "Closet Worksheet" that I think we could all use if we want to re-examine what the heck is in our wardrobe (which, except for a certain elite few, I think we all do.)
Overall, yes, this was mostly a fluff book (which I really, really needed right now), but I truly enjoyed it -- I love Tim Gunn and I got a lot of info (in his "voice") so win-win!
And that, my friend, concludes the 2014 TBR!
love,
kelly
PS - Reviewing this before hitting publish, I realized that this may be the most parenthetical (that is, including many parentheses) post in the history of this blog. Sorry. But I'm doing it.
* I used Kindle location numbers for reference in this post -- my hard copy of this book is at home so I read the eBook to facilitate on-the-road completion!
I might really want to read this book. It sounds super fun! I did laugh out loud at the underwear jokes---I'm sitting here giggling at "tight underwear is your friend." Hah! Cleopatra and Helen. Lol. That's awesome.
ReplyDeleteI have problems. My closet is overflowing with clothes, and yet I often feel like I have nothing to wear. That's just silly. I love clothes, though. I do. Next time I see you, I definitely want to borrow that book.
And, most importantly, CONGRATULATIONS on finishing up 2014!
J