Customer Reviews

Closet Confidential: Style Secrets Learned the Hard Way

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a longtime reader of Winona Dimeo-Ediger's blog (the highly touted and perpetually giggle-inducing DaddyLikey.blogspot.com), I feel almost like cheating when I write this review. It stands to reason, though, that I am actually highly qualified to write it, seeing as it could be possible that Winona has sold out, and only a "true fan" could set the record straight.

Fortunately, the record has not gone astray, and neither has Winona's engaging, inviting prose. Honestly, Daddy Likey made me like fashion again; I was strung out on mags and blogs that crowed "to DIE" and waxed rhapsodical over yet another pair of those stupid latex leggings. Winona does neither of these things. Her voice is new and honest and dishy and welcoming and conspiratorial all at once, like you've stumbled across your (well-dressed, wittier) best friend or older sister's blog and they're just so darn excited to share it with you.

And her book does not disappoint. We like Winona because she likes silly things, weird things, and quirky things, and champions finding one's own style in a way that, for once, rings true. Don't like leggings? Don't wear them. Don't like skinny jeans? Don't wear them. Don't like clothes? Well, this is not quite the book (or, indeed, the blog) for you, but I'm sure you'll still enjoy it. Winona offers sound, concrete advice on everything from oxford shirts to black tights and all the accoutrements in between, while remaining her breezy, hilarious self. She lays it all out in such a straightforward, honest, and optimistic way that, after reading Closet Confidential, I was inspired and excited to go back into my own closet. Winona makes me want to write better and to dress better. I love her book.

Closet Confidential: Style Secrets Learned the Hard Way is a book full of everyday fashion tips for all types of women, and although I am not a woman, I found her book to be completely hilarious. With confidence, I can safely compare her humor to the likes of another one of my favorite authors, David Sedaris. Whether she reminisces about past hilarious memories of her family, or tells a story of spending your life on a deserted island with only ten thousand bobby pins to live with, she writes in such a personal way that it makes you feel like you've known her all your life.

Winona is incredibly funny, practical, and easy to relate. Often I would read a passage and laugh, thinking, "That happens to me!" or "That's so true!" Beside just being funny, there is a lot of pragmatic advice that all of us should keep in mind when dealing with fashion.

After reading one too many fashion books that offer the same fashion advice as the previous 10 fashion books I just read, I was delighted to read Closet Confidential: Style Secrets I Learned the Hard Way by Winona Dimeo-Ediger. Instead of dictating rules like you simply must stock your closet with crisp white shirts in spite of the fact that they are a stain magnet and they wrinkle the instant you put them on, Dimeo-Ediger offers advice for real women dressing for real life situations.

The book includes plenty of practical advice on things like budget friendly alternatives to spending $300.00 on designer jeans and how to layer different tops to create different looks. Closet Confidential also includes such sage wisdom as explaining what the hell a grandpa sweater is and translates the word for shoes into 9 different languages.

The irreverent tone throughout Closet Confidential makes it a highly entertaining read. The author gets the fact that fashion should be fun and her sense of fun combined with her passion for fashion make reading this book feel more like chatting with a fun loving friend about fashion than reading a serious style manual. Instead of giving you some strict formula for the "correct" way to dress, the book focuses on how to be comfortable and feel like you

Stephanie Ann, Author

THE CHEAP DIVA'S GUIDE TO FRUGAL AND FABULOUS LIVING: How to Shop Smart, Look Your Best, Decorate with Style, and Have Fun for Less Money!

For any woman who'se ever squeezed into a pair of too-tight jeans, this book is a must-read! Witty, wise and at times downright hysterical, this is a book for "real women with real bodies, real budgets and a real desire for style. Equal parts self-deprecating wit, fashion smarts and bargain-bin savvy, fashion blogger Winona Dimeo-Ediger covers everything from tops to bottoms to undergarments to help women become divas on a dime." You'll be laughing out loud while making mental notes on do's and don'ts, whether you work in or out of the home--and be forewarned, she despises robes (except for "Notable Exemptions to her No-Robe Rule.) Read on for fun, fashion sense and all you need to avoid or rectify most fashion faux pas.(At times, I was laughing so hard I was crying, and my husband was equally entertained at the bits I read to him, especially at her internet-obtained minister's license and ensuing outfit search.)This and other great books are reviewed on my website, [...].

Kim Childress, Book Editor, Girls' Life Magazine

I have read many a fashion book in my time. They are a good read, but usually come with a lot of rules. For example, "if you have big hips, wear bootcut jeans" or "don't wear a scoop neck if you are small chested." The great thing about this book is that there are NO rules. The author is very insistent on trying things to find what is right for you. she thinks that every woman has the right to wear what she wants- whatever makes you feel good about the way you look. The best part? It is freakin' hilarious! Winona has the wackiest sense of humor and reading her book is like catching up with a friend about shopping. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for some style help- no rules, no judgment.

I'd never read Winona's blog, and I'm about the last person on the planet who would buy a fashion book. But I told my daughter about this book, and it topped her Christmas list. She's been reading it voraciously ever since, and I'm blown away by what Ms. Dimeo-Ediger has done here. The book is funny, irreverant, self-effacing, smart and insightful, and she takes glee in taking on the ever-changing and self-important image that the world of fashion has for many regular people -- all the while, ladling out advice that is surprisingly sharp and clear-headed. This is fashion for every life -- not the catwalk crowd, and her humor is always tempered by a genuine affection for her subject matter and her readers.

I think I'm going to have to check out her blog -- and wait for what she'll do next.

:-)

I really wanted to like this book a lot. I follow the authors fashion blog and I love her original view point and hilarious writing. Unfortunately this book didn't offer up any new style or fashion information. It was very basic and I was underwhelmed. Maybe my expectations were too high but I felt like she could have done a better job, based on previous work.

Don't waste your money. With tips like "if your button is broken, fix it!" and other *gems,* I was really sorry that I wasted my money.