Diana Style: Foreword by Manolo Blahnik [Hardcover]

Colin McDowell (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"She was a symbol of what one meant when one spoke of icons. She was a mentor to women and she set standards." --Donna Karan

 

"She was shaping up to be a world figure in fashion before her death. She had the power of celebrity without trying." --Bruce Oldfield

 

"She could give any supermodel or actress a run for her money." --Jacques Azagury

 

"She understood innately the power of the language of clothes." --Jasper Conran

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (August 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312375379
• ISBN-13: 978-0312375379
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #853,501 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #63 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Royalty > Princess Diana

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars More verbal than visual, August 24, 2007

By 

Dressmaker "Dressmaker" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diana Style: Foreword by Manolo Blahnik (Hardcover)

This book, on an ever-popular topic, is not as complete or well-illustrated as other, similar books such as "Dressing Diana," "Diana, Queen of Style," or "Diana: The Secrets of Her Style." However, it is more thoughtful in its analysis of her fashions and how they changed over the years. Most such books just burble about her eternal beauty and perfection; this one acknowledges some missteps and gaucheries from time to time, while appreciating her growth and maturity.

I noticed a couple of mistakes: A reference to a pearl necklace that Diana supposedly wore on her wedding day (she didn't wear a necklace at all) and stating that Fergie's gown was made of satin, just like Diana's (Diana's was taffeta). Odd mistakes, considering all you have to do is look at the photos to check the facts.

Overall, this is a nice little book with some good observations, but if you want lots of photos, buy one of the other Diana fashion books.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Save your money, September 26, 2007

By 

Sunnybet (Dayton, NV USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diana Style: Foreword by Manolo Blahnik (Hardcover)

I agree with the review left by "Dressmaker": save your money and buy it used, if buy it you must. There is only one picture, a fashion drawing by Roland Klein, that doesn't appear in lots (and lots!) of other Diana fashion books. The text contains a number of glaring errors of general fact, date, and dress description that could have been easily checked. For a very minor example, the Travolta Gown was described on one page as black, and on the next, as ink blue. Shouldn't a "fashion expert" have known the color of one of Diana's most famous gowns? Many of the designer comments are also available elsewhere, in better books.

That said, the text is an interesting take on Diana's use of clothing to make a statement, and her gradual development of the style associated with her at any given period. You won't see anything new here and shouldn't believe everything you read here, either -- by a long shot. If McDowell can't get his facts right, what weight should a reader give to his opinions?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All About Princess, May 29, 2009

By 

O. Marie "Stargoddess7" (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diana Style: Foreword by Manolo Blahnik (Hardcover)

This book is written with an intensity which just focuses on the fashion of the Princess; that's a lot to take in. All glossy pages with tons of mix-match photos of Diana intermixed and in no chronological order... This was done so you can how how Diana was slowly developing her own personal tastes throughout all the experiments of getting herself to look good at all times.

Diana was very photogenic, and frequently attacked by the public for her plain-jane dressing, flower prints, and general school-marm, somewhat frumpy-looking ensembles. She was so sensitive! And she was just an adorable girl! The cameras couldn't get enough of her. So it occurred to her she needed some expert help. Unfortunately, this began with businesses which just made the dresses, and not necessarily personal stylists. In the beginning there were a few disasters - the worst being the Wedding Dress, which turned into a giant-sized wad of wrinkles once the Princess got in her coach. That dress also ruined the reputation of it's maker. In the end, Diana said she hoped the moths would get to it.

This is a book about how the Princess found her style... Not comparing herself to other women, but decidedly going about to create her own unique looks and themes. It was interesting to note how the styles of the 80's were so focused on "building up" the upper part of the female torso, with its puffy sleeves, shoulder pads and ruffles. This was done in order to help make women look "feminine, yet strong". Those styles began to shift in the 90's with dresses made in the sleeveless styles - interestingly, to reveal so many young women with big muscled arms! ; ) Diana came out around that time to reveal her anorexia. Some of these challenges come through in the pieces she was choosing to wear, and yet be healthy.

In this book you get to learn everything about the one and only Princess... There was, and will never be anyone like Diana, Princess of Wales. It is everything you want to know about Princess dresses, Princess casual, Princess jewels and crowns, Princess shoes, Princess hairstyles and makeup. I give it four stars, because we do know there was a person under all those things; someone who used her fashion as a tool to navigate herself around the world and make a meaningful impact on the social concerns she found most important. Being married to a prince, and being a princess were just a bonus.