In the Dressing Room with Brenda: A Fun and Practical Guide to Buying Smart and Looking Great [Paperback]

Brenda Kinsel (Author), Jenny M. Phillips (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2001

Famous for talking about things people think about but don’t always say aloud, Brenda Kinsel tackles underwear, the booty, and the nightmare of shopping with kids — all while helping women make sense of the fashion world. She helps every woman have a healthier relationship with herself by taking a lighter look at hang-ups and a deeper look at fashion traps. This book takes 40 over 40 one step further, with more product information, more how-to specifics, more tools and interviews, and more expert commentary.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Wildcat Canyon Press (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188517151X
• ISBN-13: 978-1885171511
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,329,801 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bren's rules rule!, March 19, 2002

By 

Real Person (Newnan, Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Dressing Room with Brenda: A Fun and Practical Guide to Buying Smart and Looking Great (Paperback)

After I had open-heart surgery which put a 12 inch scar down the middle of my chest, my wardrobe needed a serious going over.This book was a terrific help.If you are looking for pictures of stuff to wear, go elsewhere, you won't find them here. If you are looking for substantial fashion advice for any age or era, check out this book.I rearranged my closet according to Bren's very simple system, and it was a revelation.Now, the author probably spends waaaa...yyy more on clothes than I ever would, but I am a 43 year-old housewife/artist/army wife and she is an image consultant.But her advice is geared towards real-life. (What other fashionista out there recognizes that a woman may have specific underwear for "that time of the month", or one may need to dress for a specific climate or lifestyle?)This is practical advice, and her writing style is light and fun.Thanks, Bren!

51 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars Worth of Excellent Advice, May 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: In the Dressing Room with Brenda: A Fun and Practical Guide to Buying Smart and Looking Great (Paperback)

IN THE DRESSING ROOM WITH BRENDA was one of those books that I was really glad I read, but at the same time I had to push myself through some of it. What's terrific are the lists, such as "Bren's Rules for Dressing," and step-by-step instructions on taking your measurements once and for all. Her helpful hints on taking care of your "babies" (clothes) had me wishing she'd write an entire book on the subject. I was disappointed, however, with the rather overbearing tone of the book. Although most of her advice was up-to-the-minute, sometimes it seems she assumes the world is divided into the well-dressed and those who still wear stirrup pants and hawaiian shirts. Come on, Bren--most of us fall somewhere in-between. I really didn't need a whole chapter of her opinions on tatoos, either. I give this book three stars because I'll bet she could help me out in the dressing room, but she might drive me crazy, too!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Where's your sense of adventure?, February 16, 2006

By 

Svetamethyst "Svetlana" (Nyc, Usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Dressing Room with Brenda: A Fun and Practical Guide to Buying Smart and Looking Great (Paperback)

Women looking for "straightforward" advice will be disappointed.

If you can approach this book with an open mind, you'll have a lot of fun.

I really like the illustrations here and there, and especially the font Brenda used. It's easy on the eyes.

As far as the content, I'm fond of the "Fashion Calendar for Smarties" - a month by month look at what to expect in the stores each month. This is INDISPENSABLE.
I also love the "Fashion Feng Shui".

I haven't finished reading this book yet, but it's already given me a different approach to shopping for my wardrobe. It's about loving myself, not punishing myself with dreary clothes, or camouflaging myself! It's about a sense of adventure, and creativity.

Most of all, I adore her writing style. It's extremely upbeat and energetic, and very warm. There was no picture of Brenda Kinsel anywhere in the book, so I searched under her name in Yahoo pictures. I pictured her as a happy, smiling, uplifting woman. I found only one picture of her, but she was exactly as I had imagined her!

Anyway - Would I recommend this book? As I said above, if you can open your mind, YES!
IF you want to look at the world with new eyes - YES.
If you're tired of "practical", cold, uninspirational books about fashion that make you even more afraid of shopping, get this book.

...And please don't skip the introduction!