Customer Reviews

Instyle the New Secrets of Style: Your Complete Guide to Dressing Your Best Every Day

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Don't waste your money on the hardcover edition of this book. This is more like a catalog than a style book. There are bold, colorful pictures detailing all the different types of dresses, styles of purses, types of watches, and each element of clothing. However, there is not really any guidance about putting all of it together. There are so many good books about style (e.g. How to Have Style, The Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style: How to Wear Iconic Looks and Make Them Your Own], [[ASIN:1594630283 Nothing to Wear?: A Five-Step Cure for the Common Closet, Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style (Tim Gunn's Guide to Style)) that this does not belong on a shelf with style books that can really provide guidance.
Within each garment description, there is a chart listing different body types (i.e. curvy, short, boyish, etc.), but even within this, there's nothing inspiring, nothing easy to take away or envision.
This book is like a catalog from a popular retailer - there is a lot to look at and comprehensive product description, but it's not really very fun, and there's not advice to take away and apply in one's own wardrobe.

First off, the book arrived as scheduled and the condition was pristine. Second, the content is in fact a sort of summary of what has been published on InStyle's pages. I liked the book because it shows information on different pieces of clothing (sweaters, the suit, etc.) and how to take advantage of them depending on the figure (short, curvy, etc.). However, it does not go towards just the body type, such as The Body Shape Bible by T&S. Another good point is the fact that it includes valuable data such as laundry, storage of clothing, types of fabrics, etc. Finally, it is good to see that the book respects the "classics" and is not 100% in favor of trends. The point that I think was missing? Some tips from other cultures, such as how to take advantage of scarves (like French women do) or how to maximize the combination of colors (like Italian women do).

I have this book and many others in the 'closet makeover' category and I'm sad to say that his one isn't worth the purchase price. I don't say that often yet this book really is a rehash of old ideas without anything new to add. It didn't offer anything in the way of fresh perspective or innovative ideas. Maybe if you are such a fashion neophyte that you you don't know pumps from flats this book will help, but so would a little time shoe shopping on a decent website, and that education won't cost you a thing. Nice pics but it really isn't enough to save this book.

I have expected something completely different and am quite disappointed because of a variety of reasons.

1.) I saw the book title and was led to believe, how to put together a special outfit, for example basics and accessories that should be worn to achieve a special statement. As like "Jackie Kennedy" versus "Gypsy" or something similiar.
Well, that doesn't happen.

2.) I have read a few books from Trinny & Susannah, and especially the "Body Shape Bible" is stunning. When you compare it to this book, again this one is a disaster.
As an example there is a photo of Selma Hayek (an hourglass!), and she is wearing a dress that looks utterly marvelous: deep wide V neckline, bandaged waist, etc. And there is a dreadful photo, showing her in a high Mandarin collar. My point is - there are always two pictures of each celebrity in the T & S-Book: a What-Is-Not-To-Love-One and a Please-Beware-One.
"Secrets of Style" only looks on the clothes and how they are put together (which might be okay, no doubt of that), but not that it is looking like a nightmare on the person who is wearing them.
In terms of the hourglass Selma Hayek, "Secrets of Style" shows her in crisp white top, buttoned almost to the top, and a broad belt - both an absolute fault on an hourglass, and she looks ... well... certainly not sexy, as in the description. She looks like a dwarf with a monstrous bosom.

3.) The book does NOT show, as the title suggests, how to dress your best every day. It is rather an encyclopedia of clothing. They have a list in each chapter, which tells you, according to your shape (curvy, short, boyish, narrow shoulders, broad shoulders, full bust, small bust, tummy), what to "look for", what to "avoid" and what not to forget.
Example "jacket". All different types of jackets are listed and shown: tuxedo, peplum, menswear-tailored, boyfriend, military, bomber, safari.
Then comes the above mentioned list of body-types (or rather body-part-types? what if you are curvy and have a tummy and are short?...???).
And then come THREE examples of how to combine them. SEVEN different jackets... THREE examples... Where are the other four? And why can I see men's-style cut only with a dress and highheels? No jeans? No skirts? No different styles?

I have chosen the example with Selma Hayek to show, how bad the research truly is.
The body-part-list is frustrating.
The styles and combinations simply do not occur.
The celebrities in the examples look wonderful in 1/3 of the pictures. The other 1/3 is okay, not more, not less. The last 1/3 is rather a How-They-Should-Never-Appear-On-The-Red-Carpet-Picture.

I just don't get it. (And send the book back immediately.)

I did not like the first book that InStyle published. I thought it was very unoriginal and not up to par with other style books I have read (and I read them all.) The New Secrets of Style is just the opposite. I like the layout, the suggestions and the information. The outfits that they put together are "real" and not just for celebrities, the young or the thin. I would recommend this to a friend, even one who has great style and is well read on the subject. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this book.

It's funny that the book is called 'New secrets of style' - there's barely anything 'new' or even 'fresh' in it, unfortunately.

I bought it hoping to educate myself on how to look stylish, and this book is only marginally helpful in that. It has tons of pictures of celebrities. Who cares for that? I need to make clothes work for me, for my body. This book offers some nice tips on how to correct certain appearance flaws with clothes. But there are no detailed chapters on how to mix and match. It does have fairly detailed descriptions of what to look for when buying clothes, but that's not it.

My main problem with this book, is that the authors didn't quite get it: most people, including myself, are not buying this book so that we can throw everything out and renew our complete wardrobe. We're simply trying to understand what item/color/style goes with what. And there's only a handful of tips on how to do this.

I prefer the Signature stylists, Gossip Girl's Eric Deaman, and Victoria Vargas who use the Four Seasons color system and authentic styling.

Dan Palley

I received this book about one week ago. Loooooove it! Anyone who has no idea how to put colors together, this is the book for you! FIVE STARS, hands down! Instyle the New Secrets of Style: Your Complete Guide to Dressing Your Best Every Day The colors are BOLD, and Beautiful! I am afraid my daughter is going to steal my book. So I am going to purchase her one. They are great gifts. I got the HARDBACK book. It was delievered packaged very well. Over the years, I have created a list of My Favorite things. This book has made the cut, it is now one of MY favorite things. You will not be disappointed, you should definitely make the purchase. Happy Holidays!

Nikki...:)

I love this book! When I work with clients, I refer to this book to give them guidelines on how to relate the items in their wardrobe as to what will work with what. Getting organized with your wardrobe saves you time and money and feeling great about how you look every day. A great wardrobe affects your self esteem and your image. A natural segway after organizing your office would be to organize your wardrobe.

This is my go-to book for outfit ideas and style inspiration. As a long-time InStyle reader, I was excited to get this book. I keep it handy for when I look in my closet and think "I have so many clothes and nothing to wear." Thanks, InStyle! Look forward to future editions.

Honoree (Corpron) Corder
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