The Little Black Book of Style [Hardcover]

Nina Garcia (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 4, 2007

Every time you dress, you assert your identity. With style, you tell the world your story. In that way, style affords you opportunities to think about your appearance as a quality of your creative character. The Little Black Book of Style helps you to explore your own fashion voice—the piece of you that joyously revels in the glamorous experience of creating your best self. From cultivating good taste to guarding against definite fashion faux pas, Nina Garcia offers readers the ultimate guide to follow when it comes to dressing their best. Including tips on how and when to wear an outfit, occasion-appropriate wear, advice on how to combine colors and textures, and inspiration on how to achieve your own signature look, you learn how to experiment, storyboard, archive, and play. Timeless and universal, this book seeks to remind women that eternal style is internal style, and that everyone has what it takes to discover themselves through the colorful palette that is fashion.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Fashion director at Marie Claire magazine, Nina Garcia is best known for her appearance as the unerring, formidable fashion judge on the hit show Project Runway. An elite authority in the industry, she has worked in fashion houses and in fashion media, from Marc Jacobs to Elle and Marie Claire. Originally from Colombia, she now makes her home in New York City.

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Con su ojo experto para la moda, Nina GarcÍa es conocida como la acertada y extraordinaria jueza de la moda en el exitoso programa Project Runway. Como una autoridad en la industria, ha trabajado en imperios y medios de la moda, con todos desde Marc Jacob hasta la revista Marie Claire. Nacida en Colombia, ahora vive en la ciudad de Nueva York.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: It Books; First Edition first Printing edition (September 4, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061234907
• ISBN-13: 978-0061234903
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #184,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

154 of 158 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very surprised, September 10, 2007

By 

B. L. Rogers (Georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Little Black Book of Style (Hardcover)

This book is quite a fun and informative read. Nina Garcia keeps her voice light throughout, with a few funny moments that genuinely surprised me. Though I am a huge fan of the 'Project Runway' judge, I had honestly expected her book to be dry and even condescending -- this is the infamous Nina Garcia, after all.

But I was quite surprised. Especially around my first laugh-at-loud moment, when she discusses the importance of buying shoes that actually fit your feet and not just your budget: "Toes spilling out of a pair of strappy, sexy sandals is a very painful sight. I do not wince out of sympathy for your feet. I side with the shoes."

The rules of style never really change. But Nina Garcia does a great job at giving you the tools to edit your closet, your shopping habits and helping you discover and create your own style.

Aside from the usual advice one gets from style manuals, she provides a chapter on finding your fashion inspiration, complete with bulleted lists of movie and rock fashion icons. She also has an entire chapter of quick question and answer sessions from fashion professionals such as John Galliano, Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, Oscar De La Renta, etc.

The only issue I had with the book was that it was too short. I wanted to read more of her own experiences with style and fashion. These moments in the book were by far the high points. While I did like the inclusion of so many lists, her voice was lost sometimes among all of the bullet points. Which is a shame, because some of her life stories are truly unique, such as the one about her mother's live-in seamstress.

Overall, this book was a fun, informative read that left me smiling for the rest of the day. I highly suggest it, no matter what your level of fashion or style experience may be.

71 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Lot of Help in a Little Book, September 22, 2007

By 

Jay K. "just a thought..." - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Little Black Book of Style (Hardcover)

Not having seen "Project Runway", I didn't know what to expect from Nina Garcia's style book. It is, itself, a sylish little tome with drawings, no photos, and six chapters entitled, "Be Your Own Muse", "The Basics", "Inspirations", "What to Wear When...", "Insider Tips and Tricks", and, "Fashion Cliff's Notes, Decade by Decade".

One of my favorite parts of the book is chapter five, with the insider tips and tricks. The insiders include Diane von Furstenberg, Zac Posen, Ralph Lauren, Marherita Missoni, and Elle Macpherson, among (many) others. Questions were posed to each--questions such as "What do you find eternally stylish?" to "What is the secret to style?" Answers were short and direct and helpful.

Another favorite chapter is "The Basics". It includes 10 basic "rules" to guide the reader to his or her unique style. It begins with the simple dictim to "Edit" and how to do so, and ends with the lovely "Be Imperfect", which lets us all breathe a little.

A more unusual addition to "The Little Black Book..." is the "What to Watch and What to Watch For" section in the Style and Film part of Chapter 3, "Inspirations", which I found useful, followed by Style and Music, which I did not.

This little book was fun to read, a little sassy and a good deal of information that can be used to put the reader in style. Two (well manicured) thumbs up!

110 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining - but pretty impractical for non-fashion industry women, October 10, 2007

By 

A reader (Rocky Mountains USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Little Black Book of Style (Hardcover)

Nina Garcia's prose is amusing, but there is very little substance to be gleaned if you are like most women - not connected with the fashion industry. Most of us have non-fashionista day jobs in addition to other activities that require different looks. We turn to fashion magazines and books for tips on finding an individualistic style that maximizes one's options based on a few well-chosen key pieces. The trick is to develop a flattering, cohesive, modern style that is versatile enough to be adaptable to many events without make one look schizophrenic, all the while hopefully remaining solvent.

Garcia's most important fashion tip is about getting your clothing altered so that they fit better. If you are somewhat fashion savvy, the advice given - such as the importance of altering looks with accessories, paring down your wardrobe to essentials - is nothing new. Most of the book is filled with fashion industry and personal anecdotes and descriptions of looks that are simply neither practical nor affordable for most women.

If you are looking for some light reading on fashion, go ahead. If you were looking for practical advice or secret insider information on any aspects of style, I suggest looking elsewhere.