The Pocket Stylist: Behind-the-Scenes Expertise from a Fashion Pro on Creating Your Own Look (Hardcover)

by Kendall Farr (Author) "The first thing I do when choosing any piece of clothing for a photo shoot is to visualize how the cut will fit the body..." (more)
Key Phrases: pocket stylist, hipbone length, skimming fit, Marc Jacobs, New York City, Club Monaco (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
With its text-heavy layout and somewhat confusing "body type" divisions, this fashion guidebook is somewhat more complicated than many of the other style books on the market. Dedicated readers, however, will learn a lot from Farr, a former fashion editor who's written for InStyle, People, Harper's Bazaar and other publications. Drawing upon her years of experience as a personal stylist, Farr teaches readers what to look for and what to avoid when clothes shopping, how to evaluate their wardrobes and why certain heel heights and shapes work better for different body types. She also gives tips on finding a good tailor, measuring bra size, wearing makeup and accessorizing. Farr is funny, down to earth and savvy, and her guide exudes authority and experience. Although involved, it is comprehensive and trend-resistant, meant to help women of any shape and size find clothes that flatter no matter what the runway season suggests.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Description
A celebrity fashion stylist reveals the tricks of her trade and shows women of all sizes how to pull together their own polished, individual look.

Whether she’s petite, average, or plus size, every woman has experienced the frustration of searching for flattering clothes. In The Pocket Stylist every reader can have a consultation with her own personal stylist and use the author’s behind-the-scenes wardrobe wisdom:
- Taking her true measurements—from eight different body zones—to ensure an attractive fit based on the reader’s unique silhouette and the proportions that will flatter it best
- Why ready-to-wear isn’t, and how and when to use a tailor for a custom fit
- The best fabrics for your unique silhouette
- How to balance trends with the classic, indispensable pieces that are the backbone of any well-conceived wardrobe
- What "closet archaeology" can unearth and reveal about your wardrobe needs
- Why the right lingerie makes a critical difference in the fit of your clothes
- Tips from other experts on the beauty principles that ground your everyday look— Bobbi Brown and Sonja Kashuk for makeup and Kevin Mancuso for hair—offer backstage access
- Accessories that give an outfit an individual look and that no versatile wardrobe should be without

Best of all, The Pocket Stylist features specifically edited shopping lists for various body types. Four "styled" looks for each silhouette—from jeans-casual to cocktails—illustrate ideal proportion and fit. The reader becomes Kendall Farr’s client and will learn to shop and dress herself like a pro. The Pocket Stylist delivers the behind the camera expertise of a veteran stylist in one purse-size indispensable guide.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 197 pages
• Publisher: Gotham (January 22, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592400418
• ISBN-13: 978-1592400416
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (116 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,066 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

191 of 194 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book every woman who wants to look her best should own, February 16, 2004

By	Marianne (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

In the sea of so called 'fashion experts', Farr is a real standout. Her approach to style differs greatly in that it instructs women how to honestly assess their wardrobes and logically pinpoint their individual body type. She clarifies how to flatter any figure (including plus sizes), incorporate trends and individual style, mix and match pieces, shop on a budget and avoid falling victim to common fashion mishaps. The book isn't limited to just clothing - bras, stockings accessories and tips from beauty experts are also thoroughly covered. Best of all there are pages and pages of tips, places to shop and stylist secret weapons that even the most fashion savvy girl probably doesn't know. My favorite section of the book is 'Your Tailor is Your Best Friend' which details everything from having a garment fit to having a piece custom made. Unlike other guides I have read, this book is written without condescension and truly aims to make all women feel beautiful and stylish. This book is not only an incredibly useful tool but is also a great read. Farr writes with humor and gives the reader a number of hilarious personal, real women and celebrity anecdotes.
This is without a doubt the fashion guide to buy. I have given a few copies as gifts and my friends loved it too.

393 of 407 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A single source on how to look your best, September 30, 2004

By	Jocelyne "French lady" (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews

I am a French woman living in the US and have been looking for a book to teach my teenage daughter all the things that French women know about dressing well. This is THE book. It has everything. It covers subjects that may be covered elsewhere such as body type and flattering style, fit, how to build a wardrobe, what to invest in and what to have fun with. What I found most valuable, though, was how the author dispels the myths that fashion magazines promote. For example, she tells you how she prepares for a photoshoot and erases the myth of effortless good looks. She advocates that looking good is not about wearing the latest fashion, but knowing what makes you look good and wearing it. She outlines a basic wardrobe of timeless high quality basics that flatter and supplement with trendier and cheaper items that are fun but will not last as long in your wardrobe. This is how I dress and I can testify that it works.

I will be for ever grateful to my grandmother for teaching me to recognize when a garment fits and when it does not. Therefore, my highest mark in this book goes to the two pages explaining how to tell if a jacket fits. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

If you want just one book to teach you how to be stylish, this is the one. If you want to further explore how French women dress, look at "Chic and Slim" by Ann Baronne.

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful, very informative, August 16, 2005

By	imported beer "henotheist" (Texas) - See all my reviews

Perhaps the single most vital thing I learned from this book is the all important shoulder to hip ratio and definition of waist that determines what shape you are. I myself, and countless other women tend to be so obsessed with perceived huge hips that we all dress like pears and wonder why we look lopsided. As someone with shoulders in proportion to my hips and a very defined waist, I should have been dressing very differently.

What this book will tell you:
1. This book will tell you how to dress for your specific body type, including fabrics and lengths that will look best on you.
2. It will give you ideas on indispensibles, including where to buy them, where to splurge and where to skimp. It will also tell you how to go bargain hunting without looking like you did.
3. It will tell you how best to work with your tailor, what is possible, what is not.
4. I am not a plus sized woman, but if I was,this book would be a godsend in many ways. Since Farr was stylist for plus sized women as well, she does not focus on a `dress in all black ensembles to look your slimmest' as though every curvy woman is ashamed of her shape. She helps women make style choices that flatter her existing shape.

What this book won't tell you:
1. What accesories work best with what outfit- apart from the obvious that a low vamp, with a high heel and pants pegged to the heel will make your legs look longer and platforms look cheesy. It does not cover much ground with accesories except for vague generalities.
2. Most of the online resources it provides are no longer there (luxlook, americanfit etc)
3. It does not give you any detailed color advice for women. The colorsyou wear are an important part of your style quotient, and some women look sickly in black, not stylish.

Some people may find her insistence on tailoring a trifle difficult to execute, but the best dressed women are always those whose clothes fit perfectly, not the ones wearing the most expensive and luxe clothes.