Customer Reviews

Style Evolution: How to Create Ageless Personal Style in Your 40s and Beyond

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've been waiting for months for this update to Farr's The Pocket Stylist - got it yesterday, and it's just what I was hoping it would be. Farr explains why it's so hard to figure out what to wear based on my old habits and what I see in magazines/stores, and she suggests specific solutions, down to the store and product line. Her advice resonates with me (even my husband could recognize me among the "types": I'm the one with stacks of merino v-necks and matching suits but no spark in my wardrobe). I especially appreciate how specific Farr is about what works/doesn't for various body shapes and the examples of how to wear various looks. This book should help any would-be fashionista... I just wish I could take Farr shopping with me!

Ms. Farr started off well by acknowledging that we over-40 women have a tough time finding decent clothes nowadays. But frankly I think she's writing for fashion professionals who live in New York City and have tons of money to spend -- not your average slob like me. I read fashion mags and books all the time, have two cousins who are in the fashion industry, and I STILL hadn't heard of half the designers and brands that Farr recommends. They would probably be very hard, if not impossible, to find in NE Massachusetts, where I live -- and I probably couldn't afford them anyway! Farr's standards are SO high that you'd have to spend your entire life shopping, shell out a fortune on top-of-the-line designer stuff, and then take everything for professional tailoring, in order to pass muster with her. It kind of depressed me. ("Geez, do I really look that bad?") And finally, the book has NO photos and not nearly enough drawings. SHOW me what you mean! Instead it's very wordy and loaded with fashion-pro jargon (such as talking about a fashion label's "bridge" line, "masstige", or that Talbots is good for "anonymous wardrobing" -- huh?). And she loves the word "skews" -- as in, "This clothing manufacturer skews young." It also needed more careful proofreading. Although in general Farr writes well, I came across quite a few awkwardly written or completely incomprehensible sentences, where clearly there were words or punctuation missing. The lack of index, glossary or table of contents was also a big drawback. On the plus side, though, she does give you tons of info on useful websites -- though I'm nervous about buying online from an unfamiliar label.

I think Kendall Farr is the style writer we all should listen to. I know she has helped me improve my look and style which has increased my confidence leaving me close to nauseatingly perfect (as if!). Her advice is real, she writes like a real person who gains weight, sometimes gets it wrong and lives in the same world I do (as opposed to some elongated body fantasy realm where we all move a seamstress into our homes to have access to alterations all the time....are you listening Nina Garcia?).
That said I do have a comment to make about this book. I am the target audience for this book's advice but I think it is geared to the kind of dressing needed by working women. Many of us live a more casual life and many of these outfits would not do for everyday running around. I know I would be way overdressed at the market or bookstore in most of these outfits. Her only clear casual advice is collared polo shirts and bermuda shorts (what year is it?).
My other caveat (made with deep respect for Ms Farr) I live in South Florida. It is quite casual here, even for working women plus it is HOT. 8 months of the year it is hot, 6 months of the year it is really hot. Of the 10 outfits pictured in the book 6 featured jackets. It would be genuine torture to wear these tailored jackets in the Florida (or south or southwest) summer heat.
I think, even at my age, I can dress with a little more casual style and look good. Being this age does not mean the occasional well fitted long tank top with a cropped cardigan over it & cropped or capri pants are the exclusive territory of younger women, done with restraint, of course.
But still, Kendall Farr knows her stuff and I am listening.

This is a later addition to this review. How can you not like a book that uses the word *gobsmacked* to express her surprise. Indeed!

Thank you Kendall Farr for helping me leave little girl things behind and dress like a real woman! The "Pocket Stylist" is one of my all-time favorite books, and "Style Evolution" does not disappoint, especially now I am approaching 40.

In response to the lady who was concerned about this book being for the fashion industry alone - I couldn't disagree more. Farr gives great advice to women (like me) who can't afford couture clothing. She advocates studying the expensive stuff and then developing your own version of the look by shopping at places you can afford. She even gives you the best brands to shop at national discount chains like Target and Kohls.

Farr has actually saved me a lot of money and time. Now, I only invest money in a few well-cut and beautiful piece each season, and I refuse to hang anything in my closet that doesn't fit me perfectly. As a result, I actually wear the clothes I own.

In a way Farr advocates shopping like the French - owning less but having more to wear. It is very liberating. You should try it.

This is a terrific book and has more good information on every page than most other style books I've read include in a chapter! I liked this so much more than How Not to Look Old. First of all Farr is not a fear mongering type who warns women to bleach their teeth and hair and nip and tuck to guard against looking old and out of it. This book is about fashion and about how to take a natural approach - through clothes to look 'youthful' and 'plugged in'. As Farr says 'in underwear I trust" and I really like her down-to earth ( and sane) approach. I can go to the store tomorrow with her checklist and buy the right bra to look thinner and better in my clothes no surgery required.
While she is fashion expert who lives in New York I did not find any of her suggestions to be out of reach or out of touch with real women like me who shop for clothes at a mall or on-line.
Three things I found especially worthwhile about the book.
1. The trends chapter has great illustrations that say it all about how simplicity is the way to look 'ageless' and yet none of the right outfits look boring or too classic. Plus her trends lists are filled with good suggestions and her writing is very funny!
2. The shopping chapters for both clothes and accessories are incredibly well researched. Both are very clear about how to 'research at the top" by looking at designer things on-line or in the store just to get ideas about what's happening. Then it makes it so much easier to find things for less that look 'current' and 'relevant' as Farr says. I will look at clothes and fabrics differently and I feel more confident about finding things truly cheap at H&M or Target now that I know what to look for and what to avoid.
3. The overall spirit of this book is very positive. Farr says "if you look relevant than you are relevant."

This is not Fashion For Dummies. Farr does expect that her reader knows something about fashion and follows fashion. I am a bit out of practice at 41 and I read this book closely and I'm glad I did or I would have missed a lot of great information.
Love this book!!!!!!!

I am in my thirties and live in CT. This book changed my life, and it was so easy... Have always dreamed of a closet full of clothes from Prada, duh, but I am too intimidated to walk into a Prada boutique to browse (as if I could actually buy something). Just figured that if you couldn't afford the real thing then you had to make do with what was in your price range. No so. Farr's shopping guide tells you how to look at things coming up in fashion... looking online, making notes about what is happening with colors, proportions, fabrics, details. So far so good...

Looked at the Spring clothes on [...] as recommended. Went shopping and started my search with what works for my body first and right away spotted a fantastic lightweight dress in crinkley fabric that looked just like Prada for $[...]! I would NEVER have known the difference before. And I keep finding things that look better, hipper and I can afford them!

I won't go shopping again without doing my research and I am already looking more sophisticated and 'current' and by 40 my wardrobe will be a masterpiece!

Farr recommends looking ahead a season. What a money, and style!, saver. If you notice that things have really changed on her checklist above - don't buy it. No more baby doll tops for me! Go for the shapes and looks that are on the way in and not out to get more mileage out of things. Don't buy into what will be dated in a few months.

This book is a must read. Don't wait until you are 40 and have hit a complete style wall. I loved it!

I was shopping for yet another copy of Farr's first book 'The Pocket Stylist' (my favorite gift to give) and was SO excited to see that she had written a second book. Though I'm a bit shy of 40 I ordered it anyway just because I loved the first one so much. While a significant portion of the book does focus on the dos and don'ts for women 40+, it is full of insider tips and "ageless fashion' advice for women of all ages. I love that she included the body typing again, which has been so helpful to me in choosing the right things to buy for my shape! The lists of designers, accessory buys and must haves are incredibly helpful and have made shopping a much more focused effort for me. For those women not living in New York City - there is great advice on how to really look for what's out there. It is also a great read - the writing is smart, funny and entertaining. I can't wait for a third book!!

I bought this book hoping to find useful information about how to add flair to my wardrobe while still dressing in an age-appropriate manner. While there were some good take-aways (the chapter on undergarments was helpful, as were the illustrations on what Ms. Farr considers to be "ageless" and "aging"), overall she uses too much insider fashion industry jargon. And her recommendations on designers is dizzying. Who has time to research top designers for inspiration? Who has the money to afford them? I wanted real tips for real people and didn't find many of those here. For a much more useful book for older women, I'd recommend "How Not to Look Old" by Marla Krupp. Ms. Krupp's recommendations hit ALL price ranges so you can easily gloss over the options that are not affordable for you. Ms. Farr's book would have been a lot stronger if she had more photos and illustrations -- I have no idea what she means by pearls in princess, matinee, and opera lengths, for example. And what does nature-inspired jewelry that is "chic but a little comic" look like? If the author had toned down the designer lists and ramped up the photos, I think the book would have appealed to a much broader audience.

I am a fan of fashion and beauty books,this book is excellent for women over 40. There are only a few books on improving your look and image according to your body type in the market for women my age. This is fun to read and full of helpful ideas. I am passing it down to my two sisters and my friends. We all need a fashion makeover especially in middle age.
I want to be fabulous all the way!!

This is a great book - some overlap with her earlier book but still valuable information. Provides useful information on streamlining your "style" as well as references to stockists and brands in various price points. Highly recommended.