Terms of Adornment: The Ultimate Guide to Accessories [Hardcover]

Deborah Chase (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 1999

What's the one thing almost every woman owns that regrettably goes unworn? The answer is quite obvious: the accessory. It's the scarf you bought, but always forget to wear; the handbag you had to have but somehow only take out once or twice a year; or those earrings or shoes you never wear because your style has changed.

Fashions may change, but one thing remains constant--our love for that accessory. So why must our accessories immediately seem outdated? Why should they unnecessarily hide in the dresser? It almost seems like accessories should come with a set of instructions. Now they do.

Terms of Adornment is the ultimate guide to accessories. Full of tips and hints, historical fashion anecdotes, and complete outfits for each accessory, Terms of Adornment is a must for every woman seeking to maximize her scarves, hats, handbags, shoes, and jewelry. Terms of Adornment will show you how to wear what you like without dictating what is right and wrong. With Terms of Adornment all of those forgotten accessories that once held so much promise will once again find a cherished place in your wardrobe.

Deborah Chase, a health and beauty writer, is the author of six other books, including The New Medically Based No-Nonsense Beauty Book, Fruit Acids for Fabulous Skin, and the upcoming Every Bride is Beautiful. Her articles have appeared in Glamour, Redbook, and Ladies Home Journal. In 1998, she toured the United States as the national spokesperson for the Pond's "Educated Face" program. Deborah is a native New Yorker and still resides in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Terms of Adornment is a complete, comprehensive book that any fan of fashion will love. Not only is it informative, but entertaining. I enjoyed it thoroughly." -- Shari Lynn Rothstein, Managing Editor, Accessories magazine

"Informative, thorough, but best of all, fun, Terms of Adornment is the perfect guide for those of us who love to play closet. If you want to create a look or freshen up an old one, Deborah Chase has the perfect accessory in this delightful book." -- Nora Roberts, Romance Writer

About the Author

Deborah Chase is the author of six books, including The New Medically Based No-Nonsense Beauty book, Fruit Acids for Fabulous Skin, and Every Bride Is Beautiful. Her articles have appeared in Glamour, Redbook, and Ladies' Home Journal. In 1998, she toured the United States as the national spokesperson for the Pond's Educated Face program. She lives in New York City.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1st edition (April 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062734547
• ISBN-13: 978-0062734549
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,108,825 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely 100% unhelpful., November 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Terms of Adornment: The Ultimate Guide to Accessories (Hardcover)

I bought this book because the subtitle promised that I would learn "everything I need to know" about accessories. I guess if all I wanted to know was how to buy clothes that go with my accessories, rather than buying accessories to go with my clothes, this book would be useful.

The book is organized alphabetically by accessory, so you can go to the store, buy any old accessory you like, come home, look up the accessory in the book, then read about outfits you can buy to go with the accessory. USELESS! Not to mention impractical for those of us with tight budgets and/or a disinclination to spend obscene amounts of money.

I am not too adept with accessories, but I have a pretty solid wardrobe for both work and casual wear. I had hoped to find a book to advise me how to select accessories to jazz things up, but this book is designed for people with lots of accessories who need advice on how to wear them.

Needless to say, I got my money back.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you hate to shop, this is a no fuss way to create a look, October 29, 1999

By 

Jane Glasgow ([e-mail]) (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Terms of Adornment: The Ultimate Guide to Accessories (Hardcover)

I am one of those women who wants to look nice, but really hates to shop. When I stumbled on this book, with its clear and simple lists of what to wear, I knew I had found a secret weapon. And a time saver. With this book in hand and a list of the items I already own, I was able to use the web, catalogs and just a few shopping trips to put together a wonderful look for myself. THANK YOU Ms. Chase and Ms. Powell!!!!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice addition to my shelf, July 19, 2000

By 

Happy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Terms of Adornment: The Ultimate Guide to Accessories (Hardcover)

I like the way the book defines and differentiates one fashion accessory from another in the same category (i.e., a kelly from a tote --- both fall in the category "bag"), provides a brief history of the item, and then gives suggestions on how to best use this for oneself. The "best" usage of the many accessories outlined here tend to be relative from person to person, though, so from time to time, you might see some recommendations here which you didn't, (or wouldn't) dream of coming up with. Still, I appreciate reading all these since these help you determine, either by agreeing or disagreeing with their suggestions, what kind of style you prefer.