What Would Jackie Do? An Inspired Guide to Distinctive Living [Hardcover]

Shelly Branch (Author), Sue Callaway (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 29, 2005

We can’t help but want to be like her: Exuding unmatched poise and style, she continues to fascinate people of all ages. But how would Jackie have handled the twenty-first-century? What would she think about a society that celebrates outsized egos, instant everything, and casual rules of conduct? How might she dress for the office, scan for a man, accessorize a home—and get away from it all when necessary? With intriguing research, commentary from today’s experts, and fond reminiscences from those who knew and admired the first lady of perfection, journalists Shelly Branch and Sue Callaway now offer a sparkling answer to the question, What Would Jackie Do?

Applying Jackie’s philosophies to every aspect of contemporary life, including relationships, office politics, family matters, and entertaining, What Would Jackie Do? is a trove of advice, featuring:

• Noblesse Oblige for Beginners
• How Not to be an Interchangeable Woman
• Mastering the Effortless Rich look
• The art of attachment: lessons on sex, marriage, and men of consequence
• Career Whirl: Pearls for Getting Ahead
• Caftan in a Kelly bag: How to travel beautifully
• O- Behave! Anti-brat strategies for parents
* En Suite Home: Perfecting Your Domestic Pitch

The next best thing to having Jackie O. as a personal adviser, What Would Jackie Do? reveals the practical wisdom behind an icon and gives all readers a piece of the Jackie mystique, be it of the heart, the mind, or the home.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Never mind what Jackie would do. The bigger question is, what would she think about having her name attached to this chatty, gossipy manual that covers everything from how to gracefully decline a date ("Oh, you're so thoughtful but I'm terribly busy these days") to how to avoid a "customs confrontation" regarding your overseas spending ("book your flight through an airport where the agents are apt to be less savvy" about recognizing Prada). Journalists Branch and Callaway have mined every detail of Jackie's life to generate such advice as "Do suck up to people with private craft" and interviewed a variety of incongruous experts like designer Oleg Cassini and Thom Filicia of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, who observes, "So many clients want to create a facade.... Jackie would never do that." Branch and Callaway deem Jackie "the model for how to do practically everything right," but leave wiggle room to point out her shortcomings, among them smoking, skipping meals and using appetite-suppressing medications. As a guide to the social niceties (and sometimes not-so-niceties) this should be taken with a pile of salt; gossip hounds may take a look just to feed their appetite for all things Jackie. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

A clever, nuanced guide full of pointers that underscore what it takes to be a complete woman of style today. -- Teri Agins, senior fashion writer, The Wall Street Journal; author, The End of Fashion

A terrific read. "What Would Jackie Do?" is quick-witted and fun. It's a smart, modern take on Jackie--instructive, insightful, irreverent. -- Nina Munk, contributing editor, Vanity Fair

As creative as a well-appointed room! [The authors] show us all how to get our house in order. -- Jonathan Adler, interior decorator; author of My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living

This delicious book shows us that Jackie's life lessons are as timeless as the woman herself. -- Charlotte Ford, author, 21st Century Etiquette: Charlotte Ford's Guide to Manners for the Modern Age

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Gotham (December 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592401902
• ISBN-13: 978-1592401901
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #366,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Live a Distinctive Life Using Jackie As Your Role Model, December 31, 2005

By 

Linda Painchaud-Steinman "PARK EDGE BOOKS" (MA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What Would Jackie Do? An Inspired Guide to Distinctive Living (Hardcover)

This book isn't about trying to BE Jackie; it's about living your own best, most elegant life, and doing it with dignity and style.

The authors are clearly Jackie fans (though they don't hesitate to point out her shortcomings and bad habits), and they respectfully apply a sort of "Jackie-meter" to all sorts of topics, such as: grooming, style, makeup, lifestyle, money, men, etc.

They also include some personal tidbits about Jackie's life, which, at least to this reader, were interesting.

I didn't find the book at all "gossipy" (as one of the editorial reviews called it), but rather, I found it a respectful tribute to an icon who was obviously admired by the women who wrote this guide.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Introduction, January 12, 2006

By 

Alexa Carver (Seattle, Wa) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: What Would Jackie Do? An Inspired Guide to Distinctive Living (Hardcover)

Having grown up slightly too young for all the Jackie hype, I have always been curious to know what was behind it all. This book is a great way to learn about all the mystique behind the woman (while also learning how to bring that mystique into your own life). It has an easy-to-read colloquial style that is engaging and funny. I recommend it to anyone wondering about the faux-pas in your own life, or curious about Jackie's.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, smart and classy just like Jackie, January 13, 2006

By 

N. Mullen (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What Would Jackie Do? An Inspired Guide to Distinctive Living (Hardcover)

The authors keep this book very entertaining while providing valuable insight into Jackie's life and helpful ideas to make our own lives more intriguing. The book is a fun read that you won't want to put down. It offers a whole new perspective on Jackie and tells the reader how they can add more elegance and diplomacy into their own lives. It is a definate must read for anyone who likes Jackie but also for anyone wants to add a little pizazz into their lives. Enjoy!