The Fine Art of Dressing: Make Yourself a Masterpiece by Dressing for Your Body Type (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Margaux Tartarotti has extensive experience in fashion design, both haute couture and ready-to-wear. She was artistic director of the Fashion Forum School in Paris, and has also taught fashion design throughout Europe and Asia. She lives in Toronto, Canada.

Product Details

• Paperback: 214 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (December 13, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399525688
• ISBN-13: 978-0399525681
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #646,970 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguingly artistic take on body shape, August 4, 2000

By	yarden "yarden" (portland, or) - See all my reviews

THE FINE ART OF DRESSING is possibly the most intriguing take on body shape I've ever read. Margaux Tartarotti, a teacher and fashion designer, applies the standard body-type shapes (hourglass, pear shape, etc.) and gives them all names based on the women portrayed by certain artists. For instance, the pear shape becomes the Modigliani, and the hourglass becomes the Pop-Art (think Warhol's Marilyn Monroe). Not only does this add sensuousness to the body type, but it makes each woman feel like her body-type is one to be admired, no matter what shape it takes.

Building off these six body types, the author gives a great deal of good advice, and several core outfits that accentuate the positives of each body type, while minimizing the weaknesses. Each body type is accompanied by many beautiful fashion-designer illustrations, including pictures that list what NOT to wear for your body type. In addition to information for specific body types, much general information is provided in regards to color, fabric, and ways to look your best.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to look elegant, sophisticated, and put-together. This is real information from someone who has made it her life's work to make women look beautiful, and who has taken notes from artists who portray beautiful women who are not limited to today's narrow definition of beauty.

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best of its kind, February 15, 2001

By	C. Clark (Upstate NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've read a lot of dressing/personal style books and this is definitely at the top of the list. It doesn't get into defining your personal style that much, but it shows you how to flatteringly dress for your body type. There is no recommended wardrobe - the author uses geometry, color and texture to hide or enhance elements of each body type - so you can work with what you have. The author defines 6 of them and though I wasn't exactly any one, I could easily combine elements from different types to determine what was right for me.

The drawings are extremely useful as are the charts in the front of each section that give an overview of what pants, skirts, etc... would look best. In the back of the book is another set of charts with almost all styles of clothes you could think of that summarizes the best/worst for each figure type.

After reading this book, I understood why certain styles didn't look quite right on me. This book showed me it wasn't the fit as many other books imply, it was just not a good choice for my body type.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for every woman!, August 9, 2000

By	Jennifer Smith (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This book is an absolute must for anyone interested in knowing which styles flatter your form and which ones don't.

Designer Margaux Tartarotti uses the works of master painters to describe the different body types. This allows the reader to feel that her body type, no matter which one, is something to rejoice in, not be ashamed of.

Packed with tips and easy to read charts, the reader can easily choose her most flattering styles. The author's drawings, thoughout the book, are worth the price alone!!