5 comments about Sophia Style.

1. I am Sophia Loren's number one fan and I have grown up with her and have read ever book available and this was a bit of a let down. I personally think Miss Donahue would have been better for a book on Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly because she does obviously not posses a similar, tall hourglass figure to her subject. I mean NO ONE does but nowhere in the book does she seem to demonstrate a knowledge of how rare it is for a woman of such incredible proportions to be have such an elegant wardrobe and awesome style. Those of us who are tall and hourglassy have no real place to look for clothing inspiration as everything these days is low rise and cut for stick straight, small busted figures with no waist to hip ratio like Gisele or madonna. Also as a costume archivist she should have done extensive research on Sophia's more decorative films (Heller, Breath of Scandal, madame, more than a miracle) to give us an indpeth account of these EXQUISITE unrivaled creations, how the garments were created and perhaps photos of the costumes now. THAT SAID the book is still very good, I just had hoped for new info but she does write well and did provide many unseen photos.



2. Now around 70, Sophia Loren is still the world's most beautiful woman. Her exquisite poised classic charm is the one of a kind that only comes every few centuries. This book celebrates the distinctive beauty and style that has stayed alluring for half a century. Loren is a stand out still. In a world that only sees beauty as a physical expression ... Loren and her contemporaries (Catherine Deneuve, Sophie Marceau, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, etc)tell us that it is much much more. There is a priceless asset in poise, character, dignity, class, that no amount of plastic surgery can compensate for. Beauty is not about not making mistakes but it is about having the kind of self-respect to come out of it a stronger, better person. For all her childhood ostracism of being illigetimate in Catholic Italy during its facist phase, Loren has blossomed and risen above her early roots. One has to admire that despite an international sophisticated glamorous acting career ... Loren has managed to stay married for close to 50 years to her one and only spouse, and took her role as a mother seriously to her two sons. Rather than delegate motherhood to nannies and assistants, Loren made her family, in particular her children, a top priority. You have to respect that and see that beauty truly is what beauty does.



3. ...Grace, Dignity and Humility is what separates one from everyone else. My own words after meeting and
   observing the Legendary Icon through the years. "Sophia Style" captures many wonderful, minute flashes of her
   incredible life experiences, along with the many era's that have made her who she is today. "Sophia Style" quite
   adequately displays her Grace, Dignity, Humility, Class and Awesome Exotic Beauty. Beauty that exudes
   deep from within, through the awesome one of a kind exotic Mediterranean bone structure. And beyond the
   ageless olive complection and voluptuous features, casting a bright aura far ahead of her. She may be, for the
   most part, reserved and to herself, but rises to the occasion of most gracious hospitality without hesitation. She
   has no enemies and lives outside the hullabaloo of Hollywood amidst horse ranches in a tree shrouded Garden of
   Eden she calls "La Concordia."

   In just observing her relationship and interaction with her son Edoardo, I have learned what it is like to not only
   truly be a parent, but a spiritual partner who actively participates in my children's lives.

   I received "Sophia Style" a couple of years ago, after first meeting her some decades ago. In dealing with a
   devastation within my own life, it was her words, wisdom and character that got me through when my own family
   failed me. Sometimes I kept her book near me to remind me to keep rising above it all. It was acting with Grace,
   Dignity and Humility that was inspired by her, that kept me from making incredibly horrible rash decisions.

   At her Lifetime Achievement Awards in 1994, I insisted that she work again. She grasped me with both
   hands in an incredible, yet most gracious way. And worked again she has, with five films since, including one
   written and directed by Edoardo. And of course this book by Deirdre Donahue. Hopefully, there'll be many
   more films, books and other treasures
   to follow. Viva La Bella Donna!!

   Affezionatissimo,
   Guiseppe (Peppi) Turco




4. Sophia Loren is so incredibly beautiful that Deirdre Donohue almost had to create this book in order to celebrate it! From her humble Italian beginnings to her mature beauty of today, there are photographs of her through it all, plus text to tell about her colorful life. My favorite photos are: Diva (p. 70) intersection of image (p. 88), at the Oscars (p. 96) and 1964 color photo (p. 109). If you love Sophia, do not miss "Sophia Style"!



5. Wow! Stylish photography and unseen glimpses of an exceptional beauty with a thesis that holds it all together. Recommended as a gift, a read, an adornment...it will propel the uninitiated into the video store for a reassessment of the great Loren!

5 comments about Les Petites Dames de Mode: An Adventure in Design.

1. This is a wonderful book. The photography shows every detail of the exquisite designs, which are breath-taking. The commentary is very interestsing and gives an insight into life in the 1800's according to the way women dressed. I would love to be able to wear any of the fabulous dresses shown.



2. This book by Mr. Burbidge is a feast for the eyes. The book features dozens of 29-inch fashion dolls wearing costumes from the 1850s to around 1914. Being oversized dolls, each costume can have incredible detail. Mr. Burbidge has labored to create accurate period detail in each dress. Each doll is shown in a full-page picture with period hairstyles and accessories. Each accompanying page includes a description of the outfit, small inset pictures of close details, an interesting quote from historical sources about the time period and usually some tidbit about where the author found the material for the gown. Frequently the author will explain things about high society of the era and how certain items would be viewed - for instance, whether a gown would be considered racy because of its color or how young ladies didn't wear expensive jewelry with a gown until after they were married.
   
   There are only 2 things that I found lacking about this book and they are really trivial items in my mind. The first is that the color of the full-page images is sometimes a bit "off". The dolls often feature very soft colors and the images have a warm tone that can wash them out. The inset detail shots usually have a better color representation.
   
   The second is that the reader should not expect accurate period undergarments on the dolls. The crinolines and petticoats are fairly accurate, but there are no corsets shown.
   
   All in all, the book is beautiful and informative. If you didn't know better, you would almost think the images were of full-size mannequins dressed in real period costumes. And the accompanying text is suitable for anyone, even if they have no knowledge of the eras shown.



3. If you're into miniatures, or just fabulous seamestry, you will love this book and this man's work with textiles, and fashion of a romantic era like none you've seen. These are fashions we will never see again in our society, (thank goodness - can't imagine wearing this stuff). But at the same time, I love to see how elegant and fabulous ladies looked in these garments. This man was responsible for making some of the most fabulous wedding gowns in our country for over a decade and now has preserved for us a fashion era that won't be brought back in it's entirety ever again. A must see for those that are into preserving a culture and miniatures.



4. This book is a total delight for fans of couture, especially La Belle Epoch. Nothing will compare to seeing the exquisite Les Petites Dames in person, but this book comes close! I was fortunate enough to acquire some of these pictures when they were marketed in small groups, so I was thrilled to find that Mr. Burbidge had since expanded the collection and subsequently published it in its entirety (also the book goes into more detail). Just loved it!!



5. I found this book very useful as a source for inspiration. Good quality pictures of very Victorian looking dresses. It is not a "how to" book, but if you have some experience in sewing, there you can find good ideas how it all must look then finished.

No comments about Career Diary of a Fashion Stylist: Gardner's Guide Series (Gardner's Guide series).

1 comments about Rhinestones!: A Collector's Handbook And Price Guide (A Schiffer book for collectors).

1. A very good book for the rhinestone jewelery collector, although quiet concentrated on the "big" names, especially de Lillo. Very interesting historical background pertaining to origin of the trade and numerous, excellent quality photographs.

2 comments about 1920s Fashion Design.

1. I am majored in garment design, so I am very interested in such subjects.



2. long shirt is in fashion this summe

5 comments about Style on Hand: Perfect Nail and Skin Care.

1. In all fairness the book did have a considerable amount of information, but the information was geared to the consumer or novice...definately not for the nail tech. There was little information regarding decorative nails, and again it was all basic information that one probably learned in beauty school. There are definately better books out there contain more knowledge than this one. If you are hoping to learn something new this is not the book for you.



2. The book, Perfect Nail and Skin Care, is what I was looking for. It gave full coverage of the healthy nail and healthy skin and then identified problem areas. This is information that one wouldn't know without research or attending beauty school. Thank you, I am pleased.



3. I searched long and hard for a book that differentiated diverse approaches and treatments to nail care, would give a large, detailed photo showing how to do simple, but important things, like how to properly file a nail. But, this book gave me more. It classified types of polishes, approaches, looks and trends with the inner strategies of a good nail tech. It teaches you how to care for your hands and feet, but also, how to deal with emerging problems. Important and timeless sections on how
   to do your own nails professionally were straightforward and unadorned, as they should be, and it offered detailed descriptions with photos demonstrating the right way to use basic tools. But, then the book took flight! In an interesting contrast to a traditional "how to" book, it suddenly interspersed "editorial" images in the sleek, sophisticated, format of a haute fashion fashion magazine, to further emphasize the many ways nails could be arresting. The book achieved this through color, "metallics, frosts, jewel-tones" using jewelled rings as a foil, underwater shots showing in blues and greens; texture interest, design concepts or flower embellishments tripping across the pages.



4. Who needs a book about NAILS? What a waste of my money and what a waste of paper. I found it boring and painful to read. Although I have beautiful nails I don't need a book on how to take care of them. Borrrring.



5. This book proved excellent in presenting the basics of nail care. I thought the information on nutrition alone was enough to buy the book! I have not seen other books, especially magazines, make nail care so simple, yet informative and interesting. From experience this is all it takes to get a good set of nails and good-looking hands. The book does not specify exactly what brands of nail products are best to use (which again from my experience is good, as what works for one person will not necessarily work for another!), but makes up for it through the excellent illustrations and ideas.

2 comments about Ingres in Fashion: Representations of Dress and Appearance in Ingres`s Images of Women.

1. This is a great book if you can ignore the text. The quality of the pictures is superb and there are plenty of close ups which is invaluable for someone interested in Ingres' technique from an artistic point of view. However this book is more of a social commentary on Ingres and the times in which he lived then a straight collection on his works, and it's pretty uncomplimentry about most of the things it covers.
   The quality of the reproductions and the helpful close-ups are invaluable for an artist interested in portraiture or Ingres' style, but the actual book seems to be written from the "I know everything about this subject and if I make it look stupid then I make myself look knowledgeable and clever" school of art critics/historians.
   0 stars for the author but a definate 5 stars for the artwork. Highly recommended for the serious artist or art lover. I'm really glad I bought it.



2. I absolutely had a heart attack when i found this book its so beautiful this is one of my most cherished books its so hard to find these sort of books these days too!

No comments about Textiles of South-East Asia.

No comments about Core Concepts in Fashion (Core Concepts).

No comments about Lace History and Fashion.