5 comments about Ralph Lauren.

1. I read about the Ralph Lauren book in a book review. I was interested in the book because we love the Ralph Lauren brand in our household. The first thing that struck me upon receiving the book is the size. It's huge! But, once I started reading it I spent the entire afternoon pouring over it. I couldn't tear myself away. It's stunning and typically iconically classic. It also looks great on my coffee table!



2. This is a great book. And HEAVY! Lots of pictures and his own writings of how his career came to be. Highly recommend for the RL fan.



3. I love Ralph Lauren clothes and the book gives me ideas in creating his look. I read the book in one evening. It was fast reading, I loved looking at his past styles from the 70's to current and it shows his style is CLASSIC. If your a Ralph Lauren fan it's diffinetly worth purchasing the book. I have to admit I felt I was reading a story book. The book is also very heavy to lift. You need to be strong.



4. This is one great book! I highly recomend it. It's expensive, but it's worth the money. Any Ralph Lauren fan or fashion fan should own this book. I look at it all the time. The pictures are beautiful!



5. Nothing short of stunning imagery and style unmatched in the world of fashion. Never chasing trends or playing second to any one else's dreams, Mr. Lauren clearly lives his vision, his stories, the epic movies he creates with a passion and dedication not found anywhere in fashion these days. He allows us all a peek into his very private life with his lovely family in a huge Italian made book filled with his creations, inspirations and humble "American Dreams Come True" zest for life. His name is on the book and his life's portrait is painted for all to see and appreciate. There is a certain honesty and respect for Ralph Lauren that for 40 years in the industry he has maintained his direction and unwavering philosophy for what life is really about... Family, working hard and sharing.

5 comments about Body Painting: Masterpieces by Joanne Gair.

1. This book is a must have for anyone with an eye for beauty and art combined by using the body as the canvas. The ways of using this canvas as part of another picture, as a canvas, clothing or as camouflage are explored by Joanne Gair. This is all brought together by one person in this book covering a career involving famous actresses, models, photographers, fashion designers and politician's wives (Carla Bruni is now the wife of the French president). Maybe Joanne will paint a politician soon. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Editions brought my attention to Joanne's work as before the photographers were getting the credit, however that is like showing off a photo of the Mona Lisa. The photographer is merely the messenger, here Joanne is the the real artist. Buy the book, persuade your library to buy it. Perhaps even have a go at body painting yourself.



2. Excellent! Pretty photos of pretty women. A good book to be in the coffe table. High quality and spotless. I recommend.



3. An old art, turned new. Only a sprinkle of diamond dust could add more sparkling beauty. Body art often brings definition to a culture and Gair should be proud of her contribution.



4. This book is breathtaking! Using the human figure as a canvas, this is one of the best examples of creativiity, art and photgraphy all in one. A great gift for art lovers, makeup artists, photographers and anyone who appreciates beauty at its finest! Joanne Gair is truly a master of all.



5. A must have for every coffee table. Joanne is a true artist, photographer and makeup artist. The industry's best and this book shows it. Her talent is AMAZING!

No comments about Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy (Metropolitan Museum of Art Publications).

5 comments about Iconic America: A Roller-Coaster Ride through the Eye-Popping Panorama of American Pop Culture.

1. Interesting book, with good photography and good coverage of items, descriptions tended to be brief.



2. A Really nice book. If you like trivia, talk & say I remember when. Then this is the book for you.



3. Though the cover line refers to `A roller-coaster ride through the eye-popping panorama of American pop culture' the book, fortunately, has a much further reach than just pop. With about four hundred subjects covered and obviously reflecting the hopes and aspirations of the two authors I thought the book was a fine celebration of Americanism.
   
   Firstly though the book is a visual treat. Designer George Lois has handled a whole range of graphic material brilliantly, especially in presenting similar items on the same spread: a photo of James Brown (The godfather of soul) facing Marlon Brando (The godfather of film) or Babe Ruth facing a Baby Ruth candy bar or a spread with a photo of an apple pie (As American as apple pie) and an Apple logo (Apple changes the American lifestyle). Another lovely design touch is running five Burma-Shave signs over five pages (The bearded lady/Tried a jar/She's now a famous/Movie star!/Burma-Shave).
   
   Lois has blended all the personality photos, product shots, logos, paintings, cartoons and display typography together beautifully and the 175dpi printing on quality paper makes everything sparkle. The design treatment did remind of a similar strong visual book covering the same subject 1,001 Reasons to Love America (1,001 Reasons to Love).
   
   I liked the wide-ranging coverage of icons throughout the pages and nicely not necessarily positive ones. Page seventy-one features the Enron logo, page 135 has a cutout photo of a lemon with Edsel printed on it, also included are a few frames from the Zapruder home movie of Kennedy's death likewise a photo of OJ Simpson, in court, trying on a glove.
   
   The book is essentially visual and all of the images get detailed captions, sometimes a hundred words or more. The authors, where needed, provide light hearted headlines as in the housewives' favorite 'Yes, Virginia, there really is no Betty Crocker'. Cesar Chavez gets 'The grapes of wrath' or 'The web of justice' for Spider-Man.
   
   You'll probably have your own icon that is not included, though with four hundred it'll be hard to pin-point something that's missing. All I could come up with is UPS and FedEx, neither are included in the comprehensive index. Maybe the reality is that the strength of America's past and present could easily produce a second volume!
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



4. I enjoyed this book before I gave it to my 84 year old Dad who is still enjoying it as a coffee table book. The print is large and the pictures are great. Brings back memories.. nice ones. thank you



5. This book is the 2nd most influential book in our marriage (2nd only to the Bible). It is practical, easy to follow, and it really got us set on the right path for financial freedom. It's an easy read, and fun to dream as you read it. I highly recommend it!

5 comments about How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less.

1. This is a great book! The author is hilarious and she offers great advice in a practical, down to earth manner. There is really good guide for finding fashionable, nice clothes on a budget and she has tons of insider hints, tips and tricks, as well as ways to implement her advice. A great buy at a great price. Plus, it is a wonderful size and fits perfectly into my purse.



2. I stumbled across this book while checking out at my local library. I have to say that this book was a great find! I got home w/ it and could not put it down. I immediately took out my notebook and made notes. Unfortunately I could only keep this book for two weeks, so I made a promise that I would buy it one day when I had the extra money. This book really inspires and teaches. Ms. Finney shows you how to build your wardrobe and even make your own products at home to pamper yourself. I signed up for her daily newsletter and even her fashion gab forum. I am on it everyday to soak up all of this fashionista's knowledge. As a treat, she even sent out invites to her fashion gab forum and after you completed so many posts, she sends you a copy of her book. I received mine today and it's signed also. This book will defintely be my go book and it stays in my tote bag when I am out shopping. Again, a great resource!!!



3. This guide is a concise, well written, informative and funny guide to the world of savvy shopping. It's particularly aimed at those of us who know very little about what's out there and how to get the best deal. The book is a quick read. The websites provided are awesome. I now have a crick in my neck from checking them out (and ordering from them!). I can't decide whether to share the wealth of information or keep it to myself! Have fun!



4. I personally prefer to buy new clothes and not used. This book focused a lot on incorporating 2nd hand clothing. I'm so disappointed with this book, I plan on returning it!



5. I just read this book, and I have to say, I've found my shopping soulmate! As a professional shopper who's shopping motto is "Don't buy it unless it's at least 90% off retail," I didn't expect to learn much from this book. After all, for the last 7 years, I've traveled the country in search of bargains to pass on to my ebay customers. I often hear salesclerks gasp in amazement as I buy a large bag full of designer items for under $100.
   But this book goes way beyond the basics. Written in a straightforward, upbeat style that's fun to read, it covers the full spectrum of tips and tricks for buying a designer wardrobe for less.
   My copy is now thoroughly dog-eared and underlined, and I'm ready to take my shopping to the next level. The Budget Fashionista offers amazing tips for scoring the best deals at outlets, online, at consignment shops and even at department stores. I love how she's so specific about when, where, and how to score the best deals. I learned about some new sources I hadn't considered, like DSW Shoe Warehouse, Loehmanns online, and sample sales.
   The Personal Style quiz was a great tool for analyzing what I already have that I love, helping me focus on the pieces that really build my wardrobe. In the style of the "Look For Less" tv show, she even explains in detail how she helped a friend buy a full professional wardrobe for under $600. This book is so inspiring and fun to read, and I recommend it for anyone, from a novice to a professional, that wants to buy more great clothes for less money.

5 comments about A Privileged Life: Celebrating Wasp Style.

1. I found this book disappointing. it is a very shallow superficial look at a really interesting subject. It goes into no depth whatsoever, and the only wasps she knows anything about or portrays are her small new england family. It seems to be a strictly commercial try at making a little money with virturaly no real research or information.



2. The bookstore owner and I thought it was a parody, especially given the cover photograph. We paged through this book looking for evidence of humor or perhaps even depth in the analysis of the privileged life. We found neither.



3. This book came fast, and was in perfect shape! Service couldn't have been better.



4. This book breaks the cardinal rule of WASP style-- discretion! The book is basically all about the author, how very WASPy her upbringing was, and what paragons of style her various family members were. As if being born in a rich New England family was some sort of personal achievement. I agree with another reviewer that it could have been really interesting minus the self-absorption and plus information to make it relevant to readers who aren't personal friends of the author or her family-- some discussion of history, architecture, design and so on. As it is, flipping through for five minutes at the bookstore or library should be plenty to get the full effect, there's no need to buy the book.



5. I think the editor and the author had one too many G&T's when they thought up the name for this book. It's more of an obituary than celebration. But go ahead and take of a look at it ( borrow unless you want something as embarassing as this on your coffee table); especially since it has the stunning photo of C.Z. Guest, at her prettiest, on the cover. That is really what this book is -- nice photos of (sometimes attractive) waspy-looking people looking like they are having a good time. Admittedly, we all love to look at family and celebrity photos. However, textual content disappoints: it is thin and boils down to the whistfulness/bemoaning of times gone side-by-side with photos(but we all KNOW why there are no images of women in those days gone by at Yale/Harvard/Princeton and no images of people of color except that Ralph Lauren advertisement shot). There are historical/social realities that the author and the book requires us to have amnesia about in order to elevate the lifestyle (and the supposed instrinsic virtures that go along with it) portrayed in this book. This lifestyle, devoid of any consciousness, is depicted as admirable and its merits attributed to the Privileged as defined by the author. It is curious that the author seems to want to claim some Hollywood icons (who couldn't be more remotely a member of her set) as one of her own. But this is her book afterall, and she was able to talk some publisher into producing it. I recommend you buy The Preppy Handbook by Birnbaum, et al. -- a lot more fun and astute, written by real smart kids (at the time) -- they intuited what was on its way "out" would only endure and continue to inspire if everybody thought they could get in.

5 comments about Gothic & Lolita Bible Volume 1.

1. Really, my biggest problem is that they condensed so many of the mooks into this one, but only included a few accessory patterns, and none of the "how-to" craft/clothing mod instructions. Really, they wouldn't have to include full patterns, they could easily just dedicate a few pages to printed Japanese words commonly used in Japanese patterns and craft instructions, along with the English definitions. At that point, we could just locate the words, and figure out on our own what to do with our original mooks. Of course... that still wouldn't be of much help to those who just discover it, and want the dress patterns, the aprons, the pinafores, etc. Still, I'm hoping that they'll make that change in a future translated mook, if not at least host something of the sort on their site.



2. Wow! The photos of the girls in their Gothic and Lolita fashions are incredible. It was neat to see how the style varies from individual to individual. I only had a broad idea of what Gothic and Lolita fashion was prior to getting this magazine. Both the photos and interviews with girls gave me a more in depth understanding. I enjoyed the article about Japan rock star Nana Kitade. I also had no idea how cutting edge Japan was in the fashion world. I will definitely be buying them every month!



3. i have been waiting soo long for this to come out in English! i had expected so much but they were all blown away.. thank you soo much.



4. I was so excited for this mook to get here, and I wasn't disappointed! It includes excerpts from Japanese Gothic & Lolita Bibles as well as some new material covering lolita in the West. Interesting articles, plenty of tips for aspiring lolitas, beautiful pictures.
   I'm really looking forward to the next issue.



5. Great patterns and cute articals. Perfect mook for any aspiring Lolita. Why wasn't this book translated sooner?

5 comments about Tudor Tailor: reconstructing sixteenth- century dress.

1. I didn't like the way this book was laid out, but there were some good tips for the Ren Faire costume maker.



2. Wonderful. Book arrived on time in excellent condition. Is a wonderful asset to my classroom and library.



3. If you are looking for a great book about Tudor clothing it doesn't get any better than this book. The illustrations and the patterns are really wonderful. I love this book.



4. 
   I purchased this book for my wife, who enjoys sewing Renaissance English and Italian costumes. (Wife) I found this book very enjoyable to read, as far as the history of English costuming, patterns included, how to directions on sewing the pieces and trim, and detailed info. on why each piece was worm. I definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in sewing English costumes, as well as those that would like to learn more about the history of English clothing and culture.



5. This is an excellent book for anyone who is studying History of Costume, or who is interested in making the costumes. The book gives detailed sewing instructions with pictures. I've been sewing for over 50 years. I like the book just for my collection of sewing books. EXCELLENT!!

3 comments about Lanvin.

1. PRETTY can have a negative connotation....but NOT here. Truly PRETTY PRETTY illustrations and clothes. Lanvin clearly very different from the other greats. Her clothes are,well, dare I say PRETTY in the very best sense. Lots of pics and a real delight to see her work in depth. I can't speak to the text because I buy books for the pics. Also, very little on the current designer. Almost all the book on the original Lanvin...which is to my liking. I must say some of the 'new guys' stuff is fun too though.



2. This book makes the hair on the nape of my neck stand up. The research, the photographs, the interviews, the sketches - it's a masterpiece. If you don't have this book, run out and buy it.



3. THIS BOOK IS WELL RESEARCHED HOWEVER COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER SIMULAR BOOKS I WAS A BIT DISAPOINTED IN IT. IT NEVER TOLD OF CASTILLO AND MYRL LANVIN ETC.

No comments about The Japanese Tattoo Design Handbook, Vol. I.