5 comments about Your Modeling Career: You Don't Have to Be a Superstar to Succeed.

1. i wasn't very impressed. i bought the book for an airplane ride and was very disappointed to find how often the author wrote (these are examples) "you can find great ones online" or "skin care tips online" or "list of top best photogs worldwide online." i didn't have a computer and i wanted to know what they were talking about. if you don't have access to a computer 24/7 this book is not for you. EVEN if you have access to a computer 24/7 this book is not for you cause than you CAN look it all up.



2. I think this book can help me a lot for what i want to do in my career because i had always wanted to be a model. People always say that i should be a model because of my body and beauty i really want to get into a school of modeling but i dont know which one i cant find one right now i'm 16 yrs old and i want to start now. So i wish to order that book to know whats up in modeling.
   Thank You



3. This book concentrates both in text and photographs, on runway modeling. Generally, runway models (outside small towns) are models who have already 'made it' in print modeling (editorial and advertising). This book is sorely lacking in the fundamentals of modeling -- like finding out where you fit and where your potential lies.



4. Because I am in New york I have a lot of chances to get into the modeling world. Finally I have a good guide to help me get started. I especially love the runway photos which are exciting and very well done. This is a great book.



5. For someone who lives in a country outside the United States,it is a good thing to find a book like this one which emphasizes theuse of the Internet to find out about the modeling business. I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about becoming a model but does not know where to start. There is so much info in it, that having used only a tenth of it, and I'm already happy with my investment.

4 comments about A Gun for Hire (Photo Books S.).

1. The Christianity and even more the Islam have abolished to idolize woman as a goddess. However this was the daily use in the Greek, Roman and Egyptian religion (sorry to remember, that the Aztecs tore the heart of young virgins out of the live body). Newton has reversed this development - he told us, to idolize women again. I visited the Helmut Newton exhibition A GUN FOR HIRE in the "Museum for Photography" in Berlin, near the Station ZOO, Jebens-Street 2. Sometimes I thought Newton is cynical, contemptuous against women, emphasizes the power struggle between the sexes too much. After the reading of his autobiography I thought: "What a humorous, witty person! " After having the pleasure to watch the film of his wife on his work, I thought, oh God, I get dizzy by this hand-held shaking camera. After the reading of the museum catalogue A GUN FOR HIRE I always get quiet again. Newton was skilful. He regarded himself as A GUN FOR HIRE self ironically, as an unfortunately rentable killer because of the kind money. But if he had carried out a banal "killer" order with the necessary simple, most childish aesthetics guidelines for any fashion magazine, showing the models in a predefined wardrobe sales beneficially - then he afterwards extended the dialog with a lady in most cases after completion of this obedient work for the capitalist system of the chewing fan heating - then he enlarged the dialog into the direction of more human, erotic, adult and no longer infantile situations, real and no more prudishly, running free experimenting for new emotion and aura. The growing picture collection from the vermiform appendix after that official work peeled out that image, that unique art form, which everyone connects now with the name Helmut Newton - a milestone in the history of photography. Before the visit of the exhibition A GUN FOR HIRE (in the long night of the museums in Berlin, January 2006) I went astray in that nightmare of holocaust stele field in Berlin. Newton had managed to escape from the insanity of the Third Reich. Newton's work could have never resulted under the thumb of any ideology. At first in the private, thereupon in a society, where is the liberty to make something new, it was possible for him, to make what could correctly be described as "making a woman to an idolized goddess" again. A GUN FOR HIRE is the reminding bequest which, shortly before his death, he bequeathed to that town which had dropped him 1938. I hope, that Berlin people (and many more) will awake and learn, what he wanted to show...



2. Highly recommended for anyone who knows Helmut Newton only by reputation. This doesn't show his most graphic work, but it has a nice range of his early editorial photos, fashion campaigns, absolut ads. This book is a great example of showcasing Newton's talent as a photographer. Instead of focusing on his sometimes intense sexual images, this book focuses on the composition, layout and colors his photography had. Don't worry, you Newton-lovers, the sexuality is still here for all to enjoy.
   Newton is one of those photographers whose intense images and reputation can overshadow the actual brilliance of what's important...the photographs. If you are mostly familiar with his black and white photography, the colors in this book will take your breath away.
   Don't be shy, this book will make you appreciate what a true talent Newton was without shocking you.



3. While i like HN work and always pick out his style even if i dont know a particular photograph, this book was downright disappointing. Its like someone assembled pictures which weren't good enough to be included in any of the other (previous) books just to sell it to suckers who will buy anything by HN. However, i absolutely adored the 4 or 5 pics of Monica Belucci and bought the book solely on account of them.



4. While I am always happy to grab a book full of naughty Newtons, it would have been even more wonderful to see the complete series of images that the undisputed master of kinky chic had created for the various euro fashion giants....some campaigns being a one season adventure, while others scandalized for years. The amount of advertising that he shot for french designer Yves Saint Laurent alone ,could easily fill a book. It was the perfect marriage of designer and imagist, followed very closely by Newton's ads for Thierry Mugler's erotically charged fashion fantasies. Sometimes it's hard to tell who came first, Newton or Mugler! In any case, Newton's unique imagry clearly remains unchallenged, even at their most commercial and subtle. The perfectly over groomed mannequins posed ever so precisely to convey roles of power, dominance , discipline, torture, fetishism and erotic menace...are all here. The acres of flawless,palest skin, highest heels, blood red lips, cold, smokey eyes often expressing a complete indifference to anyone looking on. The spectacularly graphic and bold compositions combined with the clever use of the blackest shadows as design devices instantly helps to define a Newton photograph. Many of the images showcasing his legendary wit and black humor, not to mention social and sexual comment.There's an amusing series shot for a calender with wickedly suggestive teenage lolitas posed at the ready in a desolate , dusty desertscape showing newton's playful and light hearted side.....very tongue and chic...and clearly inspired by one of his favorite themes, American Pop Culture. One missed opportunity for an amazing campaign would have been Helmut Newton for Tom Ford's Gucci....I can't imagine a more perfect union: A Newton "driving' a Ford to ecstasy....both men forever fascinated with drama, controversial lust and impossibly decadent glamour. If there was indeed some tests, it would be terrific fun if they ever surface. Paging mr. Ford....

2 comments about Christian Dior and Germany 1947-1957.

1. Visual treat. Christian Dior legacy in all its glamour and la belle epoque. Superbe. C'est magnifique.



2. This huge, high-quality softbound volume is, in brief, a most fitting tribute to the great Christian Dior on the fiftieth anniversary of his death. The book is filled with superb full-page photography, mostly in black and white, of everything Dior, from his gowns to his accessories to his atelier in Paris and his fashion shows. As the book's title implies, the focus is on Dior's connections with Germany in his great years, 1947-1957. Several of the photographs feature the immortal Berliner Marlene Dietrich in Dior creations. Altogether a wonderful book!

3 comments about Men's Fashion Illustrations from the Turn of the Century (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. This must be one of the most extraordinary publications on men's dress history available even if it only covers the Edwardian era. The sheer imaginative depth displayed in the subtle details is quite stunning.
   
   Lounge Suits: These were starting to slowly creep in as casual town wear in this period although as you can see in the illustrations that it was largely regarded as suitable only for seaside and country. Striking variations in the cut are visible as are intermediate forms such a lounge suits with coats more akin to morning coats or frock coats.
   
   Morning Dress: Was clearly beginning to become acceptable as a more formal dress although it was still being worn as a more informal alternative to frock coats which were the standard form of daytime 'full dress' for the period.
   
   Full Dress: in the form of evening dress coats as well as frock coats for daytime wear are all displayed. Fascinating variations such as frock coats with check/plaid fabrics are on display along with tail coats with shawl lapals! - Extraordinary if you know anything about men's dress.
   
   Overcoats: Some of the cuts shown are truly stunning to behold. The most fascinating thing is the profusion of overcoats cut with a waist seam including overfrocks.
   
   Footwear: even this is shown in some detail. Button boots are ubiquitous as are the occasional pair of Oxford boot.
   
   Accessories: cravat, ties, cravat pins, hats, riding accessories, as well as walking sticks are all shown - each example a shining example of how a well presented Edwardian dandy would dress.
   
   This is a treasure trove for anyone with an interest in dress history or Edwardian/ late Victorian period costume, but it is more than that for the dashing cuts of many coats make the cuts of modern menswear seem dreadfully unispired and mass-produced by comparison.



2. Anyone who does costuming knows that there are plenty of pictorial resources for women, primarily drawn form Harper's Bazaar. What has been lacking is a comparable resource for men. This book fills that need nicely.
   
   Since these are period illustrations, they show not only the main articles of clothing, but also good detail of accessories, such as shoes, stickpins, collars and cuffs, hats and canes. The style is fairly realistic, with a wide variety of clothing types, from formal to casual. Since the poses are intended to be natural, they are more useful that period photos, which are frequently only of formal wear, and always stifly posed.
   
   The only thing that keeps this from being a perfect resource is that these are drawings, and may not exactly reflect actual colors and clothing details (showing construction and finish). They do an admirable job of showing fabric patterns and finishes, however, and is the most useful refernce work for this subject that I've found.



3. What would designers and collectors ever do without Dover Publications? This book is a little gem for costumers because it consists of "repro" fashion plates that are very rich in visual information. The plates are of Edwardian gentlemen modelling all the appropriate clothing for conducting business, strolling, motoring, and even cycling. Also included are overcoats and formal dress. Best of all, because the illustrations were originally intended as an aid to tailors, they clearly show such details of construction as pocket placement, lapel styles, pleats, and darts. Furthermore, the outfits are accessorized impeccably with ties, gloves, hats, collars and even canes. Although it covers a rather brief period in men's fashion (1900-1910) and depicts only the most affluent men of the time, this book could be a great resource for a costume designer, costume shop, or fashion enthusiast. And since in my estimation books on menswear are rather scarce, it is all the more valuable. Don't pass it up.

No comments about Karl Lagerfeld & Amanda Harlech: Visions and A Decision.

5 comments about Alligators, Old Mink and New Money: One Woman's Adventures in Vintage Clothing.

1. My boyfriend gave me this book for Christmas several years ago and it inspired me to act on my long-time dream of opening my own boutique. Each time I re-read this book, I'm reminded why I love vintage fashion and my new business!



2. This is one of those books I just stumbled across and wasn't sure whether or not to pick it up. After reading just a few pages I was hooked. Alison's adventures in the vintage clothing trade are fearless, funny and totally addictive. Her shopping excursions are a scream -- even when she's hunting down replacement "barn doors" (back doors to her van that were stolen) in the most unlikely places. The author obviously enjoys life to the fullest and generously shares the realities of making a new life for herself far, far from her original course. Go Alison! And give us a sequel while you're at it.



3. After reading this book, I look at vintage with a new eye. I loved reading about her adventures with modeling to running her own business. Couldn't put this book down and definetly recommend it to others!



4. Okay "Alligators, old Mink and new money." by Alison Houtte is one of those books that get the reader's attention by the title. This book tells the story of Alison Houtte a former model who opens a vintage shop, while it was cute it wasn't much more and only took me a day to read it.



5. I loved the title of this book! While there is good information about vintage clothing, I feel there is too much emphasis on the author's personal life. I loved the stories about her family, but didn't care so much to read about her love life or the nuts and bolts of her modeling career. I had hoped for more of a primer on how to shop wisely for vintage, as it seems to be a wonderful way to save money.

2 comments about 18th Century Costume in the National Museums and Galleries of Mersyside (National Museums Galleries).

1. As a reenactor, ordering this book was a leap of faith as it hasn't been mentioned much in 18th century enthusiast circles. As one who likes to have photos of as many extant garments as possible, it was great to add some never before seen items to my library. For the beginner, the text is a good overview of 18c fashion - but it would be with Linda Baumgarten in the Bibliography. There are some novel methods of trimmming in the photos which are within the range of the reenactor.
   I was pleased with the book and recommend it.



2. This is a fabulous bargain for people interested in this period. When I first saw the price, I feared that perhaps it was only a listing of holdings, but no, it is beautifully illustrated with more than 50 photographs in full color.
   
   The text is relatively brief, but extremely well-written so as to be very informative and not make too many assumptions about the prior knowledge of the reader. Styles in fabrics as well as in cut are noted. It is accompanied by a selection of well-placed illustrations. The only flaw I detected is that "calamanco" is used several times before being defined. That such a trivial error stands out it indicative of the high quality.
   
   Most of the pictures are together in a section following the text. The introduction notes that there are gaps in the museum's collection of men's clothing, so these are supplemented with period portraits. The pictures include many accessories such as shoes, kerchiefs and aprons. I was particularly intrigued by a shoe that was shown with its matching clog. Both front and back views are shown of the gowns. There are also many shots of the details of trim as well the complete garment. The costumes are all middle and upper class, excepting one painting featuring a jockey; the introduction notes that working class people generally wore out their clothing.
   
   I think that any costume library would be enhanced by this book.

No comments about Esquire The Handbook of Style: A Man's Guide to Looking Good.

5 comments about The Perfect Fit: What Your Shoes Say About You.

1. Miss Meghan's oeuvre opened my eyes to the real depth of the gap between mine and her generations. She discerns several different "shoe styles" where I can see, at best, a single footwear category, though I would not ascribe to all these sneakers and bowling, running or basketball shoes the attribute "style". On the other hand, where I recognize numerous styles, each available for view in my closet, Miss Meghan can't distinguish more than "high heels". Well, that much for the direction the taste in clothing takes in the young generation. Even more interesting is outlook on life, expressed primarily in the professions Miss Meghan selects for her readers. Positions in the media and marketing dominate the selection. There are few occurrences of the legal occupations, corporate ranks, non-profits, full-time mommies and housewives. There is even a waitress and a lab worker and perhaps a teacher and a fashion designer. What is missing: medical doctors, engineers of all kinds (chemical, electrical, mechanical), technology workers, trades women - not a single lady welder or lady carpenter, for example! - university professors, pilots, military women. Shortly, all the professions important in the life of each society are neglected, with all the marginal and decorative occupations as the recommended careers for the modern woman. Return to Victorian times, shoed in sneakers? After all, those Victorian shoe styles were not glamorous, and after factoring in the difference in manufacturing technology they were more like sneakers or hiking boots than high-heel sandals with ankle straps.



2. Really disappointed to see the stereotypes this author connects to different styles of shoes. She was totally off the mark on several styles I wear, connecting them to personality traits that aren't even close to how I am. Judging by the other reviews I read, this book may just unfortunately reflect what "the masses" assume about certain people who wear certain styles. Sad to say that this book will likely cause wrong impressions and even discrimination against people who wear certain styles by those who read this book and buy into it. Could be a generational thing in that the author makes assumptions that date the book, reflecting a limited age range's view of others. Alarming thing is that readers may give more credence than they realistically should only because of the author's credentials.



3. I went to a showing at Macy's and one of the gifts in the
   giveaway bag was this book "the perfect fit, what your shoes say
   about you"
   on top I got to meet the most charming young lady who wrote the
   book. I got to meet Meghan Cleary! The book is filled with little
   quizzes and with the whole idea is to help you discover your Shoe
   Sun sign and even tells about what you shoes you didn't buy
   says about you!! Its the cutest little book and a great gift for
   anyone who is a bona fide shoe freak! Now who do you know who is
   a shoe freak? Maybe yourself? Want to know why you bought those
   stiletto's when you know you won't be wearing them but just had
   to have them?
   Get today the perfect fit and may you find out what your shoes
   say about you!! I am not saying what mine say about me...
   At least my copy of the book is signed by Meghan herself!



4. Miss Meghan has it together! A must have for anyone who loves shoes or wonders why others love them. I look forward to more from Ms Cleary.



5. This book has great insight. I now look at people's feet when we meet. This book is a really fun read!

5 comments about Chic Simple: What Should I Wear?: Dressing for Occasions (Chic Simple).

1. Kale's dislike of this book is a minority review. The classic look is timeless for career women of all ages. I am under age 50, and have never been called frumpy. Anyone whose closet is filled with trendy gauchos, tight polyester stretch pants, midriff shirts, funky embellished jeans and platform shoes is going to be turned off by Chic Simple, because she would have to throw out her entire wardrobe and start over. The Chinese dress, the Armani suit, the snowsuit and other items Kale found offensive have stood the test of time. The clothing fits classic tastes worn by Catherine Deneuve, Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn. It is unfortunate that few women under 40 do not emulate the great style icons of the past; instead, they prefer synthetics and tight clothes like J-Lo. If you want a rich, successful look, you should buy Chic Simple.



2. I was so dissapointed when I got this, especially after the great reviews I had read. Whoever said this book was for the under 30 crowd was seriously, seriously mistaken. I don't know how older people think the under 30 set dresses, but it's certainly not anything like this book!! As a 22 year old fashion-forward woman, I wouldn't wear a single piece in here! The looks are dowdy, frumpy and matronly. I don't know anyone my age, or even 30, who could pull off these looks without being mistaken for someone twice their age. I even showed the book to my 47 year old mother who said that even she couldn't wear the clothes shown.

   Think I'm being too harsh? If you see this book at your local bookstore, have a look at the 80's snow suit on page 166 and the horrible 80's couch fabric dress on page 186, as examples. (They need no explanation once you see them for yourself.) Also, two of the occassions this book dresses you for are an Invitation to the White House and the Academy Awards. I don't know one real person who has ever gone to the White House, and if you're going to the Academy Awards you don't need this book because you have a stylist!

   The "tips" for each region in this book are strange and rigid. I certainly haven't had to wear a Chinese dress while attending a dinner party at someone's home in LA (page 198). Also, as other people have said, this book is poorly laid out. Perhap the looks in this book would work for someone who is 50, but I think they may have trouble reading the tiny font; I know I did.

   I received this book today, and I'm returning it today. To get USEABLE tips for my style, age and budget, The Lucky Shopping Manual is the way to go!!




3. I adored this book. It gave great advice about dressing for every occasion, season and even city across the US and beyond.



4. This is a gorgeous book, organized by season with a sizable section for situation-specific outfits. This is the best ChicSimple women's book because it covers the areas that work, etc. cover, only now you get bonus material and only have to buy one book!

   Some have criticized it for showing designer clothing or a more formal look than we in the South wear. Well, you can't go to the department store and find a one-off of some fabulous designer item if you don't know what it looks like. The ChicSimple team is using the book to train your eye so that you can put the looks together or approximate them. Most people don't actually see the REAL clothing from the runway, let alone see it put together in a wearable arrangement. The authors do it in a way that isn't fussy, but practical and comfortable. They do an especially good job bridging the work/work-casual chasm that so many people face with sections showing you how to work a black blazer or basic camel pants.




5. I am one of those people who goes to TJ Maxx or sales anywhere all the time and I buy tons of separates, and I think I am getting the greatest deal and that I am a true Shopping Diva. Then the most basic occassion arises and I have nothing to wear! I can't even find the best pieces I do have because my closet is drowning in my spontaneous, packrat purchases. This book teaches you to occassionally buy the expensive suit at Saks Fifth Avenue, but it will last ten years and be a versatile piece. This book helps people focus on what they need and when they need it- and teaches what to buy, and what not to buy. This book helps you be one of those people who always has the perfect thing on all the time!