5 Fashion Books You Should Read-Until I Write Mine of Course!

Believe it or not, I get that not everyone can have a stylist come to their house to personally walk them through the process of creating their best wardrobe. This is why I've gathered the top 5 Fashion books that I think you should read-until I write my own!

This list was inspired by my friend and fellow fashion stylist Lauren Rothman's new book, "Style Bible: What to Wear to Work". Wondering what to wear to work? Who isn't?! Buy this fabulous book, which is mentioned in the November issue of Vanity Fair. Congrats on such an amazing accomplishment, Lauren!

Lauren Rothman of Styleauteur and I hanging out at her C. Wonder book event

“Style Bible: What to Wear to Work” by Lauren Rothman

How insanely cute are these Georgetown Cupcakes with miniature Style Bible covers in chocolate?! They tasted pretty good too!

Ok, enough pictures of cupcakes! How about some fabulous accessories at C. Wonder? Lauren was actually wearing the amazing boots at her book party. How on trend are these accessories?

C. Wonder has some incredible necklaces!

Calf Hair Leather Clutch

Suede Gold Ankle Boot from C. Wonder

I'm a little prejudiced about the next two books because they are by Jesse Garza & Joe Lupo of Visual Therapy, the two men who taught me everything I know about the styling business. Having worked with them for 7 years, I can tell you there is no better basic book out there than their first one, "Nothing to Wear? A 5-Step Cure for the Common Closet". 

“Nothing to Wear?” By Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo

Who isn't confused by which colors are best for them? Visual Therapy's second book, "Life in Color", answers all color questions finally, confidently and clearly.

The final word on dressing for your body type. Enough said.

"Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That's Right for Your Body" by Clinton Kelly and Stacy London

A classic. This one is also illustrated by Ruben Toledo, just like "Nothing to Wear?". Tip: Buy anything Ruben Toledo illustrates!

“The Little Black Book of Style” by Nina Garcia 

Would you Dare to Wear Punk on Fifth Avenue? The Met Ball 2013

On May 6th, celebrities, designers, politicians gathered for the 2013 Costume Institute Gala at the Met in New York. The event is known for attracting some of the most fashionable guests each year in beautiful, over-the-top outfits. This year at the Met Ball, party goers donned safety pins, leather, spiked hair, and fishnets to celebrate the opening of the new exhibit, “Punk: Chaos to Couture.” This exhibition showcases punk from its birth in the 1970s to its influence on today’s fashions. The guests this year decided to truly take a risk; some were more rewarding than others. Here are some of the outfits that I thought were able to honor the “punk” theme while still looking chic! Which outfit would you dare to wear?

Anna Wintour in Chanel. I'm not sure this is Punk but as the Editor of Vogue and Chair of the Ball, her outfit is very important!

Kirsten Dunst in Louis Vuitton

Hailee Steinfeld in Donna Karan decorated with safety pins

Cara Delevingne in a studded Burberry gown

Giovanna Battaglia in Dolce & Gabbana accessorized with safety pins and fishnet stockings

Sienna Miller in a studded Burberry leather jacket. Love the spiked barrette in her hair!

Christina Ricci in Vivienne Westwood, the designer who created the punk movement in the 70s.

Sarah Jessica Parker in Giles Deacon with a mohawk headdress designed by Philip Treacy. Underneath her gown, she wore Christian Louboutin thigh-high plaid boots!

Cameron Diaz in Stella McCartney with a gold studded belt

Anne Hathaway in a sheer vintage Valentino gown. By the way, I take offense to this gown being called vintage as I was in high school when it came out.

Nicki Minaj in Tommy Hilfiger

Jennifer Lawrence in an embroidered leather Miss Dior 1949 dress

Taylor Swift in J. Mendel

Beyoncé in a Givenchy gown with matching printed boots

And finally, the most talked about outfit of the night, Ricardo Tisci's "maternity" gown for Kim Kardashian. What do you think?

Style Icon: Erin Burnett

Erin Burnett is not your normal news anchor. She first came to my attention when she was featured in Vanity Fair with that other hot anchor woman, Maria Bartiromo, in 2008. Ms. Burnett's recent move from CNBC to CNN has once again put her in the spotlight. Anchors are known for their love of color. Few, however, are as bold as Ms. Burnett (below in a color-blocked, shift dress and nude patent Christian Louboutin pumps, OutFront premier, September 2011).

At the launch party of her show, OutFront

Ms. Burnett's CNN bio refers to her reporting style as being "casual and confident." Her fashion style, which favors fresh looking knits and sexy button down blouses over the usual anchor blazer, could be summed up the same way. I love this look and interview she gave to Forbes about her career and new role at CNN.

Featured in  Forbes, promoting OutFront

CNN Bio picture

As featured in Vanity Fair

On Meet the Press

Guest hosting The Today Show

My Favorite Style Icon: Rosa

Some of you might have seen my mentions of "my most fashionable friend in DC" and her blog Rosa...Loves on my Facebook page. The blog, about my two favorite topics, fashion and food, is one of only a few that I read religiously.

Rosa describes herself on her blog as, "A fashion lover and food enthusiast who enjoys exploring the city along with her sassy Chihuahua Lola." Love it! Rosa has been a precious resource and good friend to me as I've been learning the fashion ropes in DC over the last few years. She is also an arbiter of the best cupcakes and brunch in town. As I said before, she is a precious resource!

Rosa tests out her iPad's remote control on Valentine's Day

Lola, the most fashionable Chihuahua in town

Lani: What is your first style memory?
Rosa: I was a teenager back in the 80's and I was just discovering fashion as a way to express myself. I remember I was so proud of myself after putting together what I thought was an amazing outfit for a school party: green pencil skirt, neon yellow oversized shirt and a very wide white patent leather belt. All my classmates were so shocked to see me wear this particular outfit since we wore a school uniform every day and I was a bit shy back then.

Lani: It sounds like a fabulous outfit and very right now! Who is your style icon?
Rosa: My grandmother. She was a very stylish lady who always wore flattering clothes and impeccable hair and make up. I honestly think I inherited her love for clothes and shoes. My grandmother was also incredibly supportive and a great teacher when I started making my own clothes back in high school. We used to spend hours designing and sewing clothes.

Lani: What is the best piece you ever bought?
Rosa: A black Theory shirtdress. I've had that dress for years and it never goes out of style.

Lani: You know how I appreciate a classic Theory piece! What is the best deal you ever got?
Rosa: During the most recent District Sample sale, I spotted a pair of Oscar de la Renta snakeskin kitten heels in my size and 80% off. Sold! These shoes have become my favorite shoes, they are the perfect neutral shoe and so comfortable.

Lani: Oh I’m so jealous! Where do you buy most of your clothes?
Rosa: Hello, my name is Rosa and I am addicted to J.Crew. But seriously, ever since I discovered J.Crew while attending graduate school, the brand has become a staple in my closet. I shop at Madewell, Shopbop, Cusp, and local boutiques in DC such as Urban Chic, Sassanova, Ginger, Mint Condition and Treat.

Lani: How would you describe your style?
Rosa: I would say that my style is casual, feminine with a touch of masculinity, and comfortable. Yes, I wear lots of sequins, faux fur and statement jewelry, but I always keep it simple and sorry to say this again, comfortable.

Lani: What piece do you wear the most?
Rosa: There are two pieces that I think I wear the most. One is a purple/black Ella Moss dress that I can wear almost all year long and a long rhinestone J.Crew necklace.

Lani: Tell us about your closet.

 

Rosa: I am a bit of a freak when it comes to organization and my closet is no exception. I keep all my skirts, shirts, dresses and pants separate and these are then organized by color. I also have a section in my closet dedicated to work clothes. I am a scientist who works in a lab 80% of the time, thus my daily uniform consists of jeans, t-shirts and sweaters. Most of my shoes are kept in an over the door shoe rack and all the out-of-season and fancy shoes go inside clear boxes. I have a small walk-in closet but it's pretty dark, so every few weeks, I go over my clothes and take pieces out of my closet and place them in a clothing rack that I keep in my bedroom. This rack helps me remember the items I have and allows me to get inspired when planning outfits (all non work related outfits). I also keep the shoes that I am wearing the most at the bottom of my clothing rack which certainly makes the process of creating the perfect outfit much easier. I love accessorizing and I must confess that I have a lot of jewelry and accessories. Organizing these pieces was a challenge, but after reading an article in the Glitter Guide, I decided to keep all my accessories in clear acrylic boxes and it was the best idea ever.

Lani: What a wonderful system! And I LOVE your pink hangers!

Inaugural Post: My Favorite Style Icons Series

I'm so excited to bring you the inaugural post of my new interview series: My Favorite Style Icons. This week we start by speaking with Leah Hoffmann, a writer whose avant-garde style I've been admiring for more than a few years now.

Copyright 2011 Georgina Richardson

Lani: What is your first style memory? 

Leah: When I was in the seventh or possibly the eighth grade, I was desperate to have one of those Levi's "Button Your Fly" t-shirts. My mother took one look and deemed it irretrievably vulgar. Then I asked about the second shirt in the series: "Sit On It." Needless to say, I didn't get either of them.

Lani: I have to say, that is not the answer I was expecting! 

Leah: If you want to go back even further, we could talk about the puffy-sleeved, pink-and-white striped blouse and skirt combo I adored at the age of 5, or fast forward to high school, when I was wearing my 6'6'' dad's khaki pants and trying to pull off a chain wallet...Then again, maybe that's best left alone. I was something of a late bloomer. 

Lani: Who is your style icon?

Leah: My mother. It took me years to see past the bulky silhouettes and shoulder pads of the eighties to the classic tweed, leather, and wool - not to mention the suede skirts that she packed up in the seventies  -  but I'm now so appreciative that I've made off with several of her pieces and adapted them to my own needs.

Lani: What is the best piece you ever bought?

Leah: When I was dirt poor in grad school, I spent $100 on a long, white, diaphanous Alberta Ferretti dress that I found in a consignment store. In my fantasy life, it was the sort of thing I might wear to a summer garden party. In my real life, it hung, neglected, at the back of my closet until I dyed it blue and wore it to a friend's wedding.

Lani: What is the best deal you ever got?

Leah: Years ago, I got a pair of black wool trousers at a Helmut Lang sample sale for $25. I no longer have time to hunt for that kind of bargain, though I still have and wear the trousers. 

Lani: Where do you buy most of your clothes?

Leah: I'm a cheapskate and I don't like crowds, so I do a lot of shopping online: yoox, eBay. I used to go to sample sales, but I'm choosier now with my time and only go to ones that I know that I like.

Lani: Some of us would just say you are a smart, savvy shopper! How would you describe your style?

Leah: Evolving? I admire the work of avant-garde designers like Oliver Theyskens and Veronique Branquinho, but I try to keep things simple. I stick to clean lines, muted colors, and subtle accents. I've only just learned about belts. Give me another 30 years and I might actually learn to accessorize! 

Lani: And I always thought your judicious use of accessories was deliberate! What piece do you wear the most?

Leah: I do most of my work from home, and my go-to outfit is a black top and jeans. When I need to look presentable, I wear a beige cashmere dress that I got a couple years ago at a Lutz and Patmos sample sale. I pair it with ankle boots and a leather belt my mother bought me; it's a comfortable, idiot-proof ensemble. 

Lutz & Patmos cashmere dress, Barneys New York

Lani: Tell us about your closet set-up.

Leah: Right now, I've got one of those Metro garment rack set-ups stashed in a little half-room next to the bedroom. We live in and old, unrenovated Brooklyn townhouse, and there aren't really any closets, but the rack seems to work pretty well. I've also started using wall hooks to hang my bags and jewelry - out of sight, out of mind, when it comes to me and accessories. 

Lani: I love how you've used all my tricks! See the hangers and shoe boxes. With a wardrobe this organized and edited, I bet you wear most of it. What percentage would you say you wear?

Leah: I go through phases, like anyone, but I actually quite enjoy the biannual process of editing out the stuff I don't wear, so with a few sentimental exceptions (and high heels, which I'm generally too tall for) I'd say I wear almost everything.

Lani: Oh, I love that! Thank you so much for giving us insight into your style development. You truly are a style icon!

Leah in Helmut Lang & Lani in Alberta Ferretti at an Alberta Ferretti Fashion Show
Copyright Fame Game, Photography Company

Who's Your Style Icon?

When most people think of Style Icons, they think of the usual suspects, such as Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Onassis. I tend to think of women I know who are confident in their style and work with--not against--their natural body types.

Isn't that what we are all striving for, to master a consistently flattering, uniquely recognizable style?

Most women tend to name the same style icons over and over. We don't do this because we want to copy the icon's taste exactly. Rather, we admire the icon's ability to master her personal style at a young age and evolve this style through the decades while remaining age appropriate.

A recent feature in Vogue on Lucette Lagnado, a successful writer and Egyptian-Jewish immigrant who made her way to Brooklyn in the 60's, inspired this post. Lagnado relied on her style icon, Emma Peel from the TV show The Avengers, as a guide through her awkward, insulated first years in America. Lagnado admired Peel's mod dresses and her courage as a secret agent fighting in a black leather catsuit. For Lucette, the clothes were a conduit to courage.

Working off of the inspiration Peel gave Lagnado, rls is proud to announce a reoccurring feature on this blog: My Favorite Style Icons.

Next week we'll start with someone whose style I've admired for a long time. Ok, she modeled for a few minutes in college but has since forged a career based not on her looks or awesome taste in clothes. A writer, her style tends toward the avant-garde, which is what I like to call the intellectual woman's style type.

Do you remember who your first style icon was? Mine was JEM from JEM and the Holograms. Then I went through a Rainbow Brite phase, which was a precursor to the Punky Brewster period experienced by a lot of girls in 1985. Of course I never dared wear as much color as my favorite TV characters, but I admired my style icons' ability to color their own world happy through their wardrobes.

Who is your style icon? Send your emails here, and your icon may just become an rls blog feature!