Second City Style Fashion Blog - Style, Luxury, Beauty & Shopping

Book Review: Simon Doonan's Eccentric Glamour

As Second City Style already knows, Simon Doonan is brilliant and hilarious in person - and his latest book, Eccentric Glamour: Creating An Insanely More Fabulous You is equally creative and entertaining. Filled with clever bon mots, outlandish style advice, interviews with well-known glamorous eccentrics, and personal relevations, this book will have you running out to purchase something outrageous and uniquely "you", such as leopard print tango shoes or a deconstructed Comme des Garçons jacket. 

See, Simon's definition of glamour isn't quite the classic Old Hollywood model (although there is certainly room for it if it fits into your personal style); instead, he delineates three main categories of Glamorous Eccentrics - the Gypsies, the Existentialists, and the Socialites.

"The Gypsy is the ethereal, poetic, crafty, artsy, bohemian face of eccentric glamour. Though stylish, she privileges sensuality, freedom, and comfort over fashion. Think Julia Roberts in her current mom-living-at-the-beach mode.

The Existentialist is infinitely more severe, dramatic, graphic and intellectual than her wayward Gypsy sister. While the Gypsy is all about the flesh, the Existentialist is all about the mind. Think edgy. Think beatnik. Think Annie Lennox or Chrissie Hynde.

The Socialite is heavy on the gloss, light on the eccentricity.  She radiates old school glamour. She's laquered, designer clad, high heel addicted, manicured, elegant, and slightly bitchy. Though more normal in her appearance than both the Gypsy and the Existentialist, the Socialite compensates with an irreverent and sparkling wit. She is, in many ways, the conventional center of the spectrum, flanked on either side by the Gypsy and the Existentialist. Think Anna Wintour. Think Jackie O.

Of course, the book goes into much further detail and illustrates each type with many examples and stories from Simon's own life, and you're certainly allowed to flit between types - but like Simon says, most women will find they have a "home base" when it comes to fashion and their style identity.

Last but not least, the book does have one message that I personally hope is taken to heart by everyone who reads it - "say no to ho! and resist the tidal wave of porno chic that threatens to engulf Western civilization". I think that's a message we can all get behind.

- Jacqueline Zenn

Eco-Chic Book Review. "Green Chic - Saving the Earth in Style"

I know it's so PC to be green these days, especially with Earth Day looming. I'm down with that. I tried to go vegan last year (diet-wise, not fashion!) and that lasted about four months. That's when the burger craving really kicked in. Anyway, I was pretty non-pulsed about reading a tree-hugging book that was going to try and convince me vegan (aka plastic looking) shoes were cool. That was never going to happen.

I was in for a pleasant surprise reading the recently released Green Chic - Saving the Earth in Style by Christie Matheson. Immediately I related to her. She's a writer living in San Francisco and Boston. Her work has appeared in Body + Soul, Glamour, Shape and The Boston Globe Magazine. She is coauthor of The Confetti Cakes Cookbook, Vineyard Harvest: A Year of Good Food on Martha’s Vineyard and Tea Party. Christie is a fashionista (who loves good shoes) lifestyle writer who has decided to lead and live a greener life. In pursuit of learning more without being perceived freakish...she wrote a book.

In the ongoing fight against global warming, being green—thoughtfully, consciously ecofriendly—is no longer just a nice idea; it’s becoming a crucial necessity. These days, however, the idea of going green either conjures up burdensome images of giving up the luxuries you love, or makes you think you need to replace everything you own with green products. This book was written for those of us who are environmentally conflicted.

I recently had a chance to chat with Christie about her new book and being greener in general.

SCS: How and when did you get into this whole green living chicly bit?
CM: I had been a lifestyle writer for a long time and about two years ago saw the Al Gore documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." It made me think about trying to lead a greener life, but I couldn't find a book written by someone I could relate too. I wanted to know why I should live greener and not by an extremist. Anyway, I started researching and writing articles about green living from a lifestyle perspective and the book came a year later. I spent a year trying everything I preach.

SCS: You had me hooked with your anecdote about natural deodorant. I tried to switch to natural and couldn't either.
CM: Yes, they smell horribly and don't work. I get some flack for sticking to my Shower Fresh Mitchum, but so be it. I did try. It's not an all or nothing proposition. You can still be really green and make a huge impact, even if say, you were 75% greener.

SCS: How do you feel about being green becoming a marketing ploy for so many fashion labels? It seems everyone is jumping on the bandwagon for PR purposes.
CM: Well, I think it's great that being eco-friendly is getting so much attention. It's up to the consumer to make sure a label or manufacturer is really talking the talk. We can speak with our money. Don't buy something just because it's green, that's just as bad. Buy something because you love it. If you really think about it, it's about buying less. Ultimately being greener is a money saving proposition. Buy less, wear more.

SCS: Well that is sure to be good news for those of us looking to save a little during these rather harsh economic times. However, I find much of the eco-fashions kinda suck. I mean what's with those shoes? I'd rather buy a great leather bag and carry it to death and I am a firm believer in having your fabulous clothes reworked by a tailor.
CM: See? You are more eco-chic than you thought! The fashions are getting better and will continue to. If you bought a cashmere sweater 10 years ago, it was made from sustainable cashmere so you probably already have clothes in your closet that are sustainable. I'd like to say you should stay out of the H&M's, but Wal-Mart is really trying.

SCS: Do you think this is just a passing fad?
CM: I think we have reached the tipping point with green living. Green fashion has come a long way, but don't just buy something because it's labeled green. Again it doesn't have to be all or nothing. As you run out of stuff (products & clothing), replace them with eco-friendly options.

SCS: Well I don't know if I cam going to be able to totally jump on the bandwagon, but I will make a conscious effort now to do more. Anything else you would like to add?
CM: Let your readers know that 50% of the royalties from the sale of this book goes to environmental causes.

Green Chic offers dozens of tested, practical ideas that can help readers sustain the environment AND look gorgeous, travel in style, and feel amazing at the same time. Christie Matheson explains how readers can easily make a difference with realistic and accessible ways to be green:

•    Take shorter showers and let hair air dry before you blow dry: Save hundreds of pounds of carbon and get softer skin and silkier hair.
•    Sip water from a cool reusable bottle: Reduce waste, and score an accessory that looks so much sweeter than a disposable plastic thing.
•    Support sustainable restaurants: Opt for places that use local, organic ingredients—and offer a chic, intimate dining experience.
•    Go polish-free when you get a mani-pedi: Expose yourself and the planet to fewer toxins, and end up with a fabulous, long-lasting, chip-free look.
•    Get plenty of sleep! Look extra-gorgeous with a lot less effort (and fewer products).
•    Before you shop, edit your closet: Use this stylist-tested technique to get a wardrobe you love without buying anything new.
•    And much more…in her favorite things section of the book (includes websites)

Order Green Chic - Saving the Earth in Style $10.36 at Amazon.

Here are some sites to check out for 'green' shopping...the fashionista way.

Fashion:

4 March
Envi
Sodafine
Stewart + Brown
Sworn Virgins (fabulous, super soft, fashionable t's)

Beauty:

JuiceBeauty
Pangea Organics
Recycline - awesome razor
Farm Aesthetics

- Lauren Dimet Waters

NYC: The Fashion District Source Book

   

If you have have been to New York City’s legendary Fashion District you recognize the giant button and needle. Or maybe your recognize it from Project Runway. Now, with the help of a new guide, everyone from fashionistas to home sewers can find their way to the same materials used by the brand name designers and manufacturers.

Produced and published by the Fashion Center Business Improvement District, The Fashion District Source Book is the perfect guide for the home sewer, crafter, fashion student, decorator, stylist, or designer....and shopper.

Written by budding designers Jocelyn Simms and Victoria Somers, the book is organized into twelve sections, covering fabrics, leather, fur, home décor, lace, bridal, trim, patterns, beading, buttons, and notions, the source book is a great tool for uncovering the Fashion District’s unique deals and products. There are also sections on the best places to swatch fabric, fabric description breakdowns, tips,  directions and a map.

The Fashion District Source Book is available at the Fashion Center’s Information Kiosk on Seventh Avenue at 39th Street in Manhattan or online at www.fashioncenter.com/sourcebook.

Book Review. Paris Chic & Trendy

If only the mighty American dollar were not in the gutter right now. I need a vacation. My next trip is a shopping excursion to Paris! It wasn't until I read Adrienne Ribes-Tiphaine’s pocket-size shopping guidebook Paris Chic & Trendy (Parigramme, 2006). The book is chalk full of recommended designers' studios, hip boutiques and vintage shops. Arranged by Arrondissement, this beautifully photographed (by Sandrine Alouf) makes you feel like a seasoned veteran to Parisian shopping. 

From apparel to shoes to jewelry and vintage bags, the 54 stores chosen attracted Ribes-Tiphaine not only becuase they were unique, but for the stories behind them. “I put myself in the shoes of this urbane, stylish Parisienne who is looking for good deals, who wants to be ‘branchée’ and wants to have a style that not everyone else has,” says Ribes-Tiphaine             

“[The Parisian woman] doesn’t like to be too much of a show-off, too new, or too neat. There’s always a part of her past in her look. She’ll wear the family cashmere sweater that is handed down from mother to daughter."

Parisians are less likely to buy on impulse, they have to get used to the item, and to understand why they want to buy it, the story of the designer is important too. They want it to last and gain value, Ribes-Tiphaine explains.

Ribes-Tiphaine considers the following must-haves to pull off the Parisian look; slim jeans, a close-fitting button-down shirt from A.P.C., a pair of high heels or Repetto flats and a soft leather bag from Jérôme Dreyfuss.            

A sample of the shops mentioned;

Hoses for shoes and bags
41 rue de Poitou, 3e
01.42.78.80.62
Métro: Filles-du-Calvaire

A.P.C. for reasonably priced basics, especially the button-down shirts
112 rue Vieille-du-Temple, 3e
01.42.78.18.02
Métro: St-Sébastien-Froissart
www.apc.fr

Tsumori Chisato for playful designs
20 rue Barbette, 3e
01.42.78.18.88
Métro: St-Paul

Trésor by Bridgitte Mason for colorful non pre-fab silhouettes
6 rue du Trésor, 4e
01.42.72.54.92
Métro: St-Paul

L'Eclaireur for being ahead of the game
8 rue Boissy-d'Anglas, 8e
01.53.43.03.70
Métro: Concorde
www.leclaireur.com

Mamie for apparel finds with history
73 rue de Rochechouart, 9e
01.42.82.09.98
Métro: Anvers

Isabel Marant for amazing self-labeled designs
16 rue de Charonne, 11e
01.49.29.71.55
Métro: Ledru-Rollin or Bastille

Paris Chic & Trendy: Designers' Studios, Hip Boutiques, Vintage Shops $10.17

Book Review. Glamour Interrupted: How I Became the Best-Dressed Patient in Hollywood by Steven "Cojo" Cojocaru

Normally I try to stick to fashion and beauty books, however, since Louis Vuitton and Prada, not to mention eye cream and the red carpet are mentioned several times throughout ...I decided, why not? Truth be told, I picked up Glamour, Interrupted: How I Became the Best-Dressed Patient in Hollywood by Steven "Cojo" Cojocaru thinking I would read just a few pages since it's 'off-topic' from what I normally review. Yet, two pages, turned into ten and the next thing I knew...I read the entire book. It was a tragic yet darkly humorous read.

I have to admit, I only vaguely knew of Cojo as I am not an avid watcher of 'Entertainment Tonight' or the 'Today' show. However, I am a celebrity stalker when it comes to the red carpet which is where I recognized Cojo. I admired his banter, quick wit and sarcastic humor. Thankfully his book on very tough subject matter (his nightmare ordeal with polycystic kidney disease) is injected with massive doses of caustic and dark humor.

Steven chronicles his journey from celebrity elbow rubber, to his diagnosis with polycystic kidney disease, to his denial, to his kidney removal and replacement, to his rejection of his first kidney, to his dialysis and depression and back again full-circle, yet a forever changed person. Honestly, I don't think I could have handled the same circumstances nearly as well. Steven's ongoing struggle to stay upbeat in the horrid world of kidney transplants and dialysis was truly admirable.

Glamour, Interrupted is an inspiring memoir of Steven's struggles, triumphs, and eventually acceptance of a life that is less than perfect, but worth living. Having to give up his life of indulgence and obsession with all things cosmetic and size 0, Steven learned leaning on family, friends and fans for support does not make you weak, it makes you human. However, we all get by with a little help from our friends, a great concealer and sometimes...Spanx.

Glamour, Interrupted was just released by Harper Collins and is available for $16.29 at Amazon.

Book Review. "How to Eat Like a Hot Chick" Eat Your Cake (For Breakfast & Spinach for Dinner).

Starting a diet for a New Year's resolution is a sucker's bet. It's like beginning a diet on Monday. You will fail. So why not just change the way you approach food? Yes, as much as I hate all the diet commercials flooding the airways beginning December 31 that make you feel oh, so guilty...I hate the 3 lbs. I got for the holidays more!

Let's face it, by now we all know you are what you eat. What goes in your mouth stays on your hips. How to Eat Like a Hot Chick doesn't really tell you anything you don't know, but in an age where everyone is looking for and being promised a quick fix...sometimes you need a not so gentle reminder that it's all absurd blather.

Co-authors and friends Jodi Lipper and Cerina Vincent wrote this tongue-in-cheek, potty-mouthed (which I adore) and sometimes bust-out-laughing "anti-diet" book full of helpful tips for those of us who love to eat, but don't want to face we have to pay if we play. I already knew most of what they preached, but I have to admit I loved reading it. They nailed my neurotic cereal habit/food issue perfectly. I was shocked and relieved I was not the only one who could polish off a box if the milk/cereal ratio was not perfect (whoops, there is some milk left in the bowl, I had better add more cereal.) Hence, I no longer buy cereal. I can't be trusted.

Eat whatever you want, and enjoy every bite...just in moderation. Women only need to consume about 1200-1800 calories a day to maintain (depending on your height and structure). Any more and you are going to tip the scales...not in your favor. So the authors provide cues to shave off unneeded calories as well as how to eat out for breakfast, lunch, happy hour or dinner (notice I didn't say 'and'?).

If you slip up, don't feel bad about it, just go back to eating healthy your next meal. If you want a chocolate cake for breakfast (and who doesn't?) then have it, but be prepared to eat a pound of spinach with a "f*ckload" of Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top for dinner. It's all about give and take. Just don't berate yourself. Hot chicks love themselves...always.

The book also touches upon common pitfalls such as mixed drinks, salad bars and sandwiches which can all be loaded with extra calories. They are not saying you should give up those things completely, but thankfully give examples of better choices and substitutes. Hot chicks are not controlled by food! They do not have LSE (low self-esteem) nor are they Mary-Kates (anorexic). Check the 'hot lingo' preface.

I throughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it above all the other (crappy) diet books on the shelves today. It's time to get real girl.

I'm giving it 5 out of 5 stars.

One word of caution: Lipper and Vincent adore Splenda (they recommend adding it with fresh lemon juice to your boring water...which I have been sucking down since I read the book). However, Splenda isn't any better than the other chemical artificial sweeteners (the ones in the pink and blue packets) and is loaded with toxic chemicals (yuk). Try Stevia instead. It's all natural, has zero calories and zero chemicals. Find it at your health food store. It costs a little more, but hey, you're worth it.

Order "How to Eat Like a Hot Chick: Eat What You Love, Love How You Feel" for $11.16 at Amazon

-Lauren Dimet Waters

Photo: NYPost   

 

Book Review. "Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous." Second City Style Fashion & Beauty Blog

If ever a book title spoke to me, this is it! How to have your cake and eat it too and not look like something the cat dragged in after a rough night? This book had me at hello! Esther Blum's "Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous: A Nutritionist's Guide to Living Well While Living it Up" is a fun and informative read. I wasn't sure it was the best thing to read over my Thanksgiving break, but I was wrong. The book imparted professional secrets to maintaining a healthy complexion, amazing attitude and the bod of a 21 year-old while living the lux life! Thankfully, Esther is an advocate of balance, moderation and foie gras!

You have to love a book that doesn't admonish you for chocolate snack attacks (peanut M&Ms are more nutritional than plain M&Ms), provides recipes for healthier drink alternatives (try a pomegranate martini instead of a Cosmo), and imparts vitamin elixir combinations to help cure that raging hangover (or better yet, avoid it altogether).

Esther's book reads like you are having a conversation with your best friend (aka partner in crime). However, she is the girlfriend that knows valuable information (more than the sample sale schedule by heart). Stuff like how to have fun and lead a healthier lifestyle, realistic diet guidelines ("Life is too short to be on a diet the whole time!"), vitamins that are right for you, hangover remedies and cutting cocktail calories. Hey, a girl's gotta drink, right? Just cut out the White Russians and beer, babe.

Also worth the price of admission is her guide to making vitamins work for you. Like which ones will cure those pesky girl ailments, which ones will spice up your sex life, which ones will spice up your man's sex life and how to battle the hormonal blues without resorting to over-prescribed anti-depressants. The book comes with an easy-to-follow reference guide. You will finish wishing  someone in your family to owned a health store.

I totally enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for yourself and your posse.

Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous $15. 61 at Amazon

- Lauren Dimet Waters