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The Meaning of Sunglasses: And a Guide to Almost All Things Fashionable
The dictionary Anna Wintour might keep in her desk drawer
Miuccia Prada said, “Everyone who is smart says they hate fashion. . . . I have asked many super-serious people, ‘Then why is fashion so popular?’ Nobody can answer that question.” Now the author of the popular Guardian column Ask Hadley does just that in The Meaning of Sunglasses, examining the joys, silliness, and occasional insanity of our love affair with fashion. From (B) Botox— “when fashion meets Logan’s Run”—to the joys of (V) vanity, Hadley Freeman has written an encyclopedia of lightly philosophical and instructional mini-essays to gladden the heart of everyone with a slight-to-obsessive interest in the fashion world.
In a tone both exasperated and affectionate she dissects our love-hate relationship with the way we look (and offers some tips on how to look better). With a razor-sharp wit that lives somewhere between The Devil Wears Prada and The Devil’s Dictionary, Freeman is a versatile and exciting new voice.
Miuccia Prada said, “Everyone who is smart says they hate fashion. . . . I have asked many super-serious people, ‘Then why is fashion so popular?’ Nobody can answer that question.” Now the author of the popular Guardian column Ask Hadley does just that in The Meaning of Sunglasses, examining the joys, silliness, and occasional insanity of our love affair with fashion. From (B) Botox— “when fashion meets Logan’s Run”—to the joys of (V) vanity, Hadley Freeman has written an encyclopedia of lightly philosophical and instructional mini-essays to gladden the heart of everyone with a slight-to-obsessive interest in the fashion world.
In a tone both exasperated and affectionate she dissects our love-hate relationship with the way we look (and offers some tips on how to look better). With a razor-sharp wit that lives somewhere between The Devil Wears Prada and The Devil’s Dictionary, Freeman is a versatile and exciting new voice.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
18 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
About the author
Hadley Freeman
9 books200 followersHadley Freeman (born 1978) is a columnist and writer for The Guardian, who also contributes to the UK version of Vogue. She was born in New York to Jewish parents, and attended Oxford University. Her first book, The Meaning of Sunglasses, was published in 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 12, 2020
This book is about Kate Moss, the reality of fashion industry last decade (it's 2020 when I read this book but this the truth now) and critique on s few fashion items. I am no fashion people but enjoy reading this book nevertheless.
March 15, 2008
Blah. Hadley Freeman is funny sometimes but she's trying too hard... Also badly edited. I expected more... not sure more of what, just more.
December 20, 2025
The Meaning of Sunglasses: And a Guide to Almost All Things Fashionable is Hadley Freeman’s attempt to unpack the language of fashion through a series of loosely connected reflections on style, taste, and cultural perception. Structured as a guide, the book moves briskly from object to idea, with sunglasses serving as both a literal accessory and a symbolic entry point into broader discussions of fashion’s social meanings. The premise suggests an accessible meditation on how clothing and adornment function as expressions of identity and attitude.
I appreciated this conceptual foundation. The notion that fashion—even in its most everyday forms—operates as a system of signals is a compelling one to me, and Freeman’s proximity to the fashion industry positions her well to explore such terrain. There is an implicit promise that the book will offer insight drawn from professional experience while demystifying a world often perceived as frivolous or exclusionary.
That promise, in my opinion, is not fully realized. I found the writing consistently oversimplified, to the extent that it often felt less like considered cultural commentary and more like a collection of informal musings. At times, the tone resembles that of a high school student trying too hard to be humorous, with frequent sarcastic remarks standing in for substantive analysis. Rather than adding sharpness or charm, this persistent attempt at wit distracted me from the ideas themselves. If humor was intended to serve as an interpretive lens, I think it was largely ineffective and, in my reading, detracted from the book’s credibility.
The narrowness of the book’s illustrative scope further weakens its impact. Freeman returns repeatedly to familiar figures—most notably Kate Moss—while giving comparatively little attention to other fashion icons, designers, or tastemakers who might have enriched the discussion. This overreliance on a limited set of references makes the book feel insular and repetitive, and it misses an opportunity to reflect the diversity and complexity of the fashion industry more broadly.
Additionally, the text appears to suffer from a lack of rigorous editing. Arguments are introduced but not always developed, and transitions between topics can feel abrupt or underconsidered. As a result, the book often reads as a collection of loosely connected opinions rather than a cohesive exploration of fashion’s meanings. This unevenness left me with the sense that the execution did not match the ambition of the premise.
In conclusion, while The Meaning of Sunglasses is grounded in an idea I find genuinely interesting, its effectiveness is undermined by an overly casual tone, limited range of examples, and writing that lacks refinement. The book gestures toward insight without fully achieving it, leaving me with an experience that is conceptually promising yet ultimately unsatisfying.
I appreciated this conceptual foundation. The notion that fashion—even in its most everyday forms—operates as a system of signals is a compelling one to me, and Freeman’s proximity to the fashion industry positions her well to explore such terrain. There is an implicit promise that the book will offer insight drawn from professional experience while demystifying a world often perceived as frivolous or exclusionary.
That promise, in my opinion, is not fully realized. I found the writing consistently oversimplified, to the extent that it often felt less like considered cultural commentary and more like a collection of informal musings. At times, the tone resembles that of a high school student trying too hard to be humorous, with frequent sarcastic remarks standing in for substantive analysis. Rather than adding sharpness or charm, this persistent attempt at wit distracted me from the ideas themselves. If humor was intended to serve as an interpretive lens, I think it was largely ineffective and, in my reading, detracted from the book’s credibility.
The narrowness of the book’s illustrative scope further weakens its impact. Freeman returns repeatedly to familiar figures—most notably Kate Moss—while giving comparatively little attention to other fashion icons, designers, or tastemakers who might have enriched the discussion. This overreliance on a limited set of references makes the book feel insular and repetitive, and it misses an opportunity to reflect the diversity and complexity of the fashion industry more broadly.
Additionally, the text appears to suffer from a lack of rigorous editing. Arguments are introduced but not always developed, and transitions between topics can feel abrupt or underconsidered. As a result, the book often reads as a collection of loosely connected opinions rather than a cohesive exploration of fashion’s meanings. This unevenness left me with the sense that the execution did not match the ambition of the premise.
In conclusion, while The Meaning of Sunglasses is grounded in an idea I find genuinely interesting, its effectiveness is undermined by an overly casual tone, limited range of examples, and writing that lacks refinement. The book gestures toward insight without fully achieving it, leaving me with an experience that is conceptually promising yet ultimately unsatisfying.
July 29, 2012
This is my second fashion-themed library check-out of the summer, along with The Thoughtful Dresser. I brought this book to the beach, thinking it would be as easy to dip in and out of its encyclopedia-type entries, (e.g. "Sunglasses, the meaning of") as the ocean. Unfortunately, it was a bit too erudite for the beach. Yup, fashion too erudite. Too erudite for the beach, but a lot of fun to peruse in my living room.
May 6, 2008
Either the writer is trying way too hard to sound witty, intelligent and sarcastic, or she really does talk like that. Either way, I couldn't take it any more. The book needed a serious editing job. I had to re-read sentences and paragraphs that were way too long, just one too many times. I finally gave up. It probably would have been a fun read if the wording hadn't been so darn irritating.
March 8, 2012
I thought the subject and the various entries were clever, but the constant quips about "this silly thing" or "that stupid thing" all got to be quite tiresome, and started to get me annoyed at the author. It started out great, but overall I thought it was a "meh" book, filled with cumbersome "rules of fashion".
July 24, 2020
I love Hadley Freeman, but sadly this book hasn't aged well. A lot of the pop culture and fashion references have had their day and now just sound outdated, and overall it reads like a very long version of one of Hadley's fashion columns. Great at the time, and in small doses, not so much fun as a book over 10 years later.
September 30, 2008
She's a very clever writer, but oh my, what a judgmental, narrow-minded, snippy little thing she is. I just can't agree with the kind of blanket "x fashion item is ALWAYS wonderful/terrible" kind of thinking. I mean, style is personal...right?
June 21, 2008
Some of this book was mildly entertaining to read, but at times she took herself a little too seriously. I skipped a few chapters that I didn't care about. I found it interesting how Kate Moss and Topshop (indivdually and collectively) have had such power over fashion.
June 16, 2009
Not necessarily high quality literature, but entertaining.
September 4, 2017
I read Hadley Freeman's Life Moves Pretty Fast and really enjoyed her writing style. Before she wrote about pop culture, Freeman wrote about fashion. This book is 10 years old, so it's interesting to see what fashion trends are classic (little black dress, trench coat, flats), what has remained (vintage), and what remains past. I knew I liked her viewpoint early on when I read, in Dresses: God's gift to women, "Yes, yes we all know the theory that wearing trousers in the early twentieth century helped to liberate women from the shackles of male tyranny... liberate them to do what? Being able to dance the cancan without flashing their knickers? Climb a tree? Like, um, thanks. Briefly, there is no garment more liberating to women than a dress... A good dress will never make you feel fat, it can be worn with flats or heels, and everybody can find a style that suits them - absolutely none of these statements can be applied to trousers with 100 percent certainty."
July 29, 2022
I recently read another book by Freeman, titled The House of Glass. That was a history of her family -- her grandmother and great uncles -- a Jewish family that was living in Paris when World War II broke out. That was a good book so I was curious about her other writing.
But I was disappointed. I guess I should have known by the title. But even a book about fashion can delve into some meaning -- where a trend comes from, why, who can get away with wearing it, whatever. But there was nothing at all instructive. It was just trendy chatter. There was no meaning.
But I was disappointed. I guess I should have known by the title. But even a book about fashion can delve into some meaning -- where a trend comes from, why, who can get away with wearing it, whatever. But there was nothing at all instructive. It was just trendy chatter. There was no meaning.
April 20, 2018
I quit reading after maybe 50 pages. this was just not my kind if book.
April 27, 2012
This week’s headline? “looking after oneself”
Why this book? need a makeover
Which book format? first edition hardback
Primary reading environment? someplace very unfashionable
Any preconceived notions? “arrogant verbal hyperbole”
Identify most with? “uneducated, Enquirer-reading dullard”
Three little words? "Bless you, Kate”
Goes well with? “an organic papaya”
Recommend this to? “a fashion airhead”
I aspire to a personal style that situates me somewhere between Kate Moss and Kate Middleton, with a hint of Carrie Bradshaw whimsy thrown in for good measure. That self image, or aspiration of one, is the reason this book appeals to me: it is both delusional and vain… and extremely honest.
Hadley Freeman knows her audience. She knows we love weight-loss Kate Moss (the number of times she is mentioned in this book is astounding), and if The Meaning of Sunglasses had come out a year or two later, there would have been just as many mentions of the new Duchess of Cambridge. And of course there’s Carrie Bradshaw. OF COURSE. Sex and the City has its own heading (as does Ms. Moss).
I think one reason Hadley Freeman is so fun to read is that she walks a thin line between so many dualities. Is she American or British? High class or low? Disgusted by celebrities or amused and slightly star-struck? Extremely invested in the questions of culture she covers or just a really smart girl who simply doesn’t give a fuck? Sometimes it’s hard to tell, and that’s what makes this book tough to summarize. There’s no way to do that tight rope act justice.
Just as a sample, here she is poking at the psychological root of fashion:
(This effectively explains my obsession with Raquel Zimmerman.)
And, from the industry perspective:
Other cultural accompaniments: guardian.co.uk
Grade: A+
I leave you with this: “Because bangs themselves have become so popular, even the type of fringe you have has become fraught with meaning: do you go for the “I’m a bit quirky and did I mention I live in a, like, totally gritty warehouse,” slightly-too-short, wonky style?” I wish I could take that to my stylist instead of a picture torn from a magazine.
Why this book? need a makeover
Which book format? first edition hardback
Primary reading environment? someplace very unfashionable
Any preconceived notions? “arrogant verbal hyperbole”
Identify most with? “uneducated, Enquirer-reading dullard”
Three little words? "Bless you, Kate”
Goes well with? “an organic papaya”
Recommend this to? “a fashion airhead”
I aspire to a personal style that situates me somewhere between Kate Moss and Kate Middleton, with a hint of Carrie Bradshaw whimsy thrown in for good measure. That self image, or aspiration of one, is the reason this book appeals to me: it is both delusional and vain… and extremely honest.
Hadley Freeman knows her audience. She knows we love weight-loss Kate Moss (the number of times she is mentioned in this book is astounding), and if The Meaning of Sunglasses had come out a year or two later, there would have been just as many mentions of the new Duchess of Cambridge. And of course there’s Carrie Bradshaw. OF COURSE. Sex and the City has its own heading (as does Ms. Moss).
I think one reason Hadley Freeman is so fun to read is that she walks a thin line between so many dualities. Is she American or British? High class or low? Disgusted by celebrities or amused and slightly star-struck? Extremely invested in the questions of culture she covers or just a really smart girl who simply doesn’t give a fuck? Sometimes it’s hard to tell, and that’s what makes this book tough to summarize. There’s no way to do that tight rope act justice.
Just as a sample, here she is poking at the psychological root of fashion:
"It is a hard-proven fact that the most formative outfit in anyone’s life is what their teenage baby-sitter wore when they were children."
(This effectively explains my obsession with Raquel Zimmerman.)
And, from the industry perspective:
"There is something about making a career out of what you did as a teenager — in this instance, going shopping and admiring yourself in the mirror — that does arguably arrest one’s development, as many a rock star has proved in their time."
Other cultural accompaniments: guardian.co.uk
Grade: A+
I leave you with this: “Because bangs themselves have become so popular, even the type of fringe you have has become fraught with meaning: do you go for the “I’m a bit quirky and did I mention I live in a, like, totally gritty warehouse,” slightly-too-short, wonky style?” I wish I could take that to my stylist instead of a picture torn from a magazine.
March 29, 2008
I needed some light reading for a break so I picked this up after reading a review. While I don't think I learned anything from it, I did laugh a great deal, many times out loud, which was a lot of fun. The author definitely can turn a phrase and writes very well. I was laughing through the whole thing. The book is divided into "subjects" which really are just rather stream of consciousness, but supposedly alphabetical. Here's some from her heading "Sizing: the nonexistent myth": "...billions of women bow down to its altar daily, basing their mood, day, and general sense of self on what this false god tells them that morning. Able to fit into the size 10 trousers today? Hurrah, life is sweet; you shall skip on down the street to the bus stop, patting small children on the head, and waving jauntily to the newsstand guy, as if you were starring in a Judy Garland musical. Can't even get them over your lower thighs? A cloud as dark as pitch swamps your horizon, you are filled with self-loathing, you slump miserably into that weird muumuu your great-aunt left you, and cancel that lunch with your best friend you'd been looking forward to all week because you have decided never to eat again for the rest of your life (until later that afternoon, when you eat two packets of cookies, because what's the point, you'll never be thin, may as well embrace the fatness, and at least Pepperidge Farm loves you, etc., and so on.)" Under her heading of "Fashionspeak" she writes: "'Homage' is probably the most well known bit of fashionspeak. A conveniently trussed-up word for 'blantant copy,' it can be used without the niggling fear of litigation, and it has a soothing sheen of intellectualism, suggesting that the designer spent long, noble hours in some dusty library, studying the technique of his forebears and then respectfully weaving it into his own work. Closely related is 'inspiration,' used to denote the desperate recourse of a designer who has still not come up with any ideas two weeks before the collection is due. Off they hie hence to their teenage music obsession, a cinematic hero of old currently enjoying a bit of a renaissance or a painting in some heavily publicized exhibition at their local museum and then copy the bejessus out of it. As in 'Golly, Gucci really got a lot of inspiration from David Bowie this season.'" There are many more laughs. I had a good time reading this book!
March 21, 2008
Despite having no discernable interest in fashion (I work from home, mostly in pajamas, so there's no real need), I absolutely love Hadley Freeman's Guardian newspaper column. She's so dry, funny and down to earth. I think I gave a little squeal when I heard she'd written a book.
The Meaning of Sunglasses is subtitled "A guide to almost all things fashionable" and it's certainly that. Set out in alphabetical order (which took me a shameful amount of time to work out - I kept wondering how the topics had been organised. D'oh.), the book features everything from
To read the rest of this review (and more!), please visit Trashionista
The Meaning of Sunglasses is subtitled "A guide to almost all things fashionable" and it's certainly that. Set out in alphabetical order (which took me a shameful amount of time to work out - I kept wondering how the topics had been organised. D'oh.), the book features everything from
To read the rest of this review (and more!), please visit Trashionista
September 13, 2022
When I first picked this book up, I was expecting something different than it turned out to be. For calling itself a "guide", the text was more satirical than scholarly. And the early portions of the book contained too much 'fashion industry insider' humor for me, as a 'fashion-impaired' reader, to really appreciate it. But I got into it more as I got into it more.
Did I like it? It wasn't bad.
Would I reread it? Maybe.
Would I recommend it? Not sure.
Did I like it? It wasn't bad.
Would I reread it? Maybe.
Would I recommend it? Not sure.
February 5, 2016
Excuse me , but can this women talk about anything/ anyone other than Kate Moss? I was hoping to learn something about the fashion industry. Instead I got a a huge rant. The only information she offered was things that were common sense. It is also in need of serious editing.(I am not the best in grammar either, but I know some things .) Sorry but I did not enjoy it.
October 5, 2008
This was fucking hilarious. I like reading fashion books when they are written by well paid fashion columnists who tell me that heels are stupid, I'll try to ignore the fact that she calls cardigans "pedophile chic."
December 10, 2009
Delightfully snarky fashion lexicon. Freeman doesn't so much define terms as meander about them, but her meanderings tend to be amusing, and contain actually useful information. The potentially most useful--and funniest--bit was her (necessarily short) section on clothes that men understand.
January 15, 2010
I love reading about style and fashion. This book is a series of short essays on different fashion trends or items. The author also gives the best defense of the fashion industry I have ever read, and provides the final word on the skinny models cause anorexia debate.
December 28, 2013
It's a lighthearted view of fashion from the other side of the pond. I liked her comments about Kate Moss, as well as velvet. But my favourite entry was about bathing suits. It's the perfect follow up after reading Simon Doonan's The Asylum. She's no Fran Lebowitz, but that's okay.
June 20, 2016
This book had some funny/interesting parts, but looks down it's nose at things I love most about fashion. If I threw out everything ridiculed in this book (high waisted, skinny, fur, retro inspired, trenches, pattern, animal) I would literally have no clothes at all.
February 29, 2008
This was fine. Whatever. Next.
Currently reading
March 17, 2008I learned that I'm am a complete fashion "don't". I like leopard print, crazy bejeweled glasses and boys with long hair. According to the author, all of those things are fashion atrocities. Oopsy.
September 29, 2008
There's a lot of funny fashion writing out there, but smart fashion writing is harder to find. Freeman's writing is both, and I enjoyed this book.
December 18, 2008
Cute, and sorta mildly entertaining.
April 26, 2009
Fun, fun read, even if you think that fashion is superficial and overrated- she agrees.
November 23, 2009
The perfect book for an fashionista. I wish Ms Freeman would write more books!
May 31, 2010
This is a very British perspective on fashion. In places amusing, in places almost impossible to parse, Freeman manages to rattle on for over two hundred pages without saying much at all.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews