Cheap Chic: Hundreds of Money Saving Hints to Create Your Own Great Look

by Caterine Milinaire, Carol Troy

Personal style is what this book is all about. Fashion as a dictatorship of the elite is dead. Nobody knows better than you what you should wear or how you should look. What we want to do is to lay out the alternatives, the guidelines, and show you the way some of the people we think look exciting today put it all together for themselves.

The basic concept of Cheap Chic for both men and women is to have a few clothes that you really love rather than a closet full of mismatched fashions. Paring down your wardrobe is going to simplify your life and looking good is going to make you feel good. Find the clothes that suit you best, that make you feel comfortable, confident, sexy, attractive and happy...and then hang onto them like old friends.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction, Self Help

223 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

Reviews

[daemyra, the realm's delight · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It’s not the fact that one is always right, but if you say something is attractive with enough conviction, people are going to believe you, even if it’s wrong!” - Zandra Rhodes

This quote captures the ethos of style championed in Cheap Chic. You do not need to spend a lot of money or time in your clothes, and you will not have a closet of mismatched fashion if you follow the rules of Cheap Chic. The basic concept of Cheap Chic is to understand how to find the few clothes in your closet that expresses who you are, pleasing you and thereby pleasing others.

Cheap Chic does not tell the reader to be minimalistic chic or a thrifter. Sure, it shares the secrets of how to build a minimalistic wardrobe, a thrift wardrobe but it does not proscribe a style for the reader. This they leave up to you to decide. Some of the tips may be familiar through fashion magazine/blog osmosis, such as stocking up on basics and buying the same item in different colours if it looks good, but other tips may be new to the reader. For me, it was about buying prints and how they are one of the major mistakes people do when they shop, which is quite true. I love prints but how many times can you wear a print? It’s difficult to pair, especially if the design and cut is also unique. Other nifty ideas include the cost per wear, which is finding out the cost per wear by dividing the cost and the times you wear it... you may find that the expensive pair of boots are only 10 cents per wear because you wear them every day! Versus that dress on sale that you've only worn once...

There were a few things that aged such as the chapter on sportswear that did not talk about leggings (athleisure) or streetwear, while things like cowboy boots, belts, jeans, wraps and leotards were repeatedly referenced - very much a fashion capsule of the time it was published! And if you guessed by a look at the cover that it was published sometime in the 1970s, then you would be right. I love leotards and am glad that fashion is cyclical. It was funny to read quotes from those interviewed about how fashion nowadays took all its cues from the 1930s and 1950s - it’s a parallel to how we all dress like the 1980s and 1970s. I freaked myself out thinking about an early-Millennium revival (Ugg boots, mini-jean skirts).

Overall, the message of Cheap Chic is to dress to make yourself happy. That means to have the confidence to know what you want to look like to the world - and dress like that. One thing that did make me pause was the chapter on Ethnic clothes and how it can feel like putting on a costume if you are adventurous, which was a problematic statement because of cultural appropriation. However, the chapter ended up being more of a global index of the main fashion styles in each country rather than it was about how to pull off a sari wrap. Another thing I liked was the short blurb on space dressing, which I'm sad isn't more of a thing. I think dressing like we were in the Jetsons would be fun.

Cheap Chic is a fun and easy read.

[Mazzou B · Rating 1 out of 5]

First, I would like to give a little update about myself: although you probably know by now that I have been a seamstress and clothing designer for over 10 years now, you may not know that I am also a costume designer and am currently taking a European-based course in fashion design! Therefore, I was quite interested when this book- Cheap Chic- caught my eye! I must begin this review with a note that I had no idea that this book was originally published in the 1970's. I simply thought it was current fashion book. If you are purchasing this book because you know the original and you love fashion of the '70's, then this book just might be for you! Personally, I was disappointed because all the images inside were black and white and very '70s. Oddly enough, I do not despise the fashion of that time period. Rather, I dislike the whole mentality of many of the people who lived during those ''hippie'' years. Unfortunately, that expression was all to well captured in Cheap Chic...it left me with a dark and literally cheap feeling. Besides, many of the images were inappropriate.
On a cheerful note, the advice in the book can be considered timeless especially since we are currently living in a fashion world which is implementing many trends from the 1970's!

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a pretty outdated book and talks about dressing like a hippie. But other than that, it’s great if you are planning to minimize and set up a capsule wardrobe for yourself. The authors talk about having basics and essentials in the wardrobe and then building on top of that. They discourage prints and mention some must-haves in your closet, most of which is application even for this decade. I got plenty of great tips which I have already implemented. Worth reading for aspiring minimalists.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nostalgic look at how I dressed in the 70's. I loved Indian dresses.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating time piece from the 70s on dressing. Everyone in here looked pretty terrible to my modern jaded eye - walking around town braless in a leotard, dreadful silhouettes, only pulling off the “look” at all because they’re chicly underweight. (Lots of chic cigarettes in the book too.) But then again there was incredibly good vintage picking to be had back then if you were game.

Another fascinating aspect is the constant reliance on army-navy surplus stores as a source of cheap, good quality clothes, with absolutely no thought as to where that stuff came from or the idea that it would be gone shortly after the guide was published. The army-navy surplus store was a particular phenomenon of that time and was only happening because the US government bought all that stuff for various wars to put on draftees, then dumped it in peacetime, and since we’re an all-volunteer force now they don’t need huge gluts of clothing anymore. Today’s army-navy surplus stores sell fakes at market prices, long story short, and are basically irrelevant to anyone hoping to be cheap and/or chic today.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quirky look into a vanished fashion world where there were only three kinds of jeans (Levis, Lee and Wrangler)and you had to make an effort to buy a non-printed t shirt. The basic tenets of the next 10-15 years of fashion are laid out here. Unfortunately, most of the advice here is dated either because the suppliers no longer exist or the ideas have worn thin after 30 years. A fun read, but not worth top $$$ on Ebay.

[Daphne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sick day in bed: 1970s cheap fashion book to the rescue! Lots of fun photos and great ideas, some dated, some still very applicable. They were very big on boots in 1975. Knocked off a star for horrible diet culture throughout, plus so white-centric (although a good diversity in the photos), as well as blatant ripping off non-Western cultures. Still, a fun, fast inspirational book, not as dated as you’d think.

[Melanie Rippon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, this is a reprint of a book from the 1970s. So yes, the clothes look dated. That said, there are a lot of ideas here you can still use. Depends if you’re interested in developing a personal style as opposed to following “fashion”.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original version of this book was my fashion bible, growing up in the late 70s/early 80s. It definitely informed my sense of style, and made me dream of going to New York and further afield. Still relevant all these years later!

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just not what I was thinking it would be.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love. It is a book very of its time, if you want to dress like someone from 1975 (which i do), then you will be off and running.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outdated for sure, but still kernels of good advice here. The nostalgia was nice.

[Jaina Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.

Yikes, I am so not the target audience for this book. I have no idea what I was thinking when I requested it, except that I've been thinking about sprucing up my wardrobe lately and the idea of buying "cheap" and "chic" clothes sounded really appealing. Plus, this book came out when my mother was very young - my older aunts were even old enough to be putting together their own wardrobes in the 70's - so it's kind of cool to see what was fashionable back then.

But therein lies the problem I have with Cheap Chic: it's meant for girls old enough to be my mother's age. And while it's pretty cool to see all those original pictures of people wearing various outfits, there's really just about nothing I can pull out for modifying my 21st-century wardrobe. And all of the nitty gritty - about mail-order boots (oh, the novelty!), wrap-around clothes (did people seriously walk around in clothes held on just by knots?), finding cute original 30's pieces in thrift shops (I wish!), and so many fur coats (I think the animal lover in me just died) - kind of did me in. On one hand it's cool; on another, it's just really, really long and detailed, in a way that is boring in its uselessness. I can't blame the authors, of course, because I can tell that their advice would have been much more helpful when Cheap Chic was actually modern, but I can question the purpose for republishing such an old and obviously out-dated book forty years after it originally came out.

Actually, I can question myself for reading it. I mean, I know some people are really into this sort of stuff. I bet this book will be just what some people were dying to read, in all its out-dated, sometimes hilariously-out-of-touch glory. But I am not one of those people, and I lost interest once I realized that every single page was just more of the same micro-analyzing of different outfits and how they were put together. It's like, "here's a picture of some random person! Let's look at every single piece of her outfit, say where it came from, and then analyze how you can use her tactics for making your own outfit." That sounds great, doesn't it? Not when you read that exact same thing like three hundred times. And not when every single woman looks like she just jumped out of some old movie that you've never even seen, let alone want to emulate.

The other problem I had with Cheap Chic is more an issue of morals: it flirts a little too often with the idea that the reader sometimes wants to dress - well, to flirt. The word "sexy" is used many times throughout, and the word "erotic" a few too many times than I would like. There's nothing very explicit, but that also didn't help with the whole "building my outfit" thing. Also, two or three of the pictures were very inappropriate for no apparent reason other than "fashion." I don't find it fashionable to walk around with a bare chest; I also don't want to see a picture of a woman wearing nothing from the waist up. Other readers back then must have had different taste than mine, however, because there are a couple of nude-top pictures scattered throughout the book. All I have to say to that is: why?

Honestly, I only recommend this book if it looks like something you'd like. You know who you are, antique fashion fans. If you've read this review all the way through, you've got a pretty good idea of what the book is like and whether or not you'll like it. If it's up your alley, by all means give it a try - but if you're not sure, then I suggest giving this one a pass.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[(Jen) The Artist Librarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars:

As a full time college student with limited funds (thank you, part time job), I aspire to cheap chic: I enjoy fashion and looking stylish, but don't want, nor can afford, to spend a lot on my clothes. While not completely what I expected, the 40th Anniversary Edition of Cheap Chic is a mixture of both relevant advice and tips along with a fascinating (dare I say historical?) look into some of the fashion ideals of the 1970s. Each chapter covers a type of clothing or topic such as classics, sportswear, work clothes, thrift store shopping, and ethnic wear, to name a few. Interspersed in between are profiles and interviews with style mavens of the time such as Yves St. Laurent, Betsey Johnson, along with lesser known fashionistas.

When I first heard of this 40th Anniversary Edition of Cheap Chic, I was under the impression that this was an updated or revised version of the original, which was first published in 1975. However, other than a new forward written by style guru and fashion designer mentor Tim Gunn from Project Runway, it is basically a reprint. While not what I was expecting, it was my misconception and mistake alone. Regardless, there are some amusing details that date this book, such as the prices mentioned: "Sailor pants ... should run about $6" (pg. 17) --if only new pants were that inexpensive today! Another historical aspect are the style interviews --it's interesting to see how the people the authors' chose to profile thought about popular 1970s styles. Fran Liebowitz confesses, "I can't believe what some people wear ... incredible platform shoes, glitter, hideous fabrics ... useless extravagance" (pg. 77).

Despite my initial disappointment, Cheap Chic has quite a few relevant ideas and advice that make this style book worth a read, in my opinion. The idea cost-per-wear, in which you invest in a better quality, well made piece if you will wear it multiple times more than a cheaper option, is one that I've seen other stylists use or suggest today. For myself, one of the most interesting portions of the book was a section on wrapping fabric into skirts, tops, sarongs, and other clothing items. That chapter in particular definitely had a 1970s, laid back, hippies, boho chic, carefree sort of attitude.

Though certain sections such as "The Chic Shopper's Guide" ---a directory of stores near the end of the book-- are most likely obsolete and irrelevant today, there are enough gems such as a chart of how to care or clean different fabric types and other concepts and advice that make this mid-20th century style guide worth a read or a check-out from your local library.

Brief content note: This was published in the 1970s and reflecting that era,
there are a couple of photos of topless women such as those that illustrate some of the fabric wrapping techniques.

[Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the Blogging for Books program for review purposes.]

[Writers N Authors Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The principles that made many famous fashionista rich and famous I think came from this book. This book has saved me not only time but money as well and it makes it so easy to get dressed in the morning! The photos in the book are to die for, true fashion Jerry Hall, Ola Hudson. In a sense this book is a blast from the past becoming a collector’s item.

My teenage daughter and I have read and reread this book a couple of times always walking away with a little more style, and gaining that fashion confidence! We aspire to cheap chic: with a great look. Looking stylish can be tough in this day and age, thanks to Cheap Chic we have a mixture of both relevant advice and tips. Each chapter covers a type of clothing or topic such as classics, sportswear, and work clothes. We both loved the section on wrapping fabric into skirts, tops, and sarongs.

Since the book was originally from the 70s the guide “The Chic Shopper’s Guide” is irrelevant today. However the chart of how to care or clean different fabric types is worth a read.. https://writersnauthors.com/book-revi...

[Iris · Rating 2 out of 5]

1970s, how you invigorate me! This is a large-scale hardcover with text and black and white images suggesting how to dress well and creatively with garb from thrift shops, military surplus stores, and "ethnic" markets (for saris, sarongs and cotton mary janes). No factory-made "fast fashion" here; this was published during a time when essentially all clothing sold in the US was made in the US by unions. The clothes were built to last.

The industry is wildly different now. As a result, this book has little practical use; for help building your wardrobe, head to its contemporary equivalent: the excellent "I Love Your Style" by Amanda Brooks, with abundant rare photographs of classic and bohemian clothes.

"Cheap Chic" fetches top dollar at rare book shops; I read a well-preserved first edition at my local library.

[Ginni · Rating 2 out of 5]

(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)

This is a reprint of a book that was first published in 1975. That MATTERS when it's a book about fashion; everything in it is so out of date that it's not even useful. It's an enormous book, much bigger than it needs to be, due to the large (low-quality) photos and lengthy interviews with random people from the 70's. There is a random photo of a toddler that includes full frontal nudity. And wow, I expect to see some heated comments about the chapter on 'ethnic' clothing.

Don't get me wrong--it's a fun curiosity read. But don't go into it expecting it to be "astonishingly relevant forty years later," as the back claims.

[Nalora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was never a fashion plate in the 1970's but this book was instrumental in defining my individual style. It is dog-eared, roughed up and beloved for its practical and cheap suggestions at getting the most bang for your buck and resisting conformity that permeated and still permeates the fashion industry.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a kitch classic. I love the 70s attitude about clothes. It's so free. We're not this open minded about clothes these days, and the market has changed drastically.

[lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a constant reference for me in the 70's. It's a classic.

[Deb]

i bought my copy when it came out in 78. this is my favorite book of all time! now copies go from 95$-165$!

[Rteating · Rating 5 out of 5]

i want it

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Classic with great ideas about dressing well on a budget.
It was amazing!

[Danielle]

Mostly ideas for how to achieve a ‘70s pastiche. Less timeless wisdom than one might hope for, but good encouragement for the creative soul who enjoys a really diverse wardrobe.

Lots of the recommended surplus or thrift items simply aren’t available now (at least not of the fabric quality they recommend) so that’s a bit sad, but to be expected.

I’d say it’s more a book of ideas on how to find things to further support your style in creative and inexpensive ways than a book on defining your style, so take that into consideration if you are looking for something that will help you find what flatters you.