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Style Clinic: How to Look Fabulous All the Time, at Any Age, for Any Occasion
Fashion's best-kept secrets from London's leading fashion authority. Why is it that simply getting dressed in the morning can be a bewildering experience? Last month's must-haves date you faster than a frizzy perm, and before the credit-card bill is paid, some expert is telling you your latest fashion fantasy is now "so last season." The more you buy, the less it seems you have to wear.
Knowing what works and what doesn't, how and when to shop, how best to dress your body shape, and how to work an accessory like a styling pro will propel you on your way to fashion nirvana: the effortlessly chic set. With timeless tips and practical advice, fashion editor Paula Reed proves that you don't have to have a big budget, a whole new wardrobe, or the latest fad to look great.
Transform your life with these expert lessons.
When to spend: what is worth a budget blowout and what can be a cheap buy.
How to find the fabulous in every figure: dress thin, tall, and timeless . . . promise!
Secrets of the successful shopper: how to know if it's ieek!or chic!
The essential proportions of the perfect pants, the jacket you'll love forever, and dresses to die for.
And much more on coats, suits, shirts, shoes, bags, and essential accessories. Here you'll find everything else you need to release your individual style.
Each chapter focuses on a particular element of fashion coats, dresses, suits, bags, jewelry making it easy to navigate the world of fashion. From evening wear to work wear, weekends to big nights out, from the boardroom to the home office, Reed covers it all with warmth, wit, and intelligence. With a little basic skill, deftly applied, you can have confidence in knowing that what you put on looks great and serves you well. Whatever your age, whether you have a big budget or are flat broke, Style Clinic will help make fashion work for you.
Knowing what works and what doesn't, how and when to shop, how best to dress your body shape, and how to work an accessory like a styling pro will propel you on your way to fashion nirvana: the effortlessly chic set. With timeless tips and practical advice, fashion editor Paula Reed proves that you don't have to have a big budget, a whole new wardrobe, or the latest fad to look great.
Transform your life with these expert lessons.
When to spend: what is worth a budget blowout and what can be a cheap buy.
How to find the fabulous in every figure: dress thin, tall, and timeless . . . promise!
Secrets of the successful shopper: how to know if it's ieek!or chic!
The essential proportions of the perfect pants, the jacket you'll love forever, and dresses to die for.
And much more on coats, suits, shirts, shoes, bags, and essential accessories. Here you'll find everything else you need to release your individual style.
Each chapter focuses on a particular element of fashion coats, dresses, suits, bags, jewelry making it easy to navigate the world of fashion. From evening wear to work wear, weekends to big nights out, from the boardroom to the home office, Reed covers it all with warmth, wit, and intelligence. With a little basic skill, deftly applied, you can have confidence in knowing that what you put on looks great and serves you well. Whatever your age, whether you have a big budget or are flat broke, Style Clinic will help make fashion work for you.
- GenresFashionNonfiction
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2006
10 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Paula Reed
10 books3 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 8, 2010
Perfect book if you're looking to build a wardrobe and want to know how to check for quality before you buy. I also like how it gives plenty of information for full-figured or petite women.
August 28, 2018
This is a fashion/style book that I'd want to own and reference in the future.
Fast read with an attractive format.
Lots of images in this book, which is nice for a fashion book. I've tried to read a few others with lots of text and just occasional pictures. That doesn't really work in a fashion book. You have to see the fashion, not just read a semi-confusing lengthy description of it.
This book talks about style vs. fashion. Fashion being fleeting & demanding. Style being the constant that "loves you back".
Lots of contradictions in this book. For example, it talks about how important it is to develop a personal style that transcends seasonal fashion changes. (Good advice.) But then it suggests every woman could benefit from changing her wardrobe, even if it "works" for her. (Contradictory advice.) Fortunately, these contradictory statements didn't bother me too much. I just picked the advice that I wanted to hear! ;-)
This book seemed to be written for women with a full closet and "nothing to wear". This isn't my situation. I am good at purging my closet - I currently have very little in there. I'd purge more but I need to keep some things to physically dress each day. My problem is finding quality/good-fitting clothes to fill my closet. There is no sense in buying things that I just want to get rid of again. Part of the problem is that I'm unhappy with my current body, so any clothes that fit it will not be what I want to wear.
This book does support someone looking to overhaul their entire wardrobe - which is me! This book (and several others I've recently read) starts by suggesting a closet purge. Purge done! I also started purging other things in the house and collected about 5 garbage bags of stuff to give away. I had a purging frenzy!
The book suggests buying cheap white shirts, t-shirts and hosiery and replacing them often - as soon as they stop being a bright white. White t-shirts purchased and new socks are next on my list. I've already seen small improvements in how I look & feel. (Photographing my outfits daily as part of the Curated Closet challenge.)
All of the advice was geared toward women over 25 - outside the zone of crazy/extreme fashion. And some sections are even divided by age: 30, 40, 50, 60, ect. It had an elegant, mature tone which I loved -- I love the idea of dressing stylishly & appropriately as you age. I especially need this advice since I turn 40 next year. How did that happen? I feel like I lost a decade of my life somewhere. I'm not prepared to be 40!
Age appropriate advice that stuck out at me: Skirts should be knee length or longer after 25. No long hair after 30. No pants over 40. Admittedly these are listed as "old rules" that can be broken in the right way. But I'd never even heard them before! In my opinion, you can't properly break rules, if you don't understand them first. For example, it says that long hair on older women (especially over 40) can age them significantly, if unkempt. It has to do with the way hair itself ages. Frequent cuts and conditional treatments are needed, if you want to maintain long hair with age. Never heard that before, but it makes sense.
She also mentions that while black is classic, dark navy or dark grey can be kinder to white skin. Never heard that before.
She also mentions that your coat should be longer than your skirt. Never heard that before. I always tried to wear a longer skirt because I didn't want to look "naked" under the coat. But it makes sense that the coat was designed to stand alone and would look best that way.
The author is anti-suits on women. She called them "dull". That is my idea of a classic power outfit!
Take-away: I'm inspired to select one key/classic wardrobe item each month. Research it fully to discern the best fit for my body/personal style. Try on possible garments at multiple designers or stores to compare -- and photograph all good possibilities. Then select the best one that fits in my budget for the month. I don't need a lot of clothes - I'm at home with the girls and don't mind wearing the same outfits again. But I would like to have really high quality clothes that flatter my body.
Fast read with an attractive format.
Lots of images in this book, which is nice for a fashion book. I've tried to read a few others with lots of text and just occasional pictures. That doesn't really work in a fashion book. You have to see the fashion, not just read a semi-confusing lengthy description of it.
This book talks about style vs. fashion. Fashion being fleeting & demanding. Style being the constant that "loves you back".
Lots of contradictions in this book. For example, it talks about how important it is to develop a personal style that transcends seasonal fashion changes. (Good advice.) But then it suggests every woman could benefit from changing her wardrobe, even if it "works" for her. (Contradictory advice.) Fortunately, these contradictory statements didn't bother me too much. I just picked the advice that I wanted to hear! ;-)
This book seemed to be written for women with a full closet and "nothing to wear". This isn't my situation. I am good at purging my closet - I currently have very little in there. I'd purge more but I need to keep some things to physically dress each day. My problem is finding quality/good-fitting clothes to fill my closet. There is no sense in buying things that I just want to get rid of again. Part of the problem is that I'm unhappy with my current body, so any clothes that fit it will not be what I want to wear.
This book does support someone looking to overhaul their entire wardrobe - which is me! This book (and several others I've recently read) starts by suggesting a closet purge. Purge done! I also started purging other things in the house and collected about 5 garbage bags of stuff to give away. I had a purging frenzy!
The book suggests buying cheap white shirts, t-shirts and hosiery and replacing them often - as soon as they stop being a bright white. White t-shirts purchased and new socks are next on my list. I've already seen small improvements in how I look & feel. (Photographing my outfits daily as part of the Curated Closet challenge.)
All of the advice was geared toward women over 25 - outside the zone of crazy/extreme fashion. And some sections are even divided by age: 30, 40, 50, 60, ect. It had an elegant, mature tone which I loved -- I love the idea of dressing stylishly & appropriately as you age. I especially need this advice since I turn 40 next year. How did that happen? I feel like I lost a decade of my life somewhere. I'm not prepared to be 40!
Age appropriate advice that stuck out at me: Skirts should be knee length or longer after 25. No long hair after 30. No pants over 40. Admittedly these are listed as "old rules" that can be broken in the right way. But I'd never even heard them before! In my opinion, you can't properly break rules, if you don't understand them first. For example, it says that long hair on older women (especially over 40) can age them significantly, if unkempt. It has to do with the way hair itself ages. Frequent cuts and conditional treatments are needed, if you want to maintain long hair with age. Never heard that before, but it makes sense.
She also mentions that while black is classic, dark navy or dark grey can be kinder to white skin. Never heard that before.
She also mentions that your coat should be longer than your skirt. Never heard that before. I always tried to wear a longer skirt because I didn't want to look "naked" under the coat. But it makes sense that the coat was designed to stand alone and would look best that way.
The author is anti-suits on women. She called them "dull". That is my idea of a classic power outfit!
Take-away: I'm inspired to select one key/classic wardrobe item each month. Research it fully to discern the best fit for my body/personal style. Try on possible garments at multiple designers or stores to compare -- and photograph all good possibilities. Then select the best one that fits in my budget for the month. I don't need a lot of clothes - I'm at home with the girls and don't mind wearing the same outfits again. But I would like to have really high quality clothes that flatter my body.
June 14, 2013
Jewelry:
The French believe a woman's life story lies in her jewelry box. Every milestone, heartbreak, triumph, and great love, every sentimental and silly moment is represented there.
Some pointers for petites:
* Wearing horizontal lines will shorten you even more.
* Avoid wearing clothes at your natural waistline. If you lower the waistline it will make you r torso look longer and narrower.
* Skinny sleeves set in a high armhole are the most flattering.
* Slim pants cropped at the nkle will add valuable inches to your let with either flat or high helled shoes.
* A neatly tailored shift or bias cut dress and med heeled pumps are your default.
* Dresses, rather than separates, will lengthen you.
* Empire waistlines (under the bust) are great lengtheners.
* Avoid full skirts.
* Knee length is the best, don't go too long.
* Big should pads and stiffly tailored clothes are death to you.
* Soft lines and fluid fabrics are flattering.
* Very high heels looks ridiculous, a medium height heel is best.
* Shorten sleeves on jackets and trousers for the best look.
The French believe a woman's life story lies in her jewelry box. Every milestone, heartbreak, triumph, and great love, every sentimental and silly moment is represented there.
Some pointers for petites:
* Wearing horizontal lines will shorten you even more.
* Avoid wearing clothes at your natural waistline. If you lower the waistline it will make you r torso look longer and narrower.
* Skinny sleeves set in a high armhole are the most flattering.
* Slim pants cropped at the nkle will add valuable inches to your let with either flat or high helled shoes.
* A neatly tailored shift or bias cut dress and med heeled pumps are your default.
* Dresses, rather than separates, will lengthen you.
* Empire waistlines (under the bust) are great lengtheners.
* Avoid full skirts.
* Knee length is the best, don't go too long.
* Big should pads and stiffly tailored clothes are death to you.
* Soft lines and fluid fabrics are flattering.
* Very high heels looks ridiculous, a medium height heel is best.
* Shorten sleeves on jackets and trousers for the best look.
September 21, 2012
This book was great at helping declutter your closet and start building a closet of clothes that you'll actually wear. I really appreciated the parts on shopping for particular items (what to look for), what to spend a lot on and what to get cheap and the advice that you don't have to have a lot of clothes to have a good wardrobe. There are quotes throughout the book that I thought were fun and a nice touch.
August 22, 2010
A lot of information packed in this. I wish they would've kept each section arranged by body type so you don't have to sift through every single one and you could get right to what you want.
January 20, 2016
Basic information. Some good lists. More tips would be helpful. Evernoted.
March 21, 2021
Closer to 2.5 stars.
It’s odd to think that the first thing I thought about this book was how dated some of the advice was- which goes against the book’s purpose. The tone often felt condescending and focused on folks who want to spend more money.
The author lost me at ‘disposable’ items. This shows the dated thinking at the time of writing back in 2009, which still plagues us in 2021. With more folks aiming for more conscious consumption, we need to look for longevity, not cyclical fashion. Is this why there was so much brand name dropping?
It’s odd to think that the first thing I thought about this book was how dated some of the advice was- which goes against the book’s purpose. The tone often felt condescending and focused on folks who want to spend more money.
The author lost me at ‘disposable’ items. This shows the dated thinking at the time of writing back in 2009, which still plagues us in 2021. With more folks aiming for more conscious consumption, we need to look for longevity, not cyclical fashion. Is this why there was so much brand name dropping?
June 21, 2019
A breezy read while working through some heavy stuff. Nicely laid out, if now a throw-back. However, many of the styles featured withstand the test of time. Nothing really new. How tired is "dressing your age"? Not much diversity in the way of race or size of the celebrities featured (there are 3 WOC is the "dressing your age" chapter.
February 10, 2020
this was a good reference book
February 10, 2020
I real liked this book the info was helpful. It is a great book to help you build your basic classic closet
October 5, 2022
This might be the most confusing jumble of advice I've read. And after 10+ years, the pictures are so dated that I can't tell if they are supposed to be good examples or examples of things to avoid.
February 25, 2012
I don't think the subtitle quite holds up. There is 1 chapter on age and nothing on specific occasions. It's pretty focused on three types of dressing: professional, casual and evening. Hopefully all your occasions can fit into one of those. I was pretty tempted to give this 5 stars though and she does have a lot of information and at least generally, easily laid out. The problem is that she has all these bullet points regarding specific body types... and of course I'm not most of them. So it would have been more convenient for me to have sections saying "if you are this, then here are all the hints just for you". But having chapters devoted to specific items (coat, pants) at least everything on that topic is together. What I get out of this is that I want to go shopping for more adult/professional items... even though I don't need to because I live in cargo pants and slouchy tshirts 5 days a week and the kids tend to wipe their faces off on me.
June 23, 2015
Nicely laid out, lots of photos (many of celebrities) so it's pleasant to read & review the basics. But not really anything new to me, nor probably to anybody over 40 if you've looked at these sorts of books before. Maybe better for a younger person just starting out?
Of course, we older women can learn too - the section on dressing your age is good. All in all, a good primer - did a decent job of showing different styles of basic building blocks, some more fashion forward than others (did anyone else think some of the pieces were downright frumpy!?)
Of course, we older women can learn too - the section on dressing your age is good. All in all, a good primer - did a decent job of showing different styles of basic building blocks, some more fashion forward than others (did anyone else think some of the pieces were downright frumpy!?)
April 21, 2023
Some contradictions in here and nothing new that I hadn't heard before. This book would have been helped by defining words (sheath v shift) and pictorial examples. I found it annoying that the same mannequin was used to illustrate several different body-type suggestions. Perhaps some before and after photos would be helpful, too. This is a good place to start though, if you are at a complete loss, but it doesn't really help you define your own style.
October 2, 2015
I'm trying to learn to be more fashionable. I don't like that this book emphasizes average as the ideal (if you're short, wear this to look taller! If you're tall, wear this to look shorter! etc.) but otherwise it has some very practical advice, the most valuable being that having a few well-chosen pieces can be better for your style than having a vast wardrobe with things that you seldom wear.
April 7, 2017
Safe fashion standards: Although the 2009 photos are ready for a revamp, the content generally holds true. This is an essential read for anyone confused by what's in and what's out and what should or shouldn't be--meaning a trustworthy guide for managing one's wardrobe.
September 27, 2010
Good updated book on fashion tips! I wish the pictures they showed would've stated which Designer the model was wearing, but other than that good tips!
August 4, 2014
Nothing I didn't already know.
December 2, 2017
978-0-06-079354-8
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews