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Clothes... and other things that matter: A beguiling and revealing memoir from the former Editor of British Vogue
P art memoir, part fashion history, part social commentary, Alexandra Shulman explores the meaning of clothes and how we wear them
'Clothes... and other things that matter is a book not only about clothes but about the way we live our lives. From childhood onwards, the way we dress is a result of our personal history. In a mix of memoir, fashion history and social observation I am writing about the person our clothes allows us to be and sometimes the person they turn us into.' - Alexandra Shulman
In Clothes... and other things that matter , Alexandra Shulman delves into her own life to look at the emotions, ambitions, expectations and meanings behind the way we dress.
In 40 essays covering everything from the bra to the bikini, the trench coat to sneakers, the slip dress to the suit, she explores their meaning in women's lives and how our wardrobes intersect with the larger world - the career ladder, motherhood, romance, sexual identity, ambition, failure, body image and celebrity.
By turns funny, refreshingly self-deprecating and often very moving, this startlingly honest memoir from the ex-Editor of British Vogue will encourage women of all ages to consider what their own clothes mean to them, the life they live in them and the stories they tell.
'Alexandra Shulman's style is unaffected, immediate and hilariously dry. She's brilliant at observing everyday feelings in a joy-sparking turn of phrase.' - Helena Bonham Carter
'Self-deprecating and stylish, this is sure to become a classic.' - Vanity Fair
'Warm, thought-provoking and honest.' - Victoria Hislop
'Clever, emotionally intelligent, revelling in style without making us yearn to shop.' - The Times
'Scintillating reading.' - The Spectator
span
'Clothes... and other things that matter is a book not only about clothes but about the way we live our lives. From childhood onwards, the way we dress is a result of our personal history. In a mix of memoir, fashion history and social observation I am writing about the person our clothes allows us to be and sometimes the person they turn us into.' - Alexandra Shulman
In Clothes... and other things that matter , Alexandra Shulman delves into her own life to look at the emotions, ambitions, expectations and meanings behind the way we dress.
In 40 essays covering everything from the bra to the bikini, the trench coat to sneakers, the slip dress to the suit, she explores their meaning in women's lives and how our wardrobes intersect with the larger world - the career ladder, motherhood, romance, sexual identity, ambition, failure, body image and celebrity.
By turns funny, refreshingly self-deprecating and often very moving, this startlingly honest memoir from the ex-Editor of British Vogue will encourage women of all ages to consider what their own clothes mean to them, the life they live in them and the stories they tell.
'Alexandra Shulman's style is unaffected, immediate and hilariously dry. She's brilliant at observing everyday feelings in a joy-sparking turn of phrase.' - Helena Bonham Carter
'Self-deprecating and stylish, this is sure to become a classic.' - Vanity Fair
'Warm, thought-provoking and honest.' - Victoria Hislop
'Clever, emotionally intelligent, revelling in style without making us yearn to shop.' - The Times
'Scintillating reading.' - The Spectator
span
352 pages, Hardcover
Published May 18, 2021
128 people are currently reading
935 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
April 27, 2020
I loved this book even more than I expected to! Schulman gets the balance absolutely right between fashion, gossip, wit and memoir. She's a glorious writer with the ability now to step back and look at her life, both professional and personal, with honesty and insight. Chapters may hang on items of dress (red shoes, the Little Black Dress, the white shirt) but each essay spirals out in an organic way taking in fashion history, the media/publishing industry, cultural history, and her own life - I enjoyed the unexpectedness of not knowing where each piece would go.
The essays are roughly chronological, from Schulman's childhood in the 1960s forward, and self-aware of how fashion intersects with politics, identity, cultural moments. She has always been noted for being a size 14 even when UK editor of Vogue, and is surprisingly down-to-earth about dressing, whether that's in a custom-made designer frock or a comfortable and comforting old dressing gown.
Perfect for dipping into, but actually I found myself pulled into that ' just one more piece' mentality. Schulman comes over as warm, self-deprecating, smart and honest. Hugely enjoyable.
Many thanks to Cassell for an ARC via NetGalley.
The essays are roughly chronological, from Schulman's childhood in the 1960s forward, and self-aware of how fashion intersects with politics, identity, cultural moments. She has always been noted for being a size 14 even when UK editor of Vogue, and is surprisingly down-to-earth about dressing, whether that's in a custom-made designer frock or a comfortable and comforting old dressing gown.
Perfect for dipping into, but actually I found myself pulled into that ' just one more piece' mentality. Schulman comes over as warm, self-deprecating, smart and honest. Hugely enjoyable.
Many thanks to Cassell for an ARC via NetGalley.
May 14, 2024
Vogue: the Chanel cult
idk it feels like it's missing something. could have been an amazing read
idk it feels like it's missing something. could have been an amazing read
September 17, 2020
She says, and I’m sure she’s right, that the first known use of the gerund ‘shopping’ is recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary as follows: ‘Ladies are said to go a Shoping, when, in the Forenoon, sick of themselves, they order the coach, and driving from Shop to Shop.’ It’s a wonderful citation. How often have I gone shopping when sick of myself? When the distraction of sifting through clothes with the inherent possibility of finding something – yes, ideally the perfect dress, but if not, anything that I think makes me look better – is an effective balm.
Clothes is curated by former UK Vogue editor Alexandra Schulman, and takes a multi-faceted look at the psychology of garments, the socio-cultural impact of a fashion trend, or simply what certain clothes mean to us as individuals, sentimentally or symbolically.
These facets are what appealed to me. I don't really read the glossies, but I'm fascinated by fashion history and consumer psychology. I also struggle to resist an editor's reflections, because even if you don't give a fig about about patterns and trends, a lot of hard work goes in to producing a magazine, especially one that has such a long standing and premium reputation. I thought it was a very niche angle, particularly for someone who was at the helm of UK Vogue rather than below deck.
There is the usual name-horning as per most fashion books. I call it name-horning rather than the standard name-dropping when a name feels very forcibly shoe-horned into the text rather than unfolding naturally. Instead of being on holiday in France, we were at the DUKE OF WELLINGTON’S holiday home, despite the fact this is very, very unrelated to the subject or even to fashion overall. I suspect this is a trope of the genre, maybe even suggested by book editors, they probably imagine fashion readers to be foaming at the mouth for name drops.
What decided my overall rating is that it felt very inconsistent in structure and substance throughout. I don’t demand a rigid structure, especially for something with a touch of the personal, and there’s fun in playing with form. However it didn’t feel four-star worthy when some chapters were so well developed with a smart analysis, a little socio-cultural history and a personal touch, then the next chapter would be shallow and have extremely tenuous connections e.g. Schulman somehow manages to move a discussion on Juicy Couture velour tracksuits to 9/11??? Similarly, to say Schulman mentions being a size 14 in the fashion industry so often, there's a bizarre analysis equating the toned upper arms of First wives to being more politically savvy.
I don't know, I just feel like this could have been tighter and sharper than it was, and the materials were there but they just weren't used.
September 25, 2020
Not only has Alexandra Shulman been the longest serving editor of British Vogue, (1992 to 2017), she is also an engaging writer, very relatable, and best of all surprisingly down-to-earth for someone having spent nearly half of her life in the lofty exclusive towers of Vogue. Refreshingly, she is no Anna Wintour - I can't imagine her wearing her sunglasses for any purpose other than sun protection. How normal!
So it follows that I loved this memoir that Alexandra has written. She tells her stories around the clothes she wears and loves, how they are important or have significance in her life, in the various roles she plays as a daughter, a mother, a wife, a lover. How clothes shape the person she has become, how clothes define perceptions of power and leadership. The black dress, the bikini, the trench coat, the floral dress, the white shirt - all items that most women have in some form or other in their wardrobes. Best of all her body has never been what we perceive a perfect fashion model body to be - her's is a real woman's body, which connects 99% of the female population to her! And so making this such an accessible book to read - don't we all like to wear clothes that make us feel good, even if we have curves and bits and pieces in places we don't want. Sure, she has had access to clothing and their designers that very very few of us could ever hope to even look at, let alone wear. And yet we can all find a smart white shirt from the chain stores, or a pretty floral dress for summer. Her chapter on her bikini experience touches heavily on body image, how women are expected to look at all stages of life, how a random photo she took of herself in a bikini as a mature woman went unintentionally bonkers in the media.
But this is not just all about her! Full of anecdotes about the fashion industry, behind the scenes at Vogue, how the magazine takes shape, the politics of fashion, feminism, the trends and issues the industry has faced over the 25 years she was at the helm. Fashion purists might find it all a bit trite, gossipy and dull, but for the average fashion punter this is a real gem.
So it follows that I loved this memoir that Alexandra has written. She tells her stories around the clothes she wears and loves, how they are important or have significance in her life, in the various roles she plays as a daughter, a mother, a wife, a lover. How clothes shape the person she has become, how clothes define perceptions of power and leadership. The black dress, the bikini, the trench coat, the floral dress, the white shirt - all items that most women have in some form or other in their wardrobes. Best of all her body has never been what we perceive a perfect fashion model body to be - her's is a real woman's body, which connects 99% of the female population to her! And so making this such an accessible book to read - don't we all like to wear clothes that make us feel good, even if we have curves and bits and pieces in places we don't want. Sure, she has had access to clothing and their designers that very very few of us could ever hope to even look at, let alone wear. And yet we can all find a smart white shirt from the chain stores, or a pretty floral dress for summer. Her chapter on her bikini experience touches heavily on body image, how women are expected to look at all stages of life, how a random photo she took of herself in a bikini as a mature woman went unintentionally bonkers in the media.
But this is not just all about her! Full of anecdotes about the fashion industry, behind the scenes at Vogue, how the magazine takes shape, the politics of fashion, feminism, the trends and issues the industry has faced over the 25 years she was at the helm. Fashion purists might find it all a bit trite, gossipy and dull, but for the average fashion punter this is a real gem.
May 13, 2020
I wrote to Alexandra Schulman some years ago, to tell her that I read all the VOGUEs (US, UK, French) and that I found hers the most enjoyable - my letter was published in their Brit Special with Kate Moss on the cover in close-up. This memoir-esque book reflects a great deal of the intelligence and irreverence that Schulman brought to UK VOGUE, as well as giving a somewhat personal twist on tales from the closet...but unlike Andre Leon Talley's new tell-all, Schulman doesn't badmouth. There is some discussion of nefarious moves by her replacement but those have been widely documented elsewhere. I agree with her premise - clothes do matter to our lives.
May 27, 2020
For someone who adores fashion-related books, I found Clothes and Other Things That Matter quite superficial and flat. The anecdotes were sometimes engaging but often felt scripted and inane. Shulman has had some incredible experiences at the helm of a globally respected magazine, but her memoir feels like a jaded recollection of these moments rather than an energetic depiction of the amazing accomplishments and landmark cultural events she has been part of.
May 8, 2020
A fun read.
August 18, 2021
Part memoir, part history lesson, Alexandra Shulman, former editor of British Vogue, takes the reader on a fascinating and meandering look at how clothes define us. From brooches to tracksuits, there are memories galore here. I was turning the pages thinking, ‘oh my god, remember that! And that! And that!’
Set out in short chapters this is a book you can dip in and out of. Indeed it’s not a book to be rushed, more savoured. I found myself fondly reminiscing about so many long forgotten fashion trends and it was fascinating to hear of the author’s long standing career with what must be the ultimate fashion magazine.
Superbly entertaining, filled with memories and anecdotes, this is an absolute gem of a book.
Set out in short chapters this is a book you can dip in and out of. Indeed it’s not a book to be rushed, more savoured. I found myself fondly reminiscing about so many long forgotten fashion trends and it was fascinating to hear of the author’s long standing career with what must be the ultimate fashion magazine.
Superbly entertaining, filled with memories and anecdotes, this is an absolute gem of a book.
July 19, 2022
I was very excited to read this book as I’m on vacation in Europe and have been inspired by all of the extremely well dressed vacationers here!! I think as a memoir this book is fine but as a piece discussing the significance of clothing it falls short. If you have a preexisting fondness for the author or British Vogue you may find it more enjoyable but I thought it was surprising how little the author seemed to know about the significance of clothing culture/traditions outside of Western European and American name brands. There were many instances in which the author said explicitly offensive things with regard to other cultures, such as referring to indigenous Americans as “Red Indians” during the discussion on Indigo and calling henna “disgusting smelling” in her discussion about hairdressers. I would expect someone supposedly well versed in the traditions of beauty and dress to know the highly important use of henna as part of the beauty regimens for women in the MENA region and South Asia, reaching back 1000+ years as a natural and healthy way to alter one’s appearance and use in religious rituals. The icing on the cake was when the author discussed using additional conversation starting pieces in magazine cover photo shoots, during which she grouped an “Afro wig” in the same category as circus clothes. This book was written in 2020! Not 2000 or before! Overall, wouldn’t recommend.
May 2, 2020
This is a really interesting approach to a memoir, which perfectly fits a former Vogue editor. Using the framework of different items of clothing, Alexandra Shulman uses each piece as a springboard into a particular memory, such as a scarf that takes her back to her first trip to Paris, or slip dresses that lead to an exploration of bold 30s actresses who first started wearing this type of garment, and what it would signify and how it mark them out as something other. It’s both a memoir and a history of fashion, tracing different garments and their reason for being, and why they have the impact that they do. I found this extremely interesting.
This is a wonderful approach and I think that this book would lend itself either to being read straight through in order, or being dipped into chapter by chapter, depending on what took your fancy at the time you picked it up at. I would recommend this to everyone - and I say that despite not being a Vogue reader myself! This is very well written and provides a refreshing approach to a memoir that says away from the traditional format.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a wonderful approach and I think that this book would lend itself either to being read straight through in order, or being dipped into chapter by chapter, depending on what took your fancy at the time you picked it up at. I would recommend this to everyone - and I say that despite not being a Vogue reader myself! This is very well written and provides a refreshing approach to a memoir that says away from the traditional format.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2023
UK Vogue has never been my favourite Vogue. Its photographs are never as aspirational/ high fashion as the French ones, and its articles not as interesting as the American ones. But I love fashion —and have once tried to write an article about pieces of clothing in my wardrobe and what they reminded me of — was looking for a whimsical getaway to Alexandra Shulman, former editor of UK Vogue,‘s universe.
I can now see why I never enjoyed UK Vogue. Schulman’s writing is bland. The pieces of fashion history she interjects with different articles of clothes are interesting, but basic. Her life seems only as interesting as the life of privilege she led — growing up a stone’s throw from Harrods, getting invited to a ball with Eton Boys, sitting in someone’s yacht, rubbing shoulders with the Royal Family. While Tina Brown’s memoirs were breathless and full of wit, where you get swept up in her ambition and speed, with Schulman you get an insouciance that screams more “nepo baby” than “enviable upper class woman of leisure”.
It was excerpts like these that rubbed me off the wrong way:
“If you were in your 20s, well educated and free from domestic responsibility, you could breeze into this world in your Joseph suit and your black opaques with a sense that if you played the right cards it was all there for the taking.”
“What I am absolutely sure of us that neither of them [middle class English couple] had any idea of the cost of the white rubber-soled trainers that I was wearing. They were a pair of £400 Balenciaga Race Runners […] I very much doubt that couple on the bus could have imagined such a pair of shoes could cost that kind of money or that anyone could conceivably think it worth paying such a sum for them.”
I can now see why I never enjoyed UK Vogue. Schulman’s writing is bland. The pieces of fashion history she interjects with different articles of clothes are interesting, but basic. Her life seems only as interesting as the life of privilege she led — growing up a stone’s throw from Harrods, getting invited to a ball with Eton Boys, sitting in someone’s yacht, rubbing shoulders with the Royal Family. While Tina Brown’s memoirs were breathless and full of wit, where you get swept up in her ambition and speed, with Schulman you get an insouciance that screams more “nepo baby” than “enviable upper class woman of leisure”.
It was excerpts like these that rubbed me off the wrong way:
“If you were in your 20s, well educated and free from domestic responsibility, you could breeze into this world in your Joseph suit and your black opaques with a sense that if you played the right cards it was all there for the taking.”
“What I am absolutely sure of us that neither of them [middle class English couple] had any idea of the cost of the white rubber-soled trainers that I was wearing. They were a pair of £400 Balenciaga Race Runners […] I very much doubt that couple on the bus could have imagined such a pair of shoes could cost that kind of money or that anyone could conceivably think it worth paying such a sum for them.”
September 9, 2021
I loved this book - and what a lovely surprise that is. I think it was a 99p special on Kindle, and I'd vaguely heard of Shulman as editor of Vogue, though I don't think I've bought the magazine in decades (at 65 I'm not their core readership). But I'm keenly interested in clothes and what they say about us, how we change depending on what we wear or (what's more sad) what others wear. Shulman turned out to be wonderful company in this combination of memoir and rumination on clothing ('fash-oir'?). And while I think she looks glamorous in her party outfits, this isn't just a list of high-priced couture. She includes many ordinary garments and some basic colours in this collection of essays (I liked the one on dressing gowns particularly). It's her very down-to-earth qualities that I enjoyed, her willingness to admit to being overweight and at times insecure. Yet she doesn't do that awful self-deprecating thing some women overdo, deriding any of their achievements so you don't think they're boasting. Shulman name-checks her OBE - as well she should - and you can't survive 25 years at the helm of a main fashion magazine without being pretty impressive.
August 15, 2021
Loved this.
August 25, 2020
This is a fun romp behind the scenes at Vogue with a bit of fashion history thrown in to boot. It did end rather abruptly (I thought!), almost like Shulman looked in the proverbial wardrobe and couldn't find 'a thing to wear'. A light-hearted and jolly read nonetheless! 3-stars
September 2, 2020
Alexandra Shulman does know her clothes and the significance people attach to certain items in their wardrobe. Her account is candid, and she has done her research on the topics she discusses in her memoir also which is positive.
Read
June 29, 2021Turgid.
April 20, 2022
An excellent choice of birthday present by my husband, 10 out of 10.
Not an autobiography but a collection of essays about different types of clothing. Thoughts, opinions and historical facts about the items along with a smattering of work anecdotes and some personal details. I loved it.
Have added Inside Vogue: A diary of my 100th year to my want to read list and want to read it soon!
Not an autobiography but a collection of essays about different types of clothing. Thoughts, opinions and historical facts about the items along with a smattering of work anecdotes and some personal details. I loved it.
Have added Inside Vogue: A diary of my 100th year to my want to read list and want to read it soon!
November 29, 2022
Олександра Шульман...."Одяг, та інші важливі речі" мусять бути бо ми не в первісному суспільстві, хоч часом носило шкіри. Він нас презентує, він нас доповнює, знищує чи возвеличує.
Авторка, головний редактор Британського Vogue, розбирає шафу, оскільки закінчила кар'єру у модній індустрії. ЇЇ кожна річ це окрема історія, окремий спогад, окрема роль у житті.
Одяг - це процес, це життя: "Купівля-це просто передати гроші. А шопінг - зовсім інший процес. Він передбачає пошук і віднайдення того самого...." як часто ми підміняємо "те саме" одягом, часто ми не ми, а бренд. Бренд без сутнісного та емоційного наповнення. Жакет Chanel, який не одяг, а вбрання у який не треба бути одягненим, а треба вміти його носити.
Одяг це статус, це рівень, це зневага, наприклад - учительска уніформа, у Шульман це сукня географічки, це бар'єр, як фартух кухаря чи навіть ката, що відокремлює людину від забруднення.
І про колір, як без кольору у розмові про одяг, про конативність кольору його асоціативність. Рожевий - "має більше життів ніж кіт", коли на тобі рожевий колір, імовірність, що тобі завдадуть прикрощів мінімальна, це ефективне маскування. Білість - це безтурботність, непрактичність, але тільки не тоді коли це високі підбори. Білі " лодочки" - це зброя. Синій, зазвичай, це осоціація з денімом - безтурботністю, відпочинком. Ну а темний синій - майже чорний не такий офіційний. Це колір, який авторка одягає коли не хоче нічого носити, сховатися. Чорний - дає відчуття злиття з натовпом, і одночасно розкоші, яка поглинає 99, 965% світла і дешевий вибляклий чорний - це занедбаність.
Халати, комбінезони, колготки, шапки-біні, золото, прикраси, брошки, слід згадати їх символізм на прикладі Мадлен Олбрайт, усе це про владу зовнішньої оболонки.
Це книга не про моду, а про роль одягу, про одяг, як обладунки, про те як ми його обираємо, як носимо і які соціальні ролі граємо, у конкретному вбранні. " Умови нашого життя, наша історія, наша професія, наші стосунки з власним тілом, - це все грає роль. І немає єдиного уявлення про те, що "правильно", а що "неправильно" #цитати.
Авторка, головний редактор Британського Vogue, розбирає шафу, оскільки закінчила кар'єру у модній індустрії. ЇЇ кожна річ це окрема історія, окремий спогад, окрема роль у житті.
Одяг - це процес, це життя: "Купівля-це просто передати гроші. А шопінг - зовсім інший процес. Він передбачає пошук і віднайдення того самого...." як часто ми підміняємо "те саме" одягом, часто ми не ми, а бренд. Бренд без сутнісного та емоційного наповнення. Жакет Chanel, який не одяг, а вбрання у який не треба бути одягненим, а треба вміти його носити.
Одяг це статус, це рівень, це зневага, наприклад - учительска уніформа, у Шульман це сукня географічки, це бар'єр, як фартух кухаря чи навіть ката, що відокремлює людину від забруднення.
І про колір, як без кольору у розмові про одяг, про конативність кольору його асоціативність. Рожевий - "має більше життів ніж кіт", коли на тобі рожевий колір, імовірність, що тобі завдадуть прикрощів мінімальна, це ефективне маскування. Білість - це безтурботність, непрактичність, але тільки не тоді коли це високі підбори. Білі " лодочки" - це зброя. Синій, зазвичай, це осоціація з денімом - безтурботністю, відпочинком. Ну а темний синій - майже чорний не такий офіційний. Це колір, який авторка одягає коли не хоче нічого носити, сховатися. Чорний - дає відчуття злиття з натовпом, і одночасно розкоші, яка поглинає 99, 965% світла і дешевий вибляклий чорний - це занедбаність.
Халати, комбінезони, колготки, шапки-біні, золото, прикраси, брошки, слід згадати їх символізм на прикладі Мадлен Олбрайт, усе це про владу зовнішньої оболонки.
Це книга не про моду, а про роль одягу, про одяг, як обладунки, про те як ми його обираємо, як носимо і які соціальні ролі граємо, у конкретному вбранні. " Умови нашого життя, наша історія, наша професія, наші стосунки з власним тілом, - це все грає роль. І немає єдиного уявлення про те, що "правильно", а що "неправильно" #цитати.
December 7, 2021
I expected this to be a stylish read, and I haven't been disappointed! It's a wonderful mix of looking back over a life devoted to fashion, and all those memories that just a single item of clothing can evoke in us all!
I found myself smiling so many times as Alexandra looks back at different items of clothing over the years that have meant so much to her, and the world of fashion from the humble little black dress, to the white shirt, t-shirts, handbags and bras! There's so much that made me think back to my own life through clothes I've worn - the successes and failures! - and I loved just how relatable her style of writing was!
She uses items of clothing to represent how different items define us at different stages in our lives, and the emotional bonds we build up over an item that carries memories of our own, and that of those closest to us. And how 2020 has made us look at clothing and fashion so differently!! Will we ever be able to break out of our comfort clothing style now?!
I loved the glimpses into her working life and found that part really interesting to see her journey progressed and how clothes became even more important to her to make a statement and the responsibility she had when working in fashion. She shares many stories of famous people she has worked with and met, and how even she finds clothes shopping can be a wonderful experience or a completely deflating one!!
This is one of those books that I think will connect with so many of us! It has brought back so many memories to me while reading and how styles have changed over the years - some good, some bad!! - and I just found it to be such a treat to read and highly recommend it!
I found myself smiling so many times as Alexandra looks back at different items of clothing over the years that have meant so much to her, and the world of fashion from the humble little black dress, to the white shirt, t-shirts, handbags and bras! There's so much that made me think back to my own life through clothes I've worn - the successes and failures! - and I loved just how relatable her style of writing was!
She uses items of clothing to represent how different items define us at different stages in our lives, and the emotional bonds we build up over an item that carries memories of our own, and that of those closest to us. And how 2020 has made us look at clothing and fashion so differently!! Will we ever be able to break out of our comfort clothing style now?!
I loved the glimpses into her working life and found that part really interesting to see her journey progressed and how clothes became even more important to her to make a statement and the responsibility she had when working in fashion. She shares many stories of famous people she has worked with and met, and how even she finds clothes shopping can be a wonderful experience or a completely deflating one!!
This is one of those books that I think will connect with so many of us! It has brought back so many memories to me while reading and how styles have changed over the years - some good, some bad!! - and I just found it to be such a treat to read and highly recommend it!
September 23, 2021
The clothes that we own can bring back memories of past events, times in our lives, places we wore them. When that includes handbags, underwear, shoes, hats and even jewellery, there are so many memories. In addition they may make us think of the bigger picture, what certain items symbolise in the bigger picture, the fashion trends, the nature of society and women’s relationship with what they choose to wear. Not all of us are that interested, clothes do not dominate our lives, we may even struggle to remember certain items. That is not the case with the author of this book. She was the editor of British Vogue for some years, and worked with the most significant designers in Britain and beyond. Her work with many people, including royalty, revolved around dressing for effect at many special and newsworthy events.
In this book Shulman opens with a list of the contents of her wardrobe and cupboards. It is an extensive list, at least by my standards, which includes twenty-two coats, thirty-five dresses, and thirty-seven handbags. She then looks at some of the sections of clothes and items which dominate her thoughts. With the aid of specific memories of wearing clothes, the influences that made the style significant and well placed photographs, Shulman tells tales of clothes and more over her life time. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this special book.
The Preface acknowledges that the recent months have been very different in our relationship with clothes. Working from home, staying inside and the cancellation of events has led to a reduction in the number and variety of clothes that we have chosen. Throughout the book Shulman expands on how particular items of clothing had a significance at a specific time. I think it would be fair to say that she has enjoyed a privileged lifestyle living in an expensive part of London. An early chapter recalls how she would be taken to Harrods for her school shoes, which she then expands to a look at shoes generally, and how certain shoes have had psycological effect on the wearer. The red shoes of the chapter title are seen as an important lift to the spirits. A particular jumper, oversized and relaxing, brings back memories of a potentially dangerous situation for her teenage self. Her section on handbags is not only informative on how they became desirable and fashionable objects, but also how they represented the discovery of freedom for women from the home in past centuries. Her section on “Rags and Feathers” introduces the topic of second hand clothing, but does not really expand on how it is important to enviromental issues that clothing is worn and reworn, passed on and not carelessly disposed of, maybe even given a second life with a new owner. Having said that, she does suggest that many of her clothes have been worn a lot, sometimes beyond the particular time for which they were chosen. She does tend towards to name drop designers and celebrities that she has met in the course of her working and social life. She is honest about mistakes, and how she has bought clothes because of some unachievable concept of how they will make her feel and look.
This is a wide ranging book which reveals much about the clothes that the author owns and remembers throughout her life. She is honest in that she is not a model, and that some clothes have not worked for her. She also notes that her relationships have not always been easy or happy, but that she has tried hard to fulfil expectations. This is a fascinating book in many ways, full of details of clothes, fashions, influences and social movements. Anyone who has ever looked at the clothes they have worn over the years and wondered why they were are popular will find much to interest them in this book.
In this book Shulman opens with a list of the contents of her wardrobe and cupboards. It is an extensive list, at least by my standards, which includes twenty-two coats, thirty-five dresses, and thirty-seven handbags. She then looks at some of the sections of clothes and items which dominate her thoughts. With the aid of specific memories of wearing clothes, the influences that made the style significant and well placed photographs, Shulman tells tales of clothes and more over her life time. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this special book.
The Preface acknowledges that the recent months have been very different in our relationship with clothes. Working from home, staying inside and the cancellation of events has led to a reduction in the number and variety of clothes that we have chosen. Throughout the book Shulman expands on how particular items of clothing had a significance at a specific time. I think it would be fair to say that she has enjoyed a privileged lifestyle living in an expensive part of London. An early chapter recalls how she would be taken to Harrods for her school shoes, which she then expands to a look at shoes generally, and how certain shoes have had psycological effect on the wearer. The red shoes of the chapter title are seen as an important lift to the spirits. A particular jumper, oversized and relaxing, brings back memories of a potentially dangerous situation for her teenage self. Her section on handbags is not only informative on how they became desirable and fashionable objects, but also how they represented the discovery of freedom for women from the home in past centuries. Her section on “Rags and Feathers” introduces the topic of second hand clothing, but does not really expand on how it is important to enviromental issues that clothing is worn and reworn, passed on and not carelessly disposed of, maybe even given a second life with a new owner. Having said that, she does suggest that many of her clothes have been worn a lot, sometimes beyond the particular time for which they were chosen. She does tend towards to name drop designers and celebrities that she has met in the course of her working and social life. She is honest about mistakes, and how she has bought clothes because of some unachievable concept of how they will make her feel and look.
This is a wide ranging book which reveals much about the clothes that the author owns and remembers throughout her life. She is honest in that she is not a model, and that some clothes have not worked for her. She also notes that her relationships have not always been easy or happy, but that she has tried hard to fulfil expectations. This is a fascinating book in many ways, full of details of clothes, fashions, influences and social movements. Anyone who has ever looked at the clothes they have worn over the years and wondered why they were are popular will find much to interest them in this book.
June 16, 2022
The history of fashion meets personal memoir in Shulman’s candidly and colorfully written book. What drew me to this book and what kept me reading it was the structure of the text, with each chapter focused on an item of clothing, an accessory, or in my favorite chapters, a color (the chapter on navy particularly spoke to me). I kept thinking about the items in my closet, past and present, and what they say about me.
Most of the chapters have a solid opening, inviting a sense of curiosity, but some of them end oddly, in a rather truncated or abrupt manner.
One of the delights in reading this book was that I learned quite a bit about the history of fashion and the fashion industry, and I enjoyed Shulman’s commentary on shifting trends over time. While I appreciate her acknowledgement that sometimes these trends don’t suit individual aesthetics or flatter all body types, an aspect of the text that left me feeling unsettled was Shulman’s treatment of body image, particularly with regard to her depiction of women’s bodies, including her own body. At times, a message of “take me as I am” is loud and clear, while at others, this message is obscured and even contradicted. In the chapter “Sleeveless Shifts,” she points out that shift dresses “are signifiers of bicep power” and refers to “successful female television presenters” who possess “an ability to carry off a sleeveless shift without a trace of wobbling dimpled flesh about their upper arm.” In the chapter “Bikinis,” she talks about how her preference for bikinis over one-pieces has continued even as her body has changed over time, and how a thickening midsection has not been a deterrent to wearing something that makes her happy. At the end of “Denim,” she lauds the “chameleon quality of jeans” and shares that “when I wear my favourite jeans…people often ask me, ‘Have you lost weight?’ What more could you want?” The chapter “Navy” addresses the idea of “ageless fashion” — “it’s about how you can still look passable once you reach an age where if you attempt a neon pink tulle meringue you will simply look like a freak.” I came away from the book with a sense of fashion being revelatory at times and constricting at others. It can liberate bodies but can also transform them into embattled sites. Shulman’s book affirms that there is an ongoing struggle to reconcile the reality of the changing female body with the fantasies of the fashion world, fantasies that the writer once helped to market when she was the editor of British Vogue.
Most of the chapters have a solid opening, inviting a sense of curiosity, but some of them end oddly, in a rather truncated or abrupt manner.
One of the delights in reading this book was that I learned quite a bit about the history of fashion and the fashion industry, and I enjoyed Shulman’s commentary on shifting trends over time. While I appreciate her acknowledgement that sometimes these trends don’t suit individual aesthetics or flatter all body types, an aspect of the text that left me feeling unsettled was Shulman’s treatment of body image, particularly with regard to her depiction of women’s bodies, including her own body. At times, a message of “take me as I am” is loud and clear, while at others, this message is obscured and even contradicted. In the chapter “Sleeveless Shifts,” she points out that shift dresses “are signifiers of bicep power” and refers to “successful female television presenters” who possess “an ability to carry off a sleeveless shift without a trace of wobbling dimpled flesh about their upper arm.” In the chapter “Bikinis,” she talks about how her preference for bikinis over one-pieces has continued even as her body has changed over time, and how a thickening midsection has not been a deterrent to wearing something that makes her happy. At the end of “Denim,” she lauds the “chameleon quality of jeans” and shares that “when I wear my favourite jeans…people often ask me, ‘Have you lost weight?’ What more could you want?” The chapter “Navy” addresses the idea of “ageless fashion” — “it’s about how you can still look passable once you reach an age where if you attempt a neon pink tulle meringue you will simply look like a freak.” I came away from the book with a sense of fashion being revelatory at times and constricting at others. It can liberate bodies but can also transform them into embattled sites. Shulman’s book affirms that there is an ongoing struggle to reconcile the reality of the changing female body with the fantasies of the fashion world, fantasies that the writer once helped to market when she was the editor of British Vogue.
October 23, 2021
Oh my goodness what a long and boring read Clothes and Other things that Matter by Alexandra Shulman was.
The book is 352 pages, 38 chapters and there’s a bibliography, index, picture credits and acknowledgments at the end of the book.
Whilst I expected to read about Alexandra Shulman’s life at Vogue, her favourite fashion things etc, what I didn’t expect were the political views, political issues and how she felt about the eu referendum. Quite frankly I don’t care what Alexandra Shulman feels about Labour, the Conservatives or the EU referendum! In the same way she wouldn’t care about my views.
For a fashion book I would have liked to have learned more about her favourite things. As someone who worked for Vogue, how did she cherry pick the things for her own wardrobe? What key pieces would be in her ideal wardrobe.
What surprised me shocked me even more was in chapter 36 which is all about the Dressing Gown. It mentions her move to the flat in Aldeburgh, where she thought swanning around in public, in a dressing gown was okay. Making a morning coffee on her gas stove and putting it into a thermos flask to enjoy on the beach whilst wrapped in her dressing gown. Could she not have gotten dressed first? Or getting up, putting on said plaid dressing gown and hopping on her bicycle to get the morning paper. Where is the respect? Not just for herself but for those around her?
Unfortunately this is the behaviour of our society. I see it myself and it doesn’t surprise me when people in influential places do it, it’s sure to catch on with normal people in society.
We have become a nation of dressing down and it’s sadly become slovenly and depressing to be honest. Everyone is wearing the same regardless of gender!
If you love Vogue and fashion and Alexandra Shulman - buy the book.
Otherwise I wouldn’t bother.
The most annoying thing is I won’t get the time back it took me to finish the book.
The book is 352 pages, 38 chapters and there’s a bibliography, index, picture credits and acknowledgments at the end of the book.
Whilst I expected to read about Alexandra Shulman’s life at Vogue, her favourite fashion things etc, what I didn’t expect were the political views, political issues and how she felt about the eu referendum. Quite frankly I don’t care what Alexandra Shulman feels about Labour, the Conservatives or the EU referendum! In the same way she wouldn’t care about my views.
For a fashion book I would have liked to have learned more about her favourite things. As someone who worked for Vogue, how did she cherry pick the things for her own wardrobe? What key pieces would be in her ideal wardrobe.
What surprised me shocked me even more was in chapter 36 which is all about the Dressing Gown. It mentions her move to the flat in Aldeburgh, where she thought swanning around in public, in a dressing gown was okay. Making a morning coffee on her gas stove and putting it into a thermos flask to enjoy on the beach whilst wrapped in her dressing gown. Could she not have gotten dressed first? Or getting up, putting on said plaid dressing gown and hopping on her bicycle to get the morning paper. Where is the respect? Not just for herself but for those around her?
Unfortunately this is the behaviour of our society. I see it myself and it doesn’t surprise me when people in influential places do it, it’s sure to catch on with normal people in society.
We have become a nation of dressing down and it’s sadly become slovenly and depressing to be honest. Everyone is wearing the same regardless of gender!
If you love Vogue and fashion and Alexandra Shulman - buy the book.
Otherwise I wouldn’t bother.
The most annoying thing is I won’t get the time back it took me to finish the book.
April 24, 2020
I love former Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman and I loved her previous book, Inside Vogue, which celebrated the magazine's 100th year. I'm not a massive follower of fashion anymore but used to love reading the glossy magazines and generally just following the industry. I especially enjoy getting that insider scoop on the gossip, drama and goings on of how the other half live (although under Shulman, UK Vogue did try to be both relatable as well as aspirational!).
In 'Clothes... and other things that matter', Shulman takes us on a non-linear journey of her life, from childhood to working at Vogue and to the years following her resignation. The book is split into sections, each focusing on a specific fashion item or attribute (colour/material etc), and her associated memories and opinions plus a bit of history about the specific item as well.
When the book started out with a list of the items in her wardrobe I really wasn't sure how much I would enjoy the book! Clearly Shulman is very privileged and comes from a very well-off and well-known family (many family members had previously worked with Vogue before she did). I was worried this would be full of unrelatable stories and name-dropping... which it was, to a large degree, but it was also still immensely enjoyable. It feels like a bit of a weird book to be reading in the current circumstances but it was a nice escape and a light, fairly quick read if you're interested in fashion and looking for something to dip in and out of.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the book.
In 'Clothes... and other things that matter', Shulman takes us on a non-linear journey of her life, from childhood to working at Vogue and to the years following her resignation. The book is split into sections, each focusing on a specific fashion item or attribute (colour/material etc), and her associated memories and opinions plus a bit of history about the specific item as well.
When the book started out with a list of the items in her wardrobe I really wasn't sure how much I would enjoy the book! Clearly Shulman is very privileged and comes from a very well-off and well-known family (many family members had previously worked with Vogue before she did). I was worried this would be full of unrelatable stories and name-dropping... which it was, to a large degree, but it was also still immensely enjoyable. It feels like a bit of a weird book to be reading in the current circumstances but it was a nice escape and a light, fairly quick read if you're interested in fashion and looking for something to dip in and out of.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the book.
April 26, 2020
‘Clothes…and other things that matter’ will delight anyone who has any interest at all in what they wear, what their friends and acquaintances wear and why fashions come and go. Alexandra Shulman’s knowledgeable, superbly illustrated and entertaining memoir may strike a particular chord with all those of her generation but it also provides an eminently readable history of why we wear the clothes that we do.
Organised into chapters such as ‘Red Shoes’ – yes, I had said pair from Startrite too – ‘T Shirts’, ‘The Geography Teacher’s Dress’, the reader is led through Shulman’s childhood, her teenage years and into adult life through her musings on her, and others’, clothes. We learn a good deal about the workings of the magazine industry, what people expect from a Vogue editor and how she has enjoyed success and ridden storms. Shulman comes across as attractively self-deprecating whilst also taking delight in all that she and her team achieved at Vogue during her 25 years as editor. In this memoir she is witty, warm, delightful company. So much so that it is extremely tempting to read ‘just another chapter’ whilst also relishing the carefully chosen illustrations. Nevertheless, this is also the sort of book that can very easily be picked up and put down as the mood takes. Highly recommended. I’ve already ordered a copy for my daughter-in-law who, I’m willing to bet, will turn straight to the chapter entitled ‘Handbags’!
My thanks to NetGalley and Octopus Publishing, Cassell for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
Organised into chapters such as ‘Red Shoes’ – yes, I had said pair from Startrite too – ‘T Shirts’, ‘The Geography Teacher’s Dress’, the reader is led through Shulman’s childhood, her teenage years and into adult life through her musings on her, and others’, clothes. We learn a good deal about the workings of the magazine industry, what people expect from a Vogue editor and how she has enjoyed success and ridden storms. Shulman comes across as attractively self-deprecating whilst also taking delight in all that she and her team achieved at Vogue during her 25 years as editor. In this memoir she is witty, warm, delightful company. So much so that it is extremely tempting to read ‘just another chapter’ whilst also relishing the carefully chosen illustrations. Nevertheless, this is also the sort of book that can very easily be picked up and put down as the mood takes. Highly recommended. I’ve already ordered a copy for my daughter-in-law who, I’m willing to bet, will turn straight to the chapter entitled ‘Handbags’!
My thanks to NetGalley and Octopus Publishing, Cassell for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
August 17, 2021
This is a shallow and superficial autobiography. The clothes worn by the author form the framework for individual chapters of the book, and epitomize each episode from her life. Unfortunately, she never goes into depth, nor says an unkind word about anyone with the exception of one person, her successor as editor of British Vogue. Even in that reference she tries to avoid the blame game for the unpleasantness that occurred during the transitional period.
It is clear that the author has a rolodex of A-list celebrities and fashionistas which she checked and drew upon when writing this book. She shamelessly drops their names, and her descriptions of her interactions with them are fawning, gracious, and clearly designed to curry their favor.
The book rates 2.5 stars for its occasional social commentary. Unfortunately, it’s too fleeting and meager, nor as searing as it could have been, as clearly the author did not want to offend anyone, neither her friends, acquaintances, business associates, potential clients or employers, or readers. If there had been more, and an in-depth no holds barred discussion of the author’s life, this might have been a far better and more interesting book.
It is clear that the author has a rolodex of A-list celebrities and fashionistas which she checked and drew upon when writing this book. She shamelessly drops their names, and her descriptions of her interactions with them are fawning, gracious, and clearly designed to curry their favor.
The book rates 2.5 stars for its occasional social commentary. Unfortunately, it’s too fleeting and meager, nor as searing as it could have been, as clearly the author did not want to offend anyone, neither her friends, acquaintances, business associates, potential clients or employers, or readers. If there had been more, and an in-depth no holds barred discussion of the author’s life, this might have been a far better and more interesting book.
May 2, 2020
This is a really interesting approach to a memoir, which perfectly fits a former Vogue editor. Using the framework of different items of clothing, Alexandra Shulman uses each piece as a springboard into a particular memory, such as a scarf that takes her back to her first trip to Paris, or slip dresses that lead to an exploration of bold 30s actresses who first started wearing this type of garment, and what it would signify and how it mark them out as something other. It’s both a memoir and a history of fashion, tracing different garments and their reason for being, and why they have the impact that they do. I found this extremely interesting.
This is a wonderful approach and I think that this book would lend itself either to being read straight through in order, or being dipped into chapter by chapter, depending on what took your fancy at the time you picked it up at. I would recommend this to everyone - and I say that despite not being a Vogue reader myself! This is very well written and provides a refreshing approach to a memoir that says away from the traditional format.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a wonderful approach and I think that this book would lend itself either to being read straight through in order, or being dipped into chapter by chapter, depending on what took your fancy at the time you picked it up at. I would recommend this to everyone - and I say that despite not being a Vogue reader myself! This is very well written and provides a refreshing approach to a memoir that says away from the traditional format.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2020
Alexandra Shulman has chosen a particularly appealing premise for her memoir, ‘Clothes and Other Things That Matter’. As a former editor of Vogue UK, Shulman is more familiar than most, with the role played by fashion in our lives and in particular how we associate certain items of clothes in our memories. This is the framework for the memoir. Over 39 chapters, with titles as diverse as ‘Red Shoes, ‘Slip Dresses’, The LBD’ and ‘The Geography Teacher’s Dress’ Shulman reflects on items on clothing that have a place in her memory/wardrobe but also the role the items played in her life such as show shopping with her mother in Barkley Square, how slip dresses became fashionable etc. The book is part memoir, part history of fashion and acts as a glimpse into the modern British fashion industry. By reflecting on her life, Shulman also touches on issues such as sexual identity, motherhood, ambition, power and body image – all of which are particularly relevant at present.
Whether you are a fan of Shulman, Vogue or have a passing interest in the industry this book is well-worth a read and the structure is perfect for dipping in and out of as the mood takes you.
I received a free copy of this book from Cassell Illustrated via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Whether you are a fan of Shulman, Vogue or have a passing interest in the industry this book is well-worth a read and the structure is perfect for dipping in and out of as the mood takes you.
I received a free copy of this book from Cassell Illustrated via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
August 21, 2021
Thank you to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for my invitation to the tour and to Octopus books for my copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review.
I love a memoir and I had read good things about this one. I really enjoyed how each chapter is an item from her wardrobe and how Alexandra weaves them into her story.
From her little red shoes to recycled fashion, every chapter is really interesting. I liked dipping in and out of the book, it was that type of read. I loved the chapter on The Chanel Jacket in which talks about Alexandra working at Vogue and her clothing allowance which sounded a lot but when buying items of four figures it would not have covered much at all.
I like Alexandra, believe that clothes are really important for identity, self esteem and memories, this book encompasses the power of clothes and how a wardrobe can hold so much more on its hangers than what appears.
A great read !
4 Stars ****
I love a memoir and I had read good things about this one. I really enjoyed how each chapter is an item from her wardrobe and how Alexandra weaves them into her story.
From her little red shoes to recycled fashion, every chapter is really interesting. I liked dipping in and out of the book, it was that type of read. I loved the chapter on The Chanel Jacket in which talks about Alexandra working at Vogue and her clothing allowance which sounded a lot but when buying items of four figures it would not have covered much at all.
I like Alexandra, believe that clothes are really important for identity, self esteem and memories, this book encompasses the power of clothes and how a wardrobe can hold so much more on its hangers than what appears.
A great read !
4 Stars ****
August 30, 2020
Absolutely fabulous
I found myself reading this book by accident and I cannot explain the I found myself doing so. Having established that the author was the former editor of Vogue I thought that I would have nothing in common with her and quickly tire of the text of this book.
It is perhaps unfair on Alexandra Shulman that the last book I had read was "M Train" by Patti Smith but it emerged that Alexandra Shulman also shares my love of Patti Smith, Svetlana Alexievich and wearing black.
Alexandra Shulman may not be in the same league as these two authors but as she was once advised "..no matter how few words you were writing they had to tell a story and not just dull facts.". This book certainly does so and had some interesting things to say along the way. I would recommend it to anyone interested in this subject.
I found myself reading this book by accident and I cannot explain the I found myself doing so. Having established that the author was the former editor of Vogue I thought that I would have nothing in common with her and quickly tire of the text of this book.
It is perhaps unfair on Alexandra Shulman that the last book I had read was "M Train" by Patti Smith but it emerged that Alexandra Shulman also shares my love of Patti Smith, Svetlana Alexievich and wearing black.
Alexandra Shulman may not be in the same league as these two authors but as she was once advised "..no matter how few words you were writing they had to tell a story and not just dull facts.". This book certainly does so and had some interesting things to say along the way. I would recommend it to anyone interested in this subject.
July 21, 2021
Alexandra Shulman worked at British Vogue from 1992 to 2017. She writes an engaging memoir that incorporates aspects of her job with anecdotes from her life as a mother daughter and wife. Vogue has always been an iconic magazine for me and I have enjoyed many a digital copy. It's chic, classy and always up to date with what's going on in the fashion world. Let Clothes...and other things that matter pull you into the world of glamorous fashion but also the real world as experienced by it's longest serving editor.
A must-read for any fashion or memoir addict. I love the relaxed but real way in which this is written. The illustrations are a great compliment to the writing.
Thanks to Alexandra Shulman and Cassel Illustrated for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
5 stars
A must-read for any fashion or memoir addict. I love the relaxed but real way in which this is written. The illustrations are a great compliment to the writing.
Thanks to Alexandra Shulman and Cassel Illustrated for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
5 stars
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