Style Clinic: How to Look Fabulous All the Time, at Any Age, for Any Occasion

Great style guide

The book starts out talking about a distinction between the concept of style and the concept of fashion. Style is different from fashion in the way that fashion trends come and go and style is timeless. It helps knowing exactly what works for your body type and your style personality. What pieces worth splurging and what to buy cheap. What needs to be renewed often and what will last. The book also talks about classics - the pieces that will never go out of style. I especially enjoy that part since I prefer timeless pieces over new trends. Trends come and go and there is no need to follow each one, especially considering the fact that not all trends will work well for a particular body type. As the book mentions, if one looks great in boot-cut jeans, there is no need to get into unknown territory of skinny jeans just because they are trendy at a particular time. there is no need to deviate from what has worked well for you in the past. The basic moral is - Fashion makes you desire things you should not. Shop your style, not the hottest fashion trends.

Alos the book lists some timeless classics, such as trench coat, LBD, tuxedo suit, good jeans, classic knits such as twinsets, turtleneck and v-neck sweater. Personally I am a big fan of trench coats, cashmere, good jeans, twinsets, pearls and LBD.

Then the book goes into what should be kept in your closet and what should be discarded. The more you buy, the less it seems you have to wear. Buying a lot does not mean that everything you buy will work for you, most of us buy impulsively on a whim and then end up with disfunctional wardrobe. And that's where the Style Clinic comes in.
It helps you to decide what to purge from your wardrobe and what is worth keeping.

Next subject is wardrobe basics - white shirt, cardigan in your favorite color, suit jacket that goes with your skirt, 3 pairs of pant: jeans, tailored work pants, and smart day-to-evening pants, classic LBD, couple of casual t-shirts and tank tops, dressy round-neck top as a dressy alternative to a t-shirt, day skirt, 3 pairs of shoes: boots, ballet flats and a pair of high heels. The list of basics is followed by details about each item, how to pick the right one and what to wear it with.


Also there is plenty of advice on how to find the perfect fit for your body, on using colors and prints in order to emphasize or camouflage, dressing appropriate for your age, and some successful shopper tips. Such as CBS: coat, bag, and shoes formula and other useful rules.

Second part of the book talks about each piece of clothing (jeans, skirt, dress etc.) more in depth, what to wear it with, what kind to choose for each body type, how to build a coat capsule, how to select a perfect pair of pants, a skirt, dress, accessories etc. Well illustrated with pictures of celebrities that fit a particular body type and/or wearing particular article of clothing.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Really Delivers a personal STYLE REVIEW and gives great advice!

This book by former InStyle columnist, Reed, is right at the top. Style Clinic allows you to analyze your style by body type and age--lots and lots of pictures of real people in their clothes help a lot. Paula Reed gives refreshing shopping advice--white shirts need to look fresh, buy new but cheap then, wear replace, vs tailored pieces, buy expensively and wear and wear and wear. Plus her shopping by body type has really clarified things for me. I know where to spend and where to save. Nina, Clinton and Kelly and just about every other book are more a laundry list of great pieces. Or they tell you what short, tall petite and big or small hipped people should wear. This book allows you to look at yourself individually and get inspired. This books helps you shop to add for the season and really let go of what isn't working. Thank you Paula Reed.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

"Style Clinic"

Well, I'm a jeans & T shirts person, but this book makes me want to do better at presenting myself to the world. It's inspiring, uplifting, informative. The author has done a balanced job of mixing reasonableness with looks that are, shall we say, "more to aspire to". To be honest, I haven't actaully changed the way I dress due to this book, but I have ideas that I'd never had before. Her format is usable, very friendly & readable.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Very Practical Advice

I love fashion books, and have referred to them throughout my life. I'm a grandma who knits and bakes, but I don't want to look like a granny. What the author does here is help you develop your look and stay true to that. It saves you time and money and you always look like your best self, enen when casually dressed.

don't waste your time

while this book has some good tips, i found most of the book contrdictory and ill advised. save your money.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.