Clothes... and other things that matter: A beguiling and revealing memoir from the former Editor of British Vogue

by Alexandra Shulman

Overview

Part memoir, part fashion history, part social commentary, Alexandra Shulman's Sunday Times bestseller explores the meaning of clothes and how we wear them, with a new preface on how recent world events have changed our relationship with clothes

'Warm, thought-provoking and honest.' - Victoria Hislop

'Clever, emotionally intelligent, reveling in style without making us yearn to shop.' - The Times

'Self-deprecating and stylish, this is sure to become a classic.' - Vanity Fair

'It's funny, honest and in typical Shulman style mixes high and low effortlessly. We don't know many people who can write about bras, Donald Tusk and Madeleine Albright all in the same sentence.' - A Little Bird

'Scintillating reading.' - The Spectator

'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

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'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.

From the bra to the bikini, the trench coat to trainers, 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.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781788401999
Publisher:	Octopus Books
Publication date:	01/18/2022
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Alexandra Shulman is a writer and commentator. She was British Vogue's Editor-in-Chief from 1992 to 2017 and was awarded the CBE in the 2018 New Year's Honours list. She is currently a columnist for the Mail on Sunday, a contributor to a variety of newspapers and magazines and a Vice President of the London Library. She has written two novels, Can We Still Be Friends (2012) and The Parrots (2015) and Inside Vogue: The Diary of My 100th Year (2016).

Table of Contents

Preface 3

Introduction 9

1 Red Shoes 17

2 Sloppy Joe 21

3 The Bra 31

4 Rags and Feathers 41

5 Suits 49

6 Hats 61

7 Indigo 71

8 The Chanel Jacket 77

9 The Hairdresser's Gown 85

10 Brooches, Badges and Pins 91

11 The Little Black Dress 101

12 White Shirts 111

13 Aprons 121

14 Slip Dresses 129

15 Maternity Clothes 141

16 The Beaded Skirt 151

17 Trench Coats 157

18 The Geography Teachers Dress 165

19 Track Suits 171

20 The Perfect Dress 177

21 T Shirts 183

22 Sleeveless Shifts 191

23 Handbags 197

24 Denim 209

25 Pink 217

26 Bikinis 223

27 White Shoes 233

28 The Big Ticket Dress 241

29 The Trainer 253

30 Holiday Wardrobes 261

31 Beanies 271

32 Many Kinds of Black 279

33 Tights 289

34 Gold Dresses 299

35 Utility Wear-a.k.a. Boilersuits 307

36 Dressing Gown 315

37 Navy 323

38 Jewellery 333

Bibliography 341

Index 345

Picture Credits 355

Acknowledgements 357