"The Little Black Book of Style" written by ex-Fashion Director of Elle Nina Garcia is a great straight forward read for beginners and fashion experts alike. The book is very clean, organized, straight to the point and not at all wordy. Garcia talks about everything from basic wardrobe staples (and different ways to wear them) to inspirations in music, art and the movies. It is also a small book so it's easy to travel with as well. Love it!

I love this book. just when i was looking for ispiration, Nina said it plain and clear for me. I took some items out of my closet and turned it into something awesome. That same day I walked into a coffee joint in Seattle and immeidietly the baristas commmented on my outfit! Thanks Nina!

Easy to read, fast and fun book but not a whole lot of substance. Think that there could have been greater detail on style for the average woman. Believe that Nina Garcia has a great wealth of fashion information but you won't read nearly enough in this book.

If you do not know that you should have a perfect little black dress and great accesories, buy this trite book full of white space and platitudes. Otherwise save your money for a great bag. Ms. Garcia is condesending and I find borderes on insulting to her reader's intelligence. Illustrations by Ruben Toledo are beautiful.

I finished this book in a single night. I truly wanted to like it, but I thought it was quite boring. Black pants, white buttoned shirt, $3000 dollar handbag, trenchcoat, black pumps-- all the usual stuff that we've all learned and heard many times over.

The most disappointing for me was her recommendation that every woman should own a fur coat-- then she tries to be snarky and say something to the effect of "OH, SO, SORRY, PETA!", like, the only people who have something against fur coats are PETA. You don't have to be a radical PETA member to have issues with fur and the cruelty that goes hand-in-hand with the fur industry. Anyone with half a conscious realizes this by the year 2008. All except Nina, perhaps.

Anyway, don't bother with this book-- maybe catch it for a quick half-hearted skim at the library or something.

I liked this book! It's definitely not rocket-science! LOL! Seriously, I think it will give the reader some basic knowledge about developing thier own style. I must say that most of us who are not in the fashion business do not normally have a tailor on call, nor are we "international jetsetters!", such as Ms. Garcia.....who continually pounds us over the head w/her wordliness. I digress....the book is very intertaining and I don't think you'll regret buying it!

Having read quite a few books on fashion and style before, I expected this book to contain some of the same old advice (do's and don'ts for pear shaped body types, etc.) So it was a nice surprise to find it is more about inspiring the reader to find her way through fashion, giving out some basic advice and some great examples of where to draw inspiration from. In fact she could have even have elaborated a bit more on the inspiration examples, it was the best part of the book. Nina's writing is easy and entertaining, it really feels like she's sitting in front of you having a chat. The short interviews with the who's who in fashion are also fun to read, especially because they are kept short. The illustrations are beautiful, but I only wish the book had some more visual examples of the clothes.

I literally just got done reading this book and had to come write a review because im very disappointed. If you're already aware that a little black dress, a trench coat, black pumps, a white button up shirt, and a classic handbag are wardrobe essentials, dont bother buying this book becuase it wont entlighten you to anything you don't already know. Since Nina is so opinionated on Project Runway, i thought this book would contain specifics on style, but its very basic.

Good book for learning the basics. Expected more. Good book for a beginner, but if you're already receiving Vogue, W, Bazaar, this is too basic.

Okay as most of us know - Nina Garcia's ONLY real claim to fame is Project Runway. Sure she's been a fashion editor at Elle magazine (big whoop) and after reading her book - that's all she has working for her. Of all the fashion books I've read - I expected A LOT more from her book. It didn't even meet half my expectations. Sure, she gives great history and great quotes, but that's about it. The only piece of advice you walk away with is fashion is not about being common but about taking risks, and that ladies need to be more confident - confident in buying clothes, confident in dressing which leads to being more confident in themselves. Don't get me wrong I agree with all of that, but I really didn't need a book nor Nina Garcia to tell me that. This was the first time I ever wanted to return a book! I give this book "2 stilettos" - great quotes, but no real depth or fashion advice.

I bought this on impulse. I don't think I have that horrible sense of style, I re-organize my closet every six months, and I know that every woman should own a trench coat and an LBD. So why, then, do I need Nina Garcia's advice on basic dressing?

Well, maybe I don't. But I enjoyed it anyway!

First off, she writes tongue-in-cheek, inspiring, in a personal tone that makes you feel BETTER about your favorite clothes (because you like them, you should keep them) not WORSE (because they're "out of style"). Of course it's a paradox when Garcia, fashion director at ELLE magazine, tells you not to live by the trends, but she pulls it off. I think she owes a bit to the gorgeous illustrations of Ruben Toledo.

Garcia succeeds in almost every single chapter. The "basics" she discusses go way beyond the LBD. Her style icons (chapter three: inspirations), from Faye Dunaway to Patti Smith, all have something that you can pick up and take with you. And, something that I was happily surprised by: she never talks about how much you should weigh to wear a certain piece of clothing - it's all about how you feel in it.

There are a couple of things in the book that annoy me, though. The entire chapter five ("Insider Tips And Tricks") is unnecessary; it seems every designer interviewed just finds a way to say the same thing: be elegant, be yourself, et cetera. I do not learn anything from Elle MacPherson telling me I need to wear the right size bra, or Gilles Mendel saying fur goes with everything.

But in the end, I felt inspired after reading the book. I keep going back to it to find inspiration on what to wear, how to wear it. After all, a book of style that quotes Fran Lebowitz ("I don't believe in God. I believe in cashmere") will always have me positively inclined towards it.

I highly recommend this book for all women who want to be ladies whereever they are. This book gives inspiration, creativity and encourages any woman to be a lady with big L.

Absolutely loved this little book. I read it over night as it was an easy fun read (like a very long article in Elle or Vogue). Nina emphasizes that the key to dressing well is STYLE not fashion. She re-emphasizes this throughout the book. This is what makes personal style and makes a woman unique (not the latest fashion trend). Also, the importance of fit. It is really worth it to find a seamstress or tailor to fit your clothes to your particular body type, and even better if you have sewing ability yourself. Nina's writing style is actually very entertaining and she does not come across at all as she does in her role as judge on Project Runway. A lovely little gem for all those fashion victims on your gift giving list!

while i did enjoy this book, in the same way i enjoy project runway, i have to say i sometimes i find her a little full of herself, in the kind of "hit in the face" kind of way. i like watching it on tv because you can make fun and laugh along with your friends... it look a little weird when you are mocking her in the book... by youself... on public transport.
ok that was mean, i did enjoy this book and all the lovely illustrations. as a fashion devotee, it was a very good read, and a good insite into "investment shopping".
a good boook to purchase if you are just starting out on your own in the world and want to have those lush items in your wardrobe, but want you well earned pennies to last longer.
i would buy this for a friend or relative close to me age (20's)

This Book is excellent for someone wanting to revamp their wardrobe or gain a true sense of style. Her book is one of the few books that actually list in detail the wardrobe staples needed. I found her persona narratives to be very interesting. ANd she even went over movies that influence fashion. This book is excellent

Nina Garcia has an interesting viewpoint, but pads this very slim book shamelessly with cliches from various designers, as well as a very text-light graphic design. This provides about a magazine article's worth of information/opinion.

I, having an eye for fashion (whoops! style),love this book. Its lite and its light, and before even reading it, or flicking through the pages, it has a feel of elegance. The covers look and its title are classy. The content is fast and flowing, and the water colors are exquisite. I feel like I'm reading a flapper book from the 20's. Its a book that should be on every female political candidates Christmas list, and I already mentioned it to a few. Although one, already in office, meets its standards (Hint, I only vote for female blonds). Nina's story about her first hittng the East Coast private girls school, from her home in South America, surely must have been a shock to her stylewise. As it was for the main character in the film, Legally Blond. I do agree with her that the first thing you should buy is a trench coat and black dress. But, I'm now favoring a motorcycle jacket or a maxie coat(where are they) and a red dress. Relating to the look you'll find of the women that drape themselves over the cars in Rat Rodz Magazines, or the red dress in the Fergie video, Clumsy, on Youtube . A few tattoos won't hurt either now-a-days. (Bernard does charity work, sorta. He provides women with fashion encouragement by transforming them stylewise to the point that they are in successful relationships and are living affuently, thanks to Bernard. Now with Nina's book, they need no one. [...])

I, having an eye for fashion (whoops! style),love this book. Its lite and its light, and before even reading it, or flicking through the pages, it has a feel of elegance. The covers look and its title are classy. The content is fast and flowing, and the water colors are exquisite. I feel like I'm reading a flapper book from the 20's. Its a book that should be on every female political candidates Christmas list, and I already mentioned it to a few. Although one, already in office, meets its standards (Hint, I only vote for female blonds). Nina's story about her first hittng the East Coast private girls school, from her home in South America, surely must have been a shock to her stylewise. As it was for the main character in the film, Legally Blond. I do agree with her that the first thing you should buy is a trench coat and black dress. But, I'm now favoring a motorcycle jacket or a maxie coat(where are they) and a red dress. Relating to the look you'll find of the women that drape themselves over the cars in Rat Rodz Magazines, or the red dress in the Fergie video, Clumsy, on Youtube . A few tattoos won't hurt either now-a-days. (Bernard does charity work, sorta. He provides women with fashion encouragement by transforming them stylewise to the point that they are in successful relationships and are living affuently, thanks to Bernard. Now with Nina's book, they need no one. See his bio on www.classmates.com)

I having an eye for fashion (whoops! style), and I love this book. Its lite and its light, and before even reading it, or flicking through the pages, it has a feel of elegance. The Covers look and its Title are Classy. The content is fast and flowing, and the water colors are exquisite. I feel like I'm reading a flapper book from the 20's. Its a book that should be on every female political candidates Christmas list, and I already mentioned it to a few. Although one, already in office, meets its standards (Hint, I only vote for female blonds). Nina's story about her first hittng the East Coast private girls school, from her home in South America, surely must have been a shock to her stylewise. As it was for the main character in the film, Legally Blond. I do agree with her that the first thing you should buy is a trench coat and black dress. But, I'm now favoring a motorcycle jacket or a maxie coat(where are they) and a red dress, relating to the crowd I now hang out with. Its the look you'll find of the women that drape themselves over the cars in Rat Rodz Magazines, or like Fergie in the video, Clumsy, on Youtube . A few tattoos won't hurt either now-a-days. (Bernard does charity work, sorta. He finds women that nobody wants and fixes them up to the point that somebody more successful than he takes them off his hands. Many of these women are now happily married and are living affuently, thanks to Bernard. See his bio on www.classmates.com)

I having an eye for fashion. Oops! Style. And I love this book. Its lite and its light, and before ever reading it, or flicking through the pages, it has a feel of elegance. The covers look and its title are Classy. The content is fast and flowing, and the water colors are exquisite. I feel like I'm reading a flapper book from the 20's. Its a book that should be on every female political candidates Christmas list, and I already mentioned it to a few, although one already in office meets its standards (Hint, I only vote for female blonds). Nina's story about first hittng the East Coast private girls school from her home in South America surely must have been a shock to her style wise, as it was for the main character in the film, Legally Blond. Although, I agree with her that the first thing you should buy is a trench coat and black dress. I'm now favoring a motorcycle jacket and a red dress, relating to the crowd I now hang out with. Its the look you'll find of the women that drape themselves over the cars in Rat Rodz Magazines. A few tattoos won't hurt either now-a-days. (Bernard is a fashion consultant, sorta. He find women that nobody wants and fixes them up to the point that somebody more successful than he takes them off his hands. Many of these women are now happily married and are living affuently, thanks to Bernard. See his bio on www.classmates.com)

I having an eye for fashion. Oops! Style. I love this book. Its lite and light, and before eve reading it or flicking through the pages it haa a feel of elegance. The cover look and it title is Classy. The content is fast and flowing, and the water colors are exquisite. I feel like I'm reading a flapper book from the 20's. Its a book that should be on every female political candidates Christmas list, and I already mentioned it to a few, although one already in office meets its standards (Hint, I only vote for female blonds). Nina's story about first hittng the East Coast private girls school from her home in South America surely must have been a shock to her style wise, as it was for the main character in the film, Legally Blond. Although, I agree with her that the first thing you should buy is a trench coat and black dress. I'm now favoring a motorcycle jacket and a red dress relating to the crowd I now hang out with. Its the look you'll find of the women that drape themselves over the cars in Rat Roz Magazine. A few tattoos won't hurt either now-a-days. (Bernard is a fashion consultant, sorta. He find women that nobody wants and fixes them up to the point that somebody more successful than he takes them off his hands. Many of these women are now happily married and are living affuently, thanks to Bernard. See his bio on www.classmates.com)

As Nina points out "confidence is captivating, powerful and it doesn't fade, and that is endlessly more interesting than beauty."

Her book is all about developing that confidence with clothing, which is part of a person's overall impression, the package they present to the world, and upon which they are judged.

You never do get a second chance to make a first impression. It is a faster paced society, people move in and out of contact with each other in brief seconds, and this means the impression you leave says more and more about you, as we talk less.

I've read my way thru decades of fashion magazines, rarely finding much of value. They are all about finding this season's "it" bag while Nina explains why you might not want to look for this season's "it" bag, why finding your own style might work better (and be cheaper and more satisfying too).

I am not a Project Runway viewer, never saw it, not interested in the life of a fashion model in the slightest but I love dressing well.

This guide transcends current fashions, and gives timeless advice.

Yes, some of it we've all heard before, but then again, not everyone who buys this book will be fluent with Vogue, Elle, Lucky, Harper's Bazaar and the like.

Some things bear repeating.

The most useful sections I found to be the first part on finding your confidence and projecting style. She has a list of basic concepts in there that are worth the price of the book in my opinion.

Things like; How to edit (your wardrobe, your buying habits), How not to be a fashion victim, Buying Drama, How to mix it up, How to be imperfect. That last one is a bit tricky. On first glance most women groan that they've got that nailed!

But here she is talking about the kind of relaxed imperfection that comes across as simply stunning. And she gives guidelines!

Her list of the classics is fun. She includes the ubiquitous little black dress, the classic man tailored white shirt, cashmere (turtle neck or cardigan, trench coat, jeans, a man classic styled watch, diamonds, ballet flats, high heel pumps and a great handbag.

This is a great current guide on the lines of the classic book A Guide to Elegance by Genevieve Dariaux. Buy both.

And those illustrations are wonderful. I've so enjoyed that artist's work in Vogue. Great book all round.

Dear Nina Garcia, Fashion Director of Elle Magazine,

I just wanted to drop you a quick note about your new book, The Little Black Book of Style.

First, can you and Tim Gunn stop feeding my Project Runway addiction? I'm having a hard enough time concentrating on my work as it is, now I'm wondering when Season 4 will start.

Having said that, I appreciated the nuggets of encouragement in The Little Black Book of Style. When it arrived in the mail, I thought - Hey, where is all the usual advice? But then I realized this wasn't meant to be a `usual' book. In addition to some concrete advice about white shirts and how to look elegant, you gave me a little pep talk which I clearly needed.

Thanks for letting me feel good about my H&M habit and for encouraging me to think a little longer about buying a pair of Manolos! I feel so schlubby day in and day out.

My life wasn't always like that. When I worked in an office, I had some good clothes. But, since my daughter came along and I sit in my home office in front of the computer all day, the "fashion" in this house has reached a sorry state. So I'm going to try to find an excuse to get those shoes, clean out the closet and look like me again.

I will start to "treat [myself] like a goddess," and focus more on the fact that style is an attitude that "comes from knowing [who I am]."

Yes, I admit, that I was just the tiniest bit jealous that you know all those cool designers who answered your Q&A's, but, as it turns out, we're connected with fewer than Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon - my stepdaughter works for one of those designers, so maybe I'll have her say `hi' to you next time you're in that office!

While it's hard to arrive for school pick-up in something other than the standard mommy uniform (since it just makes everyone comment about where I've been or what I've been up to), I'm going to try it again.

And this time, I'll just say, "Oh, my friend Nina said this would make me feel great."

Sincerely yours,

PunditMom

Thank you, Nina Garcia, for the Little Black Book of Style! I read it on a plane to Paris. Although Ms. Garcia covers the basics (the science, as it were) that would be very helpful for a young woman or any age woman just coming into herself, she touches upon that ineffable (the art) something, the soul-making, that is one's personal style. The book helped me, an avowed fashionista, to "be more comfortable in my own skin", a piece of advice handed out by many of the designers, models and style mavens queried in the Little Black Book. Reading it while going into Paris could not have been more timely; it helped me select things of quality and beauty; I took notes on the Parisienne's garb and cross-referenced it with the ideas in the book. Thank you again, Nina Garcia, for helping me love style and fashion even more than I did already! Encore!

This book was pretty unmemorable - some decent advice, but any women's fashion magazine would have similar advice. The latter half of the book was just interviews with fashion people - not incredibly interesting or informative.

Did the reviewers get the same version of the book that I got? The book has some of the cutest watercolors, possibly leftover from one of my favorite books "Bombshell Manual." I think possibly some text too! Oh, that was a different author wasn't it. Well Nina, certainly talked like she knew what was what on Heidi's show and she has the job to match at the magazine, so,...What happened with the book? The title is too good to pass up. Shame it has been used for a book on entertainment rather than knowledge. Oh my bad, this book was meant to educate in fashion. I am tagging this book for wealth and not beaty or fashion for a very good reason can you guess WHY?

Looks are like the only thing that matters these days.
Nobody really cares about personality or talent anymore.
For example look at the music industry of today.
It's full of beautiful people with little to no talent at all. Even newborn babies can tell a good looking woman from a not so good looking one. So it is very good if people begin to read books like that and the How to be a Super Hot Woman: 339 Tips to Make Every Man Fall in Love with You and Every Woman Envy You and put all tips into practice. If you want to look hot, I recommend you take the next step. It's a small investment that could change your life. Both books "The Little Black Book" and "How to be a Super Hot Woman" are highly recommended!

Good and helpful! Has great quotes which are good, but spends to much time talking to people about style which inevitable comes out to style is a personal thing instead of cutting down into specifics of clothing. But very entertaining.

A fun read, but not much to it. Repeated many of the same observations we've all read in women's magazines and not much about how to accomplish it yourself. Much, much better is Tim Gunn's Guide to Style. He really went into the "how to" of style, and he's funny as well. His method for cleaning out your closet is one of the best I've ever heard - I did it and got rid of over half of what I had hoarded for years. Then I went shopping!

The Little Black Book of Style
Received the book in excellent shape and promptly. Very happy with the transaction, Excellent.

Fun, funny, easy reading, the Little Black Book is a treasure to keep by your bedstand. It makes one realize that their own style is as important as everyone else's.

I have to admit, she is articulate and posses a wealth of knowledge of various designers but that's about it. I was slightly bored.

I thought it was great. I love to read abotu people who've been brought up in, or really embrace fashion, so hers was great. I would have also loved to hear more about her own family and personal edicts regarding fashion, as well as more of the music/fashion info...and perhaps more illustrations! Definitely more of those.

Nina Garcia's prose is amusing, but there is very little substance to be gleaned if you are like most women - not connected with the fashion industry. Most of us have non-fashionista day jobs in addition to other activities that require different looks. We turn to fashion magazines and books for tips on finding an individualistic style that maximizes one's options based on a few well-chosen key pieces. The trick is to develop a flattering, cohesive, modern style that can is versatile enough to be adaptable to many events without make one look schizophrenic, all the while hopefully remaining solvent.

Garcia's most important fashion tip is about getting your clothing altered so that they fit better. If you are somewhat fashion savvy, the advice given - such as the importance of altering looks with accessories, paring down your wardrobe to essentials - is nothing new. Most of the book is filled with fashion industry and personal anecdotes and descriptions of looks that are simply neither practical nor affordable for most women.

If you are looking for some light reading on fashion, go ahead. If you were looking for practical advice or secret insider information on any aspects of style, I suggest looking elsewhere.

Once you start reading this book you are trapped by the fluent and fun to read language. The advice she gives are practical, easy to follow, and mainly she helps with this book to build your own fashion style. However this book is not only about fashion but about self-confidence, and self esteem. She makes us learn that the best way to build a style is to feel o.k in your own skin. Its worth reading. I read it in only one afternoon.

Nina Garcia's prose is amusing, but there is very little substance to be gleaned if you are like most women - not connected with the fashion industry. That is, if you have a non-fashionista day job in addition to other activities that require different looks, and was searching for a book of tips on finding a cohesive style and maximizing your options, you better turn elsewhere. The most important fashion tip is about getting your clothing altered so that they fit better. The rest of the book includes "obvious" advice - such as altering looks with accessories, fashion industry and personal anecdotes and looks that are simply not practical nor affordable for most women.

I picked up this book because of the illustrations. Ruben Toledo the illustrator is fabulous! However "meat" of the book is lacking. The other book illustrated by Ruben Toledo, in same sort of personal style category, is much better.

Don't bother spending your time or money on this book. I've found other books on the same topic much more helpful. This publication could have focused more on helpful hints, rather than focusing on details such as a short question-and-answer session with well-known designers providing their definitions of what "style" is. Buy a better book!

I was so surprised to see how fabulous this book was. It is truly a fashion 101 with great advice. I loved the illustrations and the quotes throught the book. She gives you some fashion history, her view and the basics or the "bones" to what fashion should be. I love that she feels we shouldn't follow trends. Confidence is key. All together an outstanding addition to my fashion and art book collection.
Thank you Nina for such a great little read.
Great job!

Not having seen "Project Runway", I didn't know what to expect from Nina Garcia's style book. It is, itself, a sylish little tome with drawings, no photos, and six chapters entitled, "Be Your Own Muse", "The Basics", "Inspirations", "What to Wear When...", "Insider Tips and Tricks", and, "Fashion Cliff's Notes, Decade by Decade".

One of my favorite parts of the book is chapter five, with the insider tips and tricks. The insiders include Diane von Furstenberg, Zac Posen, Ralph Lauren, Marherita Missoni, and Elle Macpherson, among (many) others. Questions were posed to each--questions such as "What do you find eternally stylish?" to "What is the secret to style?" Answers were short and direct and helpful.

Another favorite chapter is "The Basics". It includes 10 basic "rules" to guide the reader to his or her unique style. It begins with the simple dictim to "Edit" and how to do so, and ends with the lovely "Be Imperfect", which lets us all breathe a little.

A more unusual addition to "The Little Black Book..." is the "What to Watch and What to Watch For" section in the Style and Film part of Chapter 3, "Inspirations", which I found useful, followed by Style and Music, which I did not.

This little book was fun to read, a little sassy and a good deal of information that can be used to put the reader in style. Two (well manicured) thumbs up!

The book is well written and the illustrations are really beautiful. Who knew that Nina Garcia has such a wonderful sense of humor! The first part of the book is helpful in terms of providing information you can use and implement. The last half is just fluff. She highlights fashion icons and includes mini-interviews with designers. She tries to show you where to go for inspiration. That's fine, but I bought her book because I wanted to hear what SHE had to say. This book and Tim Gunn's book echo each other in terms of 'must haves' for every womens closet so if you've read his book, definitely skip this one. In fact, I think you can get more fashion tips just from looking at the stunning illustrations than by reading the text.

i bought this book only because nina garcia is amazing on project runway. being a shopoholic i really didn't think i needed any "style" help. but after reading it i feel inspired and am digging deeper in my fashion arsenal everyday to make each outfit stand out. i also did a huge purge after reading this. she helped me part with a lot of items that for one reason or another i couldn't seem to get rid of in the past.

two thumbs way up nina!!!

This book is quite a fun and informative read. Nina Garcia keeps her voice light throughout, with a few funny moments that genuinely surprised me. Though I am a huge fan of the 'Project Runway' judge, I had honestly expected her book to be dry and even condescending -- this is the infamous Nina Garcia, after all.

But I was quite surprised. Especially around my first laugh-at-loud moment, when she discusses the importance of buying shoes that actually fit your feet and not just your budget: "Toes spilling out of a pair of strappy, sexy sandals is a very painful sight. I do not wince out of sympathy for your feet. I side with the shoes."

The rules of style never really change. But Nina Garcia does a great job at giving you the tools to edit your closet, your shopping habits and helping you discover and create your own style.

Aside from the usual advice one gets from style manuals, she provides a chapter on finding your fashion inspiration, complete with bulleted lists of movie and rock fashion icons. She also has an entire chapter of quick question and answer sessions from fashion professionals such as John Galliano, Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, Oscar De La Renta, etc.

The only issue I had with the book was that it was too short. I wanted to read more of her own experiences with style and fashion. These moments in the book were by far the high points. While I did like the inclusion of so many lists, her voice was lost sometimes among all of the bullet points. Which is a shame, because some of her life stories are truly unique, such as the one about her mother's live-in seamstress.

Overall, this book was a fun, informative read that left me smiling for the rest of the day. I highly suggest it, no matter what your level of fashion or style experience may be.