ShopDiary

Sex and the City: The Movie Book

If you loved the movie, and are not yet fazed by the hype, then you will definitely love the hardcover book of Sex and the City: The Movie. I just got my copy today and I enjoyed flipping through the pages seeing all the eye candy all over again, after having watched the movie on Saturday evening.

This book is the perfect complement for someone who wants to relieve the movie again but in print. It follows the film chronologically with behind the scenes dish from key cast and crew members. There’s a two page spread on how the wedding dress was selected (the costume designers were hoping for Christian Dior). You’ll find what lengths were taken to retrieve loaned wardrobe for reshoots (Carrie’s tie-dye dress by Veronique Branquinho was being used in a Vogue photo shoot in the Mayan jungle so a wardrobe assistant had to fly to Mexico to pick it up for a reshoot) and more.

There’s also a guide to the film’s many NYC locations, how the movie came about, Carrie’s apartment makeover, recaps from the TV series and, best of all, a look book that details what each character wore from head to toe. You know I love dissecting wardrobe on Gossip Girl so it’s definitely a plus for me to have this information right in the book! The book is loaded with full color images so don’t expect too much reading but look forward to lots of eye candy which was what the movie was about for me (I didn’t care too much about the plot, really). It does contain spoilers so I recommend watching the movie first. If you’d like a copy of the book, there’s still time to enter our SATC goodie bag contest which ends on June 6. Or get it at Amazon.com today.

The Little Black Book of Style

I had been looking forward to tomorrow’s official release of The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia so I felt lucky to get a copy of the book last week. Sure, there are so many books on style, but I just had to see what Elle Magazine’s Fashion Director and Project Runway judge had to offer.

Written in Nina’s own confident and unapologetic voice (She unabashedly declares, “I love fur!”), you can almost her her say “Impeccable!” when you read it. (Project Runway fans, you know what I mean!) Nina promises that it “is not a book of rules… I am going to help you build your style confidence, find what works for you, edit your closet, teach you what to look for, and give you a few tricks of the trade. This is a crash course on style references, insider tips, and avoiding being the fashion victim. ” The insider tips are from fashion industry notables such as Diane Von Furstenberg (on inspiration and confidence), Cameron Silver (on buying vintage), Gilles Mendel (on fur), Victoire de Castallane (on jewelry), Christian Louboutin (on shoes), Vera Wang (on weddings), and more. Nina also offers suggestions from where to draw style inspiration from, and lists fashion history cliff notes from the 1920s to the present.

What I love most about this book is that it literally is a little black book of style. It is a small book with a black hardcover and is styled to be effortlessly read. The illustrations by Ruben Toledo are amazing! They are sprinkled throughout the book and are a visual delight. You have got to see them!

The Little Black Book of Style is a fantastic little book that’s got style as well as substance. You’ll want to buy several: one for yourself and the rest to share with your girlfriends!

Some Like it Haute

I just finished reading Some Like It Haute by Julie K. L. Dam and I have to admit that I actually liked the book. I generally stay away from chick lit since I almost always feel like I just wasted my time after reading one. To give you an idea, I did not like The Devil Wears Prada at all although I faithfully read it until the painful (for me) end.

So what drew me in to read this book in the first place? Well, I enjoy reading the author’s blog of the same name. Her witty banter entertains without dumbing down the reader. But to lessen any anticipated disappointment, I borrowed a book from the library and waited for my turn. It took a good two months to get a copy but hey, I was in no hurry.

The novel starts out slow but I was not ready to throw in the towel yet since I found a connection with Alex, the heroine. And what is that connection you say? Well, when I travel, I have to list the outfits that I’ll be wearing each day during the trip before I pack. Yeah, I can be anal like that. But unlike Alex, I don’t put my list on an Excel spreadsheet and I am not a stickler for following the list. And, unfortunately for me, I don’t have as fabulous a wardrobe as Alex’s.

I’m not going into the details of the book like other reviews. What I’ll say is that I think what keeps the book going is it’s mix of mystery, romance (with a swoon worthy romantic prospect) and, of course, fashion talk. The author knows just when to make a twist and turn to keep readers hooked. There are some unrealistic scenes but they come out really funny so all is forgiven. Overall, this is a light and entertaining read.

Incidentally, I have a sister whose name is also “Julie K.L.” who dabbled in journalism back in the day. No kidding. This, of course, has no bearing on my opinion of the book.