Fashion For Dummies Book

This should be called "Women's Fashion For Dummies"; the book makes no bones about assuming you are a woman, and it gives advice for wearing dresses and things but there are no sections on menswear. Be forewarned.

Parts were somewhat inspiring, like the examples of how to dress up or down a simple dress, but mostly I found it overly didactic and limited to one particular type of fashion (the author's) without allowing for much individuality on the part of the reader. Sure, there's such a thing as classic looks, but not everyone NEEDS a trench coat (I've never found a reason to have one), pearls, or sweater sets. Not everyone looks good in white shirts and black blazers. The look it encourages is admittedly grown-up and professional, which I wanted, but also very mom-y. I don't WANT to wear silk scarves. Awwuuuurgh.

Also, the color section is wrong, according to my experience, but I am VERY sold on the idea of seasons, e.g. I'm a True Summer. I wish this had been in the book since identifying my best colors was a cornerstone to me revamping my wardrobe effectively, and it's not as simple as matching your skin or eyes.

Still, there is useful information in here regardless of your taste. I like the way it breaks down different dress codes (black tie, etc.) and defines certain terms, like what the different fabrics are.