Reviews for Rare Bird of Fashion: The Irreverent Iris Apfel

The average rating for Rare Bird of Fashion: The Irreverent Iris Apfel based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-10-10 00:00:00 Sue Brady After seeing the documentary "Iris" about Iris Apfel, I wanted to read this book. Apfel is in her 90s, and is a style icon. A former interior designer, she spent years collecting beautiful (many designer and vintage) clothes, and an amazing collection of costume jewelry. The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY did an exhibition featuring her clothing and jewelry, and this coffeetable book is based on that show. There are some introductory pages about Apfel's life and philosophy (which I skimmed), and the rest of the book is made up of stunning photos of outfits styled by Apfel. She is a true artist. Watch the DVD (or Google her) if you want to learn more about her. The book shows the outfits on mannequins, but the movie shows how Apfel dresses herself and you will be amazed at how fantastic she looks with her signature large round black glasses and layered jewelry.

Review # 2 was written on 2015-04-07 00:00:00 Kevin Oliver "Most people say take one off; I say add one on." -Iris Barrel Apfel Imaginative, fun collaboration between designer/magpie/clotheshorse Apfel and fashion photographer/author Boman. Despite owning so many one-of-a-kind pieces, Apfel is unpretentious -- she calls herself "the world's oldest living teenager" and says she likes to wear jeans when she's working. But her jeans get exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a textile designer, Apfel traveled the world for decades, snapping up evening clothes from couturiers and semiprecious stones from souks and plastic baubles from flea markets and mixing them to great effect. Never before have I longed to wear an antique horse decoration with crocodile trousers and wolfskin accessories. And the plaid raincoat with fur-cuffed sleeves -- worn as a dress! I swooned. An interview with Apfel is here: And plugging her name into Google Images is so much fun.