THE TRUTH ABOUT STYLE (Stacy London)

I originally picked up this book (OK, I also ordered it for the library) because I'm a fan of "What Not to Wear" and I was interested in how Stacy would make over the 8 women chosen to be featured here.  London, it turns out, is not just an attractive woman with a talent for figuring out what looks good on other people; she is a insightful and sympathetic person with many issues of her own.  She doesn't just dress a person, suggesting colors and styles that complement shape and lifestyle.  She gets to the heart of WHY they have failed to develop their own fashion sense and in the course of doing so she reveals in each chapter her own vulnerabilities and mistakes.  Stacy London suffered very badly from psoriasis during her adolescence and still carries scars from the steroid cream the finally gave her relief but nearly destroyed her skin in the process.  As a college student at Vassar she struggled with eating disorders, her weight fluctuating between 90 and 180 pounds during her first year working at a fashion magazine.  She describes herself as not very good at relationships and has never been married or had children.

In addition to the surprising insights into herself and her own life, London also offers the reader an interesting analysis of each of the eight women she transforms.  They include a wide range of "types:" a 48-year-old divorced mother who would like to start dating, a petite but curvy young career woman, a very tall newlywed who feels that her shape (narrow shoulders, long legs, thick waist) is impossible to dress, a successful, fifty-something Silicon valley career woman who wants to look youthful without looking like she is trying to look younger, and more.

I enjoyed The Truth About Style thoroughly.  I thought I would flip through it , look at the pictures, and read a few paragraphs here and there, but I ended up reading the whole book over the weekend.  I feel like I have a whole new perspective on how and why to dress, as well as new insight into Stacy London.  She's very interesting, and she's really nice (not that I had thought otherwise)!  I guess the truth about personal style is that it has nothing to do with the latest trends, how much money you invest in your wardrobe, or how much you weigh.  It has to do with feeling good about who you are and expressing that through the way you dress.  By projecting your love of color, your artistic sensibilities, your professional confidence, etc. to the world through your choice of clothing instead of focusing on and trying to disguise your real or imagined physical flaws, you let the real you shine through.  What could be better than that?