Styles come and and go, but fashion has an enduring appeal, a rich history, and an everyday practical relevance for millions.Launched to coincide with London Fashion Week 2014, this book offers a host of new perspectives on a classic subject. Professional fashion expert Amber Jane Butchart casts a quizzical eye over fashion's oddities, revealing the histories of such garments as the Adelaide boot, the origins of many technical terms and a host of entertaining quotes and aphorisms f...

From BBC television and radio presenter Amber Butchart, The Fashion Chronicles is an exploration of 100 of the most fascinating style stories ever told.From Eve's fig leaf to Hilary Clinton's pantsuit, the way we choose to clothe our bodies can carry layer upon layer of meaning. Across cultures and throughout history people have used clothing to signify power and status, to adorn and beautify, even to prop up or dismantle regimes.Here, explore th...

One of the most influential, admired, and colorful women of our time: fashion designer and philanthropist Diane von Furstenberg tells the most personal stories from her life, about family, love, beauty and business: “It’s so good, you’ll want to take notes” (People).Diane von Furstenberg started with a suitcase full of jersey dresses and an idea of who she wanted to be—in her words, “the kind of woman who is independent and who doesn’t rely on a man to pay...

The Project Runway judge and New York Times–bestselling author of Style Strategy shows the essential items every woman needs in her fashion arsenal.In the wildly popular The Little Black Book of Style, fashion authority Nina Garcia showed women how to think about personal style in an entirely new way. Encouraging readers to creatively assert their style identities, Nina showed women of all ages how to hone and self-edit a distinct...

From Joan Juliet Buck, former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris and “one of the most compelling personalities in the world of style” (New York Times) comes her dazzling, compulsively readable memoir: a fabulous account of four decades spent in the creative heart of London, New York, Los Angeles, and Paris—“If you loved The Devil Wears Prada, you’ll adore The Price of Illusion” (Elle).In a book as rich and dramatic as the li...

International fashion icon Jeanne Beker dishes on her life on and off the runwayMore than 30 years ago, Jeanne Beker set out to live a life that was not just great, but extraordinary. In Finding Myself in Fashion, she recalls some of the high and low points of the turbulent past decade. Personally, she dealt with heartbreak (the end of her marriage) and rediscovered romance.Professionally, she suffered setbacks that became learning experie...

Meeting the characters at Walt Disney World is so fun! You can say hello, shake hands, take a picture, get an autograph, and get a hug. Though there is no guarantee you'll see a certain one, the characters do have their favorite spots to hang out inside Walt Disney World. It's nice to know what they are before your trip begins. Check this 2013 Character Finder guide to learn more about where to look. You'll love all the great fun facts and interactive links as well. Good luck! We hope your...

The first, definitive biography of the iconic, notoriously private British fashion designer Alexander McQueen “offers new insights...and provides unprecedented access to a misunderstood soul” (The Boston Globe).When forty-year-old Alexander McQueen died by suicide in February 2010, a shocked world mourned the loss of the haute couture visionary. McQueen had risen from humble beginnings as the son of an East London taxi driver to scale the heights of fame, ...

Coco Chanel, without question probably the most famous fashion designer of all time, was named by Time magazine one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. Her life was filled with trauma, romance, intrigue, and scandal, but her business acumen and groundbreaking talent (along with funding by her paramours) took her far beyond her humble beginnings. Chanel understood how to get what she wanted from life and never hesitated to pursue the grandest of visions. Her designs brok...

This stylish introduction to vintage fashion showcases the key designs and styles of the main vintage eras of the 20th century. It will be an inspiration to vintage enthusiasts and general readers alike, including iconic designs, trends and styles from each decade. It also includes commentary on the social changes that influenced fashion throughout the 20th century, plus photographs of film stars (such as Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly) modelling classic designs, as well as garment illustr...

Nancy MacDonell Smith explores the origins, meaning, and remarkable staying power of the ten staples of feminine fashion:* the little black dress* the white shirt* the cashmere sweater* blue jeans* the suit* high heels* pearls* lipstick* sneakers* the trench coatTracing the evolution of each item from inception to icon status, she reveals the history and social significance of each, from the black dress's associat...

Every bookshop has a storyWe're not talking about rooms that are just full of books.We're talking about bookshops in barns, disused factories, converted churches and underground car parks. Bookshops on boats, on buses, and in old run-down train stations. Fold-out bookshops, undercover bookshops, this-is-the-best-place-I've-ever-been-to-bookshops.Meet Sarah and her Book Barge sailing across the sea to France; meet Sebastien, in Mongolia, who sells bo...