A review by laureng
Nina Garcia's Look Book: What to Wear for Every Occasion by Nina Garcia, Rubén Toledo
3.0
I was prepared to completely hate this book, but it was better than expected. I still think the idea of someone else needing to tell you how to dress in general is weird. That being said, there was actually some very good advice in this book.
Almost 100% of the good advice is in the first section of the book which deals with work (interviews, office parties, et cetera). She even made a point I didn't consider that when attending a work party you are trying to network at, wearing too many fantastic jewelry pieces can keep the conversation on what you're wearing instead of on your skills and abilities. Unless you're in the fashion industry, that might not be the best networking conversation. Also, the section on what to wear on a business trip was interesting, because she has a short blurb on what is appropriate business dress in various countries for a woman, and I may not have thought about that (China is really formal, pants and bright colors are most appropriate in India, et cetera). If I ever go on a business trip in the future, I'll think about researching what clothes would be appropriate for that country.
Most of the rest of the book I could have done without. I did find the holiday section interesting only because I learned about various Jewish holidays and what is appropriate level of dress, behavior, and gifts.
Other than that Nina Garcia is definitely opinionated and really only considers options that are her style. The only flats in the world that exist for Nina are pink silk ballet ones, and one should never wear leopard on a first date. While she does talk a lot about do's and don'ts, she then will also stress do what is right for you and for your style, which is nice.
What it comes down to, is if you are a relatively wealthy woman who really digs Nina Garcia's style, you'll simply get more out of this book. From a Fashion Design standpoint, if you want to make clothes for a wealthy woman who dresses like Nina Garcia, this is an in depth look at what considerations she takes in her clothes buying and what sorts of things are in her closet. From that perspective, it is an interesting book.
I wouldn't buy this book, but if you're still interested in reading it, I'd check it out from the library. Even though it looks big, it's a relatively quick read.
Almost 100% of the good advice is in the first section of the book which deals with work (interviews, office parties, et cetera). She even made a point I didn't consider that when attending a work party you are trying to network at, wearing too many fantastic jewelry pieces can keep the conversation on what you're wearing instead of on your skills and abilities. Unless you're in the fashion industry, that might not be the best networking conversation. Also, the section on what to wear on a business trip was interesting, because she has a short blurb on what is appropriate business dress in various countries for a woman, and I may not have thought about that (China is really formal, pants and bright colors are most appropriate in India, et cetera). If I ever go on a business trip in the future, I'll think about researching what clothes would be appropriate for that country.
Most of the rest of the book I could have done without. I did find the holiday section interesting only because I learned about various Jewish holidays and what is appropriate level of dress, behavior, and gifts.
Other than that Nina Garcia is definitely opinionated and really only considers options that are her style. The only flats in the world that exist for Nina are pink silk ballet ones, and one should never wear leopard on a first date. While she does talk a lot about do's and don'ts, she then will also stress do what is right for you and for your style, which is nice.
What it comes down to, is if you are a relatively wealthy woman who really digs Nina Garcia's style, you'll simply get more out of this book. From a Fashion Design standpoint, if you want to make clothes for a wealthy woman who dresses like Nina Garcia, this is an in depth look at what considerations she takes in her clothes buying and what sorts of things are in her closet. From that perspective, it is an interesting book.
I wouldn't buy this book, but if you're still interested in reading it, I'd check it out from the library. Even though it looks big, it's a relatively quick read.