Better than Beauty: A Guide to Charm


Helen Valentine - 1938
    It's the perfect simplicity of manners--a winsome blend of kindness, confidence, and grace. Better than Beauty resuscitates the long-lost art of charm with hints, tips, and tricks guaranteed to boost our charm quotient. First published in 1938, this classic compendium is overflowing with timeless advice to help guide you through a maze of social interactions with wit and finesse. Much more than an etiquette or personal grooming book, Better than Beauty tackles complicated social situations with delicacy. You'll learn-How to engage in creative conversation-How to be pleasant on paper and refined on the telephone-How to choose your confidantes with care-How to maintain peace in difficult situations-How to find the most flattering clothing for your figure-How to deflect unwanted advances-How to be kind to atrocious peopleAnd much, much more...

Lauren Conrad Style


Lauren Conrad - 2010
    Now Lauren reveals how you can adapt her classic, understated style for yourself. In her first-ever style guide, Lauren offers tips on how to create your own unique look, shares her favorite sources of inspiration, and identifies the absolute must-haves for any fashionista's wardrobe. Along the way, she examines her fashion evolution, from California-casual teen to camera-ready style icon and clothing designer.From beauty advice and hair secrets to how to shop vintage or find the perfect T-shirt, Lauren Conrad Style unlocks the mysteries of being effortlessly chic. With Lauren's guidance, you'll look and feel stylish every day.

How to Live Like a Lady: Lessons in Life, Manners, and Style


Sarah Tomczak - 2008
    It's a certain something that results from the delicate combination of elegance, charm, and wit. No matter how good looking, wealthy, or accomplished a woman might be, she isn't living the life of a lady until she behaves like one. How to Live Like a Lady is a handbook that will guide any woman, manicured hand in manicured hand, to a lifestyle of manners, style, and elan.

Entre Nous: A Woman's Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl


Debra Ollivier - 2003
    Why do French women always look inimitably stylish? How do they manage to sit in a café for a three-course lunch and a glass of wine...by themselves? What gives them the certainty that allows them to refuse anything-whether a man, a job, or a little black dress-that doesn't suit them perfectly?More than just a book on fashion, Entre Nous is about the essence of French living-its observations about French women and their ways will help you take the best of all pages from the French girl's book: the page that reveals how to really enjoy life."Ollivier spent a decade in France and learned a thing or two about how French women cultivate that sense of being easy in one's skin...(she) helps us bridge the cultural gap."- Seattle Times

The Goddess Guide


Gisele Scanlon - 2006
    In The Goddess Guide, she shares the secrets of living an unforgettable and desirable life, garnered from her own experiences and insight as well as those from a throng of fashion houses and celebrities, including Dolce & Gabbana, Laura Mercier, top New York trainer David Kirsch, and award–winning Chef Heston Blumenthal. Discover such secrets as:Finding the perfect bra Make-up bag essentials Closet cleaning the eBay way Caring for fine cashmere The best vintage shops around the world Essential discount websites, seasonal trends, and a body shape guide Tips for a clutter-free home, and much moreWant to know why the soles of Christian Luoboutin's beautiful shoes are always crimson red? Ever wondered what Britartist Tracey Emin collects? Going to London, Paris, New York and need to know what prefumes, trinkets and treats to try out and bring home so that you can relive your trip and share the world with your family and friends? Perhaps you have a room to decorate and want to put up – and customize – a wall that will give you a daily feelgood feeling? Still searching for the best – fitting jeans, the snuggliest duvet, that awesome movie to watch while you work at home on a day off of work or fancy buying a neat piece of street art?Not only does The Goddess Guide, written by worldwide coolhunter Gisèle Scanlon contain all of the answers to the previous questions, but it's also beautiful to hold and own. The cover is a collection of Gisèle's favourite things experienced in her travels put together in a lush velvet rich flock by her photographer coolhunting partner. Inside this eclectic homemade handbook is another beautiful visual treat, each chapter heading has been embroidered by the Queen of England's embroiderery house and each page is completely original and individually scrapbooked and handmade with layers of illustration, photography and exquisite tips. The Goddess Guide also contains handwritten letters from cool industry insiders as varied as Nylon magazine editor Marvin Scott Jarrett and New York fashion designer Narciso Rodriquez.From getting the perfect Hollywood smile from world renowned experts Marc Lowenburg and Gregg Lituchy in New York to booking the best hotel bed and seeing Christian Louboutin's Paris to obtaining those perfectly sculpted arms, The Goddess Guide has it all.

Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior


Judith Martin - 1982
    Your niece swears that no one expects thank-you letters anymore. Your father-in-law insists that married women have to take their husbands' names. Your guests plead that asking them to commit themselves to attending your party ruins the spontaneity. Who is right? Miss Manners, of course. With all those amateurs issuing unauthorized etiquette pronouncements, aren't you glad that there is a gold standard to consult about what has really changed and what has not? The freshly updated version of the classic bestseller includes the latest letters, essays, and illustrations, along with the laugh-out-loud wisdom of Miss Manners as she meets the new millennium of American misbehavior head-on. This wickedly witty guide rules on the challenges brought about by our ever-evolving society, once again proving that etiquette, far from being an optional extra, is the essential currency of a civilized world.

Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons From The World's Most Elegant Woman


Karen Karbo - 2009
    Delving into the long, extraordinary life of renowned French fashion designer Coco Chanel, Karen Karbo has written a new kind of book, exploring Chanel's philosophy on a range of universal themes - from style to passion, from money and success to femininity and living life on your own terms.For a live viewing of Chesley McLaren's illustrations you can visit The 4th Wall Gallery.Click here for more info.

The Little Black Book of Style


Nina García - 2007
    Here, in one indispensible volume, are Nina’s ultimate rules of style to help you uncover your own signature look.

Parisian Chic: A Style Guide


Inès de La Fressange - 2010
    Inès de la Fressange—France’s icon of chic—shares her personal tips for living with style and charm, gleaned from decades in the fashion industry. She offers specific pointers on how to dress like a Parisian, including how to mix affordable basics with high-fashion touches, and how to accessorize. Her step-by-step do’s and don’ts are accompanied by fashion photography, and the book is personalized with her charming drawings. Inès also shares how to bring Parisian chic into your home, and how to insert your signature style into any space—even the office. The ultrachic volume is wrapped with a three-quarter-height removable jacket and features offset aquarelle paper and a ribbon page marker. Complete with her favorite addresses for finding the ultimate fashion and decorating items, this is a must-have for any woman who wants to add a touch of Paris to her own style.

Style: The Modern Lady's Guide to Elegance and Charm


Eliza Chamber - 2013
    Charm is an everyday practice and attitude that helps you become an enriched person. Instead of aiming to simply please others and cater to antiquated social norms, you can grow within yourself and enjoy modern life, culture, beauty, and style in a bold new way. This updated version of the traditional charm school guide offers adaptations and insights on how to be a woman of charm and grace in the modern, fast-paced world. Style: The Modern Lady’s Guide to Elegance and Charm conquers everything from etiquette and manners to women’s clothes and how to be chic and elegant in an intuitive three-part format that makes it easy to quickly navigate the style guide and find the information that is important to you. PART 1: Interacting with Others by Charming Yourself First Beginning your journey by empowering yourself through charm Learning how to be a woman who is unique and confident Letting go of imperfections and using flaws to increase your charm and appeal Appreciating the world, including art, literature, and music through your own unique tastes Etiquette and manners for communicating via phone, text, and web (including social media), saying no politely, introductions, and dining A style guide to behaving stylishly and impressing others by being yourself How to be charming during conversation, including etiquette and manners for introductions, goodbyes, finding conversational partners, and exciting go-to topics to keep things going Tips on how to be a lady from masters of charm Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly PART 2: Beauty and Fashion for the Charming Individual Comprehensive style guide to obtaining and maintaining a good appearance Selecting the best skin, hair, and nail products to achieve easy and beautiful looks Tips for conquering bad hair days, chipped nails, and situations where you need to look good fast How to be chic and elegant through proper choice of women’s clothes Pampering yourself with easy spa remedies and relaxing treatments that renew your beauty Posture tips that teach you how to be a lady in any situation Women’s clothing style guide that covers all pieces of your ensemble from head to toe Applying makeup, perfume, and finishing touches to perfect a look Shopping for women’s clothes and accessories on a budget and selecting staples for quick and easy fashion solutions PART 3: Maintaining Elegance and Charm during Various Situations Etiquette and manners for traveling, including airport visits, plane travel, hotel stays, touring foreign countries, tipping and more Women’s clothes and fashion choices for on-the-go charm How to be chic and elegant during trips by selecting the proper luggage, fashions, and behaviors for unique situations Item suggestions for the stylish traveler How to be a lady during visits to Paris, Rome, London, and locations in Europe Planning events and how to be charming as a hostess while keeping guests entertained Information on table and place settings, menus, drink selections and cocktails, seating arrangements, and decorations to create perfect parties Handling unexpected and overnight guests with elegance a

City Chic: An Urban Girl's Guide to Livin' Large on Less


Nina Willdorf - 2003
    They have an eye for style that is only slowed by a budgetary bottom line. They live the lifestyles of the not-at-all-rich and the not-just-yet-famous. Soon enough, they will be superstars, oozing savoir-faire. But for now, before they assume the helm of the boardroom table, they still have their secret ways of living the good life. City Chic is a practical, insiders' primer on how to squeeze the most style out of a small salary, how to creatively cheat at looking chic for cheap. From food and drink to personal maintenance to clothes to home decor, City Chic covers everything an Urban Girl needs to know.--Big-idea decorating for small spaces--Financially sound fitness techniques--Cash-saving culinary tips--Shopping sales calendars-by day, month and season--and so much more!

How To Be Adored


Caroline Cox - 2009
    A glamorous woman has a magnetism few men can resist, yet all of us can attain it--even those without classically natural beauty. Many beautiful women lack glamour and conversely some of the most unusual looking women have glamour by the bucket load. "How to be Adored" is a style guide with a difference, featuring secrets and advice from a roll call of history's most seductive women, including Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O, Debbie Harry, Sophia Loren, Gwyneth Paltrow, Princess Diana, Kate Moss, Gwen Stefani and Carla Bruni. In their own words they reveal how to achieve glamour and how to be adored by all you encounter. Professor of Fashion, Caroline Cox, fills every page with witty observations and entertaining anecdotes. With masses of primary research you will be instantly drawn in by the juicy revelations about Hollywood stars past and present. "How to be Adored" is packed with useful information and advice, supported by wise words from those who know. And as you begin your glamorous transformation, remember what sixties film star Arlene Dahl said, 'There's no such thing as an ugly woman. There are only those who have not realized their full potential.'

Freakin' Fabulous: How to Dress, Speak, Act, Eat, Sleep, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better Than Everyone Else


Clinton Kelly - 2008
    As co-host of TLC's popular What Not to Wear, he regularly transforms dumpy fashion disasters into traffic-stopping, get-an-instant-promotion, reignite-the-passion-in-that- relationship makeovers. But fabulousness doesn't stop with style. Let's face it: you might look good, but if you're chomping on that crudité with your mouth wide open, nobody at the party will talk to you -- even if you can explain to them what crudité actually is. Of course, the keys to being better than everyone else aren't always so obvious. Don't worry; Clinton's here to help. How do you make a flat butt look big and a big butt look flat? What's the one trick that will slim down your entire silhouette and make your ta-tas look va-va-voom? How do you eat an oyster without getting kicked out of the best restaurant in town? What's the grammatically correct form of "lay" to use when propositioning a Baldwin brother? He'll teach you how to look your best, sound your smartest, use the manners your momma taught you, poach an egg, fix a perfect gin and tonic, throw the most popular parties (and top the guest list at other soirees), make your home the envy of your neighbors, and generally be the fabulous person you always knew you could be. From the three style criteria he uses to dress any shape for any occasion, to his eloquent approach to appreciation, to his four must-memorize recipes for whipping up a last-minute meal, Clinton Kelly shares it all in Freakin' Fabulous.

Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris


Jennifer L. Scott - 2011
    Madame Chic took the casual California teenager under her wing, revealing the secrets of how the French elevate the little things in life to the art of living. Each chapter of Lessons from Madame Chic reveals a valuable secret Jennifer learned while under Madame Chic's tutelage: tips you can incorporate into your own life, no matter where you live or the size of your budget. Embracing the classically French aesthetic of quality over quantity, aspiring Parisiennes will learn to master the art of eating (deprive yourself not), dressing (the ten-item wardrobe), grooming (le no-makeup look), and living à la française. From entertaining with easy flair and formality to cultivating allure while living an active, modern life, Lessons from Madame Chic is the essential handbook for anyone wanting to incorporate that Parisian je ne sais quoi into her daily life.

How to Walk in High Heels: The Girl's Guide to Everything


Camilla Morton - 2005
    Much more than just a style manual or crash course in social skills, How to Walk in High Heels also illuminates the finer points of achieving better homes and gardens, tackling technophobia, climbing the career ladder, and joining the jet set. From the practical, such as what to do when a heel breaks and how to catch a mouse, to the imaginative, such as how to enjoy karaoke and swim in sunglasses.