The Look: A Guide to Dressing from the Inside Out - Hardcover

Duke, Randolph

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0307336832 ISBN 13: 9780307336835

Publisher: Clarkson Potter, 2006

Synopsis

Authentic personal style comes from understanding our bodies, recognizing the demands of our particular lifestyle, mining our experiences, and finding what we really like. —Randolph Duke

Randolph Duke’s The Look is a guide to personal style unlike any other. Duke knows high fashion—he has dressed Hollywood A-listers for the red carpet for years—but more important, he understands that putting together a truly fabulous look has everything to do with the woman who’s wearing it. Every woman already knows what she does and doesn’t like, so The Look wastes no time prescribing one-size-fits-all fashion solutions. Instead, it helps women make today’s sometimes-intimidating array of options work cleverly and beautifully for them.

It all starts with body type. Once you’ve identified your shape from five broad categories, you’ll learn to choose clothing that maximizes your positive features and downplays less desirable ones. Then, you can shop for flattering outfits that fit your lifestyle, whether you’re a fan of bohemian or preppy, urban chic or country living. The Look also teaches you to mine your own closet (and your friends’, too!) for pieces that can be refreshed or repurposed for a whole new look.

Great style is more about a state of mind than it is about a designer wardrobe or a fat bank account. Learning to respect your body and your own taste is a critical part of Duke’s philosophy. Exercises throughout the book help you identify what inspires you as you update your look and feel ever more gorgeous in your own skin. Stunning photographs of real, stylish women, from linear-figured supermodel Cheryl Tiegs to hourglassy fashion writer Merle Ginsberg, will encourage you to mix up and play with fashion to send your own message.

With expert tips on everything from making occasion-appropriate accessories choices and matching makeup to your ensemble to spicing up your outfit with personality pieces and stocking up on essentials for work, play, and evenings out, The Look gives you all the tools you need to let your personal style shine through.

About this title

About the Author

Randolph Duke has designed swimwear for Anne Cole and Gottex, served as design director for Henri Bendel, revived the iconic Halston label, and created an eponymous couture collection that has been worn by Angelina Jolie, Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Lopez, and many other celebrities. His multimillion-dollar clothing and accessory line, The Look, is a favorite on the Home Shopping Network, where he appears regularly. Duke also makes frequent appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, The View, Extra, and Access Hollywood. He lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

In this brief but thorough fashion guidebook, renowned fashion designer Duke shares insights on how to reclaim personal style, identify body shape, accessorize and cultivate authentic style. The guide's strength is Duke's friendly approach to informing the reader: he does not dictate what to wear (or what not to), but rather encourages readers to trust their personal style while teaching them to make informed decisions based on malleable guidelines which can be shaped to cater to one's unique sense. After outlining five body types (lower figured, middle figured, upper figured, linear, and hourglass), chapters focus on developing your wardrobe, applying it to different purposes (work, play and seduction), and fitting it with accessories, cosmetics and "The All-Important Personality Piece." "Style diaries" offer workshop activities which range from journaling ("Describe your best qualities") to art projects (creating a storyboard of fabric swatches, paint chips, fashion magazine clippings and inspirational photographs) to clothes swapping with friends. This solid primer has a confident tone that's both positive and infectious.
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Edition details

• Publisher: Clarkson Potter
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0307336832
• ISBN 13: 9780307336835
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192