Books for all style resolutions

To most of us, Happy New Year rally means Happy New You. After two weeks of happily gorging on delicious Christmas meals and languidly catching up on our favorite TV shows, the loud fireworks on New Year’s Eve slap us back to reality. Diets start. Gyms fill up again. Cigarettes are stubbed out. Desks, hard drive and closets are organized. Books are bought. Resolutions are made to better ourselves in 2010.

What better time to rethink our personal style? We all put on clothes every day, but we seldom realize how much our attire says about us. If anything, 2009 was the year that personal style really held its own against retail fashion — style blogs and sites like Lookbook and Chictopia allowed people to share their own styles with the world, and it has made all of us think how we can better express our personalities through our clothes. Instead of simply following trends, we’re challenged to mix and match and make our looks our own. Whether it’s to wear heels more often or to be more out-of-the-box with your outfits, changing your look is the quickest and most palpable way to start the year fresh. The wonderful thing about personal style is that you’re not copying some look from a magazine or a website, but strengthening your signature look and making it better. After all, we’re changing decades, redefining looks. Perhaps this is the year you redefine yours.

While you’re reflecting on how clothes can show off your personality to the world, you may want to refer to the following books on the subject. All written by fashion insiders and personalities, the books all discuss the basic principles of distilling your closets and defining your own style. While they all include celebrity pictures and anecdotes, the authors don’t shy away from their personal stories. We hear about their own favorite pieces, their fashion regrets, and their own journeys to where they are. It’s such a comfort and joy to hear that once upon a time, they were rethinking their styles too.

Style A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty and Everything Glamour by Rachel Zoe with Rose Apodaca

Rachel Zoe is probably most famous for transforming Nicole Richie from Paris Hilton’s sidekick to a fashion icon all on her own by giving her big shades, a big bag and breathing bohemian rock glam into her wardrobe.

Rachel is all about the glamour, and that’s why she rocks as a celebrity stylist.

Everything she touches turns into Hollywood, and she teaches us how to do the same in our own lives.

From fashion to beauty, from traveling around the world to entertaining in your own home, Rachel gives you her fun and friendly advice on how live fabulously, along with designers like Michael Kors, Francisco Costa and Diane von Furstenburg.

Reading this book is like having your own Rachel Zoe telling you what to do, and as you flip through the pages you almost feel like you already have the accessories that she recommends you wear.

Fierce Style: How to Be Your Most Fabulous Self by Christian Siriano with Rennie Dyball

I am a huge Project Runway fan (both the American and the local versions), and my favorite designer ever is Christian Siriano from Season 4.  From the dress he made in the first challenge to his collection in Bryant Park, I was in awe of his great talent.

His book is as “fierce” (to borrow his term) as he is, peppered with his distinctive vocabulary (yes, there is a difference between “hot mess” and “hot tranny mess,” you can check the official Christian Siriano glossary at the back). You’ll feel that he’s really talking to you directly.

More than giving you his tips on best fashion buys and how to find your personal style, he also encourages you to be fierce in real life by finding your own self-confidence and path in life.

His own stories and inspirations are absolutely fascinating; still, big names like Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia and Vanessa Williams offer their own words of wisdom.  This is such a fun read, and while I ploughed through it in about an hour, I love re-reading it whenever I get the chance.

You Know What You Want by Erick Daman (Costume Designer for Gossip Girl)

Who doesn’t watch Gossip Girl for the gorgeous clothes?

Erick Daman is the guy responsible for throwing together the delicious looks that our favorite and not-so-favorite characters wear on the show.

However, this book doesn’t seek to transform us into Blair or Serena, but helps us find our own inner fashionistas.

We start by knowing our body types, and then Erick lays out the different definitions of basic cuts and styles of clothing, from thigh high skirts to crew-neck cable sweaters to the tunic cardigan.

He then teaches us the power of accessories (we all know how the headband — or Blair-band, rather — became the “it” accessory of 2008) and how to mix and match to alter our looks — whether we feel we’re more summer than spring, more dramatic than romantic.

The photos really focus on the pieces to help you decide who and what you really want to be today.

I Love Your Style: How to Define and Refine Your Personal Style by Amanda Brooks

Classic. Bohemian. High Fashion. Do you really know how to define someone’s style, let alone your own?

Amanda Brooks helps you through her book by sharing six distinct fashion styles: Classic, Bohemian, Minimal, High Fashion, Eclectic and Street.

With hundreds of pictures, she shows us the key characteristics or pieces of each style, its popular and new icons, and interpretations for different occasions. She also shares her own forays into each of these styles, and soon you’ll find yourself trying to figure in which category you fall under.

What’s most important about finding your personal style is to consider yourself — your age, body, budget, and style history. What inspires you? What are your own fashion rules? What is your signature? You’ll love poring over the gorgeous photos (most of them are vintage) zooming in on different styles.

She leaves us with great guidelines on how to build and shop for basics, cheap chic, designer and even vintage pieces for your own wardrobe.

* * *

All books available at National Bookstore.