Being stylish is not the same as being fashionable. Being dressed in fast fashion, the colors and cuts of the season, does not guarantee you style.
Style, instead, comes from within. In the words of Karen Homer, in her book Things a Woman Should Know About Style, “Some people are born stylish, some people achieve style, but no one can have it thrust upon them.” You have to develop your own sense of style and nurture it with a few hard and fast rules. It cannot be bought, no matter how much you try!
The various fashion faux pas of many a red-carpet celebrity (and their Rachel Zoe-like $6,000 a day stylists) show that even they do not always get it right.
Crimes of Fashion
According to 19th-century commentator Josh Billings, “Fashion makes fools of some, sinners of others, and slaves of all." If you are a sylph-like 20-something then you can get away with wearing the shortest skirts, the brightest colors, the most volumnous cuts – and call it fashion. At 40-something and beyond you begin to learn there are definitely things a grown-up women shouldn’t wear, and you start to care less about fashion and more about style. Think Audrey and Kate Hepburn, Marylin Monroe, Jackie Onassis and Grace Kelly. At this age you are not so likely to be brainwashed by the fashion machine, and will start to think more about creating you own sense of style. You are less inclined to hanker after all the latest trends or buy cheap imitations.
The Difference Between Fashion & Style
In her book, Homer makes the points out that the fundamental difference between style and fashion is longevity. Whilst designers make sartorial crimes of last year’s fashion, (taking their inspiration from previous decades in approximately 20-year cycles,) classic style endures way past this season’s designer IT dress. In the words of Coco Chanel, "fashion fades, only style remains the same.”
Designer clothes are marketed to women as images of a perfect life, says Homer. When you shop you are buying into a lifestyle. Buying designer does not always buy you style. A better fabric, probably yes, but ostensibly you are buying the label and paying for design expertise. This does not guarantee you instant chic or elegance, style is not a coat you wear, but comes from within. There are good and bad clothes in every shop, whether they be high fashion or high street.
According to Victoria Beckham in her latest book “That Extra Half and Inch”, (2007), “Whether you’ve got £20 to spend in Top Shop or £2,000 to spend at Gucci, looking good isn’t about money, it’s about style, and style never goes out of fashion.”
What Every Woman Should Know About Style - A Book Review
Things Every Woman Should Know About Style, is a gem of a book for anyone looking for some guidelines on being stylish and chic rather than fashion-forward. It appeals mainly to those the wrong side of 30, as it encourages readers to get less caught up in the temptations of every season's runways, and to develop their own individual signature style. A few high fashion pieces are acceptable, with accessories to keep a look up-to-date; but the basic premise is that elegant, confidence boosting and well-fitting outfits will outlive the fickle women's fashion trends of today.
Homer advocates the purchase of 1 perfect dress instead of 5 okay ones. She recommends buying the classics – black pants, white shirts, the little black dress and some wonderful accessories. The idea of the book is to create a wardrobe that is on-trend rather than trendy, one that has been increased a notch or two in the sophistication stakes. There are also chapters in praise of investing in great shoes and classic bags, and a wittily entitled chapter, “You Are Never Too Fat for Your Handbag.”
The book is British based and may therefore appeal more to European readers in terms of some of its references. It advises on what to buy, what to steer clear of, and gives genuinely useful style advice on clothing, wedding outfits, shoes, bags, beauty, jewelry and etiquette.
Part of the charm of this book is that it never takes itself too seriously. It is witty, with a touch of wry humor directed both at the fashion industry and women who try not to dress their age.
Who Should Buy It
This style-guide comes in a hardback, gift-book size, making an ideal present for a 30-something (and beyond) friend or family member. Its writing style is humorous, comfortable and relaxed, and Homer, the author, is firm but fair! There are also a number of illustrations of the great fashion icons, such as Hepburn and Onassis. This little guide is full of thought-provoking quotes from people-in-the-know, including the great Coco Chanel and other designers and artists.
Things a Woman Should Know About Style by Karen Homer is published by Prion books, 2003. ISBN 1-85375-519-2. A sequel entitled Things a Woman Should Know About Shoes by the same author has just been released (Prion 2008).
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