You must read his book: A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style. I’ve been reading it this morning and actually laughing out loud. Who knew style could be so hilarious?
To tell you the truth, the only reason I watch Project Runway is to see Tim Gunn “Make it work”. Tim is an incredibly unassuming, elegant, stylish man. You just want to sit and talk to him about fashion for hours on end. There are so many books about style on the market — most of them by thirtysomethings who are telling us how to dress hot, keep up with fashion trends or imitate well known celebrity fashions. It is a joy to read Tim’s book about identifying and capturing your own definite signature style. I love that he includes “Blind Spots” — things we do to sabotage our wardrobe. Tim starts by helping you define your style and the pitfalls we often make in choosing and wearing clothes. He takes us shopping, warns us about the “it” bag while we choose accessories and the right outfit. At the end of the book we are treated to a little fashion dictionary and a list of fashionista movies that are fun to watch. I highly recommend this book for its classic take on being your authentic fashion self and timeless advice.
Some gems:
Jewelry – resist the urge to buy the watch – or bling – of the moment. There was a time when it seemed Tiffany must have been handling out those sterling silver heart necklaces to every girl between the ages of eleven and twenty-one. God only knows what the traffic on Fifth Avenue would have been like if everybody had decided to take Tiffany up on their request, stamped on each heart: ”Please return to Tiffany and Co.” Bedlam! Legions of girls, some in their Juicy warm-ups, some in their cashmere pullovers and button-downs, trooping up the Avenue…we shudder at the thought.
Flip Flops – the “ballet flats” which should have a place of honor on every shoe tree, can function like the sweetly sophisticated older sister of the flip-flop”. Tim hates flip flops. He believes they cause something called “the flip flop waddle.
Hair Accessories – ”Everyone needs something to hold the hair off their face as they go through their morning and evening toilettes. Make yours whimsical; find the most outre clip or headband available. This is one of the few times that silk flowers or feathers are just perfect. There are very few times in life to wear fake orange chrysanthemums on your head. Doing so while you wash your face is a lovely way to begin and end the day. It adds a fun, “showgirl at the Copa” feeling to even the most mundane bathrooms.
High Heels – wearing high heels comes with responsibility. You want those taut muscles and a nicely angled bottom? You must pya the shoe piper by taking smaller steps.
On the film “Grey Gardens” – the film is also an excellent cautionary tale for those who feel there is no harm in moving home. Suddenly thirty years have past and you are wearing flea collars around your ankles. (I don’t really want this to happen to me!)
Scarves – although women of any age can pull off a scarf, we once saw a girl of twelve or thirteen wearing a Hermes scarf as a headband. Her black hair was perfectly combed and she was wearing large dark sunglasses. She looked like she was about to trick-or-treat as a tiny Gloria Guiness. Assuming you are not twelve, experiment with a scarf.
Yes. Tim Gunn is amazing. More of his wisdom for the motherfuckin’ win.
