book review: closet confidential

Title: Closet Confidential (Style Secrets Learned the Hard Way)

Author: Winona Dimeo-Ediger

Price: $18.95 (on sale at Amazon for $12.89)


When I first started reading Closet Confidential I was a little skeptical about the content, because there are about a million books about fashion and closets, and it's always the same information recycled over and over again.

What usually makes one book stand out from the crowd is the narrator's voice, and fortunately, Ms. Winona here has a great and funny one!

So while I started this book thinking "this gal can't possibly teach me anything new" (I know, I'm horrible!), by the end of the book I felt the author and I had a lot in common, I was cracking up at her silly adventures, and most importantly, I felt a renewed passion for my clothes (imagine that!)

If you don't know anything about fashion, mixing and matching separates, different body shapes and the clothes that flatter each of them, or the difference between an Oxford and a Polo collar, this book is definitely for you!

It's a 101 guide that will teach you how to find your perfect pair of jeans, how to layer tops, when it's ok to wear a T-Shirt, when it's not ok to wear a T-Shirt, how to pick a bra, how to pick a coat... you get the point.

And as I said before, all this advice is not written in the common and sterile "guide-format", but every tip usually comes with a story and every story has the author either having to wear a garbage bag, or choosing to wear a pink and a purple sneaker, or casually displaying bracelets that gave out, unknowingly to her, unusual sexual messages... because as the subtitles specifies, most of these style lessons were learned the hard way.

I certainly don't agree with everything she writes - I am, after all, a fashion expert as well ;) - for example, she hates sneakers worn outside an exercise environment, while I sometimes wear sneakers to pretty much everything 'except' to exercise!

And she hates "lounging around the house robes" because she feels nothing gets accomplished while wearing one, while I love them for exactly the same reason: "sorry honey, I couldn't iron your shirts, I had my robe on, you know?"

But I do agree with a lot of what she writes, especially when it comes to handbags: "... a purse is so much more than a black hole in which to lose your keys... is laden with deep emotional and personal implications... to take a peek inside a woman's purse is to see an intimate snapshot of her world..." Words well written!

But the most important point to me was what kind of, if any, style lessons was I going to walk away with, and to my surprise the answer was "many"!

Here are the main three:

1) I should go to bed feeling beautiful.
This is the lesson I really hope to put in place. Having a little baby is easy to use as an excuse to wear my biggest XL T-Shirt to bed (I need to be comfy), but I certainly don't feel beautiful wearing it (and I like feeling beautiful). What makes this lesson appealing is the fact that the author doesn't suggest always wearing sexy lingerie or impractical silky gowns to bed every night. She keeps it attainable by suggesting a pretty little nightgown in a soft fabric, or a cute tank top, or a matching flannel pajama set. Basically, anything other than the ugly XL T-Shirt...

2) Pretty shoes don't always have to have crazy high heels
It's hard for me to love shoes other than high heels (and sneakers), but they are pretty much always uncomfortable for me. The thing is I always thought that the problem were my feet, not the shoes: I thought I had pansy feet that couldn't handle the high demands of fashion. Reading about someone else's opinion, and how she firmly believes that anybody that says that 4 inches heels are comfortable is lying, felt good. It made me reconsider the madness that are high heels, and I've promised myself to start paying more attention to 2 inches heels (and below).

3) I need to accessorize more.
Her love for stacking up necklaces, big and small, her creativity in using belts and her philosophy behind sunglasses is so contagious, and it has made me realize that I do not accessorize enough! And you can be sure I will fix that with a few weeks of focused shopping!

This was a fun book to read, and since I've had my baby, probably one of the few I've been able to finish!

So if you like fashion and you need help with the contents of your closet, and if you are looking for a simple to follow how-to guide, this book is definitely for you.

To get a sneak peek at her writing style, you can check out Winona's blog: Daddy Likey

want to win a designer swimsuit?

Swim Couture's 2010 Swimsuit Giveaway

The nice people over at The Orchid Boutique are giving away one of their designer smiwsuit (you pick which one) to the top commenter (between now and November 16th) on their Swim Couture blog.

So if you love typing and have a lot to say, you definitely have a shot at this giveaway!

Hurry and head on over, because they have already started commenting, and the top commenter already has 268 comments!!!

Good Luck!
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kaitlin went as a duckie :)

Great costume! Everybody loved her! :)

limelight marketplace

I used to love the Limelight! I can't believe they're turning it into a shopping center!

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The brainchild of fashion retailer Jack Menashe, the historic 163-year-old venue in Manhattan’s Flatiron district will transform into a three-story shopper’s paradise.

Inspired by the U.K.’s Covent Garden, Dover Street Market and Burlington Arcade, the Limelight Marketplace will display traditional elegance with a modern twist, showcasing a fantastic “street of shops” with elaborate facades and varied designs that invoke the feeling of a stroll down a marvelous European street.

“Limelight Marketplace delivers an innovative shopping experience for customers who have ‘seen it all’ – and an unprecedented opportunity for visionary merchants.” said President Jack Menashe. “Our plan offers something for everyone – with high end fashion, unique artwork and home décor, a candy shop that would impress Willy Wonka himself, and an organic market - offering an unprecedented opportunity for visionary merchants across the board.”

Manhattan’s landmark Episcopal Church turned legendary nightclub will open its doors once again this spring reborn as Flatiron’s shopping haven. An unparalleled midtown retail experience, Limelight Marketplace will bring new life to the 6th Avenue stretch of the historic Ladies Mile district, creating hundreds of jobs by housing over 60 shops from the “who’s who” in New York City’s eclectic worlds of fashion, accessories, food, design, art, beauty and more. A premier shopping destination, Limelight Marketplace will house an exceptional scope of retailers where uptown merges with downtown, and street meets luxury.

Menashe commissioned renowned designer James Mansour to create a space that responds to midtown’s desire for a convenient one-stop destination where social interaction meets a unique, fashion-forward shopping experience.

The Limelight Marketplace will house independent jewelry designers on one floor, a cutting edge apothecary around the corner, a street-smart boutique for NYC’s “skater” culture, and a level of classic and organic cuisine that will attract both new business and consumers alike.

The Limelight Marketplace will welcome innovative retailers and entrepreneurs at a fraction of the cost of a street-front address, providing a turn-key solution to startups and established brands looking for a presence in the New York City retail market. Reducing start-up and maintenance costs for boutique brands through a unique in-house business model, Limelight Marketplace will supply participants with state of the art POS systems, technology, store build-out and maintenance support, branded materials, and marketing, PR and visual merchandising services.

Locals will also be able to pick up ingredients for organic cooking or dine-in at one of Limelight’s restaurants, purchase a last-minute gift, unwind at the salon or check out work from up-and-coming artists in the same place where visitors can discover the most compelling elements of Manhattan, all under one historic roof.

Limelight Marketplace is located at 656 Avenue of the Americas, and will be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m

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something to do today in nyc

MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS SHOW THEIR SHOPPING SKILLS AND WALK THE RUNWAY AT NINTENDO’S STYLE SAVVY “FASHION FEST” EVENT

Charlotte Ronson Makes Guest Appearance at JCPenney’s Manhattan Store to Celebrate New Fashion Styling Game for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi

On Oct. 29, style-minded mothers and daughters will prove their fashion sense and shopping smarts during Nintendo’s Style Savvy™ “Fashion Fest,” a unique launch event for Style Savvy, a new fashion video game for the hand-held Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems.

Co-hosted by Nintendo and JCPenney’s Manhattan store, the event will include a live runway challenge in which mother-daughter teams must use their creativity to select fashionable styles within a set budget.

Expect fashion-forward fun as mothers and daughters tell one another what to wear and put their own “smart shopping” skills to the test.

Attendees can also enjoy a special appearance by acclaimed designer Charlotte Ronson and mini-consultations by professional stylists, snap memorable pictures at a red carpet photo station, win prizes and be among the first consumers to play Style Savvy in advance of its Nov. 2 release date.

Style Savvy lets players express their individual style and creativity by running a virtual boutique on their portable Nintendo DS or Nintendo DSi system.

Choosing from a variety of styles, designer labels and price points based on the customer’s budget, players keep customers looking fabulous with more than 10,000 clothing items and accessories.

Style Savvy also allows users to connect wirelessly to visit each other’s stores or strut their stuff in a multiplayer runway show using Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection and a broadband Internet connection.

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 29: 5 - 7 p.m.

Participant casting call: 3 - 4:30 p.m.

WHERE: JCPenney

Manhattan Mall

901 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10001