Book Review: Elsa Schiaparelli: A Biography by Meryle Secrest

Meryle Secrest’s Elsa Schiaparelli: A Biography is the most comprehensive biography of the Surrealist Italian fashion designer who made some of her most famous designs in the 1930s and 40s.  In fact, Secrest’s book is one of the only English-language biographies of the designer.  Famously secretive, Schiaparelli did not leave behind diaries or many letters, and thus did not leave behind much material for biographers to work with.  Secrest’s biography is certainly constrained by these serious limitations, but she makes up for the lack of information from Schiaparelli’s own pen by mining past studies of the designer, and adding a lot of interesting historical background.  Her writing is excellent and moves along at a nice pace.  Her book is gossipy, but not excessively or offensively so.  I admit that I am more interested in Schiaparelli’s designs than her life and thoughts, so the lack of information about her doesn’t bother me much.  Secrest’s book includes many illustrations, both black and white and full color, of Schiaparelli’s most famous designs, and she includes excellent and long passages about the designs and many of Schiaparelli’s influences.  While fashion scholars and/or Elsa Schiaparelli fanatics will not learn any new facts here, readers (like me) who love fashion and a good read will enjoy this biography.  It is also a beautifully produced book with a gorgeous pink dust jacket, deckle edges, and a beautiful pale gray textured cover.

(I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Tacolicious

So, full disclosure: I am a proud Bay Area girl who has recently moved far away from California.  I miss the Bay Area like crazy.  When I received this beautiful cookbook in the mail, I started to cry a little.  This is a testament to the true Bay Area-ness of this book: it really is like bougey East Bay foodie culture wrapped up in a gorgeous package.  Tacolicious is a cookbook by the owner of a popular Bay Area Mexican restaurant of the same name (check out their website here).  This really is a beautifully designed book, apart from anything else.  I love the covers, which are that nubby slightly rough texture of a high quality hardback, with the cover imagery printed directly onto it.  The pages are my favorite kind for a cookbook...not those shiny glossy pages, but these delicious-smelling matte pages.  The layout of the text and images is simple and clear, but varied and not too minimalist.  The photos make my mouth water.  They are really beautiful and seem to translate pictures into tastes somehow, like the best food blog porn.  I haven't cooked anything from this book, but the recipes look simple and delicious, and there are lots of text boxes that provide extra information.  For instance, there's a great one about corn tortillas, including information on how to find the best store-bought ones, and it even includes recommendations for the best grocery store brands.  This seems very radical for a bougey cookbook and I love it!  There's a whole section on how to throw your own taco party, including a list of quick and innovative and totally un-pretentious taco filling ideas.  There are recipes for salsas, cocktails, and snacks, in addition to ones for tacos.  This is a gorgeously designed book, and I can't wait to eat everything in it!

Take a look at some of the deliciousness from Tacolicious below!

(I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review.)

Librarian Chic in Anthropologie Fall 2004

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Review: Treat Yourself: You Classic Snacks You Loved as a Kid (And Still Love Today) by Jennifer Steinhauser

This is such a fun book, and a fantastic concept.  Jennifer Steinhauser has created an adorable cookbook full of recipes for all of the junk food you loved as a kid.  To be honest, I'm not sure if I would ever actually make any of these treats, but it's because the recipes are too hard or anything.  I'm not in fact a big baker, but I love reading cookbooks, and this one is great fun.  I could imagine this would work well as a coffee table book...only those with no souls will not be charmed by this one.  I especially like that the author includes savory snacks, as well as the more popular sweet ones.  I also really like that the book uses the actual names of the treats, rather than just descriptive titles.  Steinhauer provides recipes for Fruit Roll-Ups, Twix Bars, Girl Scout cookies, Fritos, Ritz Crackers, Cheetos, and way more.  The book also has lovely photos of many of the snacks, and in general, the book is very nicely designed and attractive.  Check it out over here.

(I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.)

MAC Cosmetics A Novel Romance Makeup Collection

For Fall 2014, MAC Cosmetics is releasing a makeup collection with ads inspired by the wonderfully over-the-top Fabio-esque covers of romance novels.  

(Fashion Gone Rogue)

Bibliofashion: Out of Print Clothing Great Gatsby Necklaces

I love this take on those necklaces that kids share with their best friends.  Remember them?  They're usually a heart that's cracked down the middle and one pendant says "Best" and the other says "Friends".  Out of Print made this bookish version based on Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.  Instead of making a heart, when you put the "cracked" pendants together, you get an egg.  One pendant says "West" and the other "East."  Get it?  West Egg and East Egg, as in the two towns in the novel, populated, respectively, by the Nouveau Riche and Old Money.  When you flip the pendants over, they say "Jay" (West Egg) and "Daisy" (East Egg).  Share this one with your best bookish friend.

(ModCloth & Out of Print)

Jane Austen: The Complete Works, Designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith for Penguin Clothbound Classics

This gorgeous boxed set of Penguin Clothbound Classics designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith is coming out later this year.  Most of the books are out already, but the last book, Love and Friendship and Other Youthful Works, will complete the set.  

(Penguin)