Ztyle?

Having enjoyed watching the Rachel Zoe TV show, I decided to get her book on style. I found a new and unused copy on Ebay for 11 dollars + shipping. Not bad. It's about the same as the price for just one copy of an imported fashion magazine.

After collecting it at the post office earlier today, I couldn't wait to make myself comfortable on the couch with a presumably great read. So far I've made it to Chapter Three. This far I'm a little uncertain whether this was a good investment or not. While there seems to be a handful of useful tips, large parts of the book happen to be more about Mrs Zoe and her own style, possessions and celebrity circle of friends than anything else. Do I really need to know how many gold cuffs she owns? Or how great she felt in a gazillion dollars Valentino couture gown that an owner of a store she frequents lent to her? If only there had at least been a picture of her in it!

Not to mention her praise for high-waisted trousers. I dare contradict her on that statement. Exhibit A:

While the high-waisted pants might - MIGHT - look good in some fabrics, colors and certain tailoring on some body types, every pair should come with a warning label attached, telling women to doublecheck in the mirror before stepping out in public. I don't care how incredibly fashionable this kind of trousers will ever get, it's a perfect example that certain trends are not for everybody (read: mostly all). So instead of just saying she's always loved a high-waisted trouser, it might have been better if she had described how to work different trouser styles for different body shapes. And included less pictures of herself with famous people and more general examples, even if that happened to be images of of her A-list clients.

Next up is a chapter on the day after. I'm curious to see what that means. Could it be, for instance, the day after the Oscars, having really bloodshot, puffy eyes from a) crying all night for not winning (or if you're Gwyneth Paltrow - because of winning), b) getting absolutely plastered at the after party to drown your sorrows about not winning, c) getting absolutely plastered for celebrating that you've actually won, or d) just having been sleepless all night because you know the media and the fashion blogging community are gonna crucify you for that hideous dress your stylist talked you into wearing?

From reading the first two chapters, so far I find this book more (possibly unintentionally) entertaining with respect to my humourous sense than functional as a guide to my dressing more stylishly. Coming up further out in the book are chapters on "Jet Set", "Lipgloss and mane toss" and "Entertaining". I can't wait.

Verdict: Possibly a good investment. In additon to the laughs, it's probably worth whatever I gave for it when resold on local auction site qxl. As it's more of a story than a work of reference, it's not a keeper. At least not for someone who wouldn't be caught dead in high-waisted jeans.