If you follow me on Twitter, you may already know that next month I’ll be moving. Nothing crazy like San Francisco to New York this time around, but heading from uptown to downtown. I am so excited to have a new place to call home and a clean slate to decorate with my friend Christine. I’m already having inspiration overload from Pinterest, but dreaming of other little pretty things to put around the place as well such as some lovely coffee table books surrounding what I love most: fashion.
I already own this one, but below are some on my wish list. Assouline, in particular, publishes some really beautiful books around fashion (some of which my favorites are below).
Do you have any coffee table books worth picking up for my new place? Do share! xo
Louis Vuitton: The Birth of Modern Luxury, $65
Nina Garcia is a household name when it comes to fashion as style director at Marie Claire and longtime Project Runway judge, and now she has released her fourth book: Nina Garcia’s Look Book, What to Wear for Every Occasion.
Already owning three of Nina’s previous books (and having a high opinion of her advice from The One Hundred and The Style Strategy), I was glad to be able to get an advance copy and I can tell you this book is just as good as the others.
Offering practical advice for every occassion you may find yourself in, from what to wear on a blind date or to a big meeting and what to wear on errands and what to wear when traveling, Ms. Garcia details how to dress for the right audience and also what rules to break.
The book is sprinkled with wise words from other fashion icons and designers and also includes styling tips for your hair and even bits of lifestyle advice.
Unlike the designers that grace her wardrobe, Nina’s book is totally affordable on Amazon at $16.
Subscribe to WIT & Whimsy’s RSS feed for all the latest posts and giveaways and follow w&w on Twitter!
]]>
Long holiday travels in your future? Heading to the slopes, but sitting in the comfort of the lodge? Looking for an escape from the holiday madness? Recently we were lucky enough to receive an early copy of Nanny Returns the follow-up sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus.
We read The Nanny Diaries when it first came out and loved it. At the time we were still in the midst of high school/college and found ourselves nannying to support our shopping addiction. Thankfully though, our nannying gigs were awesome and nothing nearly as dreadful as what Nan went through with the X family.
Just a few pages into Nanny Returns and we were reminded why we loved Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus for their great storytelling and strong characters that are as relatable as they are ridiculous.
Quick overview of the plot – It’s ten years after the original story takes place and Nan and her husband (“Harvard Hottie” for those who know) return to NYC after years of traveling abroad. One fateful night, Nan’s previous page Grayer X shows up drunk on her doorstep, spilling his guts and crying out for help. Before she knows it, Nan – who has become successful outside of the nannying world – is sucked right back into the dysfunctional lives of the X family. But this time is different – Nan has the opportunity to help Grayer and his younger brother Stilton in ways she couldn’t during her college coed days of bending to every wish of her employer, the devilish Mrs. X.
As we read the book we couldn’t help but notice the tinges of Gossip Girl (OMFG) that are sprinkled throughout the story – NYC prep school kids drinking, doing drugs, negligent parents, too much money being thrown around… you get the picture. All that was missing was Queen B reigning over the kingdom. But we won’t lie, we love ourselves some Gossip Girl so naturally we were sucked in.
We highly recommend Nanny Returns - especially if you are in a girls-book-club-but-actually-all-we-do-is-drink-wine-club….everyone will read it, guaranteed.
Nanny Returns hits bookstores tomorrow, December 15 ($25.00). Maybe a last minute Christmas gift for someone on your list?
]]>
We fashionistas and beauty mavens have had a great year of fun reads including books by Nina Garcia (whom we love) and Chelsea Handler’s hilarious and TMI reads.
A service we just learned about, BookSwim functions as the Netflix of books or an electronic version of a library that lets you check out books, read them & then send them back. Ah, we love such smart little services.
And get this: for the holidays, BookSwim is offering $10 gift certificates to everyone to get them started with the service. You can even print as many $10 gift certificates as you’d like to insert into a card or you can email them to a friend.
And our favorite part of the service? Free shipping on all your rentals.
photo courtesy of BookSwim
]]>The sun it out, the long weekend is around the corner and it’s time to announce the lucky winner of The Denim Diet Giveaway.
Congrats to WIT & Whimsy reader, Lisa E!
Lisa shared,
I’m very excited about this book. I’ve gained 15 pounds since moving in with my fiance. We’re both eager to learn how to be more nutritious.
Enjoy, Lisa!
]]>There’s still time to win a copy of The Denim Diet!
We’re accepting entries today until 11:59 p.m. PST. Enter by e-mailing us at witwhimsy@gmail.com with “Denim Diet” in the subject line. Please be sure to include your full name and mailing address.
The winner will be announced tomorrow. Good luck!
]]>Every woman has that one pair of jeans she can only wear when at her thinnest. We certainly do! So when we heard about TV and film wardrobe stylist Kami Gray’s book The Denim Diet: 16 Simple Habits to Get Into Your Dream Pair of Jeans we knew we had to hear more.
At 19, you were six sizes larger than you are today. What gave you the initial push to begin living a healthy lifestyle?
I was fat! I was also extremely low on energy, not feeling (or looking!) too well, and my health was beginning to suffer. I had an epiphany. I realized that if I went back to eating the foods I was raised on – organic, whole foods consisting of lean proteins, plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grain carbs, good fats, lower fat dairy, drinking water instead of soda pop, and ditching all the processed, refined, packaged foods, this might all be a thing of my past. I was right! Twenty-three years later, I’m the same size (although thanks to gravity and having kids, things have shifted downward a bit!) as I was when I initially shed the weight and I’ve never looked back. Yes, it’s all common sense and that’s the beauty – we don’t have to think too hard about this thing called eating. Eat real food, not too much of it, and move more.
Why don’t some people maintain a healthy lifestyle? Laziness or they just don’t know better?
I think they don’t recognize how easy it is and are completely confused by all the conflicting information. I also think most people don’t realize that American food manufacturers have taken the food out of our food and replaced it with nasty, cheap, fat-making fillers like high fructose syrup, trans fats, sugar substitutes, modified food starch, and a million (totally exaggerating here!) other fake things. All these ingredients, in one way or another, become the ideal stuffing for your belly, your backside, and your thighs.
Which part of the book is your favorite?
My last chapter is called “EATING AWAY FROM HOME: An Out and About Guide to Healthful Eating.” We are eating out more than ever and it’s tough to navigate all of it and not deviate from our healthful eating efforts. So I’ve created a handy guide for all the places you may find yourself out there in the world from movie theatres to Mexican restaurants to camping to airplane food.
You’re an author, artist, wardrobe stylist and mom. How do you manage to wear so many hats?
How did you know that I love hats! Kidding aside, I’m not a supermom. The kids come first (although I’m recently living in an empty nest as the kids are both in college) and the rest of what I do are all part-time endeavors. They’re things I’m deeply passionate about so it’s never hard to find time to work since I love what I do. As much as I crave variety in the things I spend my time doing, I also crave balance and spending time with family and friends ranks high on my list as well. It’s so important for us women to make time for ourselves and to have a joyful life – even while we’re raising kids and taking care of life’s other details.
You live in Portland, Oregon. What is your favorite local restaurant?
I love Higgins. I love it so much that I’ve blogged about it. Everything Greg Higgins puts on his ever-changing menu is made from local, organic, sustainable food and he’s a genius at making it look and taste amazing. It’s not cheap though so I often go during happy hour or dine at that bar.
Thanks, Kami! Be sure to follow Kami on Twitter or check her blog for more tips!
]]>Nina Garcia, fashion phenom and best-selling author, is at it again with her latest “fashion bible,” The Style Strategy! We kind of love Nina on Project Runway (premiering this Thursday!!) and also read her book The One Hundred and looooved it.
Barnes & Noble Tagged! series has hosted an episode with Nina to chat with the multi-tasking fashion maven. Check out the video below to hear how Nina’s new book will help readers shop smart, stay chic and make their style last in the current economic conditions. We saw a sneak peek in this month’s Marie Claire and we know we’ll be getting our hands on a copy of The Style Strategy. Let’s face it, this fashionista knows what she’s talking about!
]]>
So we adore hearing from our readers. One such reader, Shannon, told us about a great book she read recently so we thought we’d share a little about it. Check it out below & pick up a copy of The Finishing Touches for your next chick-lit read!
“The only truly waterproof mascara is an eyelash tint.”
This is one such example of the helpful and witty tips you will find at the beginning of each chapter in Hester Browne’s new novel, The Finishing Touches.
Browne tells the story of Betsy Phillimore, an orphan left on the steps of the London finishing school, Phillimore Academy, with a note asking to have her daughter raised as a lady and adorning her wrist is a curious bee shaped charm. Betsy is taken in by the owners to be raised by Lady Frances Phillimore and the kind staff. Betsy dreams of being allowed to attend the school and is disappointed when the Phillimores decide she should go to college instead.
Years later, Betsy returns to find the school she loved in disarray and desperate for money and students. Betsy decides to take on the task of trying to save the school from its dusty curriculum like lessons on how to pluck a pheasant and other irrelevant tasks. Betsy comes in with worldly ideas to teach single women such as how to open a bank account and deal with toxic exes. She employs her friends to bring in fashion and dating advice to bring the school into the 21st century, along the way, wondering if she will ever find out who her mother was. Can she save the school and learn where she comes from?
The Finishing Touches tells a charming, polished, and original story that is witty and fun while all along giving good advice for the cosmopolitan woman of today.
Has anyone else read The Finishing Touches? What’s some of your favorite chick literature?
Thanks, Shannon!
photo courtesy of Simon & Schuster
]]>
This weekend I made a super spontaneous decision to join the San Francisco library- woohoo! I haven’t frequented a library since my school days and I have to say I sort of missed it. No other place allows you to wander amidst stacks of books and take whatever you want- free of charge!
Since having been in a little book club & trying to watch less television, I’ve spent a good amount of dollars on books- most of which I’ll probably never read again. Joining the library allows me to avoid all that hassle, save money and event rent movies when I feel like it without having to pay a monthly fee- genius system when you think about it, really.
My first book I checked out? Chelsea Handler’s first book prior to My Horizontal Life which we just loved. It’s funny at a whole other level! We’ll let you know how ‘Hello, Vodka Are you There? It’s Me Chelsea” is!
photo courtesy of Real Simple
]]>