New Book: Fashion For Dummies by Jill Martin

Fashion For Dummies is your full-color guide to building a fun, functional wardrobe.

“In Fashion for Dummies, fashion expert and three-time Emmy-nominated television personality Jill Martin and co-author Pierre Lehu help readers build a stylish and functional wardrobe suitable for every occasion. Whether it’s a holiday-chic cocktail party, an 11:00 AM wedding in February, or just an everyday business casual, Jill Martin has you covered. Part reference, part tutorial, the book offers advice on finding clothes that work with your body type and personal style, as well as practical tips on garment construction and navigating the worlds of color, pattern, and texture.

In tough financial times, it’s easy to shy away from spending money on clothes – especially designer clothes. Fashion for Dummies shows you how to put together a high-quality wardrobe without breaking the bank. Shoes, jewelry, and other accessories are given ample coverage, and there’s even a section dedicated to menswear with discussion on basic cuts and styles. Martin’s friendly guidance and professional tips will sharpen your shopping skills and show you how to buy clothing that will look great for years to come.

“Packed with photos and illustrations, this full color guide also includes top ten lists such as “Ten Faux Pas and How to Avoid Them.” You’ll also find words of fashion wisdom from top designers and celebrities such as Betsey Johnson, Tory Burch, Cynthia Rowley, and Tyson Beckford. Go from novice fashion-hunter to seasoned fashionista with Fashion for Dummies!”

After that intro, I was sold! Naturally, I was thrilled to receive my review copy of Fashion For Dummies and it did not disappoint!

Fashion for Dummies contains 19 chapters, which are separated into six major sections: Fashion, Style, & You, Mastering the Basics of Garment Construction, Fabrics, and Color, Stocking Your Closet without Going Crazy or Broke, Dressing for Any Occasion, Finishing Touches, The Part of Tens.

You don’t have to read each chapter in order because it’s more of a go-to guide than a sit down and read cover to cover type of book. I recommend checking out “Stocking Your Closet without Going Crazy or Broke” chapter first.

Jill cites Glam.com as one of the must-read webzines to check out for all your online fashion info. Go Glam! And she also mentioned that hautelook.com and gilt.com were a couple of good sample sale sites to check out. (I couldn’t agree more.)

To help you navigate, Martin has included little symbols in the margins that denote things like: tips, remember, fashion fix, budget, fashion faux pas, and technical stuff. The colorful illustrations throughout are extremely helpful and eye-catching. Once I picked up the book, I had a hard time putting it down long enough to sit and write about it! So I’m going to end here and go back to reading it. Even a “fashion expert” like me can learn a few things from this book… ;-)

You can purchase your own copy of Fashion For Dummies at Amazon.com for only $16.49.

About Jill Martin
Jill Martin is a fashion expert and three-time Emmy-nominated television personality. She appears regularly on NBC Today show highlighting trends and must-haves, and is well-known for the popular “Ambush Makeover” segments. Jill lives in New York City and is developing her own clothing line. To learn more about Jill, check out her website www.jillmartin.com.