This fall, Teen Vogue and Penguin Young Readers Group will grant budding stylistas an all-access pass into the high profile and glamorous world of fashion in The Teen Vogue Handbook: An Insider’s Guide to Careers in Fashion.  With superb photos, interviews with industry icons such as Marc Jacobs, Bruce Weber and Patrick Demarchelier, and six sections that include information from editors and assistants, the handbook will serve as the link between the style conscious girl and the seemingly impenetrable fashion world.

“The book is a useful reference guide: how to build a portfolio, dress for an interview, and land an internship,” says Amy Astley, Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue.  “But it is also a visual record of work by Teen Vogue’s most treasured collaborators—it is our world, and we welcome all readers to join it and find their own path to living a creative life.”

Teen Vogue fans often ask the same questions: How do I get an internship? What should I major in at college? Should I attend design school? And finally, how did you get your job, and how can I get your job? It was from these questions that The Teen Vogue Handbook was born. Readers looking to turn a passion for fashion into a career will get the inside scoop from industry pros and up-and-comers in photography, design, styling and journalism with sections that include:

·       A Q&A with the king of cool, Marc Jacobs

·       Words of wisdom from Karl Lagerfeld and Anna Wintour

·       Profiles of contributing photographers

·       A list of essential beauty products from industry pros

·       Advice from stylists and model scouts

·       Practical advice from models, assistants and interns

Below is some great advice from industry insiders that comes from their Teen Vogue Handbook interviews:

Vogue Editor-in Chief Anna Wintour says, “Do your homework, go online, visit every museum, and intern. You just need to have a love for what you’re doing. It’s not about thinking that it’s the cool thing; it’s about really believing in it.”

Fashion Designer, Karl Lagerfeld says, “Ask yourself, Are you sure this world is for you? And are you sure you are the right person to survive in this world—the world of fashion, a world with no rules, no laws?”

Coach President and Executive Creative Director, Reed Krakoff offers some timely advice when he says to invest in your future. “Get a job at a company you love, even if it can only offer you a part-time position and you have to do something else to make money. The experience will be worth it in the long run.”

Make sure to pick your copy on sale October 5, 2009 – $24.95/Ages 12 & up.

Hollywood is full of glamour, high fashion and yes, lies. “The Art of Social War,” the debut novel from author Jodi Wing, brings these dirty truths to light in the most entertaining way. If you have a trip to the ski lodge (or the Caribbean, for that matter) in your future, then be sure to pack this book as a vacay read. This book provides the perfect brain candy for a long winters night or a poolside respite.

What makes “The Art of Social War” so fun? Is it the designer name dropping? The likeable and relateable heroine, Stacey Makepeace? Or is it the colorful and spot-on depictions vacuous members of the Hollywood elite? I found that the recipe for this great book was the combination of all of these things married with an engaging and easy to read narrative.

So what happens in this book? Well, I won’t give it all away, but the premise is a fish-out-of water tale about a couple of newlyweds that get thrown to the sharks. Our main character, Stacey, trades in her like as a New York City PR agent on the top of her game to become a Beverly Hills stay-at-home wife to a movie mogul. The transition is tough (and funny), and the new couple are faced with coyotes (literal and metaphorical) at every angle. Can they survive Tinseltown? Read it to find out!

Congrats to Ashley from Oberlin, OH! Ashley is the winner of our Kate Moss Exclusive! Enter To Win Her Latest Book By Laura Collins!

Here is her winning comment:

I love Kate Moss because of her unique style, she always looks like she just rolled out of bed looking fabulous and I try to emulate that style as best as I can, but of course I never look as great as she does! She is an icon, and my ultimate fashion inspiration.

Keep a lookout for more great contest like this one from Couture in the City! You can win at Couture In The City too…just keep looking for more great giveaways like these! Good luck!

Enter our exclusive Kate Moss giveaway! And win the latest celebrity biograpghy by Laura Collins!

So to enter this exclusive giveaway tell us why you are a fan of Kate Moss! Send your comments and entry to jacquelineh@coutureinthecity.com. Title the email Kate Moss, and remember to leave your name and address. And the best comment will win! The winner will also be featured on Couture in the City! This fantastic giveaway will run until November 21st 2008. So enter now to win!

Pan Macmillan is also offering Couture in the City readers 20% off Kate Moss – The Complete Picture by Laura Collins! Shop here and enter KM at the check out to recieve this special discount and offer. (Postage costs £1 to the UK and £2 to all other countries) But hurry! This offer only lasts until November 30th 2008!

Vintage Shoes by Caroline Cox, Harper Collins, $39.95

It’s not hard to appreciate a good pair of shoes…especially if they look every bit as stylish and elegant as they did 75 years ago. Caroline Cox’s book “Vintage Shoes” offers footwear mavens and collectors alike a deep and picturesque insight into the history of timeless shoes. Cox catalogs a wide array of the most popular and collectible shoes cobbled and manufactured in the last 100 years from Edwardian salamander shoes to Gucci gladiator sandals and everything in between.

What I love the most about this anthology is that you get great historical fashion footwear information alongside fun and colorful photos. It’s not just a pretty picture book; it’s a fun and informative guide to collecting and appreciating some of the greatest shoes ever made. Have you inhererited a pair of interesting raffia or cork platforms from your mom? They may be valuable Ferragamo’s…this guide will show you what to look for.

With a foreward by Christian Louboutin, “Vintage Shoes” is hands-down the most complete and compelling collection of shoes and the history of footwear in the last 100 years that I have ever read. Even if it was devoid of text, “Vintage Shoes” would still be a great book, simpy because of the richness and detail you get in the pictures. But I love the fun facts (like how many pairs of espadrille shoes Carmen Miranda had!) and had a hard time keeping it away from my girlfriends at work.

“Vintage Shoes” is the perfect holiday gift for the shoe fanatic who has everything (except that pair of $600 Manolo Blahnik’s she’s been ogling over). Check it out, but be warned; you may find yourself scouring thrift stores in search of a vintage diamond slingback, pump or wedge in the rough.

Enter our exclusive Kate Moss giveaway! And win the latest celebrity biograpghy by Laura Collins!

Couture in the City is proud to present along side Pan Macmillan publishers. The exclusive introduction and giveaway of the latest book by Laura Collins! This sensational book – titled ‘Kate Moss – The Complete Picture’ is an unauthorized biography of the iconic supermodel. We all know her as the spokes model of many international designers – such as Calvin Klein, Chanel, and Burberry. She has appeared on over 300 magazine covers. And is known for her tiny frame. As well as her uncommon modeling height for a fashion model (she is only 5′7)! She is also notorious for her high-profile relationships and party lifestyle! She came 2nd on the Forbes top 15 richest supermodels list, estimated to earn £9m ($18m) in one year! With a very successful modeling career, and her own fashion line for Topshop. Kate is blazing her trail which is now ready for you to read in – ‘Kate Moss – The Complete Picture’ by Laura Collins!

Kate Moss for her own line exclusively at Topshop! Which Laura Collins touches on in her autobiography of Kate Moss.

But though she has become one of the most recognized women in the world, she remains the least understood. By her own admission, “The more visible they make me, the less visible I become.”
The book examines Kate’s ever-changing career against the backdrop of the fashion industry. It also uncovers her sometimes turbulent private life, from her relationships with Johnny Depp and Jefferson Hack to the media frenzy over her time with Pete Doherty. Based on in-depth research, Laura Collins has written the first definitive biography of one of the most glamorous women of our time!

Kate Moss – Reveals her life story in Laura Collins biographical novel.

So to enter this exclusive giveaway tell us why you are a fan of Kate Moss! Send your comments and entry to jacquelineh@coutureinthecity.com. Title the email Kate Moss, and remember to leave your name and address. And the best comment will win! The winner will also be featured on Couture in the City! This fantastic giveaway will run until November 21st 2008. So enter now to win!

Pan Macmillan is also offering Couture in the City readers 20% off Kate Moss – The Complete Picture by Laura Collins! Shop here and enter KM at the check out to recieve this special discount and offer. (Postage costs £1 to the UK and £2 to all other countries) But hurry! This offer only lasts until November 30th 2008!

Source for images: Pan Macmillan, google, topshop

Article by © Jacqueline H. – Senior Writer 2008

Giveaway Disclaimer: Couture in the City and the featured product is not responsible for any errors that may occur during the giveaway. Nor for any incorrect winners information that may occur during the drawing. To be entered into the giveaway, readers have to subscribe to Couture in the City. A winner is picked one time only.

Dating Makes You Want to Die, Harper Collins, $14.95

Timid daters, beware; if you are looking for a soft and sensitive way to find your one true mate, then go to eHarmony or even a speed dating group. If you aren’t ready for the brash reality that is 21st century dating, then don’t even bother with “Dating Makes You Want to Die (but you have to do it anyway).” Authors Daniel Holloway and Dorothy Robinson will tell you so. They don’t give you warm and fuzzy advice on how to get the cute guy that works in the mail room to like you. No, they pretty much tell you how to lure the object of your affection into your love chamber so you can ravage them.

Peppered with Gen-X (and Gen-Y) jargon, this handbook for the relationship impaired is a hilarious read whether you are already wed or wish you were dead. No one is safe from the wrath of 21st century romance experts Holloway and Robinson as even Paula Abdul to Jack Nicholson are put under the microscope. Alcohol, debauchery and yes, lots and lots of (safe!) sex are the cornerstones of their dating philosophy.

So to reiterate, if you don’t believe in sex before marriage, if you aren’t willing to break out of your workaholic ways, and if you still live with your parents, then this book probably isn’t for you. But if you are a 20 or 30-something ready to change your ways in an effort to get some (and, essentially to create a long, lasting relationship), then this is a must read. Holloway and Robinson provide a wise and easy to follow guide so you can go from drinks and dinner to diamonds and “I Do’s.”

Complete with hilarious quizes, real-life situations and lots and lots of up-to-date advice, no swinging single should be without this book. Heck, even if you are married, this is a good read because it will remind you of the dating battlefield out there that you no longer have to endure. Plus, it’s pretty funny. So grab a bottle of wine, run a bath and read “Dating Makes You Want to Die (but you have to do it anyway)” and pretty soon, you may have someone to share that bubble bath with. Enjoy!

"The One Hundred" by Nina Garcia, $21.95

Fashionista’s, your field guide has finally arrived. While Nina Garcia’s "Little Black Book of Style" was an entertaining read (that forced me to re-evaluate my closet), this new style reference book brings it to a whole new level. As one of the judges on "Project Runway," Nina Garcia knows a thing or two about style, so I was truly excited to see what she had to say.

I literally had to pry this book away from the hands of my fellow style mavens in order to write this review. It’s addictive, chock full of sage advice and entertaining. Full color illustrations by Ruben Toledo (who also illustrated for Nina’s other book) also have to be noted as reason enough to own this book.

So what is this book about? Simply put, it is the 100 key items that Nina suggests that every stylish woman should own. Sounds daunting? Not really…#26 Denim Jacket, #94 Watch, #22 Converse; if you even have a vague interest in fashion, chances are that you already own a number of items on her list. Some of Nina’s suggested items are definitely on my wishlist (#69 Pucci!), but otherwise, I was surprised to find that I already own many pieces listed in "The One Hundred."

Not only does NIna give you sound advice on what key items to invest in,  but she also gives her expert opinion on the best labels to invest in. Nina is great too because she is all about mixing high and low ($5 white Hanes t-shirts with a fitted Chanel suit, for example). Fun fashion facts are also sprinkled through this hard-to-put-down handbook to keep things interesting (like, did you know that a bottle of Chanel No. 5 is sold every 30 seconds?).

So even if you think that you are totally in the know about fashion, this book will have you thinking twice about your own personal style. And wouldn’t you know it, Nina has me rummaging through my closet again. Just beware; you may find yourself rushing out to buy all of the wrap dresses, spanx and bangles you can get your hands on. You’ve been warned!

“Wife Dressing: The Fine Art of Being a Well-Dressed Wife” By: Anne Fogarty

“I always carry extra white gloves and extra stockings”

These are words of wisdom from fashion designer, author and stylish wife Anne Fogarty circa 1959. Her book “Wife Dressing: The Fine Art of Being a Well-Dressed Wife” (With Provocative Notes for the Patient Husband Who Pays the Bills) has recently been re-released so that wives of the new millenia can benefit from her time honored tips.

While much of the advice is so outdated and dusty (for example, you need to build a petticoat wardrobe), there is also fun and sound fashion rules to be found within these pages. This was a book for “ladies that lunch” and “career wives” who took meticulous care of their wardrobe and appearance and would be aghast at the velour track suit wearing wives and mothers of today. I would bet that my grandmother had one and it sat on her vanity next to her face powder and pearls.

Even though the times have changed, there is a great deal of fun for veteran wives, newlyweds adn wives-to-be in “Wife Dressing.” Fogarty’s pet peeves when it comes to dressing aren’t far from my own (underwear straps that show, long tapered “Dragon lady” fingernails, too much makeup in the daytime), while some are downright hilarious (colored wigs, charm bracelets at the theater, and “dungarees” as regular wifely garb).

“Wife Dressing” makes a great Valentine’s Day gift for your fashion-conscious wife (with a good sense of humour) or as a gift for the bride-to-be. Get your copy HERE for great tips on how to dress in a wifely way and other sage advice from fashion designer Anne Fogarty.

“Celebutantes” Buy It!

Celebutantes Book Review:

For all of us outside the realm of the Hollywood elite, Oscar week is just another chance to ogle our fave stars on the red carpet. For Lola Santisi, it’s a trip through Wonderland.

“Celebutantes” by Amanda Goldberg and Ruthana Khalighi Hopper is an insiders ficticious memoir into the insanity of Oscar week seen through the eyes of Hollywood semi-celebs. Psychotic starlets, back-stabbing assistants and a hundred or so name-dropped celebrities are the cast of this crazy 300 page piece of brain candy. In short; if People, Go Fug Yourself and InStyle are your daily reads, then this book needs a space on your nightstand.

The heroine of our novel, Lola Santisi, is a 26-year-old “daughter of Hollywood” who has grown up surrounded by the limelight. Her father is a semi-famous director and is nominated for an Oscar, while she is struggling with her own sense of self and so-called “actorholism.” Lola dates the hottest actors and has an entourage of BFF’s that anyone would envy, including a career-driven agent named Kate, a yoga-obsessed actress named Cricket and an up-and-coming gay designer named Julian. Sounds fabulous, right? Not so much. For her, Oscar week is one crazy downward spiral full of hilarious turns and star studded mania.

Full of sintilating details and tidbits of gossip about celebs, real and imaginary, you’ll be dying to know what’s fact and what’s fiction. Fashion, glitterati, sex, celebrity…it’s all there and I simply couldn’t ask for more. Except if it was turned into a movie or a TV series and came on in between “America’s Next Top Model” and “Gossip Girl.” Okay, that’s all you get…put down the Tolstoy novel you’ve been struggling through for the last month and snatch up this guilty pleasure read and see why Hollywood life isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Enjoy!