Three of our five favourite books this month. Image writer’s own.
The literary publishing gods have truly blessed us with a rather lustworthy array of books in the latter half of the year. If you love a good fashion and beauty book, now is the time for you to dust off your wallet and head to the bookstore, or to start dropping rather well-placed hints for the holiday season. We’ve rounded up five of our favourite titles in recent months and think you will love them as well.
Women in Clothes by Sheila Heti. $50, published by Penguin Books.
Forget everything you know about fashion books for one moment. This may just be one of the best books about fashion we have come across. It is a hefty, five hundred page tome of words and ideas put forward by women. Fashion is mulled over by famous women like Lena Dunham, Tavi Gevinson, et. al but is just as poignantly considered by women from a range of backgrounds and beliefs. It is one book you will want to devour and then pass on to all your fashion loving friends. Perhaps invest in a backup copy for that very purpose.
Pretty Iconic by Sali Hughes. $46, published by Harper Collins.
There are few people who can write on beauty quite as eloquently as Sali Hughes. She has it down to a fine-art. Her second book follows on from its popular predecessor, Pretty Honest. In Pretty Iconic, Hughes looks at over two hundred beauty products that have changed the world. From the nostalgic Johnson’s Baby Wipes through to the renowned Chanel No. 5. No beauty stone, or coveted palette is left unturned. This is one for the true beauty enthusiasts.
Bloom by Estee Lalonde. $45, published by Ebury Press.
Before you dismiss this as ‘just another YouTuber book’, think again. Estee is one inspirational woman and we love the content she curates on both her vlog channels and blog. She also has one rather aesthetically pleasing Instagram feed and we covet her personal style. Bloom shines a light on Estee’s story and passions. As well as being gorgeously presented and filled with stunning imagery, it offers a very relatable and inspiring insight into one of the most loved vloggers in the world today. It is raw, real and a book we can see ourselves revisiting on many an occasion.
The Coveteur by Stephanie Mark. $39, published by Abrams.
The Coveteur has long been one of this writer’s favourite sources of inspiration and the site has truly gone from strength to strength, resulting in the truly exquisite coffee-table book they’ve released recently. Inside we are given access to fifty of the world’s finest tastemakers and their spaces. The spotlight is shone on their personal possessions and the stories and memories behind the treasure trove of items they acquire. If interior design, fashion and exquisite design appeal then you should add this one to your Christmas wishlist immediately.
Inside Vogue by Alexandra Shulman. $45, published by Penguin Books.
British Vogue celebrated its centennial year in 2016 but the festivities keep on coming. To accompany the BBC Documentary, Absolutely Fashion, Shulman kept a diary in the year leading up to the anniversary issue. If you want an in-depth insight into the life of a magazine editor and a rather successful one at that, this is for you. British Vogue is definitely one of our favourite titles under the Vogue banner so we will be engrossed in this one for some time yet.
– By Sophie Putze from Nana Wintour.