"Who What Wear: Celebrity and Runway Style for Real Life"
Target audience: Fans of fashion, beauty and celebrity gossip magazines; anyone who has a hard time working runway fashion into her own life.
Authors' credentials: Katherine Power and Hillary Kerr are co-creators of the popular celebrity fashion Web site WhoWhatWear.com. Power is the former West Coast editor of Elle and Ellegirl; Kerr was an Elle associate editor and has written for Teen Vogue and Nylon.
The gist: Runway trends move fast, and the key to looking fashionable is knowing how to interpret the looks for your own wardrobe without draining your bank account or getting caught by the fashion police. Power and Kerr feel strongly that the ability to assemble fashionable outfits is essential to success in life. Celebrities, who often have personal stylists, are used as examples; readers are encouraged to find their "celebrity doppelganger" as the first step in creating their own ensembles.
Memorable lines: "Style File Situation: The Case of Too-Tight Fright" (tightly wrapped bandage dresses and their solution, Spanx); "The Case of Tunic Trouble" (to wear as a dress or belted with leggings?); "The Time-Out Corner" (trends to shelve until they resurface later).
Could live without: The extensive commentary and photos featured in the "What to Wear Where" chapter - learning that you are supposed to create distinct looks for a gallery opening versus a concert, and for traveling on a plane versus a lazy Sunday afternoon, can give many readers a serious case of fashion insecurity.
Bottom line: One of the better guides on the market for developing your personal style while keeping current with fashion trends. Power and Kerr give very specific advice and illustrated examples on how to embrace fashion and avoid "trend oversaturation."
