A fabulous book review

Recently I was able to purchase a book that I had been wanting to read for years: Victoria Beckham's That Extra Half Inch: Hair, Heels and Everything in Between. I've been reading everything she has to say slowly and carefully, though the first night I got it, I just flipped through all the photos in the book the same way I would a fashion magazine.  

Victoria could help anyone pull anything off with style!

Can I just say: Every time that I study Victoria Beckham, I see instant improvements in my personal style! The last time I had a kick when I really looked up Victoria, I was crushing on a guy who loved Manchester United. David Beckham was his favorite player. I decided to investigate, and dressed slightly edgy and plenty sassy for weeks!

In this book, she professes a love a T-shirts and jeans, two items that I rarely use, but am learning to love (see some posts from this summer, if you wish). She says that she's true to this favorite pairing, despite a love for high fashion, and if she were a chef she'd be true to her love of toast- no denying one's true preference. I admire that decision, especially because people can get so excited to see her in couture gowns as well.

The book is broken up into sections: What to wear for summer, when on holiday/vacation, skirts, dresses et c. I get the feeling that within those headings, some of the topics come at random. This isn't necessarily bad however; it's as though she were carrying a conversation with the reader. With that being said, it makes it a little bit harder to use it as a reference book (and I love doing that-- I'll have to make a post about the Bombshell Manual of Style later.)

Teacher knows best, so I'm reading her textbook!

I love reading about and getting to see photos of events she went to, and her impeccable memory for what she was wearing years after the fact (although it might have been because there were photographs taken, too...). The book frequently employs models and water-coloured designs, as well as couture sketches by famous designers.

Reading before bed...

 But something that I really love is how real and human Victoria comes across through her writing. For example she tells about how she altered her favorite jeans to fit the baby-bump when she was pregnant with each of her 3 children. She also tells about how to hide diaper wipes in a Fendi purse, stating that you have to keep your personal style even when you become a parent. That sounds both really healthy and determined to me.

Just because I love learning about communication and other cultures, it was a lot of fun (and a little confusion) to see the differences between English and American turn-a-phrase. I knew what she meant when she said "waistcoats" (vests) "the boot" (the trunk of the car) and "on holiday" (on vacation), but it took me almost the whole chapter on shirts to figure out that "vests" mean fitted tank tops.

I'm so looking forward to finishing this book, but I'm waiting to read the second half until after my seasonal work is through. If you get a chance to check out this book, you'll either be a bigger fan of fashion, Victoria Beckham herself, or (if you're like me) both. 

Just in case you were curious what my shirt said... : p