Anuschka Rees is up front about not liking the standard “lists of essentials” but has no problems with lists of her own. while not a fan of “must have “ lists, the premise of the book is to put in the work using her lists to make your own list.
She states her method as having 5 key principles- be selective- be authentic-aim of quality-style trumps fashion and put in the work. For the individual who has trouble finding their style I am sure the “work” will pay off. For someone like me who sees her style as organic and ever evolving her process is mind numbing.

Part 1 has you documenting your current outfits for at least 2 weeks, answering her questions and analyzing.
Part 2 involves discovering your personal style by stuffing file folders
( by hand or on computer) full of pictures of things you like. There are making pie charts, mood boards and writing summaries. Then there is a trip to the store to try on samples of things in your folder, pie chart, mood board and written summary....then revising said folder, pie chart etc etc aaauuugghhh! The gem here was recognize the difference between appreciating something vs wanting to wear something.
Part 3 involves closet detox . She offers 3 strategies for wardrobe building: balance- color - outfit formula. Alert! Balance is same old semantics of what constitutes key, basics & statement pieces. Color is the same old semantics of main vs neutral vs accent colors. Outfit formula is same old semantics of small outfit capsule.
Part 4 is wardrobe overhaul which is using her list to make your list for shopping. And tips for becoming your own stylist.

The real gems are found in her conscious consumer section. She discusses the process of making a purchase that is very valuable. Her guide for assessing garment quality is a must read as is her section on fit and tailoring. For me this was the best part of the book!

In general I liked the book and would suggest checking it out of the library to see if you would want to purchase a copy for your personal library.
The gems are there. While her methodology speaks to me as tedious at this stage of my life, I imagine in my younger years when knowledge and confidence was lacking her methods would work fine. I think her ideas are great for folks who need step by step instruction for finding their style.

I think ANGIE’s blogs are much more informative ( so hit those archives!) and the fantastic YLF Friends have a keen eye for assessing fit, silhouettes, styles that work and give honest evaluation and feedback.

As always, this is just my opinion. Others may see it differently.

And GIGI - please do the review on Tish Jett’s “ Forever Chic. In my mind that book remains the gold standard.... and yes- if you post it I will gladly chime in. See matching bra and panty post for reference.