Parisian Chic-- Initial disappointment - YouLookFab Forum

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Parisian Chic-- Initial disappointment

Refugee

Veteran

I had pre-ordered this book based on pre-release press and interviews. Everything I read said one of the focuses of the book would be photos showing Ines and her lovely daughter sporting the same basic look. In fact here is a link to those photos:
http://rdujour.com/2010/12/26/.....yle-guide/
I loved this concept for 3 reasons: first showing the same look interpreted by 2 different people, second showing how a single look can be done at different ages, and third I am a an admirer of Ines from way back. I was disappointed when I received the book and there were only photos of her daughter. It seemed as if major changes happened to the book between pre-release publicity and publication. Inge, can you provide any insight on something like this? Does this happen often in the publishing world? Did anyone else see these articles (I can't find them now) and experience the same disappointment?

Book Club

22 replies

Latest reply was from Isis

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Yes me too!! Ines is so fab. I want to see more of her. She does a great job describing how to have fun with fashion at any age. I think she would have made her point more strongly if she had actually shown women at every age...

rae

(website)

Veteran

I agree, Rita - actions speak louder than words! It seems like the publisher may have chickened out and went with the "safe" pics of the younger woman. What a shame... perhaps some cross letters to the company are in order. :T

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I agree; I was very disappointed in that aspect of the book as well.

at

I have ordered but not yet received the book, I have read somewhere that apparently the french version has BOTH women in it and I've seen pictures of it. Why did the American publisher decide against this? Is it because fashion is so much more youth-centric here in the US? This baffles me!

JennyAnne

(website)

Veteran

How odd that it is "her" style book and they would not show her modeling the style. Obviously anyone buying the book is interested in her.

velvetychocolate

Veteran

I hadn't heard about this book until it was mentioned on YLF, so I didn't have any real expectations for the book. If I'd read the pre-release interviews and so on, I might have felt disappointed in this aspect too. I really admire Ines' style, and would have liked to see photos of her in the book. It would have been neat to see both Mom and daughter modeling similar outfits.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm glad that we didn't see photos of Ines. I think that would have taken away from the book. Her daughter's clothing wasn't really all that visually inspiring to me either (or even relevant!), but I enjoyed seeing the text being broken up by the photos. Nice eye candy.

I am opposed to photographs of people in style books because they date. And I am alone in thinking this way I know, but I find photos in style books quite naf. I prefer sketches.

I am so VERY opinionated this morning. or

Mochi

Veteran

That's really interesting! So you're saying that a sketch of a 1950's-era crinoline dress wouldn't date the same way a pic would? Having it as a sketch puts it in the timeless realm? Hmm. (I do like the sketches from Kendall Farr's latest book.)

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

As far as I understand, the French version has both Ines and her daughter, and the English language version has only her daughter. I can't imagine why...silly, and makes me not want the English language version. (If only my French reading skills were in better shape).

Here are two links to the comparisons:
http://habituallychic.blogspot.....-chic.html
http://fashionassist.wordpress.....sian-chic/

Fruitful

Veteran

I 100% agree that photos in style books end up looking naf, Angie. And how it makes my heart sing to hear you say "naf"! ^_^

I'm afraid though that's part of the fun of style books for me - it adds the (unintentional) comedy I will enjoy for years after, and that's timeless!

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

I thought Parisian chic was supposed to be timeless? I usually prefer polyvore type pictures (no people, and certainly no celebs).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I like sketches in style books, too, having cut my teeth on my mom's copy of Edith Head! But even so, I would have liked to see the mom and daughter thing and I really like the idea of trying different interpretations of the same look on women of different ages, regardless whether they are mom and daughter.

rae

(website)

Veteran

What I would prefer, as opposed to outfit pictures or sketches, would be diagrams of various garments and what all the different elements "do" in terms of style. Puff sleeves vs. epaulettes vs. raglan shoulders vs. cap sleeves - what do they do for the body, and what do they "say" stylistically?

Inge

(website)

I understand the disappointment, I personally didn't really mind because I knew I was buying the English version sans Ines pics.
Also: Ines and her daughter Nine seem to have a very similar body type and shape, so I think we still get a pretty good idea of how the outfits would have looked on Ines herself. But it is fun to see them next to each other, with small tweaks.

I do like visuals in general, somehow it makes it easier for me to wrap my head around new style silhouettes when I see pictures/illustrations (both are just as helpful to me + a description of what could work or not work. (that's one of the reasons I love Angie's outfit posts so much).

I agree that outfit pictures in style guides can look dated after a while. I always check when a book was first published, when I see it's an older book yet it sounds interesting, I will still get it, but absolutely take into account the year the images were taken.

MPJ: Even though many of the items and outfits described in the book are pretty timeless, I think there's always the fact that designs and silhouettes change over the years. E.g. I don't think I'll ever stop wearing a white button-down shirt, but today shirts are often slim-fitting or deliberately oversized. In the 80s (I think), the styles were more boxy. Collar sizes change too. That alone will "date" an item, if that makes any sense.

rachylou

Veteran

I have to say, the whole time I was saying to myself "who is this random girl?" Haha. Not so random, after all. But I know Ines, not Nine, so I don't know why she's not in the American version. If I'd known, I'd have ordered from Amazon France.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

High fiving Fruitful, Rae and Inge

Mochi, retro style books - think Audrey and Grace, are a different kettle of fish in my mind. The intention is not to replicate, dissect and learn - but to to be visually stimulated by eye candy. Modern style books, such as Parisian Chic, is supposed to be an educational style guide. Those types of style books should not have photos in my opinion. Sketches and diagrams are best. As I page through my bookcase of style books, all the ones with photographs of models, real people and stars look so very naf to my eye - some of the publications aren't even that old! Then I look at the books with sketches - and they seem a million percent better.

I understand your need for visuals, though. I too am a visual person.

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

Inge - my comment was really more tongue in cheek...I should have added a smiley.

Aida

Veteran

(I 100% prefer sketches to photos, too!)

Marley

Veteran

Just got to ask: What does "naf" mean?????

Refugee

Veteran

For me, one of the most educational style books ( I refer to it over and over) is the The Lucky Shopping Manual. It is really helpful for someone like me who is really visual. It has a combination of sketches and photos (both of people and of the polyvore variety) and I find all of them to be helpful for different reasons. The sketches are great to help me see a concept (proportion), polyvores for seeing photos of specific garment types and different combinations, and photos with people to see it in action.
I think my disappointment was because I was under the impression that there would be photos of both Ines and Nine. Without that impression, I still would have purchased the book, and I did still enjoy it very much.

Inge

(website)

I like the sound of the mix of different visuals very much, Refugee. I know I would find that helpful too.

LOL Marley, I see it used for all kinds of things, I'm guessing "a little silly" here? Do tell, Angie:-)

Isis

Veteran

I love words. I googled naf. From the Urban dictionary:

naf: British slang, describes something that is stupid, lame or unpalatable.
That party was naff — they ran out of beer, and the people were way too uptight.