Style Secrets From Project Runways Gunn, Garcia
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
What is style? Most people confuse style with fashion, but iconic fashion designer Coco Chanel once said ``fashion fades, style is eternal.''
The question of style is the main subject of two books, ``A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style'' by Tim Gunn and ``The Little Black Book of Style'' by Nina Garcia.
Who better to give us style tips than Gunn and Garcia, two of the fashion critics on the popular American TV show ``Project Runway''? Due to the show's popularity, Gunn and Garcia are known in the U.S. for their unerring eye for fashion and style.
At first you might scoff at the notion of reading self-help books on ``style'' from Gunn, a fashion educator, and Garcia, fashion director at Elle Magazine. But once you find yourself in front of your closet full of clothes and moaning that you ``have nothing to wear,'' trust me, you'll be reaching for their books.
Quality, Taste & Style
As former chairman of the fashion design department at Parsons The New School for Design in New York, Gunn certainly has the credentials for writing a book like ``A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style.''
Gunn, who always looks impeccable on TV, admitted that he hasn't always been very fashionable. He even described himself as a ``stuffy, buttoned-up old fart,'' who had to endure Donna Karan's glares and Marc Jacobs' snickers at his cheap suits.
``How we dress sends a message about who we are, or at least how we want the world to perceive us. ... So as you face your wardrobe and prepare to dress for the day, project yourself onto a billboard in Times Square. How will people respond to that image of you and what assumptions will they make about who you are,'' he said. Take this as a wake-up call for people who never think about what they are wearing.
Co-written with Kate Moloney (assistant chair of Parsons fashion design department), Gunn's book dishes out practical tips that anyone can adopt in their daily life. Gunn takes the reader by the hand, and helps you through the complicated process of finding one's style.
He doesn't impose any rules, but allows you to think about what your style is. This involves going to your closet, choosing which clothes really define who you are and ruthlessly throwing out unflattering clothes. If the prospect of cleaning out your closet scares you, just think about how you will have an excuse to go shopping for new clothes.
Gunn suggests drawing inspiration from fashion mentors, whose signature style can complement your own. Whether you look to Coco Chanel, Carine Roitfeld or Sarah Jessica Parker for inspiration, he said: ``real style is achieved while accenting your signature look with one of theirs.''
Black Book of Style
Garcia's ``The Little Black Book of Style'' is light on text but heavy on whimsical illustrations by Ruben Toledo. With years of experience at Elle Magazine, Garcia certainly knows the ``secrets'' to cultivating one's personal style.
``I am going to help you build your style confidence, find what works for you, edit your closet, teach you what to look for and give you a few tricks of the trade. This is a crash course on style references, insider tips and avoiding being the fashion victim,'' she said.
She lays down the ``basics'' that any style icon should know, such as the importance of shoes; how to edit one's wardrobe; invest in classic clothes; and how to mix it up.
What sets Garcia's book apart from Gunn's are the insider tips from top designers, stylists and fashion icons like Diane Von Furstenberg, Carolina Herrera, Giorgio Armani, Donatella Versace, Zac Posen, Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta.
Even Project Runway host and supermodel Heidi Klum and designer Michael Kors share their tips. Klum's key to dressing stylishly sexy is ``to not try overly hard,'' while Kors thinks all women should own a pair of brown crocodile stiletto pumps.
If you're still clueless about what to wear for certain situations, Garcia gives her suggestions on how to dress when there is no dress code; on a plane; on a first date; and for a wedding.
``Style is a matter of finding out who you are and who you want to be in the world. I hope you choose to be fabulous, daring, fun, inspired and yourself,'' she said.
And always remember Italian screen siren Sophia Loren's words: ``nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.''