Backlist Love is an informal series on “older” books that I hope you’ll find interesting. These aren’t so much reviews as quickie recommendations, so check out your favorite book review sources if you want more info.
The Classic Ten: The True Story of the Little Black Dress and Nine Other Fashion Favorites by Nancy MacDonell Smith (2003)
Explore the origins, meaning, and remarkable staying power of the ten staples of feminine fashion, including the little black dress, blue jeans, high heels, and more. Tracing the evolution of each item from inception to icon status, she reveals the history and social significance of each, from the black dress’s associations with danger and death to the status implications of the classic white shirt. Incorporating sources from history, literature, magazines, and cinema, as well as her own witty anecdotes, Smith has created an engaging, informative guide to modern style.
Color Stories: Behind the Scenes of America’s Billion-Dollar Beauty Industry by Mary Lisa Gavenas (2002)
For everyone who’s ever slicked on lipstick, flirted with eye shadow, or browsed the bewildering array in any store’s beauty department, Color Stories offers an insider’s view of all the brainstorming, bickering, and bitchery that go into those little sticks of color and pans of powder. Former beauty editor Mary Lisa Gavenas takes us behind the scenes during the nine months that culminate in the launch of a season’s all-important “color stories.” We discover how one shade becomes the “must have,” why makeup artists never use the same products as the rest of us, and exactly how easy — and impossible — it is to start a million-dollar makeup line.
Why I liked them
I realize that a lot of folks think of beauty and fashion as “vapid” interests, but these industries combined account for well over 400 billion dollars of business done in the U.S. alone. I also think that some people dismiss these things because they’re seen as traditionally feminine, and I think it’s silly to dismiss entire trades or avocations just because they’re marketed in pink. So I’m really glad for books like these, which discuss seriously some of the behind-the-scenes culture and history behind the beauty and fashion industries!
Who I’d recommend them to
I’d say that if you’re interested in cute clothes or fun makeup at all, these books are for you. You don’t have to be an social media influencer or subscribe to fashion glossies as a prerequisite or anything — if you just swipe on a little lipstick now and then or appreciate a good comfy cashmere sweater, you can learn something super interesting from either of these books.
Links
The Classic Ten
- Articles in Vogue by Nancy Macdonnell
- Articles in W by Nancy Macdonell
- “A White Shirt Never Goes Out of Style” in the Seattle Times
Color Stories
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