Book Review: The Fashion File

The Fashion File: Advice, Tips and Inspiration from the Costume Designer of Mad Men.
By Janie Bryant
Grand Central Life and Style, 2010
English, 192 pgs


Description:
From Joanie's Marilyn Monroe-esque pencil skirts to Betty's classic Grace Kelly cupcake dresses, the clothes worn by the characters of the phenomenal Mad Men have captivated fans everywhere. Now, women are trading in their khakis for couture and their pumas for pumps. Finally, it's hip to dress well again. Emmy-Award winning costume designer Janie Bryant offers readers a peek into the dressing room of Mad Men, revealing the design process behind the various characters' looks and showing every woman how to find her own leading lady style--whether it's vintage, modern, or bohemian.

Bryant's book will peek into the dressing room of Mad Men and reveal the design process behind the various characters' looks. But it will also help women learn how fashion can help convey their personality. She will help them cultivate their style, including all the details that make a big difference.

Bryant offers advice to ensure that a woman's clothes convey her personality. She covers everything from where to find incredible vintage clothing and accessories to how to pair those authentic pieces with modern shoes and jeans. Readers will learn how to find their perfect bra size, use color to convey a mood, and invest in the ten essentials every woman should own. And just so the ladies don't leave their men behind, there's even a section on making them look a little more Don Draper-dashing.

Emmy-winning costume designer Janie Bryant creates all of the looks seen on TV's Mad Men. She has worked on numerous films and TV shows. In 2005, she won an Emmy for her period costumes on HBO's Deadwood and she took home the prestigious Outstanding Costume Design award from the Costume Designers Guild in both 2009 and 2010. 

Review:
I'm not a fan of the show, but I love the way Bryant styles the characters. I am so happy that her styles have brought back looking nice. There has been way too much frumpy, slouchy and ill-fitting fashion lately and I love that Mad Men is inspiring a shift into feminine styles again.

Several times in the book, I really felt like the book was aimed at someone else. I'm not thin and I can't wear a lot of the styles she advocates. I do like that she made everything pretty basic and easy to learn. She's way obsessed with accessories though!

The most useful parts for me were the "necessities" she advocates for both women and men.

I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.