The Lucky Shopping Manual: Building and Improving Your Wardrobe Piece by Piece

This is a super book, choc o'block with information. The hard decision is not if you should buy it, but which cover you should get. The book comes with several different covers. I hate to admit I stood at the bookstore debating if I wanted the copy with the classic red pocketbook or the trendier camel colored Marc Jacobs bag! Order from Amazon and let them decide for you.

Inside the book you will find scads of information to help you look great. The authors will show you how just a little tweaking can result in a totally different look. What to look for in fit. How to make your pieces work from one season to the next. And the little details that make a good outfit an exceptional one.

The book also includes examples of everyday women and the types of garments they choose and why. It's inspiring to see the special wardrobe favorites of others. Lovely Shoshanna Lonstein shows off her curvy figure and shares what clothing looks best on her. Pictures are shown of her favorites including her fabulous Prada mules, cashmere sweaters and gold vintage bag. Makes me realize why and how much I enjoy the staples in my own closet.

Sample chapters include, sweaters, swimwear, undergarments and shoes. What to pack for a 3 day trip, streamline your closet, classics to collect, 20 great pieces worth the expense and more.

The back of the book also includes a page of "Lucky Breaks". These are coupons for discounts at benefit, underglam, bluefly. urban outfitters and nine west. Better hurry up though they expire December 31, 2003. (Not sure if future printings will update these).

Great fashion resource!

I don't usually write reviews, but I am making an exception.

Every woman should own this book. And I think it's mis-titled, by the way--it should be called the Lucky Style Manual, not "Shopping Manual," because it is a true all-around style manual, but whatever. It's GREAT. The book breaks down clothing into different categories--tops, jeans, bags, etc. and shows what will work best for you and how to work it together with other pieces. There are also suggestions on shopping, the best 10 pieces you should own, how to pare down & organize your closet, etc. Oh, and it's timeless--I don't see this book being outdated for a long time, if ever, because the focus is on overall style, not the trends of the moment.

I bought a few style books, and this is, hands-down, the best--my fashion Bible. I have no more to say. Just BUY it already! ;)

This book has changed the way I look at my own body.

See, when I used to go shopping for clothes - while there were things I loved on the shelves or hanging on the models, they looked awful on me. Similarly, clothes that suited my friends did not suit me.

I always though this must just be proof that I was ugly and terible and had a crap body. The usual teenage anxiety.

If only I had this book when I was a teenager. I've only had it a month, but already I've revamped my wardrobe - got rid of things that never really suited me, built up the basics, and picked out cuts of shirts and jeans that do suit me - and now I keep intentionally wandering past mirrors just so I can catch a glimpse of how I look. I'm so incredibly happy, and I feel utterly gorgeous.

This book goes through different garments - shirts, jeans, skirts, jackets, accessories, etc - and demonstrates how to put outfits together, what cuts suit what body shape (including ratio issues, like someone who has a long torso and short legs, broad shoulders and so on). There is a lot of sensible advice that can be tailored to suit your own personal style, and if you follow the guidelines in the book you're practically guarranteed to have something in your wardrobe to suit every occasion.

This book has done more for my self estem and personal style than years of angsting and fruitlessly searching through clothing stores without assistance. I am going to purchase some more books like this as a basis for comparison but really, this is more than I ever thought I could get out of a book on dressing well!

Another added bonus is that I now am much more confident about asking for help at clothing stores. I know what to call different cuts, I come into a store with a clear idea in my mind of what I like and what looks good, and communicate exactly what I'm after, which has resulted in me finding a few really great items I would have missed without assistance!

I have never felt like I had so much direction with shopping and style as I do now. This book has been very helpful to me. I am usually the kind of person that finds one thing that works and can't quit buying the same thing... the 10 Favorite GAP t-shirts in my closet are a testament of that. I have really felt inspired to go out and shop for a variety of things that aren't just a shot in the dark-- they're stylish and lovely and flattering in the fit thanks to the new information I have. I really appreciate that the concepts are presented without highlighting any particular company. I shop at thrift stores, DownEast Outfitters, TJ Max, and very seldom at retail stores since my husband is in school and I'm at home with three children. I've read the opinions of many that this book is only geared toward certain ages/walks of life, but I think that's debatable. Perhaps some styles recommended won't work for everyone, but if you study the concepts and reach inside for your own style and creativity, you can hone each idea to suit your taste. Color schemes and overall fit is are subjects worth studying for any age. Another instance: I am not going to put heels with jeans unless I'm going out with my husband. A flat of some sort works better when your carrying a 3-month old around, tying shoe laces, running errands with children, or whatever. But I look at the style and concept of the heels and look for that in lower shoes for everyday use. I'm very impressed with the way that exceptions are noted and personal style is respected, too. I expected the "handbag" section to be propoganda for having a handbag for every outfit. Not so. It first asks the question, "Are you a handbag sort of person?" If not, they recommend just having an everyday bag that's versatile, practical, and structured even when filled, in addition to a tote and an evening bag. Anyway, that's it. I love the book. One of the most worthwhile purchases I've made in the past 10 years. Thank you Lucky!!

This is the book I always wanted to write. The Lucky Shopping Manual, together with "What not to wear", is all a woman will ever need. "What not to wear" will teach you exactly what clothes are right for your body shape and the Lucky Shopping Manual will help you transform this information into a functional wardrobe. The book is written with the same passion for helping women develop their shopping skills as the magazine. Andrea Linett has an extremely discriminating eye for what looks cool, relaxed, and put together on the street and she generously shares her observations with us. I believe the real value of the book is to demystify sales, over-abundance, and high-end fashion magazines; and to keep your eye, mind, and budget focused on the gaps in your wardrobe and how to close them. Linett and France manage to nail down the essence of cool, sophisticated street dressing into easy-to-get formulas with room for experiments. Every high-end fashion designer that I admire but cannot afford claims that their only goal is to make women look beautiful and desirable -- Linett and France, together with the authors of "What not to wear", fulfil this mission in a smart, street-wise, and sophisticated way; and for every budget.