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52 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Style over substance, 22 Jan 2006
By A Customer
I was very disappointed with this book. It has a great title, and the contents page promises a great deal. It is beautifully produced and the illustrations are lovely - I was looking forward to reading it.The 'information', however, is superficial at best, and incorrect at worst. Any woman who is at least vaguely competent should know at least 80% of what's in this book already. There's an uncritical acceptance that whatever leads the market must therefore be the best (e.g. in computer software and MP3 players); the information about fitting a bra is just wrong, as even the most basic research would have shown. It tells you that knitting is the bees knees, but doesn't tell you how to do it or any pointers on how to learn apart from 'get someone to show you'. Helpful. Names are dropped all over the place - Oooh! Look at my famous friends! - which I found irritating. I was also annoyed by comments such as, "Any connoisseur will know that the only real way to travel is by car or taxi. Live the fantasy and sign off taxi reciepts for the obvious reason: 'SF' (Stiletto Fatigue)", and "If your escort is shorter than you in your highest heels dump him immediately. A pair of Manolos lasts a lifetime, and you shouldn't compromise style for love." And so on, ad infinitum. Since when was it stylish to be shallow? The book is not well written, there are several errors that slipped by the editor, the index is unreliable, and I'm afraid Camilla Morton came over as the kind of shallow, glossy, self-absorbed woman I try to avoid at parties.
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