100 Unforgettable Dresses [Hardcover]

 

100 Unforgettable Dresses [Hardcover]

 

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Harper Design (October 25, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061151661
• ISBN-13: 978-0061151668
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  

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Customer Reviews

I just purchased this through Amazon. I was initially wary of the title as I've been rather disappointed with most of the fashion-themed books published this year and for the last few years (and I've been buying fashion books for decades including anything with the word "couture" or "Vreeland" or "Yohji" or "Comme" in the title). However, it was a sheer joy to read from page 1 till the end; even the acknowledgements are so well-written. The author is witty, perceptive, sensitive to the ephemeral pleasure and excitement of fashion shows, alert to the technical details or innovations in a dress, fashion conscious (as opposed to some of the new titles written by bloggers or associate professors in design with no fashion passion and no references in the history of fashion) - there is delight in a superbly apt description of the dress and of that very moment when the dress made that impact. If you enjoyed the passion of Martin Gottfried in Broadway Musicals (1986), then you will know what I'm referring to. All through, there are little known delicious tidbits associated with each dress; for example, the seams on Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's Narciso wedding dress (not a favourite dress of mine but that's not the point) and a wonderful little story about the cutting of the dress (which I cannot spoil for the next reader). One doesn't have to agree with all his choices but I was thrilled that he chose Anne Margaret's dress in the opening sequence of Bye Bye Birdie. The description of Carmen Kass walking in the Chanel rtw ostrich feathered dress is gorgeous. I'm probably overreacting (slightly) here but this is not fashion writing, this is prose.

I don't understand why other reviewers have rated this so highly. I was really disappointed with both the quality of the photographs and the summaries. Perfect example. One of the highlighted dresses, is the beautiful and famous red gown Julia Roberts wore in Pretty Woman when she and "Edward Lewis" (the actor Richard Gere) go to the Opera. Well, the photo is grainy (looks like it was copied and pasted from an internet site) AND the photo only shows half the dress! The pages of this book are 8" X 11" - yet this photo is only half the size of the page and only shows the dress from hips up. There is literally half a page of blank white at the top of the page.
The author's picture and commentary of the late Princess Diana's wedding gown was equally disappointing. Instead of presenting the dress within it's context of time and fashion, he references only designers who hated the dress and blame a decade (the 80's) of over the top wedding dresses. Those were the 80's! And the photo accompanying the gown only gives a side angle, leaving the reader unable to see the massive train and veil, which were spectacular at the time.
Other photos in the book do not provide any ability to view the details of the dress. Stevie Nicks, "Goth Goddess Dress" - it just looks like she's wearing a black dress! If you squint, you can sort of see "something shiny" on the dress - what are they? Beading? Sequins? I don't know, because he doesn't even explain it very well, except to say it was a corset top and chiffon skirt. That's just one example; there are loads in the book.....Madonna in "The Sicilian Dress", Audrey Hepburn in "The Embassy Ball Gown for My Fair Lady" - photos are poor quality ; one can't see details of the dress at all.
A few of the photos are decent; Jackie Kennedy Onasiss, Cate Blanchett, Grace Kelly...with some obvious unforgettable dresses. And there are other dresses presented that left me thinking, "Huh?"...."The Touring Dress by Prada" - nothing escpecially special.....
I can't recommend; it's not worth the price ; could have been done so much better, with better quality photos.