Archive for the ‘Books’ Category

C.Z. Guest - American Style Icon

Friday, February 15th, 2013 by mfn

I have just found out that a book on C.Z. Guest, titled “C.Z. Guest: American Style Icon” by Suzannah Salk is due for release tomorrow.

How delightful!! I have long marvelled at not only the stunning images of C.Z., (as shot by Irving Penn, Cecil Beaton, John Rawlings, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Slim Aarons to name just a few) but have always been so impressed by the way she carried herself.

In every image of CZ (well, of those that I have seen), she always looked so composed, so relaxed, so confident …… but in that effortless manner of someone who is comfortable within their own skin. She just had ‘it’. And in abundance.

As such, I wonder if this book will delve into CZ as a person - her way of living, manners and etiquette and hopefully more.

In Cornelia Guest’s words (thanks to last month’s Harpers Bazaar) her final comments in the article about her mother were both lovely and telling …. “What she cared about most was that things looked beautiful and were done in a certain way. Maybe we get there a little bit differently today, but the tradition is still there.”

Well, the book has been ordered, so no doubt time will tell how much it examines the life of CZ. Nevertheless, I’m sure it will be charming. CZ wouldn’t have stood for anything less.

CZ Guest French NavyCZ Guest by Bruce WebberCZ Guest by Slim AaronsCZ Guest Painting French Navyhbz-czguest-style-14-de-91751527

Reading time

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 by mfn

For some reason unbeknown to even myself, I have deemed reading as the ultimate luxury. Not magazines I might add, just books.

It is quite absurd, as I now feel as though everything (and I mean everything!) else must be done, such as the washing, cleaning, ironing etc before I am allowed to sit down and read. It’s madness !!! If I kept this up, I would never read another book again.

As such, I have taken it upon myself to stop this insanity and read a little bit if not every day, every second day. It is good for the soul, imagination and also conversation.

While I had a book I had intended to read, I saw that my mother had ‘Bringing Home the Birkin’ on kitchen table, fresh from her recent holiday. She graciously lent it to me and so I went home, sunggled up on the sofa and began my handbag journey.

It would appear that the author, Michel Tonello literally fell into the world of purchasing Hermes items and reselling them as a way of generating his income. A luxurious life indeed! Which of course led him to seek out the most coveted of coveted handbags, the Birkin.

This book is frivolity at it’s best, although by the end, you do realise what’s going to happen. But a fun, easy read nevertheless. Perfect for holiday reading.

bhtb-pb-cover