Book Review: Freakin' Fabulous

Freakin’ Fabulous: How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally be Better Than Everyone Else, by Clinton Kelly

This review is a reprint from the latest edition of Jennifer Skinner's Wardrobe-Wise.

Leafing through Clinton Kelly’s new book, my eye landed on the quote, “ If you don’t have fit, you don’t have style. End of story.” And I was hooked. Amen, say I!

This is no mere tome on style. This is a hilarious and yet factual romp through all areas of personal expression. Clinton Kelly acknowledges that your image encompasses far more than just appearance…although your appearance is the first thing others will see and judge. How you speak and behave, how you eat and drink, how you decorate and entertain all contribute to your overall image. And Clinton Kelly spares no barb in giving you the information that will give you a leg up in all these areas.

Of course, my primary interest was in the wardrobe section, the first in the book. If I was hooked before, I was in love when I read about his experience with French style:
“Then, by the time Friday rolled around, I noticed something weird: People were wearing the same outfits they wore on Monday! I had never witnessed anything like it. It seemed the people of this strange, foreign land cared more about quality than about quality. How un-American! They actually paid more for clothes that fit them well and wore them more often. They didn’t care if someone from the office saw them in the same outfit twice in the same week. Mind boggling!”

For anyone with a collection of style books already on their shelves, this one probably won’t have much new to offer in the way of wardrobe advice. But what it does have is a ton of witty commentary, oodles of pictures, and lessons in such things as grammar, picture hanging, proper use of utensils, cooking for guests, decorating your home, and much, much more. If you’re interested in making the very best impression, check out Freakin’ Fabulous by Clinton Kelly. You’ll have a grand ol’ time learning how to be “generally better than everyone else.”