Clothes... and other things that matter

I enjoyed the authors first book Inside Vogue and felt the same about this one.She shares with us memories of her life from a young girl through her outfits ,shoes Items. she wore that invoke memories.Her time at Vogue iconic items moments,For lovers of fashion nostalgia and fans of the author grab this book,#netgalley #octopusbooks

‘Clothes…and other things that matter’ will delight anyone who has any interest at all in what they wear, what their friends and acquaintances wear and why fashions come and go. Alexandra Shulman’s knowledgeable, superbly illustrated and entertaining memoir may strike a particular chord with all those of her generation but it also provides an eminently readable history of why we wear the clothes that we do.
Organised into chapters such as ‘Red Shoes’ – yes, I had said pair from Startrite too – ‘T Shirts’, ‘The Geography Teacher’s Dress’, the reader is led through Shulman’s childhood, her teenage years and into adult life through her musings on her, and others’, clothes. We learn a good deal about the workings of the magazine industry, what people expect from a Vogue editor and how she has enjoyed success and ridden storms. Shulman comes across as attractively self-deprecating whilst also taking delight in all that she and her team achieved at Vogue during her 25 years as editor. In this memoir she is witty, warm, delightful company. So much so that it is extremely tempting to read ‘just another chapter’ whilst also relishing the carefully chosen illustrations. Nevertheless, this is also the sort of book that can very easily be picked up and put down as the mood takes. Highly recommended. I’ve already ordered a copy for my daughter-in-law who, I’m willing to bet, will turn straight to the chapter entitled ‘Handbags’!
My thanks to NetGalley and Octopus Publishing, Cassell for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

I've read Alexandra's previous book Inside Vogue which i loved so great to see a new book. This is an autobiographical muse through her wardrobe and her experiences as Vogue editor, through the history of key items from our wardrobe, linking their meaning, history and personal tales. Amusing, open and honest.

I loved this book even more than I expected to! Schulman gets the balance absolutely right between fashion, wit and memoir. She's a glorious writer with the ability now to step back and look at her life, both professional and personal, with honesty and insight. Chapters may hang on items of dress (red shoes, the Little Black Dress, the white shirt) but each essay spirals out in an organic way taking in fashion history, the media industry, cultural history, and her own life - I enjoyed the unexpectedness of not knowing where each piece would go. The essays are roughly chronological, from Schulman's childhood in the 1960s forward, and self-aware of how fashion intersects with politics, identity, cultural moments. Perfect for dipping into, but actually I found myself pulled into that ' just one more piece' mentality. Schulman comes over as warm, self-deprecating, smart and honest. Hugely enjoyable.

I love former Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman and I loved her previous book, Inside Vogue, which celebrated the magazine's 100th year. I'm not a massive follower of fashion anymore but used to love reading the glossy magazines and generally just following the industry. I especially enjoy getting that insider scoop on the gossip, drama and goings on of how the other half live (although under Shulman, UK Vogue did try to be both relatable as well as aspirational!).

In 'Clothes... and other things that matter', Shulman takes us on a non-linear journey of her life, from childhood to Vogue and to the years following her resignation. The book is split into sections, each focusing on a specific fashion item or attribute (colour/material etc), and her associated memories and opinions plus often a bit of history about the specific topic as well.

When the book started out with a list of the items in her wardrobe I really wasn't sure how much I would enjoy the book! Clearly Shulman is very privileged and comes from a very well-off and well-known family (many family members had previously worked with Vogue before she did). I was worried this would be full of unrelatable stories and name-dropping... which it was, to a large degree, but it was also still immensely enjoyable. It feels like a bit of a weird book to be reading in the current circumstances but it was a nice escape and a light, fairly quick read if you're interested in fashion and looking for something to dip in and out of.