27 April 2010

The Gospel According to Coco Chanel

And my second literary purchase was:
Delving into the long, extraordinary life of renowned French fashion designer Coco Chanel, Karen Karbo has written a new kind of book, exploring Chanel’s philosophy on a range of universal themes—from style to passion, from money and success to femininity and living life on your own terms.

Born in 1883 in a poorhouse in southern France to unmarried parents, Chanel was raised in a convent after her mother died when she was six and her father abandoned her. The nuns taught her to sew, and while working as a café singer in the early 1900s she began designing hats for fun. Her lovers included a wealthy English industrialist, who helped her set up her own millinery shop and steered his society friends her way.

Chanel grew up to be the woman who not only gave us the little black dress and boxy jackets, but also popularized pants for women and easy, practical clothes that allowed women a chic freedom they’d never known before. In her strong-headed, elegant, opinionated, passionate, entirely French way, Coco Chanel helped bring women into the modern era. She was the only fashion icon to be named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century.

The Gospel According to Coco Chanel is a captivating, offbeat look at style, celebrity, and self-invention—all held together with Karbo’s droll Chanel-style commentary and culled from an examination of Chanel’s difficult childhood and triumphant adulthood, passionate love affairs, career choices, habits, eccentricities, and personal philosophies. Weaving Chanel’s life story into chapter themes that subtly convey life lessons, and with Chesley McLaren’s charming illustrations, it will leave the reader utterly entranced with, and inspired by, Chanel’s amazing individuality, confidence, and determination.

Tres chic. Le sigh.
Grace and Coco will be quite the dynamic duo on my coffee table I suspect...

11 comments:

Same Sweet Girl: Memoir of a Southern Belle said...

This looks great!!!!!! You have awesome taste girl and I love it! Thanks for the book ideas! I can't wait to get them myself! :)

the NEO-traditionalist said...

Oh Coco! I've been meaning to pick up a copy of this as well! I have a $50 gift card to Amazon...perhaps I'll head over there this very second : ) xoxo katie

Abbey said...

i was thinking of grabbing this book!

Anonymous said...

Have you been going through my Amazon wish list? Haha. I've been thinking about getting both of those books for the longest time.

Trish {Pink Preppy Lilly Lover} said...

Oh this book looks great too! I'm sure the illustrations are precious based on that cute cover :) You'll have to let us know what you think and what your favorite parts of the book are! xoxo

Ali said...

I saw this book at anthro the other day and was so tempted to pick it up!

Sweet Southern Prep said...

Looks like a great read! Love Coco. Almost considered naming one of my daughters that, but my last name is Brown. Not sure those names would go well together. Haha.

And yes! Bonanno's would be perfect for your wedding weekend and after. :) If you do decide to order the silver and gold, I think you get the $20 off anyway, but in the last step, just tell them I referred you in the comment section. And if you have any questions, let me know.

the pink prep said...

oui, oui! trés chic! i think you're going to have to dedicate a day to just lounge on that fabulous new sofa, prop yourself up on some gorgeous pink & green pillows, pour a glass of champagne and delve into these beauties!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow girl! Looks like this would be some great summer reading! Hope your having a great day! xoxo

Annesphamily said...

I have a Betty Ball doll in a Coco Chanel suit! I love that little doll! That is the only Chanel suit I will ever own!

c said...

she led such an interesting life!