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Clothes... and other things that matter

A beguiling and revealing memoir from the former Editor of British Vogue
3.89 goodreads logo

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( 131 ratings, 19 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Clothes... and other things that matter is a deeply personal memoir by Alexandra Shulman that explores the emotional and social significance of clothing. Drawing from her own life and career as the former editor of British Vogue, Shulman examines how garments like bras, bikinis, trench coats and trainers represent more than fashion – they reveal facets of identity linked to career, motherhood, romance, body image and ambition. The book blends memoir, social observation and fashion history to invite readers to reflect warmly and honestly on the narratives clothes weave in their lives.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This memoir suits anyone interested in fashion, culture and personal stories, especially readers who appreciate reflective explorations of identity through everyday things like clothing. It appeals to women of all ages and those curious about how clothes intersect with life’s complexities, from ambition to body image. Fans of stylish, thoughtful memoirs and those seeking an emotionally intelligent and honest read will find it rewarding.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Part memoir, part fashion history, part social commentary, Alexandra Shulman's Sunday Times bestseller explores the meaning of clothes and how we wear them, with a new preface on how recent world events have changed our relationship with clothes.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Warm, thought-provoking and honest. - Victoria Hislop

Clever, emotionally intelligent, revelling in style without making us yearn to shop. - The Times

Self-deprecating and stylish, this is sure to become a classic. - Vanity Fair

Thoughtful, wry and candid. - Mail on Sunday

A must-read memoir for even those beyond the fashion set. - Evening Standard

It's funny, honest and in typical Shulman style mixes high and low effortlessly. We don't know many people who can write about bras, Donald Tusk and Madeleine Albright all in the same sentence. - A Little Bird

Scintillating reading. - The Spectator

Alexandra Shulman's style is unaffected, immediate and hilariously dry. She's brilliant at observing everyday feelings in a joy-sparking turn of phrase. - Helena Bonham Carter

Clothes... and other things that matter is a book not only about clothes but about the way we live our lives. From childhood onwards, the way we dress is a result of our personal history. In a mix of memoir, fashion history and social observation, Shulman writes about the person our clothes allow us to be and sometimes the person they turn us into.

In Clothes... and other things that matter, Alexandra Shulman delves into her own life to look at the emotions, ambitions, expectations and meanings behind the way we dress.

From the bra to the bikini, the trench coat to trainers, the slip dress to the suit, she explores their meaning in women's lives and how our wardrobes intersect with the larger world - the career ladder, motherhood, romance, sexual identity, ambition, failure, body image and celebrity.

By turns funny, refreshingly self-deprecating and often very moving, this startlingly honest memoir from the ex-Editor of British Vogue will encourage women of all ages to consider what their own clothes mean to them, the life they live in them and the stories they tell.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The book has been praised for its warmth, honesty and wit. Victoria Hislop calls it "warm, thought-provoking and honest," while The Times highlights its clever, emotionally intelligent storytelling that admires style without encouraging consumerism. Helena Bonham Carter commends Shulman’s dry humour and joyful observations of everyday feelings, calling it excellent company and even comforting during difficult times. The Spectator describes it as "scintillating reading," and the Evening Standard recommends it as a must-read memoir beyond the fashion world.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781788401999

Publisher: Octopus Publishing Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 10 June 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Cassell

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 320g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Alexandra Shulman is a writer and commentator. She was British Vogue's Editor-in-Chief from 1992 to 2017 and was awarded the CBE in the 2018 New Year's Honours list. She is currently a columnist for the Mail on Sunday, a contributor to a variety of newspapers and magazines and a Vice President of the London Library. She has written two novels, Can We Still Be Friends (2012) and The Parrots (2015) and Inside Vogue: The Diary of My 100th Year (2016).

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