Book review: Lauren Conrad Style

So I felt the need to invest in a few girly books and I have always had my eye on Lauren Conrad’s Style (co-written with Elise Loehnen).  This book was originally released in October 2010, but fear not, the style tips do still apply as they are pretty basic things that anyone should know.

From amazon.ca:

You’ve seen Lauren Conrad on TV and red carpets, looking fabulous whether she’s going casual for a day with friends or dressed for a night out. Now Lauren reveals how you can adapt her classic, understated style for yourself. 

In her first-ever style guide, Lauren offers tips on how to create your own unique look, shares her favorite sources of inspiration, and identifies the absolute must-haves for any fashionista’s wardrobe. Along the way, she examines her fashion evolution, from California-casual teen to camera-ready style icon and clothing designer.

From beauty advice and hair secrets to how to shop vintage or find the perfect T-shirt, Lauren Conrad Style unlocks the mysteries of being effortlessly chic. With Lauren’s guidance, you’ll look and feel stylish every day.

Now I’m going to start off here by saying that I’m not a die-hard Lauren Conrad fan by any means. I watched Laguna Beach for the first two seasons that she was on, as well as The Hills for I believe the first three seasons.  I’ve always enjoyed Heidi more than Lauren because to be honest, I find her a bit boring at times and she always seemed quick to write off her friends (whereas Heidi is always stirring up the drama).  If you are looking for a tell-all book on her television career, this isn’t it.  Instead, you get a 240 page picture book of Conrad’s style tips.

Now the stuff in here isn’t cutting edge by any means, it’s a lot of simple style rules like what kinds of clothes should be staples in anyone’s collection (a nice pair of denim, black pumps, a blazer, a white button down, etc.), what to wear in an office, how to wear a little black dress a variety of ways, etc. The stuff she talks about isn’t revolutionary, but it’s an enjoyable read (and a fast one, it took me two days to read, although most people could probably read it in a day if they didn’t take a break).  With that being said, I did learn that a pair of sandals or shoes that dips slightly in the front will make short legs look less choppy (like Lauren, I was blessed with short legs which make wearing gladiator sandals, or any other shoe that cuts off at the ankle, next to impossible).

The book is broken up into three sections, Fashion, Beauty, and Hair, with a variety of chapters in between.  Chapters range on everything from what to pack when you travel, mastering your closet, how to shop, building your wardrobe, etc.  The chapters are not long and are broken up by a ton of colourful glossy photos that adorn the pages.  The only qualm I can really think of when it comes to Style is that in the photos and in the text she often mentions very high-end brands and items like Chanel, Christian Louboutin, J Brand, etc., that although they may be on most girl’s wish lists, they are very expensive items that probably a lot of girls in the book’s target demographic may not be able to afford.

Is this book worth buying?  If you were a hard-core fashionista, maybe (although you probably wouldn’t learn anything new.. it would look good as a coffee table book though).  If you want a fun, enjoyable read and are interested in fashion, definitely. To be honest, I don’t find Conrad to be the most fashionable celebrity and she hardly takes risks (she says so herself in her book); her style is quite plain and basic, very under the radar and “all american girl” if you will (she has a whole chapter on t-shirts and jeans).  I also find her line for Kohl’s to be nothing special and have never found a piece in the collection that I liked.  However, with that being said, it is an enjoyable read and filled with style basics which is great for teenagers and 20-somethings.  And although the info in here is very basic, it’s a good book to have on hand in case you need a quick fix on a hem of a new pair of jeans, want to double the life of your shoes, or just inspiration for your daily wardrobe.  Plus, the fun photos make the book even more enjoyable to flip through as you can lust over her Chloé riding boots, Chanel bags, and Stella McCartney dresses.

Oddly enough, as I was writing this post I actually was painting my nails the colour Violet Daze by mark.(I got it in my March 2012 Topbox), of which Conrad was the spokesperson for.  Coincidence or marketing ploy? Hmm…

Have you read Lauren Conrad’s Style?  If so, what were your thoughts?

Like what you read? Check out these related posts: