Mrs. O - The Face of Fashion Democracy

Fashion's best-kept secrets from London's leading fashion authority

Why is it that simply getting dressed in the morning can be a bewildering experience? Last month's must-haves date you faster than a frizzy perm, and before the credit-card bill is paid, some expert is telling you your latest fashion fantasy is now "so last season." The more you buy, the less it seems you have to wear.

Knowing what works and what doesn't, how and when to shop, how best to dress your body shape, and how to work an accessory like a styling pro will propel you on your way to fashion nirvana: the effortlessly chic set. With timeless tips and practical advice, fashion editor Paula Reed proves that you don't have to have a big budget, a whole new wardrobe, or the latest fad to look great.

Transform your life with these expert lessons

• When to spend: what is worth a budget blowout and what can be a cheap buy.
• How to find the fabulous in every figure: dress thin, tall, and timeless . . . promise!
• Secrets of the successful shopper: how to know if it's eek! or chic!
• The essential proportions of the perfect pants, the jacket you'll love forever, and dresses to die for.
• And much more—on coats, suits, shirts, shoes, bags, and essential accessories. Here you'll find everything else you need to release your individual style.

Each chapter focuses on a particular element of fashion—coats, dresses, suits, bags, jewelry—making it easy to navigate the world of fashion. From eveningwear to work wear, weekends to big nights out, from the boardroom to the home office, Reed covers it all with warmth, wit, and intelligence. With a little basic skill, deftly applied, you can have confidence in knowing that what you put on looks great and serves you well. Whatever your age, whether you have a big budget or are flat broke, Style Clinic will help make fashion work for you.

When the clothing budget is tight, when you have to squeeze every dollar and stretch it further, it’s time to go on The Shopping Diet. But don’t worry! This diet won’t deprive you of having a fashionable and up-to-date wardrobe—in fact, you will find exciting ways to look fantastic, make more of the clothes and accessories you already have, and come out ahead with the one thing that’s always in style: more money in your wallet!

Whether you’re an impulse shopper, whether you shop out of boredom or other emotions, or if "the tough go shopping" has always been your motto, you may feel that you simply have to shop—that there are never enough clothes, or the right clothes, to make you feel complete, confident, and in control. But in tough economic times, there is a better way—a whole new lifestyle of evaluating your true wardrobe needs, making smart choices, and changing your spending habits from the inside out. The results? More time (no more Saturdays spent wandering the mall aimlessly), more space (your closet makeover will turn that priceless piece of real estate into your favorite go-to boutique!), and more cash (or, if you prefer, less credit card debt). Now that’s being in control!