Hi Dolls! Summer is in full swing. This is the time of year I try (try being the operative word) to catch up on my reading. Like many, I make my selections from the New York Times Best Seller List – a mix of fiction and non-fiction. But not this year. This summer, I plan on doing something different and not at all cerebral; but it will be fun. Plus, several Dolls know that I am currently pursing my MBA. Classes ended on the 13th, so I am up to “here” in serious reading. 

I love purchasing books on fashion, entertaining and etiquette. Some are coffee table books, others find their home on a bookshelf. Almost all never get read. Starting this weekend, these babies will no longer be orphans. I plan on getting through at least 10. Yep, I have that many  – actually more. As I peruse the pages, I plan on jotting down éléments d’intérêt. Some for fun, some to try. 

Peep a few selections from my not-so-serious summer reading list below: 

All in Good Taste | Kate Spade

“In this charming guide to entertaining, Kate Spade new york throws rigid rules out the door and shares unpretentious ideas for the modern-day hostess that are easy, festive, authentic, and always with an air of deliberate polish. 

Filled with how-to’s, personal essays, anecdotes, recipes, and a liberal dash of style, all in good taste will transform you into the hostess everyone wants an invitation from.”

New York Through a Fashion Eye | Megan Hess

“New York Through a Fashion Eye is an illustrated guide to the fashionista’s New York – from one of the world’s most sought-after fashion illustrators. 

Megan Hess, one of the world’s most successful fashion illustrators, guides readers through one of the world’s greatest fashion cities. From Chanel to Dior, Bloomingdales to Bergdorf Goodman, Megan Hess has drawn for some of the most prestigious fashion brands around and experienced the incredible style the city of New York has to offer. The book is an adventure showing the best places for a fashionista to eat, sleep, and play – all illustrated in her inimitable, elegant style. Featuring fashion-themed restaurants, hotels, and sites to visit, as well as Megan’s favorite places to shop, this is a must-have insider’s guide to New York for any fashion lover.”

Chanel and Her World: Friends, Fashion and Fame | Edmonds Charles-Roux

“In this beautiful volume, the glorious life of the incomparable Coco Chanel shines again through hundreds of illustrations and the lively prose of Edmonde Charles-Roux, her official biographer and close friend. Chanel knew and collaborated with the likes of Picasso, Diaghilev, Stravinsky, Cocteau, Jean Renoir, and Visconti—even as she matched their modernist innovations by liberating women from the prison of 19th-century fashion and introducing a whole new concept of elegance. The staggering collection of photographs amassed by the author over decades of friendship with Chanel sheds new light on one of the great stories of the modern age.”

What’s a Hostess to Do?| Susan Spungen

“In What’s a Hostess to Do?, entertaining expert Susan Spungen explains everything you need to know to host a party effortlessly and with elegance – whether the occasion is an informal brunch, a sit-down dinner, a buffet for a crowd, or an impromptu birthday celebration. It’s all arranged in 313 easy-to-digest entries that take you through every aspect of entertaining. With helpful illustrations and full-color photographs, What’s a Hostess to Do? is a stylish and instructive guide filled with expert advice from a party-throwing pro.”

The Wonderful World of Fifi Lapin | Fifi Lapin

“Even the most savvy fashionistas have a lot to learn from the “world’s most stylish bunny” (Elle). Indeed, Fifi Lapin—a spoiled rotten illustrated rabbit and in-demand fashion blogger—knows her couture from her carrots. Her blog of whimsical outfit choices and fashion musings has made her an icon among designers, style bloggers, and thousands of fans worldwide. Here, she reveals the best of her fashion secrets, sharing advice on finding the perfect pair of jeans, layering trends with classics, and crafting personal style without paying couture prices (like she does). With a perfectly pretty cover, hundreds of cute illustrations and runway photos, plus inspiring interviews with top designers such as Anna Sui and Paul Smith, this is every fun-loving girl’s go-to guide to looking fabulous every day of the week.”

Town & Country Social Graces | Jim Brosseau

“For more than 150 years, Town & Country has stood for quality and refinement. So who better to offer sound guidance on leading a civilized life in a world of eroding social graces? Here, 50 of the keenest and wittiest observers of our changing culture put forward their incisive—and thoroughly modern—views on sidestepping today’s most prevalent, perilous social landmines. From such topics as cell phone and E-mail etiquette to guilt-free apologies, these 64 timely essays offer astuteness without stuffiness.”

And finally, I mean who wouldn’t be interested in someone who decided to spend a year living like the Big O! Hmmm … 

Living Oprah | Robyn Okrant

“What happens when a thirty-five-year-old average American woman spends one year following every piece of Oprah Winfrey’s advice on how to “live your best life”? Robyn Okrant devoted 2008 to adhering to all of Oprah’s suggestions and guidance delivered via her television show, her website, and her magazine. LIVING OPRAH is a month-by-month account of that year. Some of the challenges included enrollment in Oprah’s Best Life Challenge for physical fitness and weight control, living vegan, and participating in Oprah’s Book Club. After 365 days of LIVING OPRAH, Okrant reflects on the rewards won and lessons learned as well as the tolls exacted by the experiment.”

Leave a comment and share what’s on your not-so-serious summer reading list? 

Until then, keep sharing the pretty,

TPD