Style and Substance
On sale
9th November 2023
Price: £20
‘Compelling’ HARPER’S BAZAAR
‘Richly textured’ GRAZIA
‘Completely riveting . . . an eclectic compendium of style, subversion and literary snippets . . . all about the magical meaning of clothes’ CALENDAR MAGAZINE
Maya Angelou imagined she’d feel like a movie star in a dress of lavender taffeta. Rachel Weisz loves the democracy of denim. Zadie Smith‘s look differs depending on whether she’s in New York or London, while Joan Didion always packed the same clothes. Jarvis Cocker found inspiration at jumble sales, Bella Freud in Colette’s novels and Harris Reed in the gender fluidity of Virginia Woolf‘s Orlando. Oscar Wilde understood the importance of proportions, Stanley Tucci favours a narrow stripe and Chloë Sevigny delights in traditional, with a twist.
For Bernardine Evaristo style is about a refusal to be stereotyped. Jilly Cooper and AJ Tracey appreciate retail therapy. Sienna Miller misses the freedom of a less self-conscious age. For Davina McCall, an outfit begins with underwear; for Sophie Dahl it’s not complete without scent. Clothes allow Susie Cave to hide and Charlotte Tilbury to feel empowered.
With over sixty pieces on everything from thrifting to modesty dressing, drag to vintage sportswear, Style and Substance is a gloriously eclectic celebration of self-expression.
‘Richly textured’ GRAZIA
‘Completely riveting . . . an eclectic compendium of style, subversion and literary snippets . . . all about the magical meaning of clothes’ CALENDAR MAGAZINE
Maya Angelou imagined she’d feel like a movie star in a dress of lavender taffeta. Rachel Weisz loves the democracy of denim. Zadie Smith‘s look differs depending on whether she’s in New York or London, while Joan Didion always packed the same clothes. Jarvis Cocker found inspiration at jumble sales, Bella Freud in Colette’s novels and Harris Reed in the gender fluidity of Virginia Woolf‘s Orlando. Oscar Wilde understood the importance of proportions, Stanley Tucci favours a narrow stripe and Chloë Sevigny delights in traditional, with a twist.
For Bernardine Evaristo style is about a refusal to be stereotyped. Jilly Cooper and AJ Tracey appreciate retail therapy. Sienna Miller misses the freedom of a less self-conscious age. For Davina McCall, an outfit begins with underwear; for Sophie Dahl it’s not complete without scent. Clothes allow Susie Cave to hide and Charlotte Tilbury to feel empowered.
With over sixty pieces on everything from thrifting to modesty dressing, drag to vintage sportswear, Style and Substance is a gloriously eclectic celebration of self-expression.
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Reviews
A rich and broad-ranging compendium of essays, interviews and eclectic snippets . . . sure to kindle plenty of curiosity and unexpected journeys of discovery; whether literary or sartorial. This curated patchwork of writing - new, old (both rediscovered and iconic) - is a perfect metaphor for the way Garnett works with clothes as a stylist, of course. She has a special skill for putting together a fashion editorial with an unexpected mix of designer and thrifted pieces, that makes the storytelling resonate with personality and vibrant life.
Super stylist Bay Garnett has created a new, brilliant tome for the codes of dressing by excavating how others do it. Everyone from Joan Didion to Oscar Wilde, Chloe Sëvigny to Susie Cave appear in her new book Style and Substance - a perfect read for anyone looking to find a new lease of style life or just interested in examining the way icons dress.
Through a collection of essays, extracts and interviews, the esteemed stylist draws together a glorious celebration of the clothes we wear and the meaning behind them. From the looks of Maya Angelou and Zadie Smith to the power of drag and brilliance of thrifting, this is a wide- ranging delight.
A compelling new encyclopaedia of style.
Thoughtful and gloriously eclectic . . . a mix of old and new, which only amplifies Bay's ability to storytell. The perfect stocking filler!
A richly textured collection of essays . . . all about ideas and about cutting out the white noise of what you think you should do. What each perspective touches on is the importance of wearing clothes that feel true to who you are.
A book where gravity mingles with frivolity, humour with weight, never taking itself or its subject too seriously,but allowing it the attention it deserves. In a world of fleeting trends, Bay Garnett has created an accessory to treasure, earning Style And Substance an enduring place in the canon of fashion literature.
Stellar
Gathering voices from past and present, Style and Substance peeks into the hearts and wardrobes of aesthetes including Chloë Sevigny, Stanley Tucci and Oscar Wilde.