{Recommended reading} Already Pretty: Learning to Love Your Body by Learning To Dress It Well

I'm so pleased to share the news that my friend, mentor, and all-around positive body image and style goddess Sally McGraw has published a book! Sal's blog, Already Pretty, was one of the very first blogs I subscribed to. Her insight, wisdom, wardrobe advice and intelligent discourse on body image has been a consistent source of inspiration for me. Here's a brief synopsis of her book:

Structured as a fun and accessible self-guided makeover, Already Pretty is the antidote to cookie-cutter style guides. Instead of dumping you into a body type category and restricting what you can and cannot wear, this friendly, funny, body-positive book presents a highly customizable regimen to help you define and hone your own personal style. Already Pretty reveals the fundamentals of fashion and figure flattery, but also encourages you to create a style that is both expressive and unique. A true guidebook to crafting personal style, this book teaches women to love their bodies, dress impeccably, and embrace the philosophy that dressing well is key to living well.

Like the PDF that Sal launched way back in 2011, her book is basically a self-guided makeover. But it’s longer and more in-depth and it’s got PHOTOS! The book is packed with enlightening exercises, mix-and-match figure flattery techniques, and effective tutorials that illustrate how personal style can foster self-love and self-respect.

Sal's book is available through Createspace, the same publishing service I used to create my own book. If you're thinking about publishing a traditional library-bound book or e-book, I can't recommend Createspace highly enough.

You can purchase Sal's book through this link starting on June 22nd. I hope you show your support of this fabulous woman by buying a copy. I am sure it'll be a valuable resource to your own library!

the tote bag book

So did you enjoy that cool tote round-up yesterday for Freeworld? Well, I have more gorgeous prints which I couldn’t resist sharing today. This time, all the totes come from the blog Totebags, which is dedicated to the world of tote bag prints, graphics and designers.

Blog author Jitesh Patel has even authored and designed The Tote Bag Book, a spin-off from his clever blog concept. According to the site, the book showcases some of the most striking, inventive and subversive examples of the ubiquitous tote. From eco chic to style icon, the featured totes come from a wide range of illustrators and designers from around the world, with designs including floral prints, typography, illustrations and characters. Each book will be beautifully packaged in an original and eye-catching tote bag.

The Tote could not get any cooler!

Historical Splendour

This evocative editorial featured in Vogue Italia March 2010 reminded me of the book I’m reading at the moment, Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran. Historical fiction is not always my cup of tea, but this story, vivid and colourfully written, tells the dark tale of the French Revolution as it begins and violently destroys all that is royal and aristocratic in 18th century Paris. The central character of the novel is woven into this Reign of Terror and becomes the woman behind one of the most famous museums in the world.

Photographed by the imaginative Tim Walker, this editorial with its powdered wigs, opulent silk dresses and historical styling caught my eye.

images via oh fashion model

Bookworm

If you’re crazy about books and the shelves they sit upon, then peruse Bookshelf Porn, a photo blog collection of all the best bookshelf photos from around the world. The site has archives back to January 2009, and believe me, it’s worth a visit. [the name alone inspires further exploration!]

Some porn that caught my eye:

images linked to source