Little Brown Book of Heaven
Here’s a blunt confession: I do judge a book by its cover. As far as I’m concern, if an author or publisher cares as much about the outside look of a book as the inside, then a brilliantly designed cover should say a lot about the content (not in anyway to imply that my post-it inspired cover that I designed myself is as gorgeous as my writing hahahaha).
Anyway, as I fell off the wagon of my compulsive-shopping diet last night (and this afternoon for that matter, when I found this breathtaking sky-blue sandals, which by the way costs less than the book! …. Aagh, it’s just like an alcoholic first martini after 12 months of AA sobriety), I bought a little brown book entitled The Handbook of Style. It was sealed, so I couldn’t really have a peak of the inside, and honestly, I don’t even have the slightest clue who the writers were (do Francine Maroukian and Sarah Woodruff ring a bell? They’re not Anna Wintour, that’s for sure), but I fell in love with its cover: it looks like this deep maroonish brown crocodile skin matched with a touch of pink in the corner box of the title. And - I’m not just saying this to prove my own theory of book cover - as soon as I finished two minutes of reading the first pages, I must say: this is money well spent! The 163 pages - which I finished in just two hours of caffeine break at Starbucks with my friends - all filled with very simple yet essential tips on beauty, fashion, and style.
I’ve always been a bit judgmental towards other how-to books (they’re usually just a collection of bullshit advice which you can’t really apply in real life), but this one is really different. The Handbook of Style should be the bible of any modern women anywhere, 37 commandments you should follow if you want to avoid committing the crime of fashion. My favorite chapters: How to Get the Haircut You Want (which explain my fanaticism with one particular stylist), How to Find the Right Frames for Your Face (I think Lisa Loeb is reading this), How to Choose the Perfect T-Shirt (oh those beautiful Zara v-necks), How to Spot a Comfortable and Sexy Shoe (beauty is painful, but any tips debunking this, I’m there!), How to Carry a Computer Bag and Still Look Good (another impulsive buying: this gorgeous brick orange small laptop bag from Sumdex), and How to Travel and Arrive in Style. For a highly voguish style book, this one doesn’t even harass you to buy a particular brand (like us mortals really have the guts to max out our credit cards to purchase a Coach bag). Instead, the articles just describe the type of style that matches your hair color and eye color and skin tone and body type.
So allow me to selfish and suggest the two must-have books the next time you’re stopping by a bookstore: The Handbook of Style and A Very Yuppy Wedding … my book, of course 
