Fashion inspiration can be found anywhere, and books are incredible sources for style innovation. Book-Inspired Fashion explores these treasure troves, and brings them them to you in looks inspired by vibrant characters, far away lands, brilliantly woven plotlines, and more.

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably firmly entrenched in the haziness of summertime. I’m fully aware, however, that classes are going to start soon (summer courses, anyone?) and am now attempting to hold on to the vestiges of summer with all my might. So, the book I picked this week is one that is great light reading – a guidebook, in many ways – that allows me to fantasize a little bit more about fashion before really having to hit the books. 

Table of Contents

Reading Between the Lines

The Little Black Book of Style by Project Runway judge Nina Garcia was released in 2007, and many women, myself included, have never looked back since. This book, contrary to expectation, heavily emphasizes internal style and the way that exterior fashion reflects, responds to, and embodies a woman’s inner beauty. 

Notably, the book is filled with illustrated by the amazing Ruben Toledo, rather than the photographs that other style guides are known for, and this is both to maintain the timeless quality of true, individual style as well as to demonstrate that there is no single outfit that works for everyone. Imagination and creativity need to be at work, although Garcia certainly asserts some pointed (and sometimes controversial) opinions about how women should wield their style. 

Regardless, The Little Black Book of Style is bursting with sources of fashion inspiration – movies, trends from decades past, celebrity interviews, and more – and I have created three outfits surrounding the sections of the book that I personally refer to the most.