The Dress Doctor: Prescriptions for Style, from A to Z

Sure, this book, written in 1959, is a bit dated - then again, would you really expect a book subtitled What to Wear for Every Occasion to stay in style for over 40 years? If Edith Head could see what people wear today, well...she'd surely be reeling in shock. Her advice, after all, comes from a different generation, a more formal era in fashion. But fashion tips are really only a small part of the pleasures of this book. What makes it such fun to read is the inimitable style and personality of Edith Head, dressmaker to the stars. She was a true character and thank goodness she lets some of that eccentric genius shine in this book as she discusses her clients, such stars as: Dorothy Lamour...Madeleine Carroll...Mary Martin...Betty Hutton...Veronica Lake...Giner Rogers...Charles Laughton...and more. The section entitled What to Wear on Every Occasion is both funny and enlightening to read as Edith Head had clear-cut opinions on the Dos and Don'ts of fashion, even advising women what to wear to such diverse events as Prize Fights, Dog Shows and Garden Parties. Don't pass up a chance to grab a copy of this one!

Edith goes into great detail over her trials and tribulations (as well as successes) while working as the Chief Costum Designer at Paramount Pictures and later Universal. Information about Edith's personal life during this time is kept to an extreme minimum, which is unfortunate, but certainly helps to perpetuate the enigmatic personality she worked so hard to create for herself.

The story of Edith Head, Hollywood's first major fashion designer for Paramount Studios, is both informative and entertaining. The role she played in shaping not only Hollywood's elite, but everyday women, in modern day apparel as well as individual attitude still applies 50 years later. I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy reading of someone who became someone she never intended to be, and yet enjoy and convey enthusiasm throughout her career to all she encountered.