The Tim Gunn Jocasi Reader Mail

This is such a smart question! We interviewed someone last night, and they were like, "That is a really great question" and we felt like Jeremy Paxman for a moment. Or Christiane Amanpour. We were excited anyway.

Moving on, and in tribute to the new PR:

here's my question—I was flipping through Tim Gunn's book the other day, and in its wonderfulness he drops references to Roland Barthes, Diane Von Fursterburg, and I think he compares a closet to Kirkegaard in the first 40 pages. (It may be a more obscure theorist than Mr. K, though, I'm blanking a bit). I think in my guide to quality, taste, and style, I'd drop references to

Susan Sontag (always hot)
Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day (a truly fashionable book)
the Gilmore Girls, who have truly inspired me,
and Steve Martin, that silver fox.

What sort of pop culture/high culture ephemera would make up your hypothetical style book?

E.

You know, all we hear are great things about Gilmore Girls, but we've never seen it. Ours would include mostly films! The Cook, the Thief, his Wife, and her Lover, Lust, Caution—may we say that if ever there was a serious need for a semi-colon in a list-oriented sentence, this is it—Sabrina. We would also be thinking really hard about what we could put in there to make us seem smart. Plato? Like, the Plato story about how we're all halves of a whole, searching for the other side, like in Hedwig? Er, A+ here.

Moving on: Remembering that the most-commented-on post wins the Jocasi prize, who has some ideas?

Above: Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style, $12.21

Comments

[Abby]

Proust would be good for the 'smart-sounding' option... Despite his worthy, literary billing, he's remarkably concerned with fashion and food.

Other style role-models would be Marilyn Monroe in 'Some Like It Hot' for pure, size-friendly smoulder-ability; Edith Wharton, who knew the value of a good dress; The collected female cast of 'Mad Men' and, believe it or not, the cast of One Tree Hill, who knew when to call time on a terrible poncho.

[Sarah]

High culture, I'd drop David Hume. Harnessing reason to satisfy passion sounds good every time.

I refuse to call "Auntie Mame" low culture. Choose the book or the fabulous Rosalind Russell film, avoid the awful Lucille Ball version of the (great) musical, remember to "Live, live, live" and you can't go wrong.

[Aayesha]

High culture = Pierre Bourdieu (everyone loves the iconic class analyst), Erving Goffman (theories on self-presentation), the story of Pygmalion in Ovid's Metamorphoses (the classical "ideal" of a woman, used more for contrast than for actual recommendation).

Pop culture = Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn. I've always loved the idea of a teasingly low neckline and a pencil skirt.

[s-dog mtl]

i've always found my inspirations in the more literal and implicit aspects of books. the curve of a serif on the page, the dusty leather of an old book, the gold foil lettering, or heck even the little penguin on the cover (depending on the publisher!). there is something so sexy, sophisticated and elegant just about the way a good book is put together - like a good suit, a good hat, a good watch. i want to be a person that someone wants to read.

[Becky]

Charlotte Rampling, then and now. Helen Mirren too. Both Hepburns. I'd second The Cook, The Thief... and add Swimming Pool, 8 Women and some David Lynch. Patricia Highsmith. Oscar Wilde.

[stu]

Low culture - Indiana Jones, Joe Strummer, James Dean...your basic rebellious types.

High Culture - I always thought Samuel Beckett had a sense of style, especially if you have to deal with cold or damp climates.

Also, I'm kind of liking Obama now for business attire. I think Obama, if elected, will have a stylistic impact in a Kennedy sort of way. Perhaps not as audacious as removing hats from the common male wardrobe, but maybe removing ridiculous color selections.

[Danielle]

What style guide does bunnyshop use? Chicago 15th = semicolons for lists with internal commas. Uh, at least I think that's the case.

p.s. Patti Smith/Lou Reed.

[s-dawg]

I think I might have to include Tim Gunn - what with his charmingly stiff sensibility! So classy.

[Jason Wang]

Ellis' "American Psycho" was the epitome of high culture and fashion whether consulting the film or the book. Despite the mental instability of the character, his obsession to detail and presentation is second to none.

In honor of the Dark Knight arriving into theaters, Bruce Wayne's fashion sense and approach to being a socialite stands high and above anything else I have seen. When he's not leaping on rooftops,he has managed to present him as being the best gentleman caller in fiction.

Oh! Why is that the most fashionably presentable people are the ones that are also probably the craziest? To be fair,we're all a little crazy. Nothing better represents that than the Haruki Murakami novel. While we can relate to the humanity of the typical plain-dressed protagonists, the villains or inhuman characters are far more prone to fashion.

[Maggie]

John Malkovich, actually. I think he's pretty brilliant. And his fashion is so uniquely himself.

and I love it when you go to a sensitive indie rock show with a folky band and they dress up in suits. And I'd like to have a louche, grizzled Tom Waits sense of style-gone-girl.

[Marcie]

I actually think that Oprah is fantastically put together. I would like to be as hot as her when I am older ... and of course Helen Mirren , in case you haven't seen her bikini photos...

[Pants]

Well... Gwen Stefani, puleeeeze! Hot all the time in any season. Pop pop poppin'!

[Wendy]

You can go wrong with Audrey Hepburn. She is classic. Plato is always a good "I am smart" response, but sadly I haven't heard enough Plato to mention it without guilt. For me, it's all Shakespeare, all the time!

[Tanya C]

My first, and still the best, style icon is Madonna (circa 80s - early 90s).

[David]

Dr. Dre - the kacki just had another good run and the drop-crotch is full force for even high-end designers (see oaknyc.com) although perhaps more Joker's influence than a return of the gangster

Other notables would have to include Master P - does opulence ever tire? we all saw the biennials biggest hit even if it hasn't sold yet - And need I state the obvious, the king himself, Elvis. Not sure if he's still alive or not but the pompadour never dies.

[leslie]

oh, I read the question and didn't immediately think of iconic people, but more references of any kind that are starting points for style. so I'll throw out:
clever ice cream flavors both tasty and pretty: blood orange, fig and ricotta, creamy pistacchio; and baroque roman architecture because what's more revealing and tantalizing than out of control curves like that?

[cd-m]

My style book is full of stain-hiding earth tones with names like "barrista" and "caponata." My style book is foiled by children who like colors named: "Fiji" and "buttered yam."

[Beth]

I would drop references to Fay Wray in King Kong and maybe various obscure books of the Harlem Renaissance. Also Dorothy Parker. You know that lady was put together. And I was obsessed with Katherine Hepburn as a child, my god, just The Philadelphia Story, for one, so she'd definitely be in there.

Maybe Lou Doillon, too. Once she smiled at me on the street and it felt like I was blessed by fashion fairies.

[Jo]

I go for voices. I think Johnny Cash, Sufjan Stevens and Nico would all make my book.

[Dsharko]

I once worked with a guy that was obsessed with Tom Brady (this was in Boston of course). So much so that he would look at paparazzi pictures of him and take style notes. I thought of him when they lost this season, he probably cried a little. I don't think he was alone (at least in MA) in thinking of Brady as a style icon. I'll stick with Steve McQueen myself, and keep away from athletes for some reason they tend to remind me of the film This Sporting Life when they try to be fashionable.

[S]

I really like Gwyneth Paltrow - even her name has got a lot of style. I also like Kate Moss' edgy style. And as much as I don't personally enjoy Sarah Jessica Parker's style - I have to admit that it's existent and relatively ubiquitous.

[Gill]

Historical figures: Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette, Jackie O, Princess Di, and Gandhi.

[Springy]

I would probably reference Joy Division - they had limited talent, but by being clever they managed to look like they had a lot. This is the definition of style, isn't it?

[A]

All that name dropping... does he cite his references? Sounds like I've got a lot of prereqs to work through before I can buy shoes.

[Claire]

I would go for classic fab glam with a dash of color and crazy in my style references -- Slim Aarons, Edith Head, Schiaparelli and Matisse. And Nan Kempner.