Synopses & Reviews
Long before celebrity stylists became as renowned as the Oscar-winning film stars they advise, the legendary costume designer Edith Head was dressing Hollywood's most fashionable women and men, on screen and off, as well as lending her sartorial wisdom to women across the country on radio and television. In 1959, she published a bestselling memoir and style guide,
The Dress Doctor, in which she also shared dozens of entertaining anecdotes about Hollywood's A-list with her fans. This special gift edition—an alphabetical romp through the art of getting dressed and dressing Hollywood—features Edith Head's best advice and stories, in her own words, along with gorgeous new illustrations.
From entries on Audrey Hepburn to Zooture, The Dress Doctor is filled with Head's timeless tips: her expertise on developing a personal style, dressing to flatter one's figure, building a wardrobe, and judging quality. Here are prescriptions for dressing properly for any activity, be it bowling, housecleaning, roller-skating, or making breakfast. Bil Donovan's stunning re-creations of Head's most famous gowns bring the designer's work vividly to life again, along with Hollywood icons Grace Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and many others.
Synopsis
Edith Head was perhaps the most famous Hollywood costume designer of all time. Long before Rachel Zoe, Andrea Leibermann, Estee Stanley, and Nicole Chavez were styling Hollywood celebrities, eight-time Oscar Award-winning Edith Head was the sartorial sensation behind the silver screens most high-profile stars and starlets. The Dress Doctor, adapted from her 1959 autobiography and enhanced with lavish illustrations of her most famous dresses by artist Bill Donovan, revisits the Golden Age of Hollywood with entertaining anecdotes about dressing some of the towns biggest legends—Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Cary Grant, and Marlene Dietrich, to name a few. In her lifetime, Head was also a sought-after authority by everyday women for her invaluable tips on dressing well: The Dress Doctor includes her witty observations and dispenses the no-nonsense timeless advice for which she was legendary.
About the Author
Edith Head (1897-1981) is indisputably the most famous costume designer of all time. During her forty-four years at Paramount Studios, she dressed Hollywood's biggest stars and created some of the most iconic fashion images on film. In the course of her career, she received thirty-four Oscar nominations for costume design and won the award eight times. She also dispensed her advice to countless women through newspaper columns, magazine articles, television and radio shows, and her two books, The Dress Doctor and How to Dress for Success. She is honored with a star on Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame, along with other luminaries of the silver screen past and present.