Edith Head Style Tips

Last week I was flipping through Edith Head’s book, The Dress Doctor, and for today I wanted to share a few of her quotes, simply because I happen to agree with everything she says here: I, too, believe in personal grace and understatement, in style, not fashion, in quality, not quantity. Sometimes I honestly think that one can not be reminded too often some basic style guide lines.

“Don’t let your clothes be fitted too tightly. Even a perfect figure looks better if it doesn’t resemble a sausage. Only bathing suits should ‘fit tight’.”

“Don’t be too different. You don’t want to dress like the herd, but you don’t want to look like a peacock in a yard full of ducks. Being too much of an individualist is not being well dressed.”

“Don’t feel that when you are going to a party you must look “dressed up” – a simple dress is safer if there’s a question of what to wear and you will be much more comfortable simply dressed than overdressed.”

“Don’t be afraid to wear a becoming costume many, many times. It’s an old fashioned idea that you must have a new dress for very occasion or party. Even if you have the money to do so, it isn’t necessary. The modern approach is to change accessories.”

photo: Irving Penn for Vogue US, March 1996 | model: Shalom Harlow

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11 Responses to Edith Head Style Tips

Nadya's Side Of The Road wrote on
--> 12 May 2014 at 4:38 pm

Great quotes!
Catherine wrote on
--> 12 May 2014 at 4:42 pm

I must get this book 😉 I agree with everything she says here too…especially the last one!
Have a good week.
LatteLisa wrote on
--> 12 May 2014 at 4:44 pm

I’m on board with all of the above (love the peacock thing), and let me just say how beautiful that photo of Shalom is!
Alexis Grace of NorthOnHarper wrote on
--> 12 May 2014 at 6:17 pm

I really like the advice of “don’t be too different” — so often (and this is especially true among so-called fashion types) we applaud strange simply for being strange and that is not fashion by any means…
- classiq wrote on
  --> 12 May 2014 at 6:22 pm
  
  Very true, Alexis.
christine | The Plumed Nest wrote on
--> 12 May 2014 at 6:37 pm

these are really great quotes. i love the last one, with the changing of accessories. and also i really agree that it’s better to go simple than overdressed.
Mary Jo wrote on
--> 12 May 2014 at 9:43 pm

It’s always fun to look back on quotes from older fashion books – the style ones never go out of style. I agree with all of it except the standing out part, since that’s what makes fashion fun and is so much of what street style (where a lot of high fashion) trickles down from.

xo Mary Jo
- classiq wrote on
  --> 12 May 2014 at 10:55 pm
  
  I, on the other hand, agree 100% with that part. 🙂 I don’t believe in individuality just for the sake of fashion. Too many dress differently just for showing off and I don’t call that personal style.
Pret A Porter P wrote on
--> 13 May 2014 at 12:11 am

I love to embrace the avant-garde, unapologetically glamorous, and even some bad taste. (That said, I don’t aspire to dress like a pop star) But most of the time, I dress neat and normal. But I’ve learned if I’m going to wear something crazy, to keep the rest “normal.”. And more and more, I buy accessories over clothes. As the majority of my clothing are pretty basic, that at times I look at my closet with disdain, that accessories keep me inspired.
- classiq wrote on
  --> 13 May 2014 at 7:42 am
  
  I have the same approach. My style is pretty simple, but I do feel the need to change something from time to time, so I use accessories to do that.
Helen@TheStyleSchedule wrote on
--> 16 May 2014 at 9:49 am

Love the ‘sausage’ comment ; I agree; too tight looks just wrong! I agree with changing accessories ; just updates a whole outfit for a different occasion. I wonder who she is referring to with the ‘peacock’ comment? Interesting…
Beautiful Shalom!