Frederic Fekkai: A Year of Style

I bought this book years ago based partly on Amelia T's 2006 review, and I too still enjoy getting out this book every few months. It has worn surprisingly well. I am not even into hair or make-up but it reminds me to slow down, enjoy the change of seasons, care for myself, and bring more pleasure and sensuality into my life. For me it is the book that best captures the French "joie de vivre" and gets really granular about it, so it goes beyond platitudes. I don't take the more decadent advice too literally, but many of the daily suggestions work for all tax brackets: "buy a lip balm for every handbag," "write a real letter to a friend," "send someone flowers just for the fun of it," and "if you have a case of November blahs, add an unexpected touch of color to your wardrobe: a spicy, energizing coral or a delicious pale blue." (Just the words "spicy, energizing coral" make me happy--I don't need to shop!) And I love him for quoting Gilda Radner: "I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn't itch." In this time of ever-changing technology, too many cookie-cutter blogs, and political mayhem, a reminder to celebrate summer with a linen shirt and a fresh lemonade may be just what we need most.

I love this so much I bought several other copies and gave them to my daughter and daughter in law. I consult this book monthly for style tips, suggestions on things like hair care (the author is one of the top hairdressers in the world with an award winning line of products), makeup, clothing and lifestyle advice.The book is set up in monthly chapters, with daily tips. The seasonal format is appropriate, covering things like revamping makeup in the fall when you pull out fall and winter clothing or dressing up for a New Years Eve or Christmas party. June has bridal tips, summer vacation and dealing with heat and humididty on hair and makeup as well as skin care belong to July and August. It's a great compendium of things to consider.Some tips will cost far too much obviously. Pick and choose which tips to use. I enjoyed the advice about simple skin care--using pure olive oil soap for example and things like step by step simplified natural looking makeup. The "you only better" technique.I have never appreciated a tip of the day format till this book. This is the only one that makes that format worthwhile.Now I just wish they'd bring it out on Kindle as I would like to take this with me on vacation, or tucked in my purse for odd moments like waiting for the dentist or for the bus.

This is a wonderful book full of beauty, fashion and style tips. But what it gives you that other books of this genre don't is confidence. Even though it's full of pictures of models and the famous, which could be at cross purposes with a book for the masses, Fekkai conveys a sincere belief that all women are beautiful. It's not so much about getting/buying products or services, it's more about attitude. With his low-key prose, he suggests how you can put your best self forward and how to pamper yourself. I originally bought this book as a gift and was so impressed, I got a copy for myself.

I liked this book a lot. It has many good beauty tips and a great ambiance with beautiful pictures. Frankly though, at times, I found Frederic a little stuffy and ridged for my taste. Also, as another reader here mentioned, some of the suggestions might be a little impractical for someone who can't afford pedicures and facials every week. Overall, I think it's a good investment and I would totally reccomend it for anyone who wants a beauty and style makeover and who wants good, basic beauty information. I think my mom would love this book!

Combining simple and natural ideas with stunning photography, Frederic Fekkai has captured the essence of French Stylings.With ideas for each month and season, and more "specific" daily ideas, A Year in Style truly offers a year of ideas on how to become chic, stylish and live simply.There are a lot of make-up and hair suggestions without mentioning products, which I find useful. I don't like a book to sound like one big advertisement and this doesn't - despite the fact Frederic Fekkai owns two salons and sells a hair care line.His suggestions are more about living in style than obessing with style. It encourages one to relax about beauty and embrace their own inner style. I love that about this book; it's not about conforming which is why this book could only be written by a Frenchman.

I am somewhat disappointed that this book is very slight on the topic of "clothes style". I was expecting to see more of wardrobe planning, but obviously, I was wrong. Viwers, be ware, Fekkai is a hair-stylist, and half the book is on hair. Although even the hair info given isn't shocking or new in any way.I would also add that what advice he gives on makeup is very personal to his own opinion (he did warn us at the beginning though) and if I was asked, I'd say his opinions are too general. It's just too bad.The daily calendar that the reviewers here seem to love, may be helpful - but it's mega random. Some days, it tells you to sign up for a yoga class, on other days, it's just a quote to fill in the space, and every other odd days, you are recommended to buy a bunch of lilies because that's how to live chic-ly according to Fekkai.And his take on the provencal women he admired when he was younger, and how the well dressed and stylish people spend a lot of time in nature - Fekkai, are you so sure?! But can you be more real - although nature is a good precription for our unhealthy lives, what is wrong with just being in the city. And then, there's this bit about your thoughts on New York City.I wish I had bought a different book - that ACTUALLY talks about style in the fashion sense. This is a good coffee table book as someone suggested, but why don't you get a blank daily calendar and make your own stuff - May 17th, get your clothes altered.Sorry Fekkai, it just didn't work for me at all. The photos are nice, but they aren't work of art either. For those more interested in clothes like moi, be warned, and do stick to other books. Indee, I wish I had.

時代を超えて色褪せることのない内容だと思います。今年57歳になるフランス人の男性美容家による本で、フランス人っぽいシックな哲学に基づく、美容や生活へのアドバイスの本です。月別の章になっており、毎月、目標テーマがあります。例えば、三月はCrarify、四月はMaintain、、、という具合に。そして、 毎月、その目標テーマに基づいた美容＆生活アプローチ法がまとめられています。例えば、三月は、「まず、ワードローブの整理をして、なにが自分に似合うのかをcrarifyし、春に向けてなにか新しいものを投入する時は、まずは、一個か二個、自分というものを一番良く表してくれるものを良く考えて選ぶこと。」というアドバイスから章が始まります。さらに、365日分のミニコラムもあり、例えば、三月二十七日は、「自分に買うことのできる一番品質の良いクラッシックな服を数少なく買いましょう：例えば、黒のパンツにカーディガン、車を運転する時用のモカシンを履いて、ポニーテールにしましょう。」 365日分のコラムがこんな感じで、いつの時代も当てはめられる内容になっていると思います。黒パンツもカーディガンもモカシンも、その時代時代のバージョンがありますものね。テーマが洋服でない日もあります。「朝ご飯を食べながら新聞を読むかわりに、自分のお気に入りの本を数ページずつ読みましょう。その日のニュースは後からネットでまとめてサッと読みましょう。」なんていうのもあります。 毎月の目標テーマは、季節と人生を重ね合わせていたりなかなか奥深く、毎年、そうか著者の言いたかった事はそういうことだったんだ....と新しい発見もあり、よくできている本だと思います。ちなみにこの著者は、続く本は出していないようです。この一冊に惜しみなくすべてを書き上げたのだろうな、ちょっと売れると次々と内容の薄っぺらい本を小出しに出版する儲け主義者じゃない人だなあと個人的には解釈しており、そこからもこの本への信頼感を持っています。