Author: Mae @ Rainydayinmay

Apparently some people are waiting on photos of my hair cut… Well…
You might have to keep waiting.
I have photos from day 1 and I think I will post them later but darn it, I don’t know. The problem is, I’d just run out of my moisturizer and my face looks HORRIBLE. No amount of photo editing on the planet could rectify that massacre.
Then, one day it was SO cute curly… And then the rains, and the clouds came and it’s been so NOT CUTE AND FRIZZY ever since.

Oh the woes and heartaches of being a girl…

In light of my recent bout of girliness, I it seemed an appropriate time to review this truly charming book that Harper Collins mailed me, entitled The Dress Doctor.

First of all, isn’t that cover just the chicest of things? I would have marched across the floor of a book store if it had caught my eye from across the room… Despite it’s cover being glamorous and chic though, the inside is truly the heart of this fabulous book.

The Dress Doctor is, as stated crisply on the cover, an adaptation of the best seller by Edith Head, who is an eight time academy award winner for costume design. So, pretty much what they are trying to tell us is- if anyone knows and understands Hollywood glamor and style, Edith would be our girl…

Easy to read, inspiring, simple and yet glamorous, The Dress Doctor lives up to it’s promise of “Prescriptions for Style, From A To Z”. Alphabetically, the books sharp and vintage inspired illustrations take us stylishly through the alphabet. For example, A touches on who else but the most classic of all Hollywood Icons- Audrey Hepburn. In a short paragraph it touches on Audrey and her style before quickly moving on to Amusement Parks and from there to Baseball. Easily digestable, this book inspirationally stirs a girl’s creative juices as well as her desire for style. Moving quickly through the letters of the alphabet, the book addresses such celebrities as Mae West and Shirley Maclaine while also discussing the style of motherhood, motion pictures, the little black dress and so much more…

Honestly, this book is delightful for anyone with even a fragment of girl style ambition. I love it, and already several girlfriends of mine have threated to steal my copy. (And that’s not very chic or nice, ladies…)

This Christmas, if you have a glamorous gal to shop for, I can not recommend this book enough!

Sure… I’ve written them.
I’ve received them.
My entirely cynical self has most certainly made fun of them, as well as made fun of myself for writing them…

This book, put together by Kerry Miller, is a really great compilation of some of the most classic passive aggressive notes I’ve ever seen. The subtitle reads: Painfully Polite and Hilariously Hostile Writings. The entire book is scanned images of actual notes, and some of these notes are unbelievably hilarious. The best part is that, periodically, there will be a small “update” note, in regards to the passive aggressive note of the past.

When I sat down, with my cup of chai in hand, to read Passive Aggressive Notes, my mind instantly thought of about 9 people in my immediate circle of peeps who would love this book. Already, just by leaving it on my ottoman for a few days, it’s cover is bent and it’s been manhandled and thumbed through by a dozen, or so, people who only managed through exclaim (through laughter) that they loved this book…

{Christmas shopping hint: It’s a pretty small and portable book. Although not a great book for kids, as you can imagine, this would make an awesome office party gift, stocking stuffer, etc…)
You can see, buy and read more about the book here…

When this book arrived on my doorstep, via Harper Collins, I practically died and went to Works For Me Wednesday heaven…

Nope, I am totally not kidding!

The subtitle for Show Me How is “500 Things You Should Know. Instructions for Life From The Everyday to the Exotic.” And it is not exaggerating…

I’ve learned how to make a silk screen, a wallet from playing cards, better knitting techniques… I’ve learned exactly how to handle both artichokes and avocados. (Sadly these are tasks in which I was quite ignorant, that is until Harper Collins intervened.)

I learned a totally cool way to peel a hard boiled egg, which works miraculously well… I’ve learned to make my own tortellini, braid a loaf of bread, make amazing cocktails, turn an old computer into an aquarium and signal an airplane… (though likely I won’t want the aquarium and hopefully will never need my new airplane signaling skill. Even so, there is this peace that comes from knowing I can provide homes for fish in need of emergency housing, as well as becoming the most popular cast member of Lost because we would have made it off the island before all of the drama really took off…)

I’ve only told you about 11, but there are literally 489 more…

Aside from the utter helpfulness that this book can provide though, there is the sheer element of fun.

Yes, FUN… This book is a blast to look at. Bound in a semi-hardcover, this book is one of those which easily falls into countless categories, depending on it’s reader. As far as I’m concerned, it’s an awesome coffee table book while also being a popular choice for a gift book. It’s instructions are sometimes intentionally comical, often paving the way for interesting conversation topics…

Over all, I love this book and you should definatly check it out here…