Fashionably Bookish

Yesterday was a whirlwind of fun. It’s always a treat to see San Francisco through the eyes of visitors. Though I’ve been there several times, I never tire of going to the Academy of Sciences and relishing in how wonderful the exhibits are.

We also got to enjoy the Impressionism exhibit at the deYoung (funnily enough, they’ve rotated soem of the paintings from the Musee d’Orsay in and out of the exhbit, so some of the paintings Joe and I saw at the Orsay while in Paris this summer were now in San Francisco!).

While spending some time in the deYoung museum store, I came across two fantastic fashion books that would be a blast to have on a coffee table — truly fun to look through.

Chanel and her world: Friends, Fashion and Fame

Wow. Anything you could ever want to know about Mme. Coco you can find in this book. Filled with photos, sketches, and a narrative tracing Coco Chanel’s rise through the fashion world (and her lasting influence on it), this was fascinating to flip through. Also, the spine of the book is a beautiful pink, so this baby would look super fresh on your coffee table.

Next up, a book for anyone who enjoys the history of fashion:

100 Dresses, from the Costume Institute, Metropolitan Museum of Art

This book is filled with images and descriptions of, well, 100 dresses, dating from the late 1600s through the present. I think it’s fascinating to see how styles change from year to year, and when certain dresses we think of as “classics” first appeared. The book also has a little glossary at the end, so you can once and for all know the difference between a pannier and a peplum.

It’s rare that I can justify spending money on art and coffee table books, but with the holidays coming up, I might have to put these on my list. Really, I could’ve stood there in the museum store for hours reading through them, except for the fact that I’d been on my feet all day and was ready to have a glass of wine at home!

What about you? Are there any art or design books you’re wishing Santa would gift you this year?

{Image Credits: Chanel cover, Amazon; Chanel book shots, Selvedge Etsy Shop; Chanel spine, Peace, Love Chanel; 100 Dresses cover and blue dress, Amazon; 100 Dresses yellow dress, unknown}