You can buy The Cool Factor, by Andrea Linett, for $18.95 on Amazon.
The thing that makes Andrea Linett a true arbiter of style is not the fact that she has a star studded address book that gives her full access to all sorts of high end designers and trendsetters, but rather that she knows how to put together an outfit which lets her subject’s individual personality shine through. Sometimes that Alexander MacQueen jacket needs a worn in vintage t-shirt to tone it down a it, and Andrea is just the woman to make it happen.
And now she’s put together a book, with the help of her photographer husband Michael Waring, that helps all interested parties to steer themselves in the direction of effortless “cool” style. There are photos of Kim Gordon wearing leather pants (does it get cooler than that?) and of designer Maria Cornejo and her daughter Bibi rocking black and white jumpsuits. You’ve got Refinery 29′s Christene Barberich explaining how she layers dresses over skirts over pants and tops, and double page spreads explaining the anatomy of a perfect t-shirt or how to shake the mundane feeling out of classics by pairing them with something unexpected.
A bunch of unexpected clothing combinations to get the juices flowing…
In the interest of full disclosure, I have known Andrea for years. I was excited and flattered when she asked me if I wanted to be a part of this book, but I had no idea how many incredible women she was gathering. Nevermind how much fun it was to go through the clothing racks with the icons listed above gossiping about what they brought and how they put things together… I almost exploded with excitement when I met Linda Dresner, whose legendary Park Avenue boutique was my introduction into the grown up world of avant-garde fashion back in the 80′s. Talk about style heroines…
But the thing that makes this book really stand out from most other fashion how-to tomes I’ve read is Andrea’s engaging, accessible and just plain funny voice throughout. It’s the perfect mix of personal anecdotes, sisterly advice and practical specifics. I actually found myself reading the book from cover to cover, laughing at the descriptions of ill-advised fantasy shopping, soaking up a few extra bits of advice on getting the perfect fit, and wondering if I could ever make socks and sandals look as cool as they do on Pascale Poma.
The most consistent message through the book, both from Andrea herself as well as all of the women profiled within, is that the most important thing is to remain true to yourself and to have a bit of fun in the bargain.
Which, if you ask me, is great advice for life in general.
The Cool Factor: A Guide to Achieving Effortless Style, with Secrets from the Women Who Have It
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