(Please s
ing the next lines to the tune of “My Favorite Things…”) Nina and Heidi and lots of nice dresses, Michael Kors dissing contestants’ hot messes, Tim Gunn is wondering which ones will stay, these are the joys of “Project Runway.” Let’s face it, the successful Lifetime television show has had its ups and downs.
It has spawned a few weak imitators on TV and some surprisingly great and, I might add, successful fashion designers. It has given us a look into the world of fashion design with all the drama, bitchery and heart-tugging emotion intact. Watching this show has almost become a sport. Knowing the players names, memorizing their stats, and understanding the game make you almost feel like you’re a part of it! Much like “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat,” it’s hard to look away from the dress 
disasters and fun to cheer the winners. What you might not know, however, is that the series also created a cottage industry of sorts for many of the participants and judges in the form of books. In this age of cyber everything, the hardcover book seems to be going out of fashion. But leave it to the stylish people on “Project Runway” to engage us by publishing numerous tomes on fashion. So for all those on your Christmas gift list who just can’t get enough of this popular show, here’s what’s available both online and in the brick-and-mortar stores to keep them fashion fixated and possibly learn something along the way.
Marie Claire magazine Fashion Director Nina Garcia leads the pack with four books to choose from. Each of these has become a bestseller, so you can’t go wrong with any of them gift wise! In its eighth printing, The Little Black Book of Style gives the reader insight into ideas that will help you explore what she calls “your own fashion voice.” The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own is a wonderful coffee table book with glorious illustration by Ruben Toldeo, fun and easy to read, and simply great to look at. Her third book The Style Strategy: A Less-Is-More Approach to Staying Chic and Shopping Smart was written to help people understand that shopping and 
style should go hand in hand, and knowing how to balance the two is key to fashion success! Lastly, Nina Garcia’s Look Book: What to Wear for Every Occasion was just published this fall and is purported to teach the reader the “language” of fashion. Any of these books would be a divine gift to give any serious fashionista. Chock full of her no-nonsense advice, it will help anyone become the expert their friends go to for fashion advice!.
Popular “make it work” guy Tim Gunn has kept himself busy the last few years as well. The easygoing mentor with the sonorous voice has published two bestsellers. Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality Taste & Style is a cleverly worded instructor’s manual that covers all the aspects of fashion and style. From instinctual shopping to closet reconstruction, he keeps the tone conversational and friendly with a dash of his trademark wit thrown in for good measure. Recently published this fall, his Gunn’s Golden Rules: Life’s Little Lessons for Making It Work is more of a fashion tell-all, with dishy little stories of diva behavior from the likes of Vogue magazine editrix Anna Wintour and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi. This is 
a tasteful manual on what it takes to create a life of well-mannered style and integrity. Get this book for someone struggling to take his or her personal fashion fulfillment to the next level.
As
the youngest designer to ever win the PR competition, Christian Siriano has not wasted any time taking on the fashion elite and Madison Avenue as well. In his book, aptly titled Fierce Style: How to Be Your Most Fabulous Self, this elfin upstart takes the reader on his ride to the top by sharing stories of the famous folks he’s encountered and his own journey on his seemingly fast track to success. Illustrated by lovely original sketches from the designer himself, he advises the reader on how to go from “tranny mess” to “fiercely fabulous.”
For the mom who wants to know how to juggle it all, acid-tongued Laura Bennet from a few seasons ago has penned Didn’t I Feed You Yesterday? A Mother’s Guide to Sanity in Stilettos. This laugh-out-loud book takes us through Ms. B
ennet’s world of parenting trends, frazzled moments of losing it and her often sarcastic but witty takes on topics of interest to all fashionable moms everywhere. It has received tons of great reviews and will be a welcome escape for the seriously time- and patience-challenged parent.
For the littlest designer wannabe, we have local enterprise Fashion Angels to thank for many creative and imaginative toys inspired by “Project Runway.” Everything from “PR” activity, including sketch 
portfolios, super sets and fashion tools, they encourage fashionable ideas about design to the lucky recipient. You can visit their website at www.fashionangels.com to find out where you can purchase the latest in the company’s “Project Runway” series! I admit that I have a few of these sets myself, so don’t limit yourself to the kids on your list.
Deck the halls with books on fashion, fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. Spread a little “Project Runway” joy to those in need of advice, instruction or support in their style journey this holiday season, with a fun and fabulous style selection that they can enjoy throughout the long winter months to come.
