SPECIAL PRICE Originally $59.99
Bowerbird
Creating Beautiful Interiors with the Things You Collect
Sibella Court
ABC Books, HB, 9780733331480
$45.41 exGST $49.95 incGST ADD TO TROLLEY
Bottles, buckles, birds’ nests, bones … Sibella Court makes fossicking a fine art as she catalogues her collections. This treasure trove of objets trouvés and what to do with them is lushly presented, with full-page, detailed photographs and elegant typography. Court outlines different ways of displaying all manner of objects, offering interesting combinations. Brief essays explicate her vision of collecting, saving and treasure hunting, as well as exploring theories of collecting and the art of more formal collections (ie museums). A list of some of her favourite things – books, libraries, shops, markets, museums from around the world – is a nice touch, offering more inspiration for both the armchair collector and the globetrotting bowerbird.
SPECIAL PRICE Originally $59.95
Chasing a Dream
Carla Coulson
Lantern, HB, 9781921382307
$18.14 exGST $19.95 incGST ADD TO TROLLEY
Eleven years ago, Carla Coulson swapped a corporate job and a cushy life in Sydney for an old camera, an uncertain future and a way of living that would ignite her soul. She recorded the first part of her journey – her new life in Florence and, later, Paris – in her books Italian Joy and Paris Tango and now offers this impressionistic volume, which includes photographs taken in Australia, Greece, Britain, India, Italy and France. These range from unadorned portraits to carefully styled fashion shoots, and from photographs of Indian chai wallahs at work to bizarre shots of pampered pooches attending a haute couture show for dogs at Paris’ Hotel Bristol.
Fashion
The Ultimate Book of Costume and Style
Dorling Kindersley
Dorling Kindersley, HB, 9781405398794
$54.54 exGST $59.99 incGST ADD TO TROLLEY
Sumptuous on the outside, detailed on the inside, this guide covers fashion from pre-history through to ‘1980 Onwards’. Using DK’s signature abundance of photos, Fashion deliciously illustrates women’s and men’s fashion throughout the ages. Each epoch is divided into sections featuring double-page spreads highlighting particular styles or movements. A focus on designers, houses, labels and fashionistas of each time is supplemented by the cultural, political and social context of the clothing of the era. Timelines and pull-out boxes on particular items, accessories or people add great detail, while entertaining quotes from literature and people in the know are a playful complement to the fabulous images. This is an indispensable handbook for the sartorialists on your Christmas list.
Fashionable
Barbara Cox et al
Weldon Owen, HB, 9781742522944
$45.41 exGST $49.95 incGST ADD TO TROLLEY
Subtitled ‘An Illustrated History of the Bizarre and Beautiful’, this book is an affectionate look at the extreme, absurd and often cruel dictates of fashion. It documents weird and wonderful trends over the centuries – some flashes in the pan (what were they thinking!) and others that have endured and evolved over the years. From farthingales, fascinators and flares, to codpieces, corsets and catsuits, Fashionable is an entertaining record of the fads and styles that were heralded as delightful innovations in their time, but with the benefit of hindsight can appear wacky, foolish, grotesque and even downright dangerous.
Find and Keep
Beci Orpin
Hardie Grant, HB, 9781742704555
$36.32 exGST $39.95 incGST ADD TO TROLLEY
Melbourne-based designer Beci Orpin creates clothing, homewares and stationery-based products. Here, she discusses the creative process and offers a step-by-step guide to 26 DYI craft projects – including dying pillowcases, making mobiles and kites, creating faux leadlight and customising bike baskets. Sure to bring out your inner creativity!
Killer Slippers and How to make Them
Nick Godlee
Michael O'Mara, PB, 9781843178880
$18.14 exGST $19.95 incGST ADD TO TROLLEY
Wild and wacky but wickedly wearable, the 15 slippers projects here supply a challenge alongside a liberal dose of laughter for all crafters. Devised by Australian-born, New York–based Nick Godlee, who makes a living designing costumes for Broadway musicals, these slippers will enable you to slink around your home taking on a different persona every day. All are made with easy-to-find materials and the book includes fully illustrated instructions that are simple and clear to follow.
December Release
Lessons From Madame Chic
Jennifer L Scott
Harper Collins, PB, 9780732296438
$22.73 exGST $25.00 incGST ADD TO TROLLEY
Have you ever wondered what everyday life is like inside a modern, aristocratic Parisian household? Or how the women of Paris always looks so chic? In Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris, Jennifer Scott reveals some insider secrets behind the seemingly effortless style and passion for life that Parisians are known for. Each chapter reveals a valuable lesson the then innocent-abroad author learned while living in the exclusive 16th arrondissement in Paris, and includes a handy checklist of tips and musings on how to translate the lesson to your own life. Learn how to cultivate an air of mystery, adopt ‘le no makeup’ look with élan, hone your elegance to a 10-item wardrobe and much, much more. Formidable!
Secret Girls' Business
Maggie Hamilton
Viking, PB, 9780670076772
$18.17 exGST $19.99 incGST ADD TO TROLLEY
This creative compendium is full of tips about love, fashion, craft, food, fun, imagination and friends – everything a girl needs to navigate that complicated process that is life. It’s particularly strong when it comes to vintage fashion – including profi les of bloggers in this field – but it’s also full of sensible advice for teenage girls coping with bullying, family breakups and the difficulty of ‘saying no’. Craft, cookery and fashion projects are scattered throughout the text, accompanied by photographs galore. Grandmas, this will make a fabulous Christmas present for teenage granddaughters – it even includes regular ‘Grandma Magic’ tips!
Things I Love
Megan Morton
Lantern, HB, 9781921382758
$45.45 exGST $49.99 incGST ADD TO TROLLEY
In her first book, Home Love (Lantern. PB. $35), top-notch Aussie stylist Megan Morton gave us a whopping 100 ideas for putting together gorgeous rooms. Things I Love is even more ambitious. There’s a section on drool-worthy, inspirational homes, a stylist’s glossary, profi les of intriguing creative types, and insider tips on everything from judging found objects to creating the ‘Kate Spade’ wall of pictures. Meanwhile, there are quirky photos of things Megan loves that double as gift tags. A huge amount of energy and love has obviously been poured into this fun, creative and eye-catching book.