Thank You, Clinton Kelly

When I tell people what I do, they often respond, "You are like Stacy on What Not to Wear." Yes, I am sort of like Stacy, but I don't have a Clinton. I wish I did!



Stacy London's sidekick, Clinton Kelly, has an extraordinary new book called "Freakin' Fabulous" The subtitle to the book tells the reader what to expect: "How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else." With an irreverent sense of humor, often directed at himself, Kelly offers many of the same tips he gives to people on his show regarding how to dress. He covers the importance of fit first: "When a garment clings to some area of your body, it's like that body part is screaming, 'Look at me! Look at me! Do you see how I refuse to be constrained?' I, for one, don't want everyone staring at the 10 squishy pounds that have settled around my navel. That's why I avoid spandex muscle tees."

Kelly goes on to describe the concepts of proportion and appropriateness by giving detailed explanations and examples. His tips are spot on and his writing is just hilarious. I am delighted that he goes beyond clothing to tackle the subjects of proper speech, thank you notes, table manners, and how to be a polite guest anywhere. As a former English teacher, I am appalled by the way people talk and write nowadays. I am also appalled at the lack of civilized behavior I witness on a daily basis. I guess I am appalled quite often!

This book has it all since Kelly even provides recipes in his chapter "How to Eat." He stresses ways of making quality, delicious food and how to serve and eat it properly. My hope is that Clinton's vast audience and fan base will read his book and take his advice to heart. Imagine how much more pleasant our society would be!