Eccentric Glamour

I just finished reading Eccentric Glamour by Simon Doonan, "creative Ambassador-At-Large" for Barneys New York. It's a light-hearted, witty read. There's not much real fashion/style advice here, but a lot of entertaining tidbits from the (self-described) glam eccentric Doonan.

I do recommend the hilarious chapter "Frenchwomen Don't Know Diddly", subtitled "Vive la vulgarite!" He skewers the sacred Coco Chanel's line "Elegance is refusal," by asking "What the hell does it mean?" He goes on to explain that it's the French who need to learn taste from the "vulgar" Americans. They need our beef jerky and our Cheetos! (His cheeky opinion, not my own  : > )

Doonan includes profiles of several women and men he deems glam eccentrics. Some are familiar to me: Iris Apfel (fun interview), Tilda Swinton and Hamish Bowles. I had not heard of author Amy Fine Collins, one of Doonan's profilees, but I really like her style:

Two different earrings, a pile of necklaces, mini-pixie cut,
it all works with that confident smile. Image.

So cool and chic in cream, tan and brown. Image.

I'm crazy for this color. With designer Richard Lambertson. Image.

And from her interview:
Q: When did you first realize that you might in fact be a glamorous eccentric?

A: When I asked my grandfather to polish the scuffed soles of my Buster Brown black patent Mary Janes.