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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Mommy!
No one made aging see as exciting as it is as easy as Ms.Vreeland did. As the world changed in her lifetime, as it does and will during all of ours, she held on to her ship and helmed it with power.
The cities! The views! The cast! The costume! But of course, the truly splendid is her attitude towards it all. The humor! The expressions! They could not have come from any place other than an intelligent person's heart.
No one made aging see as exciting as it is as easy as Ms.Vreeland did. As the world changed in her lifetime, as it does and will during all of ours, she held on to her ship and helmed it with power.
The cities! The views! The cast! The costume! But of course, the truly splendid is her attitude towards it all. The humor! The expressions! They could not have come from any place other than an intelligent person's heart.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
This is book is basically just like sitting for a few hours with DV and listening to her tell stories. It's fantastic.
I've never met the woman (obviously) nor did I really know all that much about her before reading these delightful little ruminations, but now I feel like she's a long-lost great-aunt dowager countess of sorts, dispensing life wisdom and sartorial advice to keep us all as sage and glamorous as we so desire.
There are some dated, cringe-worthy elements, particularly when DV waxes rhapsodic about her servants and nannies, but none of it is hateful--just old-fashioned. If you're interested in big names in fashion and society from the last century, this is definitely worth a read.
I've never met the woman (obviously) nor did I really know all that much about her before reading these delightful little ruminations, but now I feel like she's a long-lost great-aunt dowager countess of sorts, dispensing life wisdom and sartorial advice to keep us all as sage and glamorous as we so desire.
There are some dated, cringe-worthy elements, particularly when DV waxes rhapsodic about her servants and nannies, but none of it is hateful--just old-fashioned. If you're interested in big names in fashion and society from the last century, this is definitely worth a read.
Gave up halfway, it’s just DV rambling for 200 and something pages. She has so many interesting stories to tell and I feel like if they had gotten a better editor and compressed the book more it would have been better.
Honestly, I didn't know a lot about Vreeland and I didn't know what to expect. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I knew more about the names she was dropping. Additionally, she definitely talks like someone born in 1909, so some of the ways she discusses people and events are jarring to modern readers.
This book was a hoot as long as you remember that Diana Vreeland was definitely brought up privileged in a bygone era. She admits to being as far from a feminist as possible - “I believe women are naturally dependent on men. One admires and expects things from men that one doesn’t expect from women, and such has been the history of the world. The beauty of painting, of literature, of music, of love…this is what men have given to the world, not women. As you can tell, you’re not exactly talking to a feminist. I stand with the French line––women and children last. ”
She makes outrageous statements and is oh so politically incorrect. This book was published in 1984 - the middle of the Reagan era. She wrote as I imagine she must have spoken - everything is "too much!" Ms. Vreeland describes the women of high society slipping out of their chairs as they swoon at a Balenciaga runway, putting a back plaster on Jack Nicholson in the lobby of a London restaurant. She also states she and her sister were taken to the Louvre every Wednesday when they were young and spent hours looking at the Mona Lisa. Apparently no one fact checked this book because she claims she and her sister were also two of the last people to see the Mona Lisa before it was stolen on August 21, 1911. (It was stolen on a Monday...)
Ms. Vreeland makes many claims that may or may not be true, but this book is so incredibly entertaining! My only complaint is that it begged for pictures...
I leave you with one of my favorite bits from the book - “I can’t stand the vulgarity of a woman who makes a noise when she walks. It’s all right for soldiers, but when I was growing up the quintessence of breeding in a lady was a quiet footstep. Well, it is to me still. Do you know that I let a brilliant worker go at Vogue because of the way she walked––the clank of those heels. ..It is a form of anger if you can’t control the foot. I promise you, the heavy tread is a form of anger.”
I don't think I'm angry (much), but I do have a heavy tread.
She makes outrageous statements and is oh so politically incorrect. This book was published in 1984 - the middle of the Reagan era. She wrote as I imagine she must have spoken - everything is "too much!" Ms. Vreeland describes the women of high society slipping out of their chairs as they swoon at a Balenciaga runway, putting a back plaster on Jack Nicholson in the lobby of a London restaurant. She also states she and her sister were taken to the Louvre every Wednesday when they were young and spent hours looking at the Mona Lisa. Apparently no one fact checked this book because she claims she and her sister were also two of the last people to see the Mona Lisa before it was stolen on August 21, 1911. (It was stolen on a Monday...)
Ms. Vreeland makes many claims that may or may not be true, but this book is so incredibly entertaining! My only complaint is that it begged for pictures...
I leave you with one of my favorite bits from the book - “I can’t stand the vulgarity of a woman who makes a noise when she walks. It’s all right for soldiers, but when I was growing up the quintessence of breeding in a lady was a quiet footstep. Well, it is to me still. Do you know that I let a brilliant worker go at Vogue because of the way she walked––the clank of those heels. ..It is a form of anger if you can’t control the foot. I promise you, the heavy tread is a form of anger.”
I don't think I'm angry (much), but I do have a heavy tread.
I've only seen the documentary about Diana Vreeland. That's pretty much all I knew about her before this. (The one called The Eye Has to Travel.) And yet I was able to hear her voice on every page of this book. Think about it. What a personality, what an inspiration.
I haven't read a book in so long due to lack of time, which is pretty unfortunate. This was a fun one, and hopefully will help get me back on the reading horse.
Diana Vreeland is a freaking character. She's vain and self-centered and likable and smart and name-drops like it's her job. This felt like a I was having a lunch date with Diana and she rambled on and on, but there was something so endearing about that!
Yes, the egotism seemed to result in extreme exaggeration, insertion of herself into every historic moment ever, and a sort of occasionally frustrating rejection of anything serious. (Like, she wrote about the Nazi's underwear and Hitler's mustache, and that was basically it.)
This was also such grand leap from my world; loved getting an inside scoop into that high society world. A good read, for sure.
Diana Vreeland is a freaking character. She's vain and self-centered and likable and smart and name-drops like it's her job. This felt like a I was having a lunch date with Diana and she rambled on and on, but there was something so endearing about that!
Yes, the egotism seemed to result in extreme exaggeration, insertion of herself into every historic moment ever, and a sort of occasionally frustrating rejection of anything serious. (Like, she wrote about the Nazi's underwear and Hitler's mustache, and that was basically it.)
This was also such grand leap from my world; loved getting an inside scoop into that high society world. A good read, for sure.
I enjoy this book so much, it's so fun and so easy to read; I think I've probably read it like ten times. Real comfort book. I love her voice, it's so eccentric and unique, she knows who she is and she is totally aware of her power not only as an editor but also as a woman. I love how she tells us the story of her life so effortlessly, and even as I knew it wasn't a reliable source for most of the historical events it presents, I believed every word. Knowing it wasn't exactly true, I still believed her. I truly think this book teaches people the importance of understanding oneself and embracing who you are, what makes you you and most importantly, never feel the need to be ashamed for it.