Trinny Woodall

This was a Christmas gift and I read it in a night (lots of pictures, not too heavy on the writing). I'm not particularly interested in what Trinny Woodall has to tell me about 'boosting my confidence and living my best life', but she is a tour de force in the world of beauty and fashion, and these shallow things interest me. Love her or loathe her, I'm also impressed by the beauty business she's built up and her journey in making it a success (not covered in this book, but I always keep a show more soft spot for her accordingly).

Although I know a fair bit about skincare already, I found the skincare regimes she suggests for different skin types useful. I dip in and out of being bothered about skin routines beyond cleansing and moisturising, and it will be useful to have this to refer back to when I'm in an interested phase (should Vitamin C come before moisturiser or after, etc. etc.).

I find Trinny's own sense of fashion slightly bizarre and don't believe it makes the most of her good looks, but I enjoyed her TV programmes with Susannah years ago, and do accept that she knows about colour and accessories, etc., so I'm prepared to put her own odd personal take on this to one side. Although it's an extremely quick read, I did get something out of the sections that point you towards your natural skin, hair and eye colour and hence whether you're cool, neutral, warm, etc. and the shades of colours that therefore work for you.

3 stars - it won't change the world, but was perfect Christmas night reading material. show less

How on earth can you tell what is a big or a small bone? Well, the difference isn't enormous. We aren't talking brontosaurus excavation site versus wren skeleton here.

I think this is my favourite of the Trinny & Susannah books and it is certainly the most useful one since the original rules. As well as telling you how to decide what colours suit you and how to combine colours, there are useful sections about choosing flattering accessories and footwear, decluttering your wardrobe and packing show more for holidays.

But as usual, the best thing about this book is the photos. Looking at Trinny dressed in her normal clothes, you would never guess that she has such short stumpy legs (she mentions that although she is 5'11", she can still wear standard length trousers), but look at the picture at the beginning of the section on travelling and you will see the terrible truth! show less

I was probably the only person in all of Britain who read this book without watching the series, so it has had to stand on the book alone for me. In this book two women, Trinny and Susannah, give tips on what type of clothes suit or are to be avoided for various body parts (e.g. big bust, small bust, fat tummy etc). They themselves feature modelling the clothes in question, and then list shops (British) where you can buy what suits you. These pictures can sometimes be like corny `before and show more after' shots - `bad' clothes modelling with frowns and slouching, `good' outfits with a smile and great posture - but they are effective at showing you what the authors are trying to explain. The main point any reader would get from this book is dressing well is not rocket science. Every point made in this book is obvious - e.g. wearing a sleeveless top when you have big arms is only going to accentuate your big arms, not camouflage them. But seeing what some people are getting around in, obvious points obviously need reinforcing now and then.

This book has its faults - it manages to contradict itself in places. For example, Trinny (I think) is shown in an A-line skirt and this is sited as an example of `bad' dressing' for her body type, but later in the A-line skirt is there again, this time as a `good' example. Depends what you want to highlight or camouflage when you get out of bed in the morning I guess. And while some people might find the language a laugh (all talk of boobs and jugs and such) I found it a bit contrived. Again, I never saw the TV show, so I will admit that maybe I am missing something.

You don't *need* this book - surely most people could figure it all out for themselves by actually looking at themselves in the mirror before they leave the house in the morning. But perhaps it will be the nudge in the right direction for some, and reassurance for others that yes, they are doing it right. show less

This is a great book, and I think the advice Trinny and Suzannah offer is spot on. Yes, they can be harsh at times, but they're no less critical of themselves as they are of others. I've realeased this book since much of the adivce really doesn't apply to me - I'm neither very thin and flat chested, nor heavy and buxom. But, for people in those categories, there is a lot of advice here which can really help you feel better about your wardrobe.