Pretty in Plaid: A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smart Ass Phase

Stories from Jen's early life. In this memoir we are regaled with formative stages in a young girl's life as told through the prism of her wardrobe. Beginning with her Girl Scout sash we see how dual pressures to conform and stand out drive this young woman to wild heights.

It's strange how much I enjoyed these stories even though Jen and I have little in common, at least from a personality standpoint. We both grew up in Indiana and moved to Chicago, but the antics of Jen's younger shelf frankly shocked my inner child. Still, it's fun to try on another person and young Jen is easy to root for. I found her clothing obsession completely outside my experience, but I still understood her desire to be accepted. An easy, satisfying and show more hilarious read. I snorted aloud in public more than once. show less

In Bitter is the New Black, Jen Lancaster gave us the brief details of her bio before she was famously fired from her high-powered job. In Pretty in Plaid, Lancaster illustrates some of those moments, from growing up in Cow Town, Indiana, to her life as a sorority girl during her eleven years of college, to her first job post-college. Like her previous books, Pretty in Plaid is written as a series of essays, all of which are connected by the theme of clothing. From her Girl Scout uniform—covered in (il)legally earned patches—to her first job interview suit, Jen illustrates how clothes shaped the way she views the world.

I was extremely entertained by this book. It’s a fast read—I read it in less than two days—and it’s just as show more funny, if not funnier, than some of her other books. Jen Lancaster definitely has a unique voice that’s very witty, and her thoughts, as usual, are uncensored—good for the reader, since it meant that I was belly laughing all the way through. In fact, in places, I had to put the book down, I was laughing so hard. No matter what situation Jen finds herself in, she’s always got a positive attitude about it. Although the present-tense narration got a little irritating in some places, I simply couldn’t stop turning the pages. It’s a nice, light read that’s perfect for spring. show less

Having read and loved all of Jen's previous memoirs as well as being addicted to her snarky website, I knew I was going to enjoy this one. However, I have to say hands down it is the best Jen Lancaster I have read. Jen perfectly describes the decade (along with a good chunk of the 90s) which took my generation from elementary school to our first jobs with her trademark wit and sarcasm.

My first laugh out loud moment (and there are many) happened on page 76 as a 10 year old Jen gets badgered on the school bus by 2 popular girls. Jen's childhood seems to be remarkably like my own, although I never realized how dorky I was until 7th grade. For me, the the early 80s signifies a time when even though I couldn't afford new clothes and cool show more sneakers, with a pair of home-made braided ribbon barrettes holding back the sides my permed mullet and 3 pounds of friendship pins on my generic K-mart Keds I felt pretty and loved. Pretty in Plaid takes me back to those days and the confusing times later when I was desperate to be accepted by the popular pack and for a cute guy to like me back. Jen also perfectly describes what it was like in the mid 90s starting entry level jobs where your co-workers don't take you seriously and your corporation was flooded in new technology at the same time clinging to their bottles of white out and 1950s filing systems.

If you got to know Jen in Bitter is the New Black, you will love reading about her formative years. But if you haven't read bitter, don't worry...You won't be lost as you laugh along through young Jen's journey cause it is probably similar to your own. show less

It's weird. I seem to be going through a re-read frenzy. I have all of Jen Lancaster's memoirs so decided to do a re-read. I recall reading "Pretty in Plaid" years ago and it didn't hit right with me. I never posted a review just because back then I was fairly lazy about posting reviews to the books I was reading. But my re-read for this just had me realizing that Jen Lancaster in her heyday (high school and college) would have been someone that I avoided with every fiber of my being. It's weird. I loved "Bitter is the New Black" because you felt like Lancaster was growing before our eyes into a less egotistical and money hungry person. But "Pretty in Plaid" just shows us her prior to that and she was beyond annoying. I don't think it show more helps that her depictions of her family scream that all of them need therapy. Stat.

"Pretty in Plaid" follows author Jen Lancaster from childhood through her sorority pledging days, and even up to when she meets her husband, Fletch.

Memoirs as I have always said are very tricky to read and then review. You feel badly if you didn't like the memoir cause you are saying in essence, the person themselves is not that great. This memoir though was not that great. Maybe if Lancaster wrote this look back at her life in her 60s or later it would make sense. But she was in her early 40s and her revisiting her early life was not that interesting. Lancaster tries to tie specific events to accessories and other things she loved at these times in her life. But I found the whole thing boring. I also didn't laugh once which for me is unusual with one of her memoirs. Also Lancaster comes across as a bully who was obsessed with her and her so called friends appearances. There are some things that pop up that surprised me like how long it took her to graduate from college. How she was only able to do join a sorority because it wasn't at her college's main campus. I think another reviewer put it best, "Bitter is the New Black" had you thinking that Lancaster grew up very wealthy and was part of the elite in school and college. This book shows that she definitely was not that, and maybe that was what led her to become some focused on making money and wearing her salary around her wrists with expensive handbags. show less

This was actually the first Jen Lancaster book that I read, though chronologically the fourth she had written. It remains my favorite. Each chapter or individual story in Pretty in Plaid is tied to or told around a specific piece of clothing from Lancaster’s youth. As usual, hilarity ensues as Lancaster tells the tale of each piece of clothing (or accessory). I simply cannot stop laughing when reading her books. She is one of the first recommendations I give when people tell me they need something to read. If you haven’t read this book or any of Lancaster’s books, stop what you’re doing and get yourself a copy!

Jen Lancaster is a witty, smart, funny writer whom I enjoy reading very much and find the plot of this book interesting. We all wish we could go back in time and change our past but unfortunately that isn't possible. In the book the popular girl whom at first you do not want to like has some really bad karma coming her way. Her company is in trouble,as well as her marriage, and people whom she was supposed to be friends with despise her. She is given a rare opportunity to change that and does, getting everything she ever wanted. Still things turn out wrong for her and she ends up doing something out of character at the end by doing something selfless. It is a good read and easy to read. I believe it only took me a few days to read.

My favorite of Lancaster's books thus far, based not only on the content but also in the way her writing style is deepening and involving. Oh, it's not a deep book, but it is a lot more complex that most of her readers have come to expect, in my view. Aw heck, it's funny as all get out, and such an on-the-money chronicle of the young lives of today's 40-somethings...