BLOG TOUR - THE STYLIST BY ROSIE NIXON

My review

Rosie Nixon's debut novel is out!

Enjoyable, glittering, glamorous.

Can being in the wrong place at the wrong time make your life unexpectedly wonderful? Wonder is what Amber Green feels when she is mistakenly offered a job and she’s asked to work with infamous jet-setting stylist to the stars, Mona Armstrong. She finds herself in the high-heeled shoes of a stylist   without the right competence but with surprising improvised talent  - or unbelievable luck? Amber hits the ground running, helping to style some of Hollywood’s hottest stars during the award season: the Golden Globes, the Oscars … a world she had only seen on TV or in magazines.  

"In less than five minutes I'd gone from shop girl to "window dresser extraordinaire" to temporary employee of Mona Armstrong: Stylist to the Staaars!"

From London’s fashion boutiques to Hollywood’s boulevards crowded with fashionable, trendy people Amber’s journey brings her to know more of herself and of her qualities,  which she has never realized she has till that moment. Being trusted makes her believe she can mak it. Isn't  she cheating, you wonder? Mmm… probably she’s just doing her best in what she does best: helping and understanding people in a ... creative way.

DRESS LIKE A CRAWLEY - STYLE INSPIRATION FROM THE LADIES OF DOWNTON ABBEY

If you’re anything like me, you sometimes get a little distracted while watching Downton Abbey.

It’ll be the middle of an important scene, full of subtle dramatic tension and all of a sudden, you realize that you’ve completely tuned out the dialogue because you’re studying one of the character’s outfit so closely. 

You get lost in a sea of dropped waist dresses, intricate beading and gorgeous hats.  And you’re also probably thinking, “Is there some way I can get away with dressing like I just stepped off of a sprawling Edwardian estate?” 

The answer, thankfully, is yes.  Well, sort of. 

You may not want to go whole hog period fashion, or you might risk looking costumey, but there are certainly ways you can incorporate the style into what you wear every day.

Color Me Softly

When it comes to a color palette, if you want to fit in at Downton, you should stick to soft shades.  Think colors like dusty rose, pale mint, creams, grays, lavender, and light blues.  The overall effect you’re going for is delicately feminine, so stick to muted tones as opposed to vibrant ones.  You do sometimes see the Crawley ladies in more saturated colors, but that’s only for formal occasions, and only once in a while.

Art Deco Details

The Art Deco design movement can clearly be seen in the fashion of Downton Abbey.  Everything from the jewelry to the details on dresses is inspired by the symmetrical, geometric elements seen in things like the stained glass, furniture and architecture of the time period.