Elegance - Softcover

Tessaro, Kathleen

3.43

5,185 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007151438 ISBN 13: 9780007151431

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2011

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

The Sunday Times bestseller and one of the most talked-about novels of 2003, now in paperback.

Elegance. Audrey Hepburn had it. Grace Kelly had it. Louise Canova does not.

Until one day, browsing in a second-hand bookshop, Louise stumbles over a faded hardback. Elegance is an A–Z of style, written by French fashion expert, Madame Antoine Dariaux: a veritable what-not-to-wear in print.

When Louise starts to follow Madame's advice, her life is transformed. From Accessories to Zippers, there is nothing Madame cannot advise upon, including types of husband (the blind, the ideal, the dictator) and shopping with girlfriends (don't).

Within the book's pages Louise finds clues to her own past. And as she begins to unravel them, she discovers a courage she never thought possible. For true elegance cannot be attained until she is comfortable in her own skin: only then might love flourish.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Review:

‘Ultra-smart and classily edgy, this is the glitz novel brought up to date.’ SUNDAY TIMES

‘More heart than you'll ever find on a catwalk...Written with �lan and panache.' DAILY MAIL

‘Funny, charming and a certain bestseller.‘ IN STYLE

'A perfect pick-me-up.' COSMOPOLITAN

‘This is a book all women will identify with, and you’ll adore Louise, who’s every bit as charmingly neurotic and nutty as Bridget Jones.’ GLAMOUR

‘A brilliant read with fashion advice thrown in!’ NEW WOMAN

'Poignantly funny.' EXPRESS

‘A true handbag read, an easy diversion from real life.’ GUARDIAN

From the Author:

Several years ago now, I had the good fortune to stumble across an extroadinary book in a second-hand bookshop entitled Elegance by Genevieve Antoine Dariaux. Years later, when I decided to write a book myself, it became the guiding inspiration for this novel.

By generous permission of the original author, I have been allowed to use a selection of the original headings and have adapted them to suit my story. (Only the entry for B for Beauty remains wholly my own.) However, much of the tone and certainly the most brilliant gems of advice belong entirely to Madame Antoine Dariaux herself.

It is with enormous gratitude that I wish to acknowledge her contributions to this book and to thank her for being both my muse and the touchstone of all that is elegant for these past two and a half years. She is, I can assure you, even more gracious and enchanting in person than her wonderful words of wisdom reveal.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.