From the library

 
More lovely books from the library! I probably would have bypassed A Life in Frocks if I hadn't noticed the name Kelly Doust under the title. I would have assumed it was some silly, superfluous book written by a woman who cares about nothing that exists outside the world of fashion. But Kelly Doust is a crafter, and crafters aren't dull or superficial! The author of The Crafty Minx, The Crafty Kid, and The Crafty Minx at Home, her craft projects are modern and bright and fun. And the illustrations in A Life in Frocks swayed me, as well. Cowboy boots in the inside cover? Yes, please!

I am not disappointed. Kelly's writing voice is super approachable and relatable, as well as self-deprecating. She loves fashion and describes some of her most memorable ensembles over the course of her life, but she's not a one-trick pony. It's far from being her only love. She just loves the opportunity that fashion offers to change one's look (and outlook) from day to day. I enjoyed the book, as someone who has always felt like a fashion-failure, but who has always wished she could understand that world a little better. Kelly doesn't advocate certain looks, or learning how to accessorise. She simply advocates wearing what you love, what makes you feel like you can take on the world.

Everything Oz is super cute. It's a bunch of Wizard of Oz-themed crafting projects. I saw it months ago in a shop and wished I could afford to buy it. But the chances of me actually making any of the items in the book, which aren't particularly practical, are slim. And more for kids, really.