Eccentric Glamour poster and bookmark

Hi readers! Have you been enjoying Eccentric Glamour? We’re hoping that even if you don’t live in NYC, (where you miiiiight be able to impersonate the Queen of England or wear a gold leotard with a mauve fanny pack) you’ve picked up a helpful tip or two from Simon Doonan! Here are a few discussion questions and more fun reading suggestions. This month’s amazing printable was illustrated by our featured illustrator of the month, Carolyn Suzuki, who we interviewed last week. She illustrated one of her favorite interviews in the book, the inimitable Lynne Yaeger, a contributing fashion editor at Vogue, along with a quote from the author, “Eccentricity is the oxygen that invigorates a happy creative life!” Read more about Carolyn here and print off the poster and bookmark below!

Eccentric Glamour by Simon Doonan discussion questions

1. Simon says, “Eccentricity, that vigorous aversion to preconceived ideas and bourgeois notions, is the oxygen that invigorates a happy and creative life.” He recounts a moment where his mother Betty, whose personal style was 1940s glam, “dressed down” for a trip to visit relatives. She was sad, inhibited, and not her usual fabulous self, a testament to the power of how we adorn our bodies and what that means for each of us. How have YOU changed when your wardrobe changed? Or do you NEED a change right now? 😉

2. Some of Doonan’s observations are hilarious: “Throw on a black turtleneck and your IQ mysteriously appears to rise…The message of a leopard-print jumpsuit is clear, “I am a huntress who delights in eating the offal of her prey.” ” He also states, “People will make all kinds of assumptions, grotesque and otherwise, about who you are based on what you wear. They can and will judge a book by its cover.” Do you agree? We’d all love to say this isn’t true, but in some sense, whether it’s a good or bad judgment, it does happen, doesn’t it?

3. If you’ve been following along on @larsbookclub , we mentioned the three types of eccentric glamour: The Gypsy (bohemian, poetic, crafty), The Existentialist (dramatic, intellectual, edgy), and The Socialite (elegant, manicured, witty). Do you identify with one of these? Which one? Whichever style you may adopt (and it can take time), Doonan insists that “evolving your own brand of eccentric glamour is good for your psyche. Knowing who you really are and dressing the part is life affirming for you and life enhancing for other people.” How do you think it benefits OTHER people?

4. So. Whether you liked it or not, tell us what you’ve learned from Eccentric Glamour! Is it that timeless allure and confidence do more for you than revealing clothing? That fashion should be FUN, and not just hopping on the next trend’s bandwagon? What is ONE thing you took away from this unique book?