CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

vii

INTRODUCTIONxiii

CHAPTER 1

Simone de Beauvoir Was Totally HotSay no to ho and yes to eccentric glamour

1

PROFILE

TILDA SWINTON29

CHAPTER 2

A Small Quantity of SpitGuarding your self-esteem, not to mention your maquillage

33

PROFILE

DITAVONTEESE

47

CHAPTER 3

What the Hookers Are Wearing

The meaning ofsnakeskin culottes

51

PROFILE

IMAN65

ix

chapter 4

Freud's Handbag

Nobody wants an old clutch

69

PROFILE

ISABEL TOLEDO

75

CHAPTER 5

Call Ghost Bustiers

Exorcising your vintage clothing79

PROFILE

MR. MICKEY BOARDMAN

87

CHAPTER 6

Aunt Sylvia's Fanny Pack

A career a la mode

93

PROFILE

IRIS APFEL103

CHAPTER 7

Looking Cher

Tempus rugit, so get used to it

107

PROFILE

ALEXANDRA JACOBS121

Contents

chapter 8

Who Killed Joie de Vivre?

Squeeze a lemon on the cat and shout, "SourpussV

125

PROFILE

MALCOLM GLADWELL139

CHAPTER 9

Frenchwomen Don't Know Diddly

Vive la vulgarite!

143

PROFILE

KELLY WEARSTLER153

CHAPTER 10

A Large Woman on a Small Stool

An etiquette for the twenty-first century

157

PROFILE

AMY FINE COLLINS169

CHAPTER 11

A-List Celebs Don't Puke in Their Purses

Fame and theglam eccentric

173

PROFILE

LYNN YAEGER187

XI

Contents

chapter 12

Hurl Your Arms Heavenward

Aglam eccentric guide to weight loss

191

PROFILE

BETH RUDIN DeWOODY211

CHAPTER 13

Soothing or Annoying

The giant eccentric guide to love

215

PROFILE

LUCY LIU233

CHAPTER 14

Splash Your Breasts with Ice-Cold Water

Lousy advice with chilling consequences

237

PROFILE

HAMISH BOWLES249

CHAPTER 15

Dressing Down Is a Crime Against Humanity

Don't hide your eccentric glamour under a bushel

253

POSTSCRIPT

Isabella Blow

265