Promotional Information

An ingenious book of simple wardrobe solutions, clever tools, and straightforward advice from a Hollywood costume designer.

Table of Contents

ntroduction: Good Clothes Open All Doors ix


CHAPTER 1 
Movie Magic: Or, Why Movie 1
Stars Look Like Movie Stars
First, You Have To Prepare | It’s Time to Shop | Let’s Have a Fitting 
| How Do They Make a TV Show, Anyway?

Chapter 2 
Fit: The True Enemy of Great Style 11
The Right Pants | A Better Skirt | A Brilliant Blouse | A Jacket Fit for a Queen
| The Perfect Dress

Chapter 3
Alter Your Clothes, Alter Your Life 29
The Totally Worth-It Alterations You Really Need to Know About 
| But Sometimes, It’s Just Not Worth It | How to Find a Great Tailor |
Basic Tailoring Terms

Chapter 4
Be Your Own Costume Designer 49
Your Style is Your Signature | How to Search Out Pieces That Are So
Totally You

Chapter 5 
Dumb Fashion Rules 59
That Were Made For Breaking
Dumb Rule Number One: Always Fear Wearing Stripes—Horizontal or Otherwise | Dumb Rule Number Two: Don’t Wear White after Labor Day | Dumb Rule Number Three: Don’t Wear Black with Brown or Navy | Dumb Rule Number Four: Don’t Mix Your Metals | Dumb Rule Number Five: Don’t Wear Leggings as Pants | Dumb Rule Number Six: Don’t Wear Boots in the Summer | Dumb Rule Number Seven: Short Boots Make Your Legs Look Stumpy | Dumb Rule Number Eight: Don’t Mix Your Patterns | Dumb Rule Number Nine: Don’t Double Up Your Denim | Dumb Rule Number Ten: Redheads Can’t Wear Red—and Blondes Shouldn’t Be Wearing Yellow, Either

Chapter 6 
Wardrobe Tools 73
To Keep Your Look Together
The Holy Trinity: Safety Pins, Topstick, and Moleskin | Even More Tools to Keep Your Look Together | But What about a Busted Zipper? | Ironing is
for Suckers


Chapter 7 
Dressing for Success Is Dead 91
Are My Clothes Dirty? | Are My Clothes Wrinkled? | Am I Showing Something I Wish I Wasn’t? | Are My Clothes Covered in Lint, Pills, or
Stray Threads? | Are My Shoes Scuffed, Dirty, or Worn? | Does This Fit
Me Properly?


Chapter 8 
Closet Hacks: Store Your 101
Clothes Like Wardrobe Girls Do 
When in Doubt, Just Hang it Up! | But What if I Don’t Have
Enough Rail Space?
 
Chapter 9 
Underthings: You Really Only Need a Few 117
First Things First: Throw Your Shapewear in the Trash | Don’t Fear the Panty Line | Your Grandma Was Right: Slips Rule | Don’t Burn Your Bra Just Yet... | How to Frankenstein a Bra That Works for You | Hand Washing Your Bras and Undies


Chapter 10
Laundry: You’re Doing It Wrong 143
Get the Most out of Your Washing Machine | Is Dry-Cleaning Really Necessary? | To Skip the Dry Cleaner, You’d Better Learn How to
Hand Wash | Stains: Or, Spit Removes Blood Like Whoa
Chapter 11
Shoe Care For All Your Footwear 167
Help Your Shoes Keep Their Shape | Spring for Protective Rubber Soles—and Replace Your Heel Caps Often | Remove Salt and Slush Residue Immediately | Avoid Heat and Other Drying Conditions | Rotate Your Footwear | Don’t Forget to Waterproof | Maintain, Maintain, Maintain | Bring Your Shoes Back from the Dead | Keep Your Shoes from Killing Your Feet 


Chapter 12
Old Stuff: A Guide to 185
Shopping Vintage and Thrift 
Thrift Stores and Charity Shops | Vintage Stores | Consignment or
Resale Shops | Used Clothing Stores | To Start the Hunt, Prepare and
Plan | Then, Know What to Look For | Also, Have a Plan of Attack | Be Sure
to Try It All On (and Check It Twice!) | Finally, Get Ready to Wear It

Chapter 13
Dudes, This One’s for You 201
If the Jacket’s Not Right, the Whole Thing Is Wrong | This Is How Pants Should Fit | Let’s Talk about Shirts | How to Measure Yourself Properly |
You Can Thank the Duke for the Suit | With Buttons, it’s Sometimes, Always, Never | Can I Take My Jacket Off Now? | Whoops, This Suit
Doesn’t Fit! | How to Fix Your See-Through Shirt | How a Tie Should Look
| How to Wear a Tuxedo

go ahead, sit on the grass: Stain Glossary 219
take care of what you’ve got: Fabric Care Glossary 225

Acknowledgments 235
About the Author 237
Index 239

About the Author

ALISON FREER is a costume designer from Texas living and working in Hollywood. With more than 150 TV shows, films, commercials, and music videos under her belt, she has reams of hard-won, practical wardrobe expertise at her fingertips. Alison is also the clothes editor at xoJane.com, where her unique take on how to solve common fashion and style conundrums has won her a dedicated following. Alison is also a contributing editor to Racked.com, in addition to hosting TLC's A Makeover Story during its fifth season. She also appeared on Melissa River's TV Candy on the TV Guide network as the show's resident style expert.

Reviews

A New York Times Best Seller

"Professional costume designer Freer spills all her secrets for transforming your closet into a truly functional wardrobe. Her tips tackle clothing fitting issues, closet organization, undergarment truths, brilliant thrifting tips, and more. For someone looking to overhaul their closet, this is not a book to miss."
--Bustle

"Freer has quite a few styling tricks up her sleeve, and now it’s easier for everyone to gain access to her straight-forward advice for cheap. Her new book How To Get Dressed gets to the nitty-gritty of revamping your wardrobe."
--Huffington Post

"[Freer is] refreshingly down-to-earth in her first book, which is packed full of helpful tips for building and maintaining a stylish wardrobe . . . for those looking for a comprehensive and highly readable clothes-care book, this is the one."
--Publishers Weekly

“Alison really nails the basics of good style while allowing room for readers to inject their own personality into a look. Most of all, her writing constantly reminds me of what fashion is really supposed to be: fun for everyone.”
--Jane Pratt, founder of xoJane.com
 
"Years in the trenches of Hollywood have made Alison Freer an authority on every single clothing problem that could befall a person. As a result, this book is crammed full of wardrobe tricks that really work and is a truly indispensable guide to getting dressed." 
--Nancy Jo Sales, Author of The Bling Ring and contributing editor at Vanity Fair

"Not everyone can have two maids at her beck and call. Alison is right about many things, but mainly this: ironing really is for mere mortal humans. Her purrrfect fashion advice will have you looking your very best (but not better than moi!). Two paws up, dahhhlings!"
--Ashley Tschudin, Official Voice of Choupette Lagerfeld, @ChoupettesDiary