Imagine with me for a minute…. you have a Grandmother who owns a priceless vintage clothing collection and she has just passed it on to you. Suddenly boxes are arriving on your doorstep every day like Christmas and you are opening up treasured gorgeous dresses from different periods, 1790 – 1995… dresses that will make you drool. And then imagine among the Dior and Chanel, there is a book – a book that tells the story of each dress…. and the book itself is almost a bigger treasure.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Now – you don’t have to imagine. What I just described – is this book. THIS BOOK. Author Charlotte Smith did inherit these dresses and the book, and this book is the stories that Charlotte discovered about the dresses. In this beautiful hard cover and oddly heavy book (which seems appropriate for what is between the covers) are pictures of dresses and with each picture…
is a story…
For the record, I am not a girly girl. I prefer jeans and t shirts, to dresses and skirts. I would rather be a part of a floor hockey team then go to a fancy dance…. but….
occasionally…
I can’t say that some of the dresses did not make me picture what it would be like to own such a beautiful piece. I poured over the pages and like a teenager does with a fashion magazine, I went through and picked out a few of my favorites.
I loved the stories behind the dresses. The parties, the heads that turned, the ones that got the guy – and kept him. Some of the dresses have been to ballrooms and danced with people who’s names you will recognize; others made their way to weddings, and travels…. and you wish that you could have gone with the dress.
This book is a keeper. A treasure that I will take off the shelf time and again.
~Sheila
Book Journey’s map has been updated to include Dreaming of Dior
Cover Story: Very eye catching and has a quality about it that you not only feel, but you can see before you ever pick the book up
I received this book from Simon and Schuster
Book Journey 
Oh, so much fun! Definitely looks like a drool-worthy book!
Hannah it is a beautiful book. I just loved reading the stories.
I bet! Mmm …
This does look like a fabulous adventure into a “girly” world.
Very girly – but I loved it Laurel! Reminds me of our dress up event for book club in July – I must find the perfect dress 🙂
I saw this on the shelf at work, but never picked it up. I had no idea the story behind it. This sounds fabulous.
amcatoir, all the dresses I sent to the author, boxes and boxes…. can you imagine? 🙂
It’s gorgeous! I love the background colors…it makes for a fun looking book.
I think so too Jill!
Shut. Up! This book sounds awesome. What a dream! That’s the kind of thing historians fantasize about.
I know right heindekind? I wonder where she stores them all?
i must get this book for my goddaughters!
…….and my daughter will want her own copy too!
Kay r, I know I have been thinking of who I could get this one for.
Drooling over here! This book looks amazing!
Amused it is heavy too – like good quality.
What great illustrations! Thanks for the sneak peek.
Sure Julie – I couldn’t wait to review it.
Sounds like a beautiful book and some of those dresses are gorgeous.
I agree Ryan – just to be in the same room with them – I would want to play dress up constantly!
Normally I prefer fiction, but this book and the dresses certainly makes me want to make an exception.
Kah, this would be a good one to make an exception with! 🙂
What a dream! I want to visit.
Juju – me too!!! 😀
Definitely a must read for me!
Carrie if you read it let me know what you think 🙂
Hi Sheila !
WOW and WOW……..Smith has done a great job and the drawings are really good. I am an absolute ‘tom-boy’ and yet those pics of the dresses are making me wanting to see and read more…..a story behind every dress is a novel idea (mind the pun) I’m going to make sure I get a copy of this.
Great job on this one. It must had been a soothing balm after ‘Chosen’ !
lOL Fiza – I have a few other books going to – as well as a couple other audios, Chosen didnt bug me too much 🙂
What an amazing sounding book – a real slice of history.
Petty Witter I think so too!
This sounds like a wonderful book! I love it when books are ‘different’, if you know what I mean.
I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend. 🙂
I am having a good weekend – thanks Nikki-Ann. Sunday os GORGEOUS.
This book is near the top of my TBR. It’s so gorgeous, I just can’t wait to read it!
Kathy I am anxious to see your review of this one. 🙂
What a beautiful book.
It is Esme!
What a wonderful book. I would love to have been her. I an just imagine having all those dresses arrive and unpacking them. What an adventure. Of course, then come the problem of where you are going to keep, them all. How wonderful and wise of her Grandmother to keep such a treasured and interesting record. Definitely a keeper.
Pat I love unusual things and I think a collection of vintage dresses would fall into that category 🙂
this sounds like a book I would enjoy. Thanks for including the pics:)
Sure Bobbie – it was a fun one to review!
I really love the idea behind this book and the stories that go with the dresses would be fun to read! 😀
Staci it really was. I would love to “visit” the dresses…LOL
Some of your favorites made me drool, too! My daughter is thinking of going into fashion design, and this book would serve as a great inspiration to her.
Julie – what a great idea! Any one of these dresses would be fantastic!
Fashion is my weakness. I never consider myself a girly girl (although some probably would) but I love all things fashion. This book sounds like such a treasure. I can’t believe I haven’t heard of it sooner.
Dont feel bad Jennifer – I had only recently heard of it myself. 🙂