Fashion notebook by Julia Stanton

A and C Black, London, 2012. 128 p.
(Age: 12-16) This English publication describes itself as a personal style companion. It aims to inspire teenage girls to create their own fashion style. It should help young fashionistas to plan and create their own wardrobe.
There is a lot of room in this notebook for personal notes, sketches, photos, cut-outs, designs and the rating of current trends eg tribal or clashing prints. You can learn how to draw silhouettes and then create fashionable items to outfit them. You can learn how to make mood boards, and learn about colour and colour wheels. As well as fabric design there is the opportunity to design fashion accessories - shoes, hats, bags, make-up and nails.
Colour is used extensively throughout this publication with colour illustrations and coloured borders on the pages. This is an attractive, quality publication in a sturdy, spiral bound format.
Also included are an Introduction, Contents and Credits as well as Apps. for iPhone, iPad, Android and BlackBerry devices. There are quotes by fashion industry identities eg fashion designer Gianni Versace and fashion journalist Diana Vreeland
This book is suitable for girls 12 -16 years. One Year 8 girl, to whom I spoke, especially likes the patterns and the apps., and thinks that this book would make a great Christmas gift. Its publication late in 2012 means that it is just in time for the Christmas market.
As this is essentially a notebook for one individual to use, if it were purchased for a school library, it would be best housed in a Reference collection. One word of caution, however . . . a focus on teenage fashion means that this book will have a short life as fashions change and evolve.
Margaret Strickland