One Hundred Must Haves

Fashion is continually in motion. Always changing. What's hot one minute is out the next. Yet there are some items in a women's closet that seem to transcend the fickle nature of fashion and to stand the test of time. Nina Garcia knows exactly what they are.

An authority in the realm of fashion, Nina Garcia may be best known for her work on Project Runway, cheering on the next would-be Marc Jacobs or Isaac Mizrahi. In her book, The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own she draws upon her years of experience to offer readers a guide to those classic pieces that create the backbone of a woman's wardrobe, no matter what's in fashion.

In alphabetical order beginning with the A-Line Dress and ending with a Zippered Hoodie, Garcia answers the questions she has been asked over the years about what items she deems essential for any woman who wants to create her own timeless style. The One Hundred gives us guidelines for our shopping lists and helps us determine what items to add to our closets. Garcia also brings us useful tips on how to spot a fake designer bag, how to wear fishnets and gives us tips for buying the perfect cocktail ring (hint: fakes are completely acceptable here). In short, she dumbs down fashion to make it accessible to all women, in a user-friendly way.

To complement Nina's must-haves, Ruben Toledo has done it again with his chic and fabulous illustrations. I have loved this illustrator since his days at Details (back when I was a fashion student and it was mostly a women's magazine) and his beautiful style accessorizes a wonderful book.

The One Hundred is highly recommended for any woman who wants to create her very own style. It's not about wearing the trends, but about creating a wardrobe that's just right for you. Once you have the "bones" of your wardrobe (buy the best you can afford!), with a little fashion know-how they will carry you through any occasion with grace and style. Because fashion is what you buy, but style is how you wear it!