Big City Look

Book excerpt: You&'ve seen her striding down the avenue of any big city--the woman with The Look--the look of elegance and style. Her hair swings; her makeup is natural, but lush; her clothes original, but classic. She&'s delightful and sophisticated. She&'s irresistible. She&'s quintessential big city. Rarely does a style book come along that is practical, real, and much more than the usual pie-in-the-sky beauty lecture. Big City Look is a celebrity-studded how-to by Vincent Roppatte, Saks Fifth Avenue&'s master beauty stylist and spokesman for Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salons. Vincent is a legend in his field, and the most celebrated women in the world are his friends and clients. His book, Big City Look, clearly deconstructs the extraordinary and stylish appeal of urban women in different regions of the country. And you don&'t actually have to live in a big city to have that confident, put-together look that whispers elegance and grace. What exactly is it that gives panache to that stunningly chic New York woman--even when she&'s not a classic beauty? What secrets does that feminine and gorgeous Atlantan woman keep--the secrets that bestow the southern Big City Look? How does that radiant Chicagoan manage to look so classy--even when plowing through the legendary snow and wind? That Dallas delight--how does she dress and wear her hair to give her such seductive and stylish advantage, such captivating attitude? What&'s the Washington, D.C., style formula--the one that bestows that insider in-control allure on that important capital woman? How does that enchanting L.A. woman manage to epitomize the glamorous heart of Hollywood? While certain clichés ring true (Dallas sports gorgeous big hair, New York dresses in black, Atlanta loves headbands), there are so many more subtle, regional differences when it comes to great style. Understanding and being able to duplicate these fashion, makeup, and hair secrets results in a smashing, appropriate, and wonderful look. Even if you live in a tiny village and are on a small-town budget, the look of urban style can be yours. So how does the woman with the Big City Look develop that flair for clothes and makeup, that seductive attitude we universally admire? Vincent knows. And he tells you in Big City Look. A celebrity-studded book by Saks Fifth Avenue&'s master stylist deconstructs the extraordinary and stylish appeal of women in six big American cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Atlanta.