Australian Style - Melissa Penfold & Jenny Tabakoff

What a shallow, obvious and trite book. Its a rehash of all the other books on manners, interiors, occasions and fashion that we have all seen before. The authors assure us that anyone on any budget can aquire style and then spend the rest of the book giving examples of things you need to buy and spend money on that will help you attain it; including outsourcing all those things you don't want to do like ironing, mowing the lawns (isn't that what husbands are for?) raising children, buying a great pair of shoes, a palm pilot, silk palazzo pants (for those flights to St Morritz that we are always taking), having our gems restyled to keep them current,  stiff card for all those thankyou letters we have to write for all the dinner parties we go to, what to do with a $25 bunch of lilies and a big list on how to be rich gracefully.

If they are pitching their  book to anyone on any budget then where is the big list on how to be poor gracefully?

The book is filled with examples of women like Princess Diana, Jacqueline Kennedy, the Duchess of Windsor and Coco Chanel, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, (haven't they got stylists and aren't they dressed by designers?) Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly who had style (and millions in the bank to help them get it.) Where are the Australian women who have style and who aren't film stars - I know of at least 10 who are working behind the desk of my local library.

This is a version of Australian style that is obviously written by two WBITCB(s) (Would be(s) if They Could be(s)