Further Summer Reading

More Joys of a Trashy Fashion Novel

This summer has been passing by in a blur, at least for me. Preoccupied with matters that I don’t feel ready to talk about publicly yet (soon though), I haven’t had barely a moment to read or see any of the big summer films—even getting to the farmer’s market to pick up delectable in-season produce appears beyond me. From Instagram, it seems that almost everyone I know has been on vacation in Europe so perhaps it is a little late for an updated newsletter on summer fashion reads (here is last summer’s list)—but, even if you have already gone on holiday or aren’t able to this season, trashy fashion-related novels are as good a read on the subway as they are in a sunchair (or possibly better, if you are similarly allergic to sunbathing.)

On my podcast, I have previously interviewed two writers whose work fits the bill for ideal summer reads. Shirley Lord took her experiences working at Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and Helena Rubinstein—and her time married to a carpet magnate—and turned them into frothy novels about the fashion and beauty industries. James Fritzhand has written almost twenty books across a wide breadth of genres, several of which exemplify the tenets of what I consider a great beach read: about beautiful people scheming and making love in beautiful homes, with a heavy dose of glamour and fashion. From Shirley, I recommend: One of My Very Best Friends (1986), Faces (1988), and My Sister’s Keeper (1993.) From James, I recommend: Starring (1977), Dream Babies (1978), and Salon (under the name J.F. Farber, 1978). For historical summer sagas, pick up Shirley Lord’s Golden Hill (1982) and James Fritzhand’s Third Avenue (1979), and Four Sisters (1982.) Returning to my newsletter a few months ago on Gwen Davis, look out for a copy of Naked in Babylon (1960), The Pretenders (“Sin and sex among the jet set possibly the potboiler of the year,” 1969), Silk Lady (1986), and Jade (1991).

As I wrote last year, “These aren’t high art or well-written literature—they are gossipy, frothy nonsense somewhat based on reality. For all that is fantastic, there is enough true detail and knowledge about the beauty and fashion worlds (from the fifties through the eighties) to ensure they are an engaging read for all interested in this era.” Here are some more recent additions to my summer reading library…