The Fashion Insiders' Guide to Paris

Image of The Fashion Insiders' Guide to Paris
Author(s): 
Release Date: 
May 7, 2013
Publisher/Imprint: 
Abrams Books
Pages: 
192
Reviewed by: 

You have heard of WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?). The Fashion Insiders' Guide to New York and The Fashion Insiders’ Guide to Paris can be thought of as WWAWD?—or What Would Anna Wintour Do when visiting either or both of these two fashion capitols.

Consider these mini volumes as detailed GPS directions to the fashionable way to see New York and Paris as only the fashion obsessed might.

Ms. Sabas has provided enough privileged information to require of a fashionista at least a month long’s stay in each city. Following the guides here, even with a month’s time to just shop and see and visit, you would not come close to running out of what each destination offers.

In Paris, there are the usual haunts known to all who travel. And then there are the most useful bits, as well as the most elitist destinations. For instance, where to find an “in house” mani/pedi; a local yoga instructor or class; hammams; where to shop, eat, stay, and even where to eat a post/party, pre-dawn breakfast. All of the categories are broken down by areas, best time of day to go, and optimal days of the week.

When it comes to New York, Ms. Sabas covers many of the same topics and territories but goes even farther afield to include Brooklyn, the newest latest and greatest area to find cosmetic dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and even places where the most fashionable of folk get their ink done . . . ink as in tattoos.

As far as reading goes, these two books are as much fun as any lighthearted novel and don’t necessarily require an imminent trip but they do require a working knowledge of each city so that you have a fuller picture of just how informational the books are.

Make no mistake about it, these are not tourists’ guides like Fodor’s or Zagat’s, these are for those who want to live to the edges of the fullest boundaries of the fashion capitols of the world.

Rarely can one say that a city guidebook makes for fun reading, but with The Fashion Insiders' Guide to New York and The Fashion Insiders’ Guide to Paris Ms. Sabas shatters our notion of what a guide to an in-the-know niche audience should offer.