Monday, September 1, 2014

Savvy Chic by Anna Johnson

I saw this book... a few years ago I think. It was a month or two before I left Japan, so about 3 years? Anyway, I tend to be cautious about buying books (unless I'm in an airport bookstore, then it's "take a risk), and prefer to research about a book before I get it. This was one of the books that I put on my mental "to Google" list, and then promptly forgot about, with the excitement of moving to a new country.

When I saw this book in Scribd, and got a chance to read it as a part of the subscription library, I jumped at the chance. And well, I'm glad that I didn't plonk down the (rather substantial) amount of cash for this book back then.

Don't get me wrong, Savvy Chic is a nicely written book and I would have loved it - if I had a more bohemian style. While I admire the style, it's not something I wear, and the lifestyle is not something that I live. Which makes the book more or less useless to me.

I would have just enjoyed the book if it weren't for the fact that I disagreed strongly with a few points.

One piece of advice is
"When you throw a housewarming have each friend bring you a beautiful, completely individual wineglass and plate."
Admittedly, this is coming from a Singaporean point of view, but no. If I throw a housewarming, it's to celebrate my new house, and not to get something from my friends. If they ask what they should bring, that's another matter, but I won't demand things. I'd rather buy the wineglass and plate one at a time, while at flea markets and stuff.

Another would be her advice on bargaining. She advises you to bargain, but then remember, the store-owner has to make a living too! It's all very contradictory, and it confused me.

And there are other points, but those I disagreed with because I'm not bohemian, so it's really a personal thing.

Bottom line, if you're bohemian and proud of it, get the book. You'll probably love it. If you're like me, then you may just want to borrow the book first, to see whether it's worth it. Sure it's well-written and amusing, but if you're not going to use the advice, what's it for?

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