IT by Alexa Chung
The book IT, by Alexa Chung, model and co-host of music TV show Fuse News, is a combination of a style guide, memoir, and scrapbook. It's a quick read and if you are an Alexa fan and love her effortless chic style you will likely love the book. Interspersed between the full-color illustrations and photographs are humorous, yet practical, tips on a variety of topics including what to wear to a music festival, the five items in her wardrobe she cannot live without, and how to take the perfect Instagram picture. Chung’s voice is accessible, fun, and knowing. Alexa's debut book goes on sale October 29, 2013.
A few of my favorite fall/winter looks by Alexa Chung
Q&A WITH ALEXA CHUNG
Your style icons are varied, from the Spice Girls to Jeremy Irons to Wednesday Addams. What makes a particular look stand out most to you?
Sometimes it's just an item such as Charlie Watt's mohair striped jumper. But in terms of those three people that you have mentioned there...they all have something in common, which is that each are a fully developed character and their clothes are just an extension of a strong personality.
If you could live in any decade-for the fashion, the people, the culture-what would it be, and why?
The 1960s of course! I just thought that was a historically very liberating time and I like that there was focus on youth culture and it was a mismatch of everything...music, race, class. It was a very intriguing time and the music that came out was some of the best. You can just like the 60s because the Beatles existed or you can like it because miniskirts came about, or Twiggy, or Birkin, or Serge, or Warhol. That decade provided so much of a blueprint for what happens now.
What's the best piece of advice you could give someone searching to create their own style?
Just go with your instincts. Find things you are inspired by or you like the look of. Work out what suits your body and your face and what you're comfortable wearing.
The title IT could be taken a lot of different ways-what does it mean to you?
The word it means a lot of different things, that's why I chose it. At first it was a nickname that I had for the book and then it just became it. And it was 'It'...gotta go home and work on 'It'...It's gonna be ok...this is IT. I love that word. It's so small and can mean so much.
What do you want people to take away from IT?
I don't really have an objective with the book. I hope that you enjoy it but I didn't necessarily put it together to affect you in any certain way. It was quite selfish really; I just wanted to write a lot down. I hope you enjoy it. That is all I can hope for.
You have a lot going on with Fuse News, the book, among other things. Do you have any down time? What do you do to relax?
I don't really have any downtime actually. But if I do relax I go for acupuncture. I play pool, I play buckhunter, sing karaoke...come to think of it, all of my relaxing things are still kind of work in a way, it's not like I'm swimming around a luxurious pool. I unwind by hanging out with friends. I don't know if I ever fully relax really, I just keep going until I fall asleep.