Heart on My Sleeve
Stories from a Life Well Worn
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- £11.99
Publisher Description
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
Fashion and style icon Jeanne Beker delivers an uplifting and inspiring memoir that walks us through a wardrobe of memory, one article of clothing at a time.
Jeanne Beker’s name is synonymous with style and grace in fashion. Recognized by many as the beloved host of Fashion Television and The New Music, Jeanne has spent an entire career interviewing celebrities and uncovering their most private selves. Now, in Heart on My Sleeve, Jeanne reveals who she is in an all-new way.
This is not just a memoir but a wardrobe of memory. Jeanne walks us through her recollections of specific pieces of clothing and jewelry, precious items that have made an indelible impact on her. She invites readers to think more deeply about how what we wear—whether it’s a thrift-store find or high-end couture—acts as a touchstone to our most treasured recollections, reminding us of who we once were or of loved ones we hold dear.
With Jeanne as our style guide, we get up-close and personal with a star-studded cast, including Paul McCartney, Madonna, Karl Lagerfeld, Kate Moss, Oscar de la Renta, Beyoncé, and Keith Richards. But equally important, Jeanne introduces us to the family members and loved ones who form her closest entourage—including her wise Yiddish mother and her industrious father, both Holocaust survivors; her childhood neighbor Mrs. Jaskolka, a style maven ahead of her time; her two trailblazing daughters; and her many warm and exuberant friends who have seen her through the best and worst of times.
Jeanne proves that a life lived with style and substance is always in fashion. Bold, colorful, and authentic, this is Jeanne Beker at her very best and brightest.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
FashionTelevision host Beker recalls her childhood fascinations, dishes on her celebrity interviews, and dispenses valuable style advice in her intimate debut. She begins by tracing her love of fashion to Betsy, a paper doll she cut out from the pages of McCall's magazine while growing up in 1950s Toronto, because her Holocaust survivor parents couldn't afford to buy her a Barbie. The experience of dressing Betsy "taught me the power of original style and the importance of self-expression through wardrobe," Beker writes. From there, Beker balances chatty passages about her conversations with fashion luminaries—including Oscar de la Renta, who told her, during their final interview before his death, that "life was all about" being happy, and knowing Beker made him happy—with more ruminative sections, including several about her 2022 breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Her prose is endearingly conversational, if occasionally glib ("Fashion itself may not make the world go round, but... it brings color and attitude to life's big ride"), as she catalogs her favorite wardrobe pieces (a Chanel maternity dress from Karl Lagerfeld stands out) and paints memorable portraits of her family and friends. It's a pleasure to spend time in Beker's company.
