Maggie Alderson Handbags & Gladrags

Handbags & Gladrags

Maggie Alderson

Berkley, Jun 2005, $13.00, 306 pp.

ISBN: 042520278X

Chic Magazine fashion expert Emily Pointer would rather shop till she drops instead of dining on food or men though she makes an exception with Australian photographer Miles McCrae. Of course Miles has more opportunities as both attend the same international shows.

Still Emily wonders about all the one night stands in Milan, Paris, New York, London and Plant Tharg, etc that she has with sexy Miles. Even more so she begins to panic as she starts questioning her clothing theory of women that the garb makes the female so nothing is worn that is between the age of six months to a couple of decades; older that that might start a fad while younger is the hip chic chick trend. As Emily ponders is that all there is, she also dissects her non-relationship with Miles and that guy she is married to, what's his name?

Though the audience might consider Emily as a shallow clothing hound, she is much deeper as she struggles with her lifestyle feeling more inadequate daily. The storyline focuses on her in a chick lit style, but also provides insight into the fashion world from design to runway to the fantastically dressed rich and famous. Maggie Alderson writes a droll sexy story starring a superb spirited soul struggling with HANDBAGS & GLADRAGS as the meaning of life.

Harriet Klausner