Love Style Life

This charming book by fashion blogger Doré is part memoir and part style guide, gathered together in a chic, Gallic-inflected package. Born in Corsica, Doré made a name for herself in the fashion blogosphere for touting the French style and sensibility. She and a string of her compatriots (whose photos appear throughout the book) remind readers of this claim to a natural, national élan and authority. “The French woman is nonchalant and will apply herself to carrying that stance in every aspect of her life,” Doré writes, adding that “in France, we’re not supposed to stand out too much. Wanting to show off is suspect.” The book is organized like a style guide with sections devoted to style, beauty, and elegance, with intermittent chapters on wardrobe basics, how to look good in pictures, and the importance of thank-you notes. The book is more enjoyably voyeuristic than it is reliably practical. Most readers can’t pull off the elusive je ne sais quoi that is so beautifully captured within these stylish pages. Nonetheless, it’s fun to watch someone else do it with such panache. Illus. Agents: Claudia Ballard and Tracy Fisher, William Morris Endeavor. (Oct.)