Things I've Learned From Reading The Bombshell Manual of Style

Twice a year at work, there's a gigantic book sale that's run for charity. Not only does that mean I get to donate all my books that I won't read again (of which there are always many), but it means I get to pick up new books for a song!

As someone with an unabashed love for self-help books (but less of a love for spending big bucks on the latest craze), this works out pretty great if I don't mind being patient.

At our last book sale, I picked up a copy of Lauren Stover's The Bombshell Manual of Style. I'll admit that I was attracted to it because of the illustrations - they are done by Ruben Toledo, who also did the illustrations for Nina Garcia's The One Hundred.
Toledo's illustrations are exaggerations of beauty, but the palette he uses (especially in his watercolour illustrations) makes me swoon! I just love it!

While I do love the illustrations, and it was an entertaining read (mostly for the glimpses into the lives of classic Hollywood bombshells like Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren), I wouldn't recommend it if you were paying for it (maybe get it from the library!).

The author implies a lot of chaos into the life of The Bombshell. Spilled champagne, temper tantrums, missing shoes… Quite frankly, these are all things that make me get really tense! I could never just “enjoy the ride” of a lifestyle like that!

The majority of the pages were used in discussing outer beauty (90 pages) and lifestyle (57 pages), with a mere handful discussing the psychology of The Bombshell (I prefer my self-help with a little more meat on it), and a few pages at the end dedicated to horoscopes and a quiz (because books are no fun unless they're like Cosmo!)

Regardless, there are a few points from the book that I'm happy to take away and incorporate more into my everyday life…

• Show your vulnerability
• Being beautiful and being brainy aren't mutually exclusive, work on your inner life as much (if not more) as you work on your outer life
• Being appealing to people you want to attract is never trashy or trampy
• Dignity and confidence!
• Believe in the fantasies you create for yourself and make them a reality; if things don't go your way, bounce back and succeed another day!
• Enthusiasm is much more interesting and appealing to be around than studied cool
• Showing compassion is more important than showing leg

Have you read this book? Do you have thoughts on it? What life lessons would you add to the above list?