It
Title: It
Author: Alexa Chung
Publication Year: 2013
Genre: Self-Help
The book first caught my eye while scrolling through Tumblr in early 2017 (that’s right, I still have a Tumblr and use it pretty frequently despite the fact that half of its population left after the ban on boobies.) I’ve seen the book on more than one coffee table of Youtube lifestyle influencers over the years. Its cover, pretty and pink with an image of an eye, didn’t give me a fair chance of guessing what I would find inside. I had some clues, thanks to a series done on the official Vogue youtube channel with Alexa Chung as its host. I did my research on her before purchasing the book to learn that she is a model, editor, photographer, writer, and all-around jack of all trades within the fashion world. Writing and publishing It was her first official venture into the world of literature.
Model, designer, and fashionista Alexa Chung for The Cut, June 2020 (credits to thecut.com)
The book, both an autobiography and a photo journal, provides readers with a peek into the life of the beautiful and successful Alexa Chung. It begins with a review of her life before her dive into the fashion industry, drawing connections between her modern-day lifestyle and inspirations with those of her past. Her writing resembles diary entries: they’re raw, real, and relatable. The book is considerably short as most of the pages are filled with self-portraits, sketches, and film strips. It was a step out of my comfort zone, as I usually don’t read much nonfiction unrelated to the works assigned in my classes. It was a quick read (it took me about two days) but I found myself flipping through its pages time and time again in search of a quote or an image that stuck with me.
“Every time you post a picture of yourself to Instagram looking fake happy a fairy dies.” - Alexa Chung
By the end of the book, I still couldn’t come to a brilliant revelation about the meaning of the title. The writing style is loose and thoughtful, but delightfully light. If you were hoping for a book that focuses on Chung’s huge impact on the fashion industry, this isn’t the book for you. It does give some insight into her personal favorites and highlights her lifestyle, although much of it consists of her life outside of her work. When I heard about the book and learned a little more about Alexa Chung, I originally thought it would include some inspiring anecdotes about her success in the world of fashion. It would have been wonderful to read about her career through her own writing rather than depend on the interviews, youtube videos, and Instagram takeovers she has done in the past.
It’s a really great read if you want to learn more about her background and inspirations and see multiple effortlessly gorgeous selfies of the author that will make you question your entire Instagram page. More than anything, it felt as if I were flipping through someone’s scrapbook filled with memorabilia of someone’s fun-filled youth or someone’s private journal rather than a formal autobiography reviewing the success of an individual. The styling tips that Chung provides are timeless (as are the gorgeous pictures included in the book). It differs from books like How To Be Parisian by Audrey Diwan in that the focus is on a lifestyle that is not associated with any one culture or even an individual. It is the inner musings of a fashionista rather than and instruction manual on how to transform yourself into one. I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys knowing the inner-workings of an influential fashionista’s brain or would be interested in hearing about the social scene.
I have no doubt that the book will continue to dominate the social media posts of influencers or the bookcases of bibliophiles who enjoy a light, quick read every once and awhile. As a fashion and book lover, I chose to read the book with a cup of tea in hand and my most comfortable throw during a couple of lazy summer days. Would I read it again? I don’t think I would, but I do not regret having read it. It truly was an enjoyable, quick read worthy of your attention.