|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Lifestyle
|summary=The effortless way to look good, every day, no matter what you're doing. So far it's working for me - and it never has before.|rating=4.5|buy=Yes|borrow=Yes
|pages=200
|publisher=CreateSpace
}}
WeI don't like shopping for clothes, but there's no valid reason why. I'm small, but reasonably slim - a size 10 petite usually fits me perfectly - and I'm lucky to be able to afford to buy whatever clothes I want. The trouble is that I lack the confidence to know what is going to suit me and to be honest it's very difficult to get excited about a trip which will almost certainly end up with another pair of smart black trousers and a matching top. I never feel that I look particularly good in black, but I've resorted to it because it can usually take me anywhere and is unlikely to cause offence. So, how did I feel when I was given a copy of ''The No Black Project''? Well, to be honest, I felt a little scared... Numba Pinkerton is a model and a professional personal stylist and she's worked with hundreds of women to help them develop their ''own'' personal style and to give them confidence. She helps women to look their best - and that means creating wardrobes which support their lifestyles and in which they look good too. I liked that there's ''no'' hint of changing ''me'' in the book: there's no suggestion that losing weight or undertaking a punishing exercise regime is necessary. Numba wants me to love ''me'', as I am, ''now''. Gosh. First of all, a note about what the book ''isn't''. It's aimed at women, probably over about thirty: it's not aimed at anyone who wants to be dressed in the height of fashion every season of the year. With Numba's recommendations you're going to be buying clothes of quality, which last. You're going to have something for every occasion without needing to resort to fashionable ephemera. Nor is the book aimed at getting you to spend a lot of time on your clothes. Numba wants you to look effortlessly stylish, but with plenty of free time to spend on what really matters. It's about finding what colours suit you - but not about in-depth colour analysis - there are lots of other books about that. I've never been good with colour and I did wonder if I was going to understand the combinations, but I needn't have worried. I worked out some outfits from clothes that I ''do''ll have and I've made a note about a few pieces that I really ought to acquire, but I'm going to follow Numba's advice and do this in a steady, focused way. This morning I put on navy trousers, a soft white top and a rose pink sweater. I discovered a long time ago that when I put something on that isn't ''quite'' right I spend quite a review bit of time in front of the mirror tucking and untucking tops and generally fiddling about. When I put something on that's ''right'' I look myself square in the eyes and smile - and that's exactly what I did this morning. The book's a very easy read. It's worth investing some time understanding the colour charts but there's nothing which is going to flumox the averagely intelligent woman. I was surprised at how easy it all was. There are some excellent bits of advice - saving so much a month and then having a shopping trip which allows you to spend a decent amount on quality pieces, for instance. I like the idea of a capsule wardrobe too - forty pieces (no - you don't have to go out and buy them all at once...) which will mix and match effortlessly. I took to heart the advice on weeding my wardrobe and I've already started a box for Oxfam with a couple of pieces which I've had for years and in which I've never looked good. It was gloriously liberating and I'd like to thank Numba for sending a copy of the book shortlyto the Bookbag. I used to dream that [[Through Thick and Thin by Gok Wan|Gok Wan]] would take me shopping: I don't think I need to do that any more.
You can read more about Numba Pinkerton [[:Category:Numba Pinkerton|here]]
