•         Amanda Brooks, wearing Tory’s Dotted Cloque gown, photographed by Noa Griffel

  • Amanda Brooks, wearing Tory’s Mikado skirt and top, photographed by Noa Griffel

Part memoir, part how-to, Amanda Brooks’ new book, Always Pack a Party Dress, is packed with a ton of fun, juicy insider anecdotes as well as solid work advice — the latter honed on her own hard-won experience as she segued from a precocious photographer’s assistant, Gagosian gallerist and red-carpet bright spot to a designer muse and Barneys fashion director to a writer brave enough to unplug from the machine (and, in so doing, setting a whole other kind of trend for the industry). Through it all, she cultivated her signature Amanda Brooks style, which she chronicles — honestly and candidly — in Party Dress. While she now calls the English countryside her home, we photographed her outside her Freeman’s Alley outpost, here wearing Tory’s Dotted Cloque gown and Mikado skirt and top. Read on for more about Brooks’ book — including the style, the meltdowns, as well as her tips on icebreakers, work-out onesies and the real way to take a selfie.

The story behind the title Always Pack a Party Dress
I was an intern for Patrick Demarchelier during the last few summers I was in college. When I was 19 we were shooting Madonna’s album cover (a dream come true that doesn’t even seem real looking back on it), and she invited us all to her 35th birthday party that night. I searched and searched all around South Beach for something to wear, but everything was either too tacky (Versace knockoffs) or too expensive (real Versace). So I went to Madonna’s birthday party wearing my own demure floral sundress and preppy Jack Rogers sandals. Not my best fashion moment.

Best piece of style advice I have ever received…
Once DVF said to me “Style is accepting who you are.” That has always stayed with me.

Advice I’d give my 20-something self on style…
Stop trying to look like everyone else!

The sartorial tendencies of “Amanda” in her teens vs. Twenties vs. Thirties vs. Forties…
Teen Amanda was preppy trying to be trendy; Twenties Amanda was Tuleh-obsessed, feminine florals; Thirties Amanda was trying everything (A.K.A. fashion victim!), and Forties Amanda is back to my classic roots. Pretty predictable…

How I picked the photos in the book…
Well, sometimes I wanted to be proud and show everything I’ve learned about style, and other times I wanted to be humble. I really love some of the photos in the book, but others, like the one of me with nearly no hair, make me cringe!

And putting in writing my struggle to find balance, both professional and sartorial…
Showing the quest for balance in retrospect wasn’t hard at all because I am happy where I’ve ended up. But getting here was the struggle. Actually living through some of those moments was sometimes very hard.

My personal favorite chapters, sidebars and photo spreads…
I really love the Gagosian chapter, even though it’s not precisely about fashion [p. 67]. But it taught me some good lessons, and it’s juicy. Also, I think the sidebar about consulting is useful [p. 196]. Consulting is potentially a great career goal for some, but it’s hard-won and only works under certain conditions. I was proud to share all that I’d learned about it. I also love the meltdown in the Paris chapter [pg. 250]. It’s meant to be the climax of the book, but instead it’s the rock bottom. I never thought that would be my story, but it was!

Books on my nightstand now…
My Paris Dream by Kate Betts, The Private Passion of Jackie Kennedy Onassis: Portrait of a Rider by Vicky Moon, and The Spiritual Child: The New Science on Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving by Lisa Miller.

My advice for the best way to break the ice during party banter…
Do something embarrassing. It makes you reveal your true self.

My key to taking a good photo of yourself with friends at a party or for social media…
Yes! The LuMee — the light-up phone case made for selfies. It’s brilliant!

My exercise uniform…
For the last seven years I have only ever worn an American Apparel unitard. I guess these days they call it a onesie. It just suits me.

My one fitness tip for those spending long days in front of the computer writing a book…
Walk wherever you can. No taxis!

My writing process…
My writing habits are both very specific and very general. I have to be comfortable when I write — a sofa, next to a fire, cup of tea in hand. That said, I don’t have a writing schedule per se; I grab the time whenever I can. Sometimes I awake up at 5:30 AM to get my writing done and other times I take myself to a pub for two nights to write for three days straight. Depends on how much I have to get done. I work well under pressure!

Follow Amanda Brooks on Instagram.

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