By Annette Trossello

While best known for his work on “Project Runway,” Tim Gunn wasn’t always the fashion guru he is today. In his book A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style, he writes about how, as the Associate Dean at Parsons The New School For Design, he “…wore a suit and tie every day ~ gray, grayer, and grayest.” It wasn’t until his position shifted to Chair of the Department of Fashion that he realized his wardrobe and style needed a change.

Tim’s experience finding his look and eventually helping designers (on “Project Runway”) and the fashion-challenged (on “Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style”) find their look enabled him to write this fabulous book to help you find your look! He wrote this book with Kate Moloney, the Assistant Chair in the Department of Fashion Design at Parsons, who has “a fabulous fashion sense.”

My favorite chapter was “Diagnosing the Common Closet.” In this chapter, Gunn recommends you rid your closet of items that do not make you feel happy and confident when you wear them. He presents a 4-pile process for cleaning out your closet: The Soul-Stirring Pile (must-keep, makes you happy), The Repair Pile (which you have 5 days to fix or it is tossed out), The Give-Away Pile (items in good enough shape to donate) and The Throw-Out Pile (that ratty high school t-shirt you keep for sentimental reasons). A major part of this exercise is getting rid of things that don’t fit. Gunn writes, “Clothes do not exist to humiliate their owners…They don’t fit. Toss ‘em.”

More helpful advice came in “Let’s Go: Shopping at Last!” which includes tips about the right fabrics for the right season, looking for form and function when purchasing an item, and expanding your shopping horizons. Gunn writes, “Urban Outfitters fans might find a lovely pair of wide-legged cuffed trousers on sale at Ann Taylor Loft.” He advises shoppers not to be “turned off…. by the marketing of a particular brand.”

With eight other chapters on a range of topics from “Who You Are” and “The Fit Conundrum” to “Accessories: Say No to the ‘It’ Bag” and “Not Your Everyday Occasion” as well as a helpful appendix, this book is truly a must-read for anyone looking to find his or her personal style.

Tim Gunn’s A Guide To Quality, Taste & Style is available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and barnesandnoble.com.

Also check out www.myspace.com/timgunn_aguide.