Wacky Chicks: Life Lessons from Fearlessly Inappropriate and Fabulously Eccentric Women

I bought this book because I had just read Eccentric Glamour and Beautiful People (aka Nasty) and was desperately starving for some more Simon Doonan. However this one was far less interesting. One reviewer said that it had "too much Simon" in it, but for me the problem was not enough Simon.His style is breezy and witty as usual, but the women he writes about are fairly irritating, shrill, silly types who are mostly successful in fashion (except Jessica Porter, who is a macrobiotic preacher; I have a book of hers about macrobiotics, and a very silly book it is).I thought it was odd that he describes a few of the women in this book as looking/dressing like strippers, whereas in his later book Eccentric Glamour he specifically rails against the stripper look. I think it's better to follow his advice in the latter book rather than seeking to emulate the chicks in this one.And even if you aren't seeking to emulate these wacky chicks - I doubt anyone would be, really - they're just not that interesting to read about. Just because they aren't "traditional" (whatever that means) doesn't mean they are really that fascinating. They all come across as flaky in a bad way, like they are trying too hard to be different and are totally desperate for attention. Of course, Simon himself (or at least the character he portrays in Beautiful People) is also desperate for attention, but he is also infinitely more amusing and self-aware than these women. Reading about "the original wacky chick", his mother, is also preferable to reading about most of these overrated blathers. Skip this one and go for Beautiful People or Eccentric Glamour.

I wanted to love this book, but couldn’t even finish it. All I had read previously by Doonan were his articles on Slate, which are hilarious. I understand I’m reading this book 12 years after it was originally published, and a lot has changed since then, but I was cringing so hard before I had even finished the introduction. It was disappointing how dismissive and derogatory some parts of what I read were.

not very interesting to me

Simon Doonan has found the quintessential "wacky chicks" of our world and written lively portraits of each of these highly individualistic women. Some of them I knew a little about, some were introduced to me in this witty and wise volume, all of them are fascinating in different ways. Thank you again Mr. Doonan for a fun read.

If you do not want to be entertained.Simon Doonan was my Britney Spears.

Amazing, made me want to look up all the wacky chicks mentioned and make them my new sheroes! Made me want to get out there and do my own happy wacky things that I want to do! Simon Doonan is a writer that I just seem to connect with--he gets me! I only wish there had been pictures of all these wonderful ladies, so I didn't have to go to google after every chapter!

Not my favorite of his books, but I have now seen who I aspire to be!! Great ladies, every one!

I want to be best friends with half of these fascinating kooky broads, along with Doonan. The excellent writing is sharp, warm, hilarious and inspirational. I look forward to reading everything else he's comes up with.

I love Simon Doonan, in my view he is one of the brightest, wittiest and most entertaining writers around. But I found this book disappointing. The main problem was not being familiar with any of the 'wacky chicks' he features/interviews here, I found it hard to get really involved with them and their stories. I think it may have helped if the book had included a photo of each woman featured, to help the reader to relate to them and get enthused about their 'wackyness'. He gives physical descriptions of these goddesses of eccentricity, but that just left me frustrated that I couldn't see them for myself! I found Doonan's wonderful book 'Eccentric Glamour' a far more engaging, funny and instantly relatable read.

This is the book that the BBC Television series "Beautiful People" is based on. You get to read about the bits that were missed out of the television series for what ever reason. It is a real insight into a real family in the UK in the 70's. Worth buying for the read.

I am just finishing Simon's latest book The Aslyum and in each of his books I am thrill to find a writer who takes very few liberties as he genuinely loves his work and the people in his life. Wacky Chicks has Simon interviewing the who's who on the fringe of the fashion world and theorizing how each of their individual oddities have shaped the industry as we know it today. Always a good read with Simon.

I give Mr Doonan's 'Wacky Chicks' five stars because he is truthful, hornest and wise and made me remember my days in the 1960ties London. You are introdused to scores of celebraties,and you think, hear hear! all the way. It's good humour.