QUEEN OF FASHION: What Marie Antoinette Wore To The Revolution
By Caroline Weber
Henry Holt, $27.50

In 1770, the 14-year-old Archduchess, Marie Antoinette of Austria, was married to 15-year-old Louis XVI, the Bourbon heir to the French throne. Both King Louis XV and Marie Therese, Empress of Austria, had agreed to the match, hoping to solidify relations between their two countries, who had been bitter enemies for generations. When Marie Antoinette arrived in Versailles, the splendid Bourbon palace, she faced both disdain because of her heritage, and the humiliation of her husband’s lack of interest in the consummation of their marriage. This could easily have been her undoing at court, as her sole responsibility as queen was to propagate the Bourbon line of succession.

Her choices were simple: be returned in disgrace to Vienna or find another way to establish her power at court. And that way was fashion! In her well-researched new book, “Queen of Fashion”, specialist in 18th-century French literature, culture and history Caroline Weber, explains the political implications behind the famed Queen’s fashion excesses and the way in which they both established Marie Antoinette as a powerful figure at the French court, and paradoxically also led to her demise.

For decades, a long, costly war and extravagant spending by the Bourbon monarchy had drained France’s coffers. Anti-monarchy sentiments were building among the hungry French people. So when the French citizens first laid eyes on Marie Antoinette, as she slowly made her way from Austria to Paris in a cortege of 57 well-appointed carriages, they were hopeful that this extraordinarily beautiful and regal Queen would be the key to their salvation. While enjoying the adulation of the 200,000 citizens who had thronged to pay homage to her,Marie Antoinette quickly realized that if her bejeweled presence evoked such devotion from her subjects, it might do so at the court of Versailles as well, where her political enemies were numerous.

In exquisite detail, Ms. Weber describes, the gowns, the jewels, the shoes, the hair-do’s that swept Marie Antoinette to power at Versailles, and kept her there for two decades. From scandalous man-style riding britches, to the invention of the chemise, she wielded the sword of high fashion, employing scores of Parisian designers to create memorable one-of-a-kind costumes for her. Although she was widely criticized for her fashion-forwardness, French women still imitated her style relentlessly. Even after her death, Parisian women took to wearing slender, red chokers, echoing the ribbon of blood that encircled her neck at the time of her beheading.

There is no doubt that Weber’s sublime, surprising and oh-so-human portrait of the doomed Queen, will change the way we view her forever. (By the way, she never said, “Let them eat cake”.) In the end, it is sad to think how great a queen the inventive Marie Antoinette might have been had she been the beneficiary of wiser council.

TO CATCH A HUSBAND
By Lindsay Graves
Ballantine Books, $13.95

What do you get when you take a handsome, recently divorced billionaire and move him to an exclusive community populated by wealthy divorcees? You get a recipe for intrigue and surprise, spilling across the pages of Lindsay Graves’ new book, “To Catch A Husband”.

When Jessica DiSanti, still reeling from her 47 days as a divorcee, quietly enters a Ladies-Who-Lunch fund raiser, rife with wealthy divorcees from Colina Linda, an enclave near San Carlos where eligible bachelors are as rare as a natural blonde, she does so in the hopes of remaining invisible. But within seconds, she is cornered by ex-Bond girl Lally Chandler, herself a recent casualty of divorce, who has renovated not only her enormous house but, with a series of nips and tucks has ‘refreshed’ herself as well. By way of suggesting that Jessica get back on the horse as soon as possible, Lally offers her first husband Tom as a likely mount, but Jessica politely declines, citing a still-bruised heart.

The news that recently divorced billionaire David Clemente is moving to their little corner of the world is on everybody’s cosmetically-enhanced lips, especially heiress Janey Martinez and the beautiful-but-penniless, Caitlin Latch, who are seated at Jessica and Lally’s table. Caitin’s job at a rape crisis center enables her to share her knowledge of a Colina Linda attacker on the loose, a fact that, unbeknownst to them, will affect all of them before long.

Although Janey doesn’t set her cap for Mr. Clemente, Caitlin, Jessica and Lally have no qualms about throwing their designer chapeaus into the ring, as a competition for love with a billion fringe benefits quickly ensues. Ms Graves not only keeps us guessing who will win the prize, but also keeps us intrigued as these well-rounded characters triumph over the personal battles that come with divorce and motherhood. Surprisingly, we come to care about them in ways we never expected to. Other men such as Jessica’s tennis partner Taller, who happens to be Janey’s cousin, and her ex, Mike, add spice to this already engaging tale. And Tom, Lally’s ex, makes his presence known when he catches Jessica’s eye, against her better judgment.

Heady as a breathless first kiss, “To Catch a Husband” is a real page-turner that will keep you begging for more (and anxiously awaiting the sequel that is promised to follow).

HOME THERAPY: Fast, Easy, Affordable
Makeovers
By Lauri Ward
$19.95, Penguin Books

Whenever I’m feeling anxious and unable to sleep, my favorite calmative is reading magazines and books about home decorating. It’s like retail therapy, but less expensive, and I can do it in my pajamas. Author Lauri Ward must really understand people like me, because it feels like her latest book on home makeovers, “Home Therapy”, is right on target.

Focusing on 25 different people in completely different situations,, Ms. Ward redecorates their living spaces, using the furniture and accessories that are already on hand. Are you moving from a large home to an apartment, wanting a home-office space to call your own, childproofing or de-cluttering your living space? Or perhaps you are getting married and have to combine two households (and want to get all the way to the altar without killing each other). These and many more situations are covered in this easy-to-read collection of home makeover solutions.

With great before and after photos, each concise chapter addresses many common decorating mistakes we pajama-clad, decorating novices make, like hanging artwork incorrectly, ignoring the focal point of the room (like I knew where it was in the first place!) or not having the proper lighting for mood enhancement or reading. In addition to the photos, the use of hand-drawn floor plans make it easy to translate the ideas in the book, helping anyone to re-do their home no matter what state it’s in.

Founder of “Use What You Have, Inc.”, Ms. Ward, who has appeared on “Oprah”, “Today” and “Inside Edition”, began playing “home therapist” in 1981, when she had the brilliant realization that she could help the design-deficient create comfortable spaces that reflect their specific sensibilities. I know that I feel much better after reading “Home Therapy”, especially because I know that the ‘doctor’ will be in whenever I need her.”