Freakin' Fabulous: How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else

I was very excited to receive this book in the mail. The colorful background with a rather bold photograph of the author on the cover screamed at me "Oh, you'll be as fabulous as I am upon reading this book! ". My impression after finishing this book is as follows.

First of all, I very much appreciatd the great photography in the book.
It is very witty, humorous, and chic at times. But that was about it for me.
I was only impressed by the quality layout of this book. If the only thoughts going through my mind while I was reading the book are consisted of things like "Oh, this picture is hillarious", " Wow, I love how this picture is so stylish", "Oh my god, the background used in this picture is gorgeous!", there must be something wrong about the actual content. Don't you think?

In summary, It is a fun book to read with funny pictures and the way Clinton is telling you his personal experiences in a witty, sarcastic tone. However, I thought the book had a little value for its content, but was only good for an eye candy. His advises are way too generic and at times, visual representation of a particular advice was so lacking that it was very disappointing. (For instance, if you are reading this book, you're likely a mere beginner for being fabulous. How can you expect me to imagine/visualize these things you describe, Clinton??? )

I don't know about you, but I actually care for the content of a book, more than its looks. If you want a good book for decorating your living room. This should be a good book to be placed on your coffe table to look "fabulous", and cute. Your guests will enjoy skimming through quickly to entertain their eyes.

Despite all the pitfalls, I do think I've gained a faint concept about being fabulous. And again, I did enjoy all the wonderful photographs in the book. (the whole book is in color! ) Clinton Kelly surely does know how to make things look "fabulous", I'll give him that!

That is why I'm being so generous giving this book 3 stars.

Hope this helps!

I bought this book based on good reviews, however, this is a basic etiquette guide for teens. Good for suggestions about hostess gifts and table manners.

I have a weakness for books that promise to help me do everything better so I ordered this one, even though I don't think I have ever used the word "fabulous" in everyday speech. I also had no idea that the author had a fashion show on TLC. Whatever doubts I might have had soon vanished as I looked through the book which is like a clearinghouse of useful information. I drooled over recipes for mac and cheese with bacon, swedish meatballs and even sliders! I will pass on the cucumber sandwiches though. A Clinton Kelly fan will absolutely love this book as it makes you feel like you are actually at one of the authors parties. He is a tremendous host with a wicked sense of humor as he guides us through proper ways of dressing, speaking, eating and even farting. I am not making this up. I learned more in this book in a couple of hours than I have in a years subscription to GQ. The book lives up to it's title and I think anyone could find useful information in here at making their lives a little better.

I read the reviews before I bought the book and now I'm re-reading them. I have to give this full stars because it was just so much fun to read. And not only fun, but full of spot-on good advice. One of you mentioned putting it your guest room. What a great idea. This book is like what I image spending a weekend with Clinton would be like: Fun, fast paced, chatty and gossiping the entire time. For those of you who got all stuffy about some of the pictures. Come on, this book is by an adult who lives in the real world, written for adults who do the same. Lighten UP. Enjoy the book. Be prepared to laugh out loud at his observations and above all have a good time turning the pages.

I love Clinton and the TLC show What Not To Wear. If you watch the show and enjoy Clinton's humor you will enjoy this book. The book contains a lot of good information about decorating, entertaining- even recipes. The tips in the book are real, from how to dress certain body types to grammar lessons; and I'm sure you could pick them up in any number of places. What makes this book stand out is the delivery. As I was reading some of the "one liners" and asides Clinton makes it was almost as if I could hear him saying them! They are hilarious, I found myself laughing out loud quite often while reading.
I would highly recommend this book for the entertainment value alone with the great advice being a huge bonus!

I wavered back and forth on whether to give this book a 3 or 4 rating. I decided on 4 because a few times Kelly's writing actually made me laugh out loud and I really enjoyed quite a few of the recipes he has in the Entertainment section. The section on fashion is good, but not exceptional. There are lots of tips on flattering your figure type as well as other useful fashion tips like identifying sleeve lengths and suggestions for what to wear on different occasions. Indeed, there is a lot of advice crammed into the section, though I would have liked Kelly to have fleshed out more details. For instance, under "If you carry your weight in your lower half," he basically says wear dark bottoms, light tops and jackets.

The book does deliver as the title promises. He gives advice in all the areas: dressing, eating, decorating, entertaining, etc. You'll even find info on grammar, dining out, and wine selection. And there are lots of pictures and drawings to illustrate his points. His writing style is light and at times, downright irreverent (in a humorous way). Take this gem on p. 35 with regard to an outfit being age-appropriate: "Would a partially toothless hooker named Whistles enjoy this trend? If so, avoid it like the clap." Be prepared to find lots of sassy, in-your-face metaphors among Kelly's "freakin' fabulous" advice.

I liked the wardrobe advice, but some of the table manners and grammar lessons felt a little preachy grandma. Would be useful if you are in a conservative social or work scene, but I think it was little too high brow for most of us running around in 2014 daily life. But still a fun read if you are a Clinton fan.

Basic etiquette, personal improvement, entertaining and decor with Clinton's witty comments and points of view. It's very funny and informative at the same time. The book also contains great photos and illustrations. Added bonus is some good recipes. I enjoyed it very much. Great gift book.

Clinton's humor is the best while simultaneously getting his point across on all fronts. Great read and I would recommend this to anyone who wants to polish up a bit.

The book was more amusing than helpful. Nothing new that someone over 25 would not have already learned along the way.