The Windsor Style

by Suzy Menkes

Looks at the postwar life of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in their Paris mansion and describes their jewels, clothing, and household furnishings

Genres: Fashion, Biography, History, Royalty, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published October 15, 1987

Reviews

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh the waste... These two were terrible, extravagant, shallow and racist Nazis and yet I’m still fascinated by their commitment to style. I’m sorry, universe. 😬

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The shade starts half a page in and continues throughout

[Beesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I initially rated this book with three stars, but I realized that this was entirely due to the subjects of the book, Wallis and Edward Windsor, who were fairly useless human beings, and not due to any fault on the part of the book. The book itself is well organized, chock full of terrific pictures documenting the way the Windsors lived, and gives details, details, and more details about how the Windsors lived. The book is also very well sourced, with source notes, a bibliography, information about the dispersal of their personal effects, and even excerpts from the cookbook written by Wallis Windsor and her standard diet regimen for those who'd like to play along at home. This is a must read for anyone interested in either or both of these two characters and how they lived.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well presented and surprisingly well written account of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor's style and their dedication to style. The writing, which in its shifts through time almost recalls The Waves, is remarkable for a book of this type and allows for some fascinating and sometimes poignant insights. Despite the focus of the book it is written with a certain irony and perhaps indicates an emptiness at the heart of their lives. Brilliant.

[Donnie Loftus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I have it in English and a copy in French.

[Lindy High · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must-read for Duke and Duchess of Windsor nerds.

[Lisa Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very dated photobio of the style of the lifestyle of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. As you might well expect, the photos are of their opulent homes, gardens, and clothes and the text contains all the glittering descriptions of these expensive things. Here and there in the text you can find some insight into the real people David and Wallis, as there are many quotes from fancy people who knew them well or merely attended one of their fancy sitdown dinners. The Duke and Duchess did have style so the books is enjoyable, but the color in the photos is muted and faded. A good coffee table read -

[Alshia Moyez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some nice pieces from Wallis Simpson's jewlery collection are showcased in this book, as are clothes, vacation spots, and luxury homes. For me, this book is worth the money if you like those things. Also, if you're a fan of history, a royal-watcher, or a romance reader, you'll love it. Happy reading!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pretty sure that this is supposed to be a coffee table book but I sat and read it all the way through. I have been reading book after book on the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and this was a book that quickly caught my eye. I couldn't get enough of the jewels- wow! She loved her gaudy jewels- all a bit much for me, but fun to read about. Off to go grab another book about her.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing look into the personal world of the Duke and Wallis. Uses photos and quotes from friends and acquaintances to describe their entertaining, their fashion and her jewels.