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I'll Drink to That: A Life in Style, with a Twist
Title: I'll Drink to That( A Life in Style with a Twist) Binding: Hardcover Author: BettyHalbreich Publisher: PenguinPress
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
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5,129 people want to read
About the author
Betty Halbreich
8books23followersBetty Halbreich was an American personal shopper, stylist, and author known for her career at the New York luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman, where she served as Director of Solutions. Her 2015 memoir, titled I'll Drink to That: A Life in Style, with a Twist, was featured on The New York Times Best Seller list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 430 reviews
January 23, 2019
Most of the book was completely vapid. If one is not careful, it is really easy to boil its message down to "Who cares if I sucked as a mother or attempted suicide to get the attention of my estranged husband when I get to dress the 'Sex and the City' girls in my later years...even though I don't watch TV and don't know who they are!"
I was entertained enough to get through the whole book and really enjoyed the final chapter. I was inspired to go through my closets and reorganize my dresser while finished listening to the book so I guess it was a win after all.
I was entertained enough to get through the whole book and really enjoyed the final chapter. I was inspired to go through my closets and reorganize my dresser while finished listening to the book so I guess it was a win after all.
February 24, 2015
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The first few chapters are pure sumptuous reading delight. The fabrics she dresses her clients in, the formal dinners her parents threw for guests when Halbreich was a child, the food, the palazzo pants, the shoes (oh my!) paint a vivid picture for the reader. Halbreich lived a charmed childhood, and from an outsider's perspective, a charmed life. Descriptions of a life "doing as [she was] told" get darker as the narrative, and Halbreich's life, go on, but it is made in interesting for the reader.
Overall, thought, I found it to be a bit piecemeal. There are some wonderful moments. The first few chapters, as I mentioned, are wonderfully descriptive. They read like colorful fiction. As Halbreich and her biographer zoom through her life, it gets choppy. Halbreich faces challenges: a marriage unhappy from the start, a dependent, lonesome relationship with both parents, a messy separation and subsequent admittance to a psychiatric hospital, and arms-reach relationships with both of her children. But it's all delivered rather one-note. I read scenes about her desperately seeking attention from her booze-swilling husband and domestic scenes between her and her beloved housekeeper in the same pitch. The timeline is patchy. She skips years, then methodically sorts through weeks and months (I realize there have to be fast-forwards in biographies - no one wants to read the day-by-day on anyone, famous or not). Her thoughts read as very scattered, and out of the blue she'll jump to a client she helped recently, then back to her fractured life after a fractured marriage. One chapter is so name-drop heavy that my eyes skimmed a bit (maybe to someone tuned into the classic movie/fashion scene would enjoy that more than I).
The first few chapters are pure sumptuous reading delight. The fabrics she dresses her clients in, the formal dinners her parents threw for guests when Halbreich was a child, the food, the palazzo pants, the shoes (oh my!) paint a vivid picture for the reader. Halbreich lived a charmed childhood, and from an outsider's perspective, a charmed life. Descriptions of a life "doing as [she was] told" get darker as the narrative, and Halbreich's life, go on, but it is made in interesting for the reader.
Overall, thought, I found it to be a bit piecemeal. There are some wonderful moments. The first few chapters, as I mentioned, are wonderfully descriptive. They read like colorful fiction. As Halbreich and her biographer zoom through her life, it gets choppy. Halbreich faces challenges: a marriage unhappy from the start, a dependent, lonesome relationship with both parents, a messy separation and subsequent admittance to a psychiatric hospital, and arms-reach relationships with both of her children. But it's all delivered rather one-note. I read scenes about her desperately seeking attention from her booze-swilling husband and domestic scenes between her and her beloved housekeeper in the same pitch. The timeline is patchy. She skips years, then methodically sorts through weeks and months (I realize there have to be fast-forwards in biographies - no one wants to read the day-by-day on anyone, famous or not). Her thoughts read as very scattered, and out of the blue she'll jump to a client she helped recently, then back to her fractured life after a fractured marriage. One chapter is so name-drop heavy that my eyes skimmed a bit (maybe to someone tuned into the classic movie/fashion scene would enjoy that more than I).
November 21, 2014
"I wanted to give my ladies fortitude in all things."
Look, if you think reading the memoirs of someone who has been a personal shopper for rich women for nearly 40 years is silly, I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise. But I thought it was delightful.
Betty Halbreich was the child of rich but distant parents who showed their love by dressing her beautifully and making or buying gorgeous things. She married when she was young and very immature and had nothing to do all day but shop. (Yes, I know, she could have volunteered.) Her marriage disintegrated and she had to go to work. And she turned that knowledge of style and fit and aesthetics into a valuable service -- part shopper, part sociologist, part therapist. And she is still working at 86!
"Too many people wear a label rather than what is becoming."
"I am like the doctor: You confide in him, he diagnoses you, and then, when your time is up, he's on to the next case!"
"Mother never cooked--she was too busy smoking--but we always had the most marvelous food."
"Nowadays everybody under fifty wants to be nude and everyone over fifty covered up like a nun."
"I really dislike mirrors of all kinds and am known for leaving the house with my buttons askew and my clothes inside out."
"Clothes were my playmates."
"Deep down I was angry at my neediness. So I severed the cord with my own children early. . . . I literally threw both my children onto the subway at nine years old. (John missed his stop and wound up in the Bronx.)"
"The lust for clothes is a brilliant defense mechanism (particularly if you are a person of means)."
"I don't work for anyone who puts his feet up on the desk."
"There is nothing new under the sun, yet finding the new is my task."
"There is nothing wrong with aspiring to an elevated style, the kind that has nothing to do with money or labels."
"Great-fitting pants are rarer than diamonds."
It did spook me a bit that she described things (clothes, food, furnishings) so precisely and then said little about her children or her health crises. But those subjects aren't why she got the book deal.
Lena Dunham is basing an HBO TV series on Halbreich.
Look, if you think reading the memoirs of someone who has been a personal shopper for rich women for nearly 40 years is silly, I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise. But I thought it was delightful.
Betty Halbreich was the child of rich but distant parents who showed their love by dressing her beautifully and making or buying gorgeous things. She married when she was young and very immature and had nothing to do all day but shop. (Yes, I know, she could have volunteered.) Her marriage disintegrated and she had to go to work. And she turned that knowledge of style and fit and aesthetics into a valuable service -- part shopper, part sociologist, part therapist. And she is still working at 86!
"Too many people wear a label rather than what is becoming."
"I am like the doctor: You confide in him, he diagnoses you, and then, when your time is up, he's on to the next case!"
"Mother never cooked--she was too busy smoking--but we always had the most marvelous food."
"Nowadays everybody under fifty wants to be nude and everyone over fifty covered up like a nun."
"I really dislike mirrors of all kinds and am known for leaving the house with my buttons askew and my clothes inside out."
"Clothes were my playmates."
"Deep down I was angry at my neediness. So I severed the cord with my own children early. . . . I literally threw both my children onto the subway at nine years old. (John missed his stop and wound up in the Bronx.)"
"The lust for clothes is a brilliant defense mechanism (particularly if you are a person of means)."
"I don't work for anyone who puts his feet up on the desk."
"There is nothing new under the sun, yet finding the new is my task."
"There is nothing wrong with aspiring to an elevated style, the kind that has nothing to do with money or labels."
"Great-fitting pants are rarer than diamonds."
It did spook me a bit that she described things (clothes, food, furnishings) so precisely and then said little about her children or her health crises. But those subjects aren't why she got the book deal.
Lena Dunham is basing an HBO TV series on Halbreich.
August 2, 2014
I'll start with somewhat embarrassing revelation : I mistakenly thought I was going to be reading a memoir of a recovering alcoholic...what I got instead (thankfully) was the journey of a charming woman who's life reflects the tremendous changes in our country in the last 60 years.
The introduction starts at the end of Betty Halbreich's journey which lead her to be the first personal shopper at the venerable Bergdorf Goodmans in New York City. While her job sounds intriguing, rewarding and, quite frankly, fun her growth from privileged Post War housewife to an independent self reliant trend setter is most compelling. I think Betty's story is reflective of many women of that period, pampered, bored and unfulfilled. Wishing only for the attention of her husband, her marriage eventually falls apart due to his alcoholism and philandering. Left on her own for the first time as a woman in her 40's, Betty suffers a breakdown and in the process of recovery finds healing in one of her favorite pastimes, shopping. She elevates the experience of personal shopper to that of mother, therapist and sage. Ironically, her previous seemingly empty lifestyle perfectly prepared her to best serve her clients.
A truly enjoyable read. I highly recommend it! I was given this book in Penguin's "first to read" program.
The introduction starts at the end of Betty Halbreich's journey which lead her to be the first personal shopper at the venerable Bergdorf Goodmans in New York City. While her job sounds intriguing, rewarding and, quite frankly, fun her growth from privileged Post War housewife to an independent self reliant trend setter is most compelling. I think Betty's story is reflective of many women of that period, pampered, bored and unfulfilled. Wishing only for the attention of her husband, her marriage eventually falls apart due to his alcoholism and philandering. Left on her own for the first time as a woman in her 40's, Betty suffers a breakdown and in the process of recovery finds healing in one of her favorite pastimes, shopping. She elevates the experience of personal shopper to that of mother, therapist and sage. Ironically, her previous seemingly empty lifestyle perfectly prepared her to best serve her clients.
A truly enjoyable read. I highly recommend it! I was given this book in Penguin's "first to read" program.
May 16, 2016
I'm an addicted people watcher. My job at a library is perfect - I get to spend my day watching people in a third place (not their home or work/school), going about their business. When I'm killing time in airports, I get distracted from my reading by the people-watching fodder going by.
So, every once in a while, I treat myself to a longform, text only, grown-up memoir. Memoirs are one of the most awesome ways of getting into someone else's brain (granted, the version they've allowed you to see).
This particular memoir caught my eye after reading a friend's review, and my fascination here is fixated on the ins and outs of the personal shopping industry. I really enjoy imagining what it would be like to do different jobs all day long. Betty Halbreich is a groundbreaking professional personal shopper.
And yeah, you get a lot of "this rich lady came in and I gave her this awesome pair of pants." But since I knew what I was in for, I dug it ok. Lots of namedropping, particularly fashion names from the 80sish.
You also get a window into her life outside of work, although both more and less than I really wanted. Perhaps I should have read one of her other titles. Anyway, you get to see what it was like to live a privileged life as an only child in Chicago, her marriage, her children.
I really liked hearing her talk about her drive to work. Her identity as a person who works. As a professional. As someone who is damn good at her job. As someone who innovates in her field without even meaning to, just by acting on instinct, focusing on what she knows her patrons ::ahem:: customers need. Choosing clothes on people's behalf is not unlike suggesting books to them. Both books and clothes connect to our identities in important ways.
Betty's story and drive is inspiring.
Even if it is a rich white lady selling people crazy expensive clothes.
So, every once in a while, I treat myself to a longform, text only, grown-up memoir. Memoirs are one of the most awesome ways of getting into someone else's brain (granted, the version they've allowed you to see).
This particular memoir caught my eye after reading a friend's review, and my fascination here is fixated on the ins and outs of the personal shopping industry. I really enjoy imagining what it would be like to do different jobs all day long. Betty Halbreich is a groundbreaking professional personal shopper.
And yeah, you get a lot of "this rich lady came in and I gave her this awesome pair of pants." But since I knew what I was in for, I dug it ok. Lots of namedropping, particularly fashion names from the 80sish.
You also get a window into her life outside of work, although both more and less than I really wanted. Perhaps I should have read one of her other titles. Anyway, you get to see what it was like to live a privileged life as an only child in Chicago, her marriage, her children.
I really liked hearing her talk about her drive to work. Her identity as a person who works. As a professional. As someone who is damn good at her job. As someone who innovates in her field without even meaning to, just by acting on instinct, focusing on what she knows her patrons ::ahem:: customers need. Choosing clothes on people's behalf is not unlike suggesting books to them. Both books and clothes connect to our identities in important ways.
Betty's story and drive is inspiring.
Even if it is a rich white lady selling people crazy expensive clothes.
September 30, 2014
Self serving for the most part. Some pathos when she talked about her childhood, but a lot of how fabulous I am going on.
I love to shop but even for me a little shopping goes a long way.
The missing voices were from her kids. I would love to hear their story.
But one always applauds and 86 year old woman who is still vital and working each day. For that I find her inspirational.
I love to shop but even for me a little shopping goes a long way.
The missing voices were from her kids. I would love to hear their story.
But one always applauds and 86 year old woman who is still vital and working each day. For that I find her inspirational.
May 17, 2015
I discovered this audiobook at my library and the title caught my attention. I SO enjoy memoirs and thought this one sounded interesting. Betty Halbreich is an 86 year-old woman who has spent the last forty years as a personal shopper for Bergdorf Goodman's Department Store. The Bergdorf Goodman name was familiar to me but I have to admit that I'm completely ignorant when it comes to fashion. Although I occasionally like to 'dress up', I confess that I'm mainly a 'jeans and t-shirt' girl. I spend virtually no time thinking about fashion trends �.. what's 'in' and what's 'out' is of no concern to me. So when I began listening to this book narrated by Jane Curtin and I realized that Betty Halbreich's entire life had centered around fashion, I was tempted to give up on the book, considering it not for me.
I soon discovered, however, that there was a great deal more to Betty Halbreich than just advising people about what they should wear. I realized that she had a fascinating life story. Betty grew up in the Hyde Park section of Chicago, the protected and indulged daughter of Jewish parents� indulged but also incredibly lonely� often left alone to play among her mother's beautiful clothes hanging in her closet. In the 1950's, Betty met and married Sonny Halbreich� a man from New York City who loved alcohol and the city's nightlife�. and not much else from what I could tell. From the outside looking in, Betty's and Sonny's marriage looked perfect� two attractive and impeccably dressed people; but privately, Betty was once again lonely, spending most of her time alone. Eventually, the marriage ended and when it finally did, Betty fell apart. Betty speaks about a suicide attempt (admittedly to mainly get Sonny's attention), an extended hospital stay and many years of therapy before she could really begin figuring out who she is and what her purpose in life should be. Ultimately, Betty was asked to run Bergdorf Goodman's first personal shopping service.. and she was the perfect person for the job. Hard working, knowledgeable and of course, impeccably dressed, Betty took on the challenge and has been at it ever since.
What I admired most about Betty was her sense of humor and her ability to speak the truth to her customers. I had the sense when listening to this book that Betty's job goes far beyond helping people find appropriate and stylish clothing to wear. Betty has a unique ability to understand her customers � she knows about their lives, their strengths, weaknesses and their insecurities; the service she seems to actually be providing is a 'therapy' of sorts�. steering the customers ever so gently and with a great deal of humor toward expressing their truest selves through the clothing they choose to wear.. Until I listened to this memoir,I had never thought much about just how what we choose to put on each day, makes a statement about who we are and how we feel about ourselves. It is clear that Betty has strong feelings about her profession ; and it is apparent that she possesses a deep understanding of the women who are her customers. She understand the trust these women place in her �. as she said, :There are two things nobody wants to face: their closet and their mirror."
I'm happy that I did not abandon this book. Perhaps I'm not the intended audience as the parts of the book dealing with specific fashion designers (and there were quite a few mentioned!), were not of interest to me. But Betty�. well, she is a fascinating , tough old lady and her story is quite inspiring.
I soon discovered, however, that there was a great deal more to Betty Halbreich than just advising people about what they should wear. I realized that she had a fascinating life story. Betty grew up in the Hyde Park section of Chicago, the protected and indulged daughter of Jewish parents� indulged but also incredibly lonely� often left alone to play among her mother's beautiful clothes hanging in her closet. In the 1950's, Betty met and married Sonny Halbreich� a man from New York City who loved alcohol and the city's nightlife�. and not much else from what I could tell. From the outside looking in, Betty's and Sonny's marriage looked perfect� two attractive and impeccably dressed people; but privately, Betty was once again lonely, spending most of her time alone. Eventually, the marriage ended and when it finally did, Betty fell apart. Betty speaks about a suicide attempt (admittedly to mainly get Sonny's attention), an extended hospital stay and many years of therapy before she could really begin figuring out who she is and what her purpose in life should be. Ultimately, Betty was asked to run Bergdorf Goodman's first personal shopping service.. and she was the perfect person for the job. Hard working, knowledgeable and of course, impeccably dressed, Betty took on the challenge and has been at it ever since.
What I admired most about Betty was her sense of humor and her ability to speak the truth to her customers. I had the sense when listening to this book that Betty's job goes far beyond helping people find appropriate and stylish clothing to wear. Betty has a unique ability to understand her customers � she knows about their lives, their strengths, weaknesses and their insecurities; the service she seems to actually be providing is a 'therapy' of sorts�. steering the customers ever so gently and with a great deal of humor toward expressing their truest selves through the clothing they choose to wear.. Until I listened to this memoir,I had never thought much about just how what we choose to put on each day, makes a statement about who we are and how we feel about ourselves. It is clear that Betty has strong feelings about her profession ; and it is apparent that she possesses a deep understanding of the women who are her customers. She understand the trust these women place in her �. as she said, :There are two things nobody wants to face: their closet and their mirror."
I'm happy that I did not abandon this book. Perhaps I'm not the intended audience as the parts of the book dealing with specific fashion designers (and there were quite a few mentioned!), were not of interest to me. But Betty�. well, she is a fascinating , tough old lady and her story is quite inspiring.
January 13, 2015
I am positively stunned at the great reviews this book has received on GR. I read it for book club, which meets tomorrow, and I am really looking forward to seeing what others thought. Perhaps I missed something?
The book sounds like it will be great fun, but oh man, I was so disappointed. The narrator is completely and 100% self-indulgent. I feel like there could have been so many great directions this book could have gone -- taking a look at the privileged class from where the narrator hails and to whom she later caters as a personal shopper; an insight into how fashion and shopping have evolved over the last fifty years; emerging as an individual when one has been brought up to be a pretty, shiny thing who only cares about pretty, shiny things; coping with divorce and single parenting at a time and in a class when people simply didn't do that... and all of these themes are sort of kind of hinted at, but none are fully developed. Or even partially developed.
The narrator was born to privilege, married into even more privilege, and spend her life around privilege. But money doesn't bring happiness, as we soon learn -- what it does bring, however, are very very pretty things. Things that are so very very pretty that it keeps someone stuck in a miserable, unhealthy marriage, and surrounded by toxic, unhappy people. Forgive me while I don't fall backwards with sympathy for this narrator whose "woe was me" attitude permeates about half the book.
The remaining half of the book is just self-indulgent, "I am amazing," drivel. I realize the woman is old, and old people have a certain wisdom that has come with age. This woman does not have it. "I never leave the house without full makeup because HEAVENS TO BETSY that is abominable" is NOT wisdom begotten with age. It is an old lady stuck in her ways, which is totally perfectly fine -- but she makes it sound like the people who don't do the things she does are somehow slovenly.
One piece of the narrator's life that is completely overlooked is the relationship with her children, and if she chose to do this to protect their privacy, than fine. But the way it was written, the book makes the narrator sound so unconcerned as a mother that it left a bad taste in my mouth.
There is also SO MUCH NAME DROPPING but to no real purpose --- what's the point of bringing up the Sex and the City stylist, if you don't tell me about the clothes and how they contributed to the characters' development? Oh wait, you can't, because you are so proud that you NEVER WATCHED AN EPISODE. Okay...
Anyways, if you are SUPER into fashion, this may be interesting to you, though I think more development about WHAT the clothes say about something (at this point, ANYTHING), would have been nice.
Otherwise, I can't in good conscience recommend this book, although judging by the exceptional reviews, I am in the minority.
The book sounds like it will be great fun, but oh man, I was so disappointed. The narrator is completely and 100% self-indulgent. I feel like there could have been so many great directions this book could have gone -- taking a look at the privileged class from where the narrator hails and to whom she later caters as a personal shopper; an insight into how fashion and shopping have evolved over the last fifty years; emerging as an individual when one has been brought up to be a pretty, shiny thing who only cares about pretty, shiny things; coping with divorce and single parenting at a time and in a class when people simply didn't do that... and all of these themes are sort of kind of hinted at, but none are fully developed. Or even partially developed.
The narrator was born to privilege, married into even more privilege, and spend her life around privilege. But money doesn't bring happiness, as we soon learn -- what it does bring, however, are very very pretty things. Things that are so very very pretty that it keeps someone stuck in a miserable, unhealthy marriage, and surrounded by toxic, unhappy people. Forgive me while I don't fall backwards with sympathy for this narrator whose "woe was me" attitude permeates about half the book.
The remaining half of the book is just self-indulgent, "I am amazing," drivel. I realize the woman is old, and old people have a certain wisdom that has come with age. This woman does not have it. "I never leave the house without full makeup because HEAVENS TO BETSY that is abominable" is NOT wisdom begotten with age. It is an old lady stuck in her ways, which is totally perfectly fine -- but she makes it sound like the people who don't do the things she does are somehow slovenly.
One piece of the narrator's life that is completely overlooked is the relationship with her children, and if she chose to do this to protect their privacy, than fine. But the way it was written, the book makes the narrator sound so unconcerned as a mother that it left a bad taste in my mouth.
There is also SO MUCH NAME DROPPING but to no real purpose --- what's the point of bringing up the Sex and the City stylist, if you don't tell me about the clothes and how they contributed to the characters' development? Oh wait, you can't, because you are so proud that you NEVER WATCHED AN EPISODE. Okay...
Anyways, if you are SUPER into fashion, this may be interesting to you, though I think more development about WHAT the clothes say about something (at this point, ANYTHING), would have been nice.
Otherwise, I can't in good conscience recommend this book, although judging by the exceptional reviews, I am in the minority.
October 28, 2014
I imagine it must be difficult to work with someone to write her life story in a way that is cohesive and interesting. I don't envy Rebecca Paley's task here. Betty's life sounds fascinating, but it's relayed in a very one-note tone that, as another reviewer noted, makes harrowing experiences like suicide attempts feel on par with what the cook made for dinner. There's a lot of skipping and jumping, and it just doesn't flow as well as it could. However, the scenes of her early life, of what it was like to grow up with her background, at that time period, were so interesting, and truly engaging. I think Betty hails from a time when a lot of things just weren't talked about, and while it's very brave of her to admit to a lot of what gets discussed in the book (her failed marriage, suicide attempt and subsequent stay at a mental hospital, her years of therapy), none of it felt particularly immediate. I didn't feel I got to know Betty very much, despite all of that detail. Some people just don't translate well on the page, maybe? Still, it's a quick, easy read--perfect for the plane or beach.
February 5, 2015
A little uneven, but it's inspiring to read about Halbreich's long transition from helpless to formidable. I especially love the way she talks about beautiful clothing, and the strongest parts of the book are when she discusses her work and the women she dresses - she has such an innate understanding of underlying needs and motivations. I also really felt her frustration with the sad way that quality has leached out of production but clothing prices have shot up exponentially. It's depressing to see that my nicer things aren't made to last because they're made from the same cheap crap material as my cheap crap things. Taking care of clothing is a lost art that should probably also be mourned, not that my rumpled wardrobe is worth taking care of the way Halbreich takes care of hers. Although, after finishing the book I was actually inspired to iron all of my clothing.
The Coveteur just ran a profile on Halbreich so you can see her famous cat pin .
The Coveteur just ran a profile on Halbreich so you can see her famous cat pin .
December 20, 2014
I don't think it's the flu that has me wondering both a. why was this a book or b. why was this book so well regarded? I'm really curious to see how Lena Dunham will make this into a movie. Would have been really well suited for a Longform article.
It's totally interesting, but not for almost 300 pages. A lot of repetition, and so on.
It's totally interesting, but not for almost 300 pages. A lot of repetition, and so on.
May 26, 2021
The authorial voice was loathsome. So terribly unaware of privilege. So judgy. I made it about 75% of the way through and just couldn't stand another moment.
January 9, 2015
An easy read, this autobiographical book left me feeling sad for Betty. Betty has lived a self-absorbed life that seems so insular and exclusive, compared to 90% of people in the US. I imagine that the obscene amount of money people have spent shopping through Betty on clothes could have been used for much better purposes. A personal buyer through Bergdorf Goodman for the upper crust of society for the last 35+ years, Betty has parlayed her love of clothes and her personal perspective on what being well-dressed means into a career, becoming the choice of many men and women to help them be well-dressed. I appreciate the value of finding and wearing well-fitting clothes, which I agree with Betty is hard to do for most people. So often when I shop for clothes, I wonder who the clothes manufacturers use as the models, as clothes are too big, too small, too loose, too tight....you name it. I love when I find a brand that actually fits me, a uncommon occurence. For example, Betty shares how designers have made the arms on clothes so tight that many of her clients can't wear the clothes. I have definitely found that to be true for me. I wish this book had pictures to go along with some of her descriptions. Betty laments that we've become too casual in our dress. Part of me agrees but part of me is glad society has loosened up.
Betty was an only child of parents who doted on her but were self-absorbed. There never seemed to be a time in her life where she was truly content and happy. She had so much and seemed so unhappy. She married but it wasn't a happy marriage, and she filled the emotional void with shopping and buying. After the marriage fell apart, she began working in a series of fashion retail jobs, taking her own fashion sense and honing her ability to help clients find the perfect outfit. She landed the job at BG and became an institution there, gaining confidence in her own sense of fashion, style and dress. It is remarkable that she is still working there, even though she is in her 80s. Most companies force you to retire at 65, so good for Betty and BG in letting her continue to work. She met Jim and spent 29 years with him, splitting her time between her job/life in NY and weekends with Jim in the country. He came from "beneath her station", but I liked him because he sounded normal. Jim was good for Betty, teaching her many of the lifeskills most of us learn growing up. I think she became more content with herself in her later life and I'm glad she found Jim, someone who loved her without requiring much in return.
I feel if I were to meet Betty, I think I would be intimidated by her, assuming she was judging me by how I dress. I could never afford Betty, yet I would like to meet someone like Betty, who has a sense of fashion and could help those of us in the middle classes wisely buy clothes that fit us, without being judgmental.
The writing itself was straightforward. It felt melancholy and arrogant all at the same time. I kept waiting for Betty to find real contentment. Maybe she did, but it didn't seem like it in the writing. While she served her clients and talked about what she did for them, somehow I felt she was self-righteously judging people by what they wear. I read this for my book club and it provided good discussion.
Betty was an only child of parents who doted on her but were self-absorbed. There never seemed to be a time in her life where she was truly content and happy. She had so much and seemed so unhappy. She married but it wasn't a happy marriage, and she filled the emotional void with shopping and buying. After the marriage fell apart, she began working in a series of fashion retail jobs, taking her own fashion sense and honing her ability to help clients find the perfect outfit. She landed the job at BG and became an institution there, gaining confidence in her own sense of fashion, style and dress. It is remarkable that she is still working there, even though she is in her 80s. Most companies force you to retire at 65, so good for Betty and BG in letting her continue to work. She met Jim and spent 29 years with him, splitting her time between her job/life in NY and weekends with Jim in the country. He came from "beneath her station", but I liked him because he sounded normal. Jim was good for Betty, teaching her many of the lifeskills most of us learn growing up. I think she became more content with herself in her later life and I'm glad she found Jim, someone who loved her without requiring much in return.
I feel if I were to meet Betty, I think I would be intimidated by her, assuming she was judging me by how I dress. I could never afford Betty, yet I would like to meet someone like Betty, who has a sense of fashion and could help those of us in the middle classes wisely buy clothes that fit us, without being judgmental.
The writing itself was straightforward. It felt melancholy and arrogant all at the same time. I kept waiting for Betty to find real contentment. Maybe she did, but it didn't seem like it in the writing. While she served her clients and talked about what she did for them, somehow I felt she was self-righteously judging people by what they wear. I read this for my book club and it provided good discussion.
February 12, 2021
This was my book club's pick of the month. It wasn't on my radar or something I was all that interested in. But I did find myself enjoying the read. Though I think my enjoyment was for other reasons than most. I have zero real interest in fashion as a topic. I just don't really understand it. I don't have a true sense of style. But, I will say I did finish this book wanting to be one of the women in Betty's little corner. I love the idea of looking stylish, I just don't have the patience or attention span to figure it out for myself. My ADHD makes shopping incredibly difficult. I love the idea of having someone curate a wardrobe for me. I'd love to just be able to go in and try things on and work with someone to decide what works for me personally.
With all of that I did actually really enjoy Betty's voice as she told her story. She had a lovely turn of phrase and frankly I was astounded at how well she remembers outfits she and those she dressed wore for specific events. While this wasn't a story I was looking forward to reading in the end I was glad to have read it.
With all of that I did actually really enjoy Betty's voice as she told her story. She had a lovely turn of phrase and frankly I was astounded at how well she remembers outfits she and those she dressed wore for specific events. While this wasn't a story I was looking forward to reading in the end I was glad to have read it.
September 4, 2015
I ate this up - the 86-year-old personal shopper at Bergdorf Goodman has written the most engaging fashion memoir. Opening with a description of the job she's held for decades, where she finds clothes and outfits for women that are stylish, put-together, and comfortable, from all sections of the giant department store and with an impeccable knowledge of fit, silhouette, and style, this memoir than recounts a childhood and adulthood of privilege and luxury, but also one of loneliness and lack of purpose.
This doesn't illuminate the class struggle, and the loving descriptions of fur are hard to get past, but it's a delightful look at a life spent caring deeply about fashion and aesthetics.
This doesn't illuminate the class struggle, and the loving descriptions of fur are hard to get past, but it's a delightful look at a life spent caring deeply about fashion and aesthetics.
January 12, 2015
I just adored this book about 86 year old style maven Betty Halbreich who is (yes she still works full time) employed as a personal shopper for Bergdorf Goodman in NYC. Betty dressed everyone from the likes of Joan Rivers to Lena Dunham, continues to stay relevant but not change her style for trends or pressure to remain young. She is elegant and quite “a broad� all at the same time; a true original.
Listening to this book on audio (read magnificently by Jane Curtin) was like being transposed into a different era at times and I loved every bit of it!
Listening to this book on audio (read magnificently by Jane Curtin) was like being transposed into a different era at times and I loved every bit of it!
May 30, 2015
In the world of fashion, Betty Halbreich is a bit of a living legend. Now in her eighties, Halbreich is a highly regarded personal shopper and stylist at Manhattan’s iconic department store Bergdorf Goodman. Halbreich has worked with movie stars, business women, politicians and socialites. She has worked with countless designers who create everything from upscale ready-to-wear to one-of-a-kind haute couture. And even though Halbreich is at an age where many of her peers are in nursing homes (or dead), she continues to show up to Bergdorf Goodman’s everyday offering her clients advice on everything from the perfect cocktail gown to finding a great therapist. Halbreich should be an inspiration, and in a way, she is. But with her memoir, I’ll Drink to That, she left me feeling under-dressed.
On the cover of I’ll Drink to That, Halbreich is looking off the side and wearing a cape backwards. Seeing this picture I imagined Halbreich to be this over-the-top, fun and outrageous Auntie Mame type, filled with bon mots and always up for a good time. Sadly, I found a rather self-absorbed woman and insular woman who kind of needed to get over herself.
Halbreich grew up in exceptionally privileged circumstances in Chicago. Her father was an executive with a local department store and her mother was a well-maintained society wife. Halbreich and her family lived in a beautiful home, had servants, dined at exclusive restaurants and went on fancy vacations. And Halbreich’s mother went to great length to make sure little Betty was dressed perfectly for all occasions. Halbreich goes into great detail describing these fabulous frocks that pretty much put the Garanimals my mom dressed me in to shame.
However, things were not perfect in the Halbreich household. Yes, little Betty was spoiled and doted on, but she often dealt with a great deal of loneliness, often feeling more affection from the servants than her own mother and father.
While still in college, which to me, seemed more like a finishing school than an actual education, Halbreich got married to an older, very wealthy man and moved to New York City. She has two children, a girl and a boy, and lives the fanciful life of a privileged housewife. She wants for nothing and should be happy. But she’s not. Her marriage is unfulfilling and her husband is a cheater. Halbreich tries to fill the empty hole she feels inside with extravagant shopping sprees and expensive designer clothes, but nothing works. Even her kids aren’t a sense of fulfillment (she spends more time describing her daughter’s layette and stroller than the girl’s birth).
As Halbreich got older, and her children grew up, her marriage became hugely strained, much due to her husband’s extramarital affairs. When her marriage finally falls apart, Betty finds herself a middle-aged divorcee who needs to find a job. Despite no college degree and no work experience whatsoever, Halbreich is able to use her fashion sense and connections in procuring several retail sales jobs at pricey stores.
Through these series of retail jobs Halbreich gained work experience and confidence. She was soon hired by Bergdorf Goodman and designed the perfect position for her-personal shopper. It’s at this point, I’ll Drink to That became a bit of a more fun read. Halbreich dishes the dirt on everyone from designer Geoffrey Beene to “Sex and the City� wardrobe stylist Pat Field. She also reveals the insecurities and idiosyncrasies of the women she serviced. Some clients fully embraced Halbreich’s fashion know-how and others rebelled. But a lot of them proved to be just as human as those of us who shop at TJ Maxx and Target. They hated their poochy tummies and bemoaned the cellulite on their thighs. They made fashion blunders and could be driven to tears tying to find a flattering outfit. Yes, most of them wanted Halbreich to help them with their biggest fashion crises, but they often reached out to find out about the best schools for their children or how to find the top-notch divorce attorney.
Halbreich also discusses the fashion industry, both the good and the bad. She admires the artistry of creating a beautiful piece of clothing and how the perfect outfit can be almost a security blanket for the wearer. And she also bemoans the variation in sizing amongst various lines and how some places won’t stock up sizes bigger than a six even though the average American woman is around a size 12 or 14.
Halbreich also discusses her personal life, spending a big chunk of her book discussing her nearly thirty year relationship a man named Jim. With Jim, Betty had the love she had always wanted, and he does come across as a really down-to-earth, decent chap and a good counterpart for the more haughty and snobbish Halbreich. And Jim also went to great lengths to teach Betty about things which rendered her clueless like dealing with her finances. Good old Jim died a few years back, and Halbreich misses him to this day.
Halbreich deals with other tragedies beyond losing Jim. Upon the break-up of her marriage, she suffers a nervous breakdown, tries to commit suicide and ends up in a psych ward. Yet, she writes about these episodes in such a detached, flat way that doesn’t grip you and feel any empathy for her plight. She might as well have described the details of ordering a pizza.
And that’s why I’ll Drink to That stumbles. Halbreich tells; she doesn’t show. She just doesn’t have the writerly chops to write a memoir that truly engages you in her life story even with the help of Ms. Paley. Plus, there are times in the book where Halbreich comes across very imperious and self-indulgent. First, she should thank her lucky stars she was able to find such an impressive job with no college degree, no work experience and no résumé. Most of us could not do this. She also admits that she refuses to learn how to use a cash register even though it’s a part of most retail jobs. Just trying telling your boss you don’t want to do various tasks that pertain to your job. You’ll probably get fired.
Plus, she shows nothing but disdain for her younger co-workers. She mocks them for wearing very high heels and using their smart phones. Sure, wearing 5-inch stilettos is not wise when you are standing on your feet all day, but Halbreich might want to educate herself on the use of smart phones. Sure, maybe these women might be using them to keep in touch with their boyfriends, but they also be using them to keep in contact with clients, buyers and vendors. It’s the 21st century, Betty. You might want to find out there are new ways to communicate.
In the end, I’ll Drink to That gives some fascinating insight into a world that we can only imagine, but probably would work better has an article in Vogue. As a memoir, I’ll Drink to That has all the depth of a Jimmy Choo in-step.
Originally Published at the Book Self:
On the cover of I’ll Drink to That, Halbreich is looking off the side and wearing a cape backwards. Seeing this picture I imagined Halbreich to be this over-the-top, fun and outrageous Auntie Mame type, filled with bon mots and always up for a good time. Sadly, I found a rather self-absorbed woman and insular woman who kind of needed to get over herself.
Halbreich grew up in exceptionally privileged circumstances in Chicago. Her father was an executive with a local department store and her mother was a well-maintained society wife. Halbreich and her family lived in a beautiful home, had servants, dined at exclusive restaurants and went on fancy vacations. And Halbreich’s mother went to great length to make sure little Betty was dressed perfectly for all occasions. Halbreich goes into great detail describing these fabulous frocks that pretty much put the Garanimals my mom dressed me in to shame.
However, things were not perfect in the Halbreich household. Yes, little Betty was spoiled and doted on, but she often dealt with a great deal of loneliness, often feeling more affection from the servants than her own mother and father.
While still in college, which to me, seemed more like a finishing school than an actual education, Halbreich got married to an older, very wealthy man and moved to New York City. She has two children, a girl and a boy, and lives the fanciful life of a privileged housewife. She wants for nothing and should be happy. But she’s not. Her marriage is unfulfilling and her husband is a cheater. Halbreich tries to fill the empty hole she feels inside with extravagant shopping sprees and expensive designer clothes, but nothing works. Even her kids aren’t a sense of fulfillment (she spends more time describing her daughter’s layette and stroller than the girl’s birth).
As Halbreich got older, and her children grew up, her marriage became hugely strained, much due to her husband’s extramarital affairs. When her marriage finally falls apart, Betty finds herself a middle-aged divorcee who needs to find a job. Despite no college degree and no work experience whatsoever, Halbreich is able to use her fashion sense and connections in procuring several retail sales jobs at pricey stores.
Through these series of retail jobs Halbreich gained work experience and confidence. She was soon hired by Bergdorf Goodman and designed the perfect position for her-personal shopper. It’s at this point, I’ll Drink to That became a bit of a more fun read. Halbreich dishes the dirt on everyone from designer Geoffrey Beene to “Sex and the City� wardrobe stylist Pat Field. She also reveals the insecurities and idiosyncrasies of the women she serviced. Some clients fully embraced Halbreich’s fashion know-how and others rebelled. But a lot of them proved to be just as human as those of us who shop at TJ Maxx and Target. They hated their poochy tummies and bemoaned the cellulite on their thighs. They made fashion blunders and could be driven to tears tying to find a flattering outfit. Yes, most of them wanted Halbreich to help them with their biggest fashion crises, but they often reached out to find out about the best schools for their children or how to find the top-notch divorce attorney.
Halbreich also discusses the fashion industry, both the good and the bad. She admires the artistry of creating a beautiful piece of clothing and how the perfect outfit can be almost a security blanket for the wearer. And she also bemoans the variation in sizing amongst various lines and how some places won’t stock up sizes bigger than a six even though the average American woman is around a size 12 or 14.
Halbreich also discusses her personal life, spending a big chunk of her book discussing her nearly thirty year relationship a man named Jim. With Jim, Betty had the love she had always wanted, and he does come across as a really down-to-earth, decent chap and a good counterpart for the more haughty and snobbish Halbreich. And Jim also went to great lengths to teach Betty about things which rendered her clueless like dealing with her finances. Good old Jim died a few years back, and Halbreich misses him to this day.
Halbreich deals with other tragedies beyond losing Jim. Upon the break-up of her marriage, she suffers a nervous breakdown, tries to commit suicide and ends up in a psych ward. Yet, she writes about these episodes in such a detached, flat way that doesn’t grip you and feel any empathy for her plight. She might as well have described the details of ordering a pizza.
And that’s why I’ll Drink to That stumbles. Halbreich tells; she doesn’t show. She just doesn’t have the writerly chops to write a memoir that truly engages you in her life story even with the help of Ms. Paley. Plus, there are times in the book where Halbreich comes across very imperious and self-indulgent. First, she should thank her lucky stars she was able to find such an impressive job with no college degree, no work experience and no résumé. Most of us could not do this. She also admits that she refuses to learn how to use a cash register even though it’s a part of most retail jobs. Just trying telling your boss you don’t want to do various tasks that pertain to your job. You’ll probably get fired.
Plus, she shows nothing but disdain for her younger co-workers. She mocks them for wearing very high heels and using their smart phones. Sure, wearing 5-inch stilettos is not wise when you are standing on your feet all day, but Halbreich might want to educate herself on the use of smart phones. Sure, maybe these women might be using them to keep in touch with their boyfriends, but they also be using them to keep in contact with clients, buyers and vendors. It’s the 21st century, Betty. You might want to find out there are new ways to communicate.
In the end, I’ll Drink to That gives some fascinating insight into a world that we can only imagine, but probably would work better has an article in Vogue. As a memoir, I’ll Drink to That has all the depth of a Jimmy Choo in-step.
Originally Published at the Book Self:
November 3, 2014
Three cheers for the tough old broads.
I’ll Drink to That, the new memoir from Betty Halbreich, the 86-year-old woman who’s become famous during her 40 years working as a personal shopper at NYC’s Bergdorf Goodman (shopping’s mecca for the uninitiated) is an utterly thrilling read, written crisply and cleanly by a woman on whom it appears decades of reading Vogue have shaped into a completely gorgeous writer.
I have a strong desire to throw the word ‘legend� in here, but Halbreich specifically said in the book she hates that word (in relation to herself, at least). Fact is: for so many, Halbreich is Bergdorf Goodman. She’s the star of that 2013 documentary Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf Goodman, a look into the cult of BG, how its fans are more loyal to the store than to most are to their alma maters. (She’s also going to be the inspiration for Lena Dunham’s new HBO show, which ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME I cannot wait to see).
From girlhood it seems, Halbreich had a preternatural instinct for dressing herself and dressing herself well. Living a plush life in a rich Jewish community in South Chicago, Halbreich learned early on the importance of well made, lasting clothing. Yet, something her upbringing couldn’t teach her, the girl always knew how to stick out from the crowd. As her mother would say (and I quote loosely), “If the other girl’s were wearing scarfs around their heads, Betty put hers around her waist.�
Flash-forward to adulthood. Halbreich quickly marries an even richer, even-more on-the-scene man with roots in New York City. The fashion is amplified. No longer can she wear the same thing to two different social events. Now it seems, there must be a new dress for each party. The marriage though, isn’t a happy one, leaving Halbreich attempting suicide as it unravels and spending time in a mental institution to sort things out.
Days � literally, days- after leaving that institution, she starts her job at Bergdorf Goodman. Plucky enough to stand up to it’s snottiest customers and honest enough to let a woman leave without spending hundreds on a piece that wouldn’t suit her, Halbreich’s talent is quickly recognized, even though she’s not actually been fulfilling all the duties she should as a salesgirl, seeing as she nearly refuses to use the register. Thus, the creation of her own department, “Solutions,� as they call it. Women come in with a problem, in need of a specific look or piece; Halbreich provides the solution.
You know how there is probably one thing that every person is really actually born to do? It’s so enormously satisfying to read the story of a person who is actually doing, and has been for decades. Halbreich didn’t simply create/found the Solutions department at Bergdorf; she essential is the solution to many a woman’s dressing woes.
From the introduction to the end, Halbreich walks us through the typical days in her shoes (which, I could not help but appreciate, never show toes. FINALLY someone else who understands my deep-seated aversion to flip-flops!!). Woman come in, seek Halbreich’s assistance, leave with wisdom and hints as to dressing, and � but only if they truly find something they look stunning in � leave with the perfect piece. One completely admirable thing about Halbreich: she can tell a woman simply in need of “retail therapy,� not in need of new clothes, from a mile away. She often offers that therapy and keeps the clothes on the rack.
And when there is a woman who truly needs something, Halbreich delivers. I imagine her mind working a bit like a computer system � she seems to have an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the store, walking through it each day and noting items/designers and pieces that have been moved around. Sort of like a dewy decimal system on clothing, if you need to find something, refer to her. Furthermore, though, she can tell what will suit each woman. Basically, she’s a living breathing Match.com for women and their clothing.
Who are these women, anyway? Everyone from costume designers (she’s help curate looks you’ve seen in Woody Allen’s movies as well as on Sarah Jessica Parker circa Sex & The City) to celebrities to everyday New York City women, sometimes even a bride or two.
Note here, and this is terribly sad yet touching: Halbreich was a great fan (and friend) of Joan Rivers, another one of her loyal customers, and writes freely about her adoration for Joan. It was so strange reading this book in the days after Rivers� death � unlike the magazines picking up her story as it was hot, Halbreich included this ode to her friend months before she could have known. Timely, yet unintentional, I think this may be the best tribute (even if it wasn’t meant to be) to Rivers I have read so far. And � as a further testament to the women’s mutual respect for each other, Rivers� blurb on the back of the book is perfect: “”I would trust this woman with my life—closet!�
Anyway, this isn’t a book about fashion, or why Bergdorf Goodman is holy or why you must buy designer (Halbreich herself often relates the desire to cut the tags out of clothes to curb her client’s label obsessions); this is simply a book about a woman who is doing what she was put on this earth to do, who has changed women’s lives and shaped the film and fashion industries by doing it.
I’ll Drink to That, the new memoir from Betty Halbreich, the 86-year-old woman who’s become famous during her 40 years working as a personal shopper at NYC’s Bergdorf Goodman (shopping’s mecca for the uninitiated) is an utterly thrilling read, written crisply and cleanly by a woman on whom it appears decades of reading Vogue have shaped into a completely gorgeous writer.
I have a strong desire to throw the word ‘legend� in here, but Halbreich specifically said in the book she hates that word (in relation to herself, at least). Fact is: for so many, Halbreich is Bergdorf Goodman. She’s the star of that 2013 documentary Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf Goodman, a look into the cult of BG, how its fans are more loyal to the store than to most are to their alma maters. (She’s also going to be the inspiration for Lena Dunham’s new HBO show, which ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME I cannot wait to see).
From girlhood it seems, Halbreich had a preternatural instinct for dressing herself and dressing herself well. Living a plush life in a rich Jewish community in South Chicago, Halbreich learned early on the importance of well made, lasting clothing. Yet, something her upbringing couldn’t teach her, the girl always knew how to stick out from the crowd. As her mother would say (and I quote loosely), “If the other girl’s were wearing scarfs around their heads, Betty put hers around her waist.�
Flash-forward to adulthood. Halbreich quickly marries an even richer, even-more on-the-scene man with roots in New York City. The fashion is amplified. No longer can she wear the same thing to two different social events. Now it seems, there must be a new dress for each party. The marriage though, isn’t a happy one, leaving Halbreich attempting suicide as it unravels and spending time in a mental institution to sort things out.
Days � literally, days- after leaving that institution, she starts her job at Bergdorf Goodman. Plucky enough to stand up to it’s snottiest customers and honest enough to let a woman leave without spending hundreds on a piece that wouldn’t suit her, Halbreich’s talent is quickly recognized, even though she’s not actually been fulfilling all the duties she should as a salesgirl, seeing as she nearly refuses to use the register. Thus, the creation of her own department, “Solutions,� as they call it. Women come in with a problem, in need of a specific look or piece; Halbreich provides the solution.
You know how there is probably one thing that every person is really actually born to do? It’s so enormously satisfying to read the story of a person who is actually doing, and has been for decades. Halbreich didn’t simply create/found the Solutions department at Bergdorf; she essential is the solution to many a woman’s dressing woes.
From the introduction to the end, Halbreich walks us through the typical days in her shoes (which, I could not help but appreciate, never show toes. FINALLY someone else who understands my deep-seated aversion to flip-flops!!). Woman come in, seek Halbreich’s assistance, leave with wisdom and hints as to dressing, and � but only if they truly find something they look stunning in � leave with the perfect piece. One completely admirable thing about Halbreich: she can tell a woman simply in need of “retail therapy,� not in need of new clothes, from a mile away. She often offers that therapy and keeps the clothes on the rack.
And when there is a woman who truly needs something, Halbreich delivers. I imagine her mind working a bit like a computer system � she seems to have an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the store, walking through it each day and noting items/designers and pieces that have been moved around. Sort of like a dewy decimal system on clothing, if you need to find something, refer to her. Furthermore, though, she can tell what will suit each woman. Basically, she’s a living breathing Match.com for women and their clothing.
Who are these women, anyway? Everyone from costume designers (she’s help curate looks you’ve seen in Woody Allen’s movies as well as on Sarah Jessica Parker circa Sex & The City) to celebrities to everyday New York City women, sometimes even a bride or two.
Note here, and this is terribly sad yet touching: Halbreich was a great fan (and friend) of Joan Rivers, another one of her loyal customers, and writes freely about her adoration for Joan. It was so strange reading this book in the days after Rivers� death � unlike the magazines picking up her story as it was hot, Halbreich included this ode to her friend months before she could have known. Timely, yet unintentional, I think this may be the best tribute (even if it wasn’t meant to be) to Rivers I have read so far. And � as a further testament to the women’s mutual respect for each other, Rivers� blurb on the back of the book is perfect: “”I would trust this woman with my life—closet!�
Anyway, this isn’t a book about fashion, or why Bergdorf Goodman is holy or why you must buy designer (Halbreich herself often relates the desire to cut the tags out of clothes to curb her client’s label obsessions); this is simply a book about a woman who is doing what she was put on this earth to do, who has changed women’s lives and shaped the film and fashion industries by doing it.
March 12, 2024
This was a book group read for me and we had an enjoyable discussion around it. Overall it hit three of my favorites - memoir, fashion, NYC. I would have enjoyed more focus and discussion on her work opening up the personal styling department at Bergdorf’s and her work there. She’s in her 90’s now and still working!
PS curious title since there wasn’t much focus on drinking.
PS curious title since there wasn’t much focus on drinking.
June 18, 2021
I’ve never heard of Betty Halbreich before but I love books about people and this was a fun one. It’s narrated by Jane Curtain and she was wonderful. I felt like it would be Betty talking…even though I don’t know what she sounds like. 😉😂 She’s gone though a lot and accomplished a lot and I enjoyed learning about what made Betty, Betty.
August 7, 2017
“In my little corner of the store, I’m direct and truthful—two words not normally associated with the world of retail. I don’t flatter or make nice-nice.�
I have never heard of this book until I stumbled upon it on a list about books set in New York City and the title just caught my eye. It intrigued me and before I knew it, I was already reading it. But, to be completely honest, I wasn’t as impressed with the content of the book as I was with the resounding title. Never judge a book by its title ever again.
I’ll Drink to That is Betty Halbreich’s memoir about her life and how she became New York’s most famous personal shopper, helping probably thousands of women with her extraordinary style and sense of clothes. Her job seemed extremely interesting and her love for clothes was fascinating, therefore I really wanted to know how her love for clothes, style and fashion shaped her personal and professional life. In this aspect, I was quite let down because this memoir is written in a very chaotic way, jumping from one thing to another and then coming back to the first thing. It isn’t really confusing because the prose is clear, it was simply annoying because I wanted her to focus on one thing and then continue with another.
Moreover, adding to this chaos of jumbled experiences gathered in 10 chapters, I can say for sure that half of them were represented by gossip, by her clients� problems, by what type of clothes she was choosing for said clients with problems and so on and so forth. And I wasn’t really interested in the lives of her clients, I was more interested in her life, in her thoughts, in her experiences and all I got was countless descriptions of clothes that I would not be able to afford even if I sold my family and so many stories about clients that I couldn’t bring myself to care for. But I really enjoyed the parts where she was talking about her personal life, about her family and love life, about the problems she faced in marriage and how she tried to solve them. What I really liked about these parts was the fact that she wasn’t ashamed of her decisions, she was rather content with the way her life progressed and she didn’t have many regrets. She came to accept all that happened and learned how to move on.
All in all, the things that I disliked about this memoir outnumbered the things that I actually liked about it. I think people who are really into fashion (not like myself) should read it, I think they would actually enjoy more her story. It wasn’t a bad book, I just lost interest in her description of clothes and clients. I wish I liked it more, but life happens.
I have never heard of this book until I stumbled upon it on a list about books set in New York City and the title just caught my eye. It intrigued me and before I knew it, I was already reading it. But, to be completely honest, I wasn’t as impressed with the content of the book as I was with the resounding title. Never judge a book by its title ever again.
I’ll Drink to That is Betty Halbreich’s memoir about her life and how she became New York’s most famous personal shopper, helping probably thousands of women with her extraordinary style and sense of clothes. Her job seemed extremely interesting and her love for clothes was fascinating, therefore I really wanted to know how her love for clothes, style and fashion shaped her personal and professional life. In this aspect, I was quite let down because this memoir is written in a very chaotic way, jumping from one thing to another and then coming back to the first thing. It isn’t really confusing because the prose is clear, it was simply annoying because I wanted her to focus on one thing and then continue with another.
Moreover, adding to this chaos of jumbled experiences gathered in 10 chapters, I can say for sure that half of them were represented by gossip, by her clients� problems, by what type of clothes she was choosing for said clients with problems and so on and so forth. And I wasn’t really interested in the lives of her clients, I was more interested in her life, in her thoughts, in her experiences and all I got was countless descriptions of clothes that I would not be able to afford even if I sold my family and so many stories about clients that I couldn’t bring myself to care for. But I really enjoyed the parts where she was talking about her personal life, about her family and love life, about the problems she faced in marriage and how she tried to solve them. What I really liked about these parts was the fact that she wasn’t ashamed of her decisions, she was rather content with the way her life progressed and she didn’t have many regrets. She came to accept all that happened and learned how to move on.
All in all, the things that I disliked about this memoir outnumbered the things that I actually liked about it. I think people who are really into fashion (not like myself) should read it, I think they would actually enjoy more her story. It wasn’t a bad book, I just lost interest in her description of clothes and clients. I wish I liked it more, but life happens.
September 6, 2024
I can't think of more delightful company with whom to spend a long, lazy Shabbat (Saturday)than Betty Halbreich. I enjoyed every page of her memoir and would have been happy to keep going had there been yet more to read.
Halbreich,at 86--after more than 30 years at Bergdorf Goodman--is regarded as the ultimate personal shopper. And it's not just because she's worked with the creme de la creme of the rich, famous and uber fashionable. Nor is it because she's been based at Bergdorf's for almost her entire career. Rather, it's because she's immersed in fashion--she loves it, lives it, relishes it, but always with amazing taste and a killer eye that weeds out the absurd and over-the-top.
Halbreich is very clear about the fact that fashion saved her--from a very pampered but lonely and extremely sheltered childhood, from a disastrous early marriage that left her isolated and unable to cope in the real world, and from the wholly proscribed but oh, so, boring life of a Park Avenue non-working wife and mother. When her marriage ended, Halbreich was lost and suicidal. But with the help of friends, a good shrink and her own inner good taste (and good sense) Halbreich began working in the one area she actually knew well from her years of shopping and cannily dressing. And the rest is history.
Now if only I had a few thousand to spend on some high-end clothes and the connections to get an appointment...sigh...
Halbreich,at 86--after more than 30 years at Bergdorf Goodman--is regarded as the ultimate personal shopper. And it's not just because she's worked with the creme de la creme of the rich, famous and uber fashionable. Nor is it because she's been based at Bergdorf's for almost her entire career. Rather, it's because she's immersed in fashion--she loves it, lives it, relishes it, but always with amazing taste and a killer eye that weeds out the absurd and over-the-top.
Halbreich is very clear about the fact that fashion saved her--from a very pampered but lonely and extremely sheltered childhood, from a disastrous early marriage that left her isolated and unable to cope in the real world, and from the wholly proscribed but oh, so, boring life of a Park Avenue non-working wife and mother. When her marriage ended, Halbreich was lost and suicidal. But with the help of friends, a good shrink and her own inner good taste (and good sense) Halbreich began working in the one area she actually knew well from her years of shopping and cannily dressing. And the rest is history.
Now if only I had a few thousand to spend on some high-end clothes and the connections to get an appointment...sigh...
March 4, 2015
Don't expect too much fashion in this book or for Betty to gush on how annoying her clients are. It’s definitely more if a biography of Betty’s life which is pretty sad and lonely . Betty got on my nerves because she was highly dependent throughout a lot of her life and is pretty judgmental of those who aren’t as careful, cautious, clean and neat as she is about clothing, housekeeping etc. It was like hearing my grandmother nag for hundreds of pages. I also didn’t like how she seemed to hate being a mother, my guess is that she isn’t very close to her children these days? I guess my biggest disappointment was that I was expecting more of her story with Bergdorf Goodman than her actual personal life story. I thought she would go into more of what she does, why she’s good at it, and then tell others how you can be just as successful but that clearly wasn’t the case with this book. Oh well, at least I have a book with a pretty cover.
February 5, 2015
Eh. Not a fan. Listened to an audio version narrated by Jane Curtain. Thought I might enjoy it for that fact alone, but no.Was going to abandon it many times throughout but glad I didn't. The seventh and final CD was the best and won me over a bit. Though I bristle at most of what this woman stands for, I think that if I ever spent time with her I would like her. One of my favorite parts was an entry describing an exchange with Joan Rivers. She had spent some time with Madam Rivers and was recounting a situation in which she wanted to shoot someone (herself? another? I don't remember) The next day she received a package from Joan. Inside was a chocolate pistol. The accompanying card read, "Eat. Don't Shoot."
October 15, 2014
When I first starting reading this book it struck me as a familiar tale of a wealthy couple living the high life then experiencing a failed marriage after the excess lifestyle took a turn for the worst. I was pleasantly surprised to find out I was wrong. Betty Halbreich is very brave to share her personal tale ; it's a roller coaster ride. But reading about her love of fashion and her descriptions of the clothing she has had the privilege to be around was like a 5 star treat for anyone who is into clothes
April 26, 2017
So here's the deal; a lot of people write the narrative of "I'm so rich but all I wanted was love" and I thought this is what this book was going to be about. What I didn't know is that Betty takes a long look at her life and says "Meh, I screwed up. But I learned something, right?" Lena Dunham is currently attempting to turn this book into an HBO series (I hope Lena Dunham goes off this project) but I would actually compare this to "Not that Kind of Girl". The latter book tries to be a "What I learned" Narrative. This book actually is a "What I learned Narrative"
October 23, 2014
A fun read..........This is a fun read of a very strong woman.
Growing up on the East coast, we did visit NYC and the BIG department stores.
There is interesting comments of designers and a day when women wore gloves etc.
of course, she does have 10 closets and drawers devoted to each accessory-who has that now?
Sad aspects-she neglected her children's nurturing in lieu of them being properly "dressed."
Growing up on the East coast, we did visit NYC and the BIG department stores.
There is interesting comments of designers and a day when women wore gloves etc.
of course, she does have 10 closets and drawers devoted to each accessory-who has that now?
Sad aspects-she neglected her children's nurturing in lieu of them being properly "dressed."
September 20, 2014
Really wanted to give this 4 stars, I did love it and can't wait for the HBO show if it pans out; not to mention that I'm definitely going to watch the HBO documentary on her life asap...but it just ended up dragging at points. I would recommend it nontheless though because her story is amazing and something that every NYer would enjoy!
June 22, 2024
I had never heard of Betty Halbreigh. This audiobook, nicely narrated by Jane Curtin, was entertaining. Betty was Bergdorf Goodman’s first personal shopper. Born to doting parents, Betty went from their care to a wealthy husband. After suffering a mental breakdown and years in therapy, Betty finally became her own woman. It was lovely to hear about fashion in the days when quality really mattered. She helped women from all walks of life, met presidents, designers, and actors. She helped wardrobe soap opera stars, clothe actors for movies, and loved it all. She was ‘improving the lives of women through their costume�. Now 96, she continued working at the iconic store for over 50 years and loved every minute of it.
November 28, 2024
The bits about clothes were engaging enough, but the personal memoir (ie most of the book, in fairness) was disjointed, poorly written, and at times hilariously un-self-aware ("she loved my father so much that when he died she refused to attend his funeral"?! - she claims helicopter parents are silly, bit didn't she say she fretted over her own kids when they were young??). I had the audiobook but I hope the print version at least has good photos....
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