Kate Spade - 'All in Good Taste'

I recently bought the new Kate Spade book, 'All in Good Taste', and decided to review it and show you a few up close snippets of a truly beautiful book! It was on my Amazon wishlist for, oooh, about a year, and as most of my Christmas gifts were wedding inspired (thanks Mum and Dad!) I snapped it up on Amazon.

I already adore 'Things We Love: Twenty Years of Inspiration, Intriguing Bits and Other Curiosities', it's great inspiration when I need it, and the colourful pages and beautiful designs are the perfect antidote to grey and rainy January days. So did 'All in Good Taste' measure up?

We begin with an introduction from Deborah Lloyd, Creative Chief Officer and President of Kate Spade. She's a fellow Brit, and she offers up a sponge cake alongside her letter, which should give you an indication of the personality within the pages. This isn't along the same lines as the first two books. It's a guide - a real, tongue-in-cheek, glitter in her hair, throw your heels up Kate Spade guide to hosting and etiquette and partying like its 1999. I'm not saying it's not inspiring like its predecessors, but this is in a different way.

'All in Good Taste' takes you through hosting like a glittery friend that's always in the know; a true born New Yorker who has it in her blood along with an innate sense of style, devil-may-care attitude and wit. Flowers, the bar, invitations, the guest list, setting the table - it's all there - with a Kate Spade twist, of course. Take out served on fine china, the art of mixing casual and fancy food, ideas for recipes according to your guests, what day of the week it is and the tone of the event. Tongue-in-cheek is the best way I can describe it - it's fun and frivolous and flippant, and... absolutely in good taste.

There are handy areas to write recipes and ideas, and plenty of tips and tricks along the way. You can be as serious or as casual about it as you like, which I love - it's a great book to pick up the next time you're organising a dinner, a party or even just a soirée for two. Interestingly, etiquette is a strong feature - from how to turn around a conversation that's taken a bad turn (we've all been there), to how to navigate invitations without causing offence. I really like the inclusion of it; it's a little old fashioned, but presented in a contemporary way.

If you wanted visual inspiration, like a ready made Pinterest board, then the first two books will be right up your street (and there were a few pages that really caught my eye - the colour swatches and watercolour illustrations in particular, which you can see below). I also loved the quotes and witticisms throughout - this is a fun book designed to be read, used and shown off.

So is it a must read? That's a tricky one - for book snobs no, but for diehard Kate Spade fans?  Absolutely. I'll be reaching for it as a great gift to give to friends, and I recommend it as a gift to yourself if you love to dip in and out of beautiful books. It's a gorgeous coffee table addition, and if you host regularly, invaluable.

Now I wish to goodness someone would get me 'Places to Go and People to See' to complete the collection. Looking at a certain boyfriend here - anniversary present...?

Has anyone out there read 'All in Good Taste'? What are your thoughts?

Felicity