Betsey Johnson's reality

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Betsey: A Memoir by Betsey Johnson; Mark Vitulano

Don't get me wrong, I love Betsey Johnson designs. I own jewelry, shoes, sunglasses and my particular passion these days, watches. I loved her zany mixture of fabrics.
So who was this woman with such ingenious designs! I did watch a TV series about her that I enjoyed, but for some reason I didn't connect as I thought I would with this title.
Some of her reasons for doing things seemed unconventional, even when wrapped up in conventionality. Like marriage. Her reason for marrying burger flipper Jeff? Well it's ... really, I have no words. Possibly it was the times, the 60's. Still Betsey's reasoning maybe says it all. As she tells it, it was 'because that’s what I was designing at the time—a collection for an entire wedding party: the bride, bridesmaids, the hot ex-girlfriend, and of course, the flower girls.' The thought of capping off a new collection with a high profile occasion seemed liked a good idea. Maybe it was just part of going with the flow, seeking new experiences, the fantasy of it all. Who knows? Betsey doesn't seem to either. The marriage lasted three months.
This look into Betsey's colorful life is inviting, where she came from, her various struggles including health issues, her rise in and the challenges she faced over years in the fashion/design industry, her relationship with her beloved daughter Lulu, and her  many friendships. Always ready to look in new directions!
BTW you just have to love her book cover.
Betsey the design icon! As I said' I love her work, and I do admire her ability to tell it how she saw it--Betsey being ... well, Just Betsey!

 A Penguin Viking ARC via NetGalley

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