Peter McNeil

The story revolves around protagonist Cadina Wilson, who, in her late twenties, is still clueless about goal-setting and fulfillment of purpose. Her father, having provided her with a life of privilege, is frustrated by her callous attitude and unstable work history and is now determined to see his daughter succeed. As a result, he (once again) uses his influence to obtain a prominent position for Cadina within Midway Post Office. Along this journey, she encounters, among others, the following postal employees: Letter Carrier Freeman Souls, who suffered the recent and unexpected loss of his mother, now struggles to function without a drink, even on the job. He's also embarking on a relationship with the station's diva, Velour Patterns, as an outlet, even though he's engaged. Unbeknown to him, she's conducting some rather disturbing activities underneath the postal radar. James Richards, a single father, and all-around good guy is pursuing full custody of his daughter from her extremely negligent mother. Thirty-year-old Louis Rodriguez has dreams of leaving the Postal Service altogether to pursue a career as a rap superstar, but his rap style reflects the mindset of an adolescent and is met with constant disapproval and ridicule by his postal brethren. Lastly, looking to climb his way up the postal ladder is the very pompous Lexington Vanguard, who pursues a supervisor position and a relationship with Cadina, all at the same time.

McNeil's consequential and enlightening tale channels the colorful world within the postal environment. Making up this vividly essential yarn are six intriguing stories that provide a different yet necessary spin on life-related issues; Freeman Souls' alcoholism plight, coupled with struggling to choose between his floundering relationship with his fianc e and a seductively gorgeous coworker named Velour Patterns, who is discreetly involved in disturbing activity underneath the postal radar...James Richards' ultimate decision to gain custody of his daughter from her negligent mother...Denise Tucker's enormous task of establishing her identity as a newly appointed assistant manager, consequently finding herself constantly clashing with her manipulative boss, Michael Davenport...The self-absorbed Lexington VanGuard and his rise up the corporate ladder that becomes severely threatened by an unlikely source...Louis Rodriguez's dream of becoming a hip-hop superstar which garners questionable reviews from his peers...The unreliable Cadina Wilson, who finally secures a role in the post office only to jeopardize her new position, to her father's dismay. Six interlocking journeys committed to analyzing these characters' choices of overcoming personal demons, hidden motives from other coworkers, and bottom-line agendas from the hirer up...and when one bitter employee announces a startling discovery, all hell begins to break loose...

Fashion is all around us, and so too is fashion journalism. Discussions of fashion proliferate in an ever-increasing range of media, from newspapers and magazines to tweets and TV programs. Fashion Journalism: History, Theory and Practice is an accessible, comprehensive guide to writing about fashion in any form, whether in style blogging, magazine interviews, news reportage or art reviews.Exploring what sets fashion journalism apart from other forms of journalistic writing, the book features a wide range of global fashion case studies, from Carmel Snow's reporting on Dior's 'New Look' to 1970s responses to Yves Saint Laurent, and Diana Vreeland's role as a fashion editor. Through a series of engaging exercises, you will learn how to find inspiration, carry out successful research, structure your work logically, use a style appropriate to your readership, and to make the leap from descriptive writing to informed analysis and criticism. Engaging and clearly written, Fashion Journalism examines how recent technological developments are shaping and driving fashion journalism, and delves into the theory and practice of writing about fashion.

An exploration of British male fashion of the late eighteenth century “A brilliant account of a controversial moment in men’s self-fashioning.”—Valerie Steele, director and chief curator, Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology The term “macaroni” was once as familiar a label as “punk” or “hipster” is today. In this handsomely illustrated book devoted to notable eighteenth-century British male fashion, award-winning author and fashion historian Peter McNeil brings together dress, biography, and historical events with the broader visual and material culture of the late eighteenth century. For thirty years, “macaroni” was a highly topical word, yielding a complex set of social, sexual, and cultural associations. Pretty Gentlemen is grounded in surviving dress, archival documents, and art spanning hierarchies and genres, from scurrilous caricature to respectful portrait painting. Celebrities hailed and mocked as macaroni include politician Charles James Fox, painter Richard Cosway, freed slave Julius “Soubise,” and criminal parson Reverend Dodd. The style also rapidly spread to neighboring countries in cross-cultural exchange, while Horace Walpole, George III, and Queen Charlotte were active critics and observers of these foppish men.

Fashion is all around us, and so too is fashion journalism. Discussions of fashion proliferate in an ever-increasing range of media, from newspapers and magazines to tweets and TV programs. Fashion Journalism: History, Theory and Practice is an accessible, comprehensive guide to writing about fashion in any form, whether in style blogging, magazine interviews, news reportage or art reviews.Exploring what sets fashion journalism apart from other forms of journalistic writing, the book features a wide range of global fashion case studies, from Carmel Snow's reporting on Dior's 'New Look' to 1970s responses to Yves Saint Laurent, and Diana Vreeland's role as a fashion editor. Through a series of engaging exercises, you will learn how to find inspiration, carry out successful research, structure your work logically, use a style appropriate to your readership, and to make the leap from descriptive writing to informed analysis and criticism. Engaging and clearly written, Fashion Journalism examines how recent technological developments are shaping and driving fashion journalism, and delves into the theory and practice of writing about fashion.

We live in a world obsessed by luxury. Long-distance airlines compete to offer first-class sleeping experiences and hotels recommend exclusive suites where you are never disturbed. Luxury is a rapidly changing global industry that makes the headlines daily in our newspapers and on the internet. More than ever, luxury is a pervasive presence in the cultural and economic life of the West - and increasingly too in the emerging super-economies of Asia and Latin America. Yet luxury is hardly a new phenomenon. Today's obsession with luxury brands and services is just one of the many manifestations that luxury has assumed. In the middle ages and the Renaissance, for example, luxury was linked to notions of magnificence and courtly splendour. In the eighteenth century luxury was at the centre of philosophical debates over its role in shaping people's desires and oiling the wheels of commerce. And it continues to morph today, with the growth of the global super-rich and increasing wealth polarization. From palaces to penthouses, from couture fashion to lavish jewellery, from handbags to red wine, from fast cars to easy money, Peter McNeil and Giorgio Riello present the first ever global history of luxury, from the Romans to the twenty-first century: a sparkling and ever-changing story of extravagance, excess, novelty, and indulgence.

Fashion Writing and Criticism provides students with the tools to critique fashion with skill and style. Explaining the history and theory of criticism, this innovative text demonstrates how the tradition of criticism has developed and how this knowledge can be applied to fashion, enabling students to acquire the methods and proper vocabulary to be active critics themselves. Integrating history and theory, this innovative book explains the development of fashion writing, the theoretical basis on which it sits, and how it might be improved and applied. Through concise snapshot case studies, top international scholars McNeil and Miller analyse fashion excerpts in relation to philosophical ideas and situate them within historical contexts. Case studies include classic examples of fashion writing, such as Diana Vreeland at Harper's Bazaar and Richard Martin on Karl Lagerfeld, as well as contemporary examples such as Suzy Menkes and the blogger Tavi.Accessibly written, Fashion Writing and Criticism enables readers to understand, assess and make value judgments about the fascinating and changeable field of fashion. It is an invaluable text for students and researchers alike, studying fashion, journalism, history and media studies.

Fashion Writing and Criticism provides students with the tools to critique fashion with skill and style. Explaining the history and theory of criticism, this innovative text demonstrates how the tradition of criticism has developed and how this knowledge can be applied to fashion, enabling students to acquire the methods and proper vocabulary to be active critics themselves. Integrating history and theory, this innovative book explains the development of fashion writing, the theoretical basis on which it sits, and how it might be improved and applied. Through concise snapshot case studies, top international scholars McNeil and Miller analyse fashion excerpts in relation to philosophical ideas and situate them within historical contexts. Case studies include classic examples of fashion writing, such as Diana Vreeland at Harper's Bazaar and Richard Martin on Karl Lagerfeld, as well as contemporary examples such as Suzy Menkes and the blogger Tavi.Accessibly written, Fashion Writing and Criticism enables readers to understand, assess and make value judgments about the fascinating and changeable field of fashion. It is an invaluable text for students and researchers alike, studying fashion, journalism, history and media studies.