What Shall I Wear?

First published in 1956, What Shall I Wear? is revolutionary, award-winning designer Claire McCardell’s collection of fashion wisdom and philosophy, and a vivacious guide to looking effortlessly stylish.

This new edition of the sought-after classic features a foreword by iconic designer Tory Burch, an afterword by Allison Tolman, vice president of Collections and Interpretation at the Maryland Center for History and Culture, and a color insert of photos from McCardell’s collections.

“The testament to great design, Claire McCardell’s dresses look fresh, contemporary, and desirable eight decades after they were made, as the Costume Institute’s 2022 exhibit In America: An Anthology of Fashion demonstrated.” —Nicole Phelps, global director, Vogue Runway and Vogue Business

“Among the many surprises and insights I discovered in McCardell’s valuable book is that she wanted to call it Fashion is Fun. That may also be the secret behind her genius and enduring influence—she refused to take fashion too seriously.” —Cathy Horyn, New York magazine

“The first designer to create a cohesive vision rooted in the American lifestyle of ease, McCardell and her contributions as a designer and a woman in business are often overlooked. Tory Burch’s new foreword . . . puts this American treasure in her rightful place.” —Constance White, fashion editor and author of How to Slay: Inspiration from the Queens and Kings of Black Style

“Claire McCardell’s guiding philosophy of dressing with ease in a functional, fashionable American look was groundbreaking—and feminist—for her times. And it continues to resonate globally on the runways and in closets today.” —Booth Moore, executive editor, Women’s Wear Daily