There is more to style guru Tim Gunn than his automaton catchphrase, “Make it work!,” a phrase that he says waaay too much on Project Runway. 

He was the Chair of the powerhouse New York City fashion school Parsons’ The New School for Design before he was tapped for reality show stardom. With his book Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style, Gunn shows wannabe fashionistas everywhere how to shop on a budget and re-organize their cluttered closets.  Unlike other TV fashion coaches (i.e. Stacy London and Clinton Kelly) Gunn tells readers how to create their own style and appropriately fit it into every occasion.  Like on his show, Gunn seems to have an appreciation for every kind of design and style, regardless of its haute-couture status, as long as it is well-designed and makes you look good.