There's a slew of new books about style and fashion that might make good holiday gifts for avid readers, collectors, or fashionistas looking to expand their knowledge base. Here are reviews of four of the most interesting:

"Nothing to Wear? A 5-Step Cure for the Common Closet," Hudson Street Press, $25.95

More and more books are being published that are aimed at helping people get out of fashion ruts, appreciate the stages of their life's evolution, and reinvent themselves from a style standpoint. One of the best is this book by personal shoppers and style gurus Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo.

Don't let the subtitle fool you. This 168-page interactive guide, beautifully illustrated by Ruben Toledo, walks readers through a systematic and sensible way of understanding themselves and then being intentional about looking their best in every stage of their lives. It begins with examining what's at work inside a person and then helping that person work from the inside out to project an image that reflects his or her identity.

The foreword and first chapter alone are worth the price. But it would be wise to resist the temptation to cherry-pick chapters or skip around. Using their "visual therapy" concept, the authors build logically, from defining your style, editing your wardrobe and filling in the gaps to pulling it all together and nurturing the new you.

Over six engaging chapters, even the most unsophisticated person should finish the final chapter with a sense of clarity that will lead to good choices about personal appearance. The process is meant to be exciting and ongoing, a constant journey of revelation.

"Visual therapy has not only brought about dramatic improvements in how our clients look but, more important, how they feel about themselves," the authors write. "Countless clients have commented that our five-step process has empowered them to revitalize their lives, knowing they are now making the most of what they have, looking their best [to themselves and to others], and feeling most confident, connected, and in control."

"Brenda Kinsel's Fashion Makeover: 30 Days to Diva Style," Chronicle Books, $22.95

Another good book in the genre of style self-improvement, "Fashion Makeover" also contains a lot of substance. Its strength is that it supplies tools to help women liberate their inner glamazon in one month.

It's not as radical as it sounds. Kinsel, like Garza and Lupo, operates from the premise that most women are in a fashion and beauty rut and can look better and therefore feel better about themselves with a little intentionality and the right tools.

Her solution is a 30-day beauty camp that will probably sound irresistible to women who want and recognize the need for change. The 216-page book seems targeted for women over 40, but its sound advice can benefit younger women, as well.

The book helps women set attainable goals based on doable activities. Plus, it is sprinkled with inspirational stories and tips by women who made the transition from dowdy to diva and continue to live in it and to inspire others.

Kinsel notes that diva, the Italian word for "goddess," has developed a negative connotation in Western culture. But she reclaims the word, defining it simply as "a woman at the top of her game."

"Every woman can be a diva," writes the professional image consultant. "You don't have to be a size 2 or have straight hair. You don't have to be 6 feet tall. Divas come in all shapes and sizes, and they aren't limited to the entertainment business. If you don't identify yourself as a woman with diva style, think again. You've followed your heart along with your head. You've been over rough spots and come out the other end. You're better than ever. That's why I'm using the word diva to describe you. It is big enough to contain all of you -- your personality, your values, your passions."

"Details Men's Style Manual: The Ultimate Guide for Making Your Clothes Work for You," Gotham Books, $30

At last -- more style help for men, whose penchant for just not caring about how they look far surpasses any confusion women may experience about how to look their best.

This thick paperback guide is a must-have for two kinds of guys: those who are bringing their "A" game and those who aspire to. How one dresses speaks volumes, and too many men are shouting a negative message because they just don't have a clue.

Details editor-in-chief Daniel Peres, with help from other editors at the popular men's magazine, have done men everywhere a favor with this easy-to-read manual on how to look your best in a range of settings, from a casual outing to the office to special occasions of all types.

Practicality may be the book's greatest strength. Readers are told how to look for wardrobe essentials, how they should fit and the various ways most pieces can be dressed up and down. There's also the benefit of photos that show men how not to dress; historical timelines of the evolution of sneakers, the suit and other fashion items; tips on packing smart and advice on the often-neglected but important matter of underwear.

The guys at Details have baked a great cake with this informative and entertaining book. The icing is a host of style "rules" straight from the lips of fashion luminaries Giorgio Armani, Donna Karan, Kenneth Cole, Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Donatella Versace, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Zac Posen and Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey.

"Vintage Fashion: Collecting and Wearing Designer Classics, 1900-1990," Collins Design, $39.95

The cover photo of supermodel Twiggy in a striped gold and orange minidress in her heyday in the '60s tells the story. In fact, a plethora of stunning photos makes this 224-page hardback book by Emma Baxter-Wright as much a coffee-table tome as a 90-year history on vintage fashion.

Vintage fashion is enjoying renewed popularity, due partly to the growing number of celebrities who wear it to red-carpet events. There's also the many current fashion trends inspired by vintage, from pencil skirts and wide-leg pants to Emilio Pucci's colorful prints and Coco Chanel's tailored tweed suits.

Knockoffs are nothing new, but fabrics and certain identifiable touches set the pioneering designer apart from his or her imitator. The book provides tips on trends and key looks particular to each decade, plus signature looks and tell-tale tailoring by influential designers Elsa Schiaparelli, Biba, Christian Dior, Laura Ashley, Zandra Rhodes and Jean-Paul Gaultier.

Baxter-Wright, a fashion editor who studied fashion at Central St. Martins College of Art & Design and taught at the London College of Fashion, astounds with the amount of research and history. But she did not engage in the massive undertaking solo, enlisting the skills of veteran fashion writers Karen Clarkson, Sarah Kennedy and Kate Mulvey.

The story they weave is mesmerizing. Along the way, readers are treated to rarely seen fashion photos of the likes of Russian supermodel Veruschka, Ali McGraw, Jane Fonda, Grace Jones and a host of less-famous beauties wearing clothes that transcend time. Other nice inclusions are a list of vintage stores by state, an extensive glossary of designers and tips on treating and preserving vintage fashion.

"The interest in vintage clothing ties deeply into this almost physical response to fashion," the authors assert. "Vintage pieces not only capture a historical moment in time but in themselves can be works of absolute and unique beauty."