Fashion and style guru Lauren Conran’s “Celebrate” has how-to tips for planning comfortably elegant soirees. Although I consider myself a seasoned party planner, I gleaned lots of helpful tips from Conrad — best known for her appearances on MTV’s “The Hills” and “Laguna Beach.”
Conrad introduced me to the concept of a “baby sprinkle,” which is a downsized baby shower, when family and friends want to help an expectant mom welcome baby number two or three. Her comprehensive tome is a reference manual I turn to again and again for cocktail recipes and inspiring photos of centerpieces, tablescapes, and even proper attire.
Lauren Conrad Celebrate book by Lauren Conrad, $28.99, www.barne