The King of Style: Dressing Michael Jackson

I've been a huge fan of Michael Jackson since I was a child and his wonderful artistry in music, dance, story telling etc continues to live on. I've been very careful about reading books about MJ due to biased and trashy views that seem to attack him rather than focus on his musical contribution to the world, but I knew that I had to get this book. The book itself is so beautiful and something that we know MJ would've loved to own & read! The photos are so beautiful and of high quality. The stories and detailed information is a must-read! Once you remove the elegant book jacket, the front cover & back cover is just beautiful! Michael Bush is a longtime friend and designer of MJ for 25 years, and I knew better to trust someone that knew MJ from the inside than those who claim that they "really" know him after just few interviews. Like MJ's music and his creative work, I was mesmerized by Bush's stories and detailed explanations behind MJ's wardrobes. I could tell just how close Bush and (Bush's partner & other designer) Tompkins were to MJ, who were inspired by MJ to think outside of the box to accommodate the King of Pop's imaginative creations of fashion. There were so many things (not going to spoil it) that surprised me and even made me laugh at times because of the fun & insightful stories that Bush would share about MJ. MJ was a perfectionist, but he was also very, very creative. Anyone that worked with MJ could see that and understand that he was heavily invested in making sure that his ideas and creativity came to life. Beyond his music and his story-telling, Bush & Tompkins understood that. They worked long hours making sure that their craftsmanship was up to MJ's standards, but it also inspired them to understand that fashion has its own way of storytelling and they made sure to put in every single detail that showed off MJ's creativity in his clothes as well. MJ is a humble and caring person, there were moments in this book where I smiled so hard that I almost cried. He gave credit where it was due and there's so many reasons why Bush & Tomkins were chosen by MJ to work for him, and how Bush and Tompkins felt the same way. Watching MJ's concerts, I noticed Michael Bush going on stage to help MJ quickly change and just by that alone, you can tell that MJ trusted him and as a fan, I felt the same about Bush and Tompkins who side by side to worked tirelessly put MJ's creativity out there. At the end, Bush says this, "My Biggest thanks go to all of Michael Jackson's fan. This book has always been intended to be yours and now it is." I suggest all MJ fans to purchase this book, it's definitely a work of art on its own.

To start this off, What can I honestly say about this book?? It literally took my breath away, the moment I received it, which was a bit sooner than I ever anticipated. As soon as I got it, I immediately started checking out the pages first, before even reading it, & WOW! WOW! WOW! That's a triple WOW right there. LOL :) The photographs were absolutely STUNNING! I especially loved the very front cover of the book, since it has Michael's ICONIC BAD Tour jacket, which happens to be one of my absolute faves!! I couldn't take my eyes off the amazing close ups/details of Michael's beautiful clothing/jackets, etc. I do have to admit, there were some great parts in the book as well. Hate to spoil it for everyone, but there was a section in the book that had me laughing like crazy, to which it was the part where Michael Jackson explained about why he wanted to rip his shirts once in a while, or cut it just a little bit, & the term he came up with was "cake" since he mentioned about his female fans wanting to "see some cake"(meaning his chest) & oh he was right about that one. The next thing that I really liked in the book was when they talked about the four F's when it came to Michael's outfits! They are "FIT" "FUNCTION, "FUN" & "FIRST." I thought that was pretty neat & should also be pretty easy to remember when it comes to Michael's outfits! Another part of the book that I really enjoyed was where they talked about the outfit for Michael's short film "Remember The Time" in which it was all Egyptian themed! As a youngster, I was always intrigued about Egypt & would watch things about it all from time to time. I still do once in a while, but not quite as much as I did back when I was young! Anyways, back to the subject! In regards to the "Remember The Time" short film, I was surprised that Yul Brynner was mentioned & the fact that Michael was inspired by a piece he wore for the amazing film "The Ten Commandments" which was called a "gorgerine." Pretty amazing if you ask me. But anyways, enough about what my fave parts were in the entire book! For me, it took only a few days to finish the book! I never thought it would be THAT good. I truly believe in my heart of hearts, that Michael Bush was a TRUE friend to Michael & cared about him very much. I truly feel that he wanted to do the absolute best for Michael, since he's truly a perfectionist & wanted everything to be perfect the way he wanted it. I also feel that he wanted to get the book done for all the fans, since that's what Michael Jackson originally wanted as well. So, to those fans who don't have this book, You MUST get this it! It's truly a wonderful read & you will not be able to put it down! It's THAT amazing. I will continue to cherish it for years to come! This book is truly one of the best books about Michael, AT IT'S ABSOLUTE FINEST!! THANK YOU SO MUCH MICHAEL BUSH FOR THIS WONDERFUL TREASURE/MASTERPIECE!!

If you're fascinated by the creative process - you will love this book. Regardless of whether you're an MJ fan or not. Because through reading this book you really understand how the man, the artist and the muse were one. I had high expectations of this book and reading it exceeded them. Bush provides a beautifully vivid account of his 20+ years designing for Michael. Through it you see how Michael cajoled, teased and pushed Bush to nurture his creativity, invent clothes that had never been thought of before and chase an idea from the vintage shops of London to ancient Egypt. The pictures are gorgeous, the costumes are stunning in the only way that MJ costumes are stunning. And the stories of Michael are fascinating - giving a real insight into his prankster personality, his belief in people's talent, and his tireless quest to innovate and to create. The things that he'd observe, the details that he'd play with to test whether his audiences were paying attention, the way that he'd set creative riddles for Bush to solve, and the small and large acts of generosity combine to give a richly detailed picture of a man who was a creative genius, a loyal friend and a uniquely sensitive humanitarian who truly cared about the people and world around him.

This book was really great -- esspecially for any MJ fan! This had many insights into his wardrobe and his style. It reveals many iconic items and reveals the story behind them, for example the arm band -- I won't reveal the real answer. Of the letters CTE during the History Period.... So many things I thought I knew, were confirmed or denied by this book and many things I assumed as well. It has loads of pictures and drawings, and also explains why the author had all the pictures and drawings. One of my favorites that I will reveal is about the importance of putting all the tour outfits in exact order, otherwise, half way through, by the time Beat it was on set...his pants had to be almost two inches smaller around the waist because by that time, he had already lost 5 pounds of water weight from performing!! No magic in pants falling down! ha ha - It also explains where many of the designs were influenced from like a movie...or historical figure. And also little tricks on the clothing to make it look perfect or move a certain way like his tie, but don't touch the shoes!!! Or innovative ideas like silver boots, or eccentric ideas of his Crown.

I got this on sale when it was just $45! AHHH!! Michael Bush is a genius. Capturing MJ’s fashion sense and personality. Beautiful! 10/10.

Love, love, love this book! Only from one of Michael's closest friends and confidants could come such a fascinating tale of friendship, creativity and challenge. Don't want to spoil anything, but Michael, ever the prankster, brought Bush out on stage, in the darkness with the light on Michael, then, suddenly stepped aside leaving Bush bathing in the moonlight at which time Michael said something like "ladies and gentlemen, Michael Bush!". Cute tale. Beautiful pictures and stories behind Bush and Tompkins' costumes created just for Michael, including the incredibly hard work of these artisans in getting it all just right to please Michael's perfectionist nature. This is one of those MJ books that fans just gotta have, believe me. Why, the pictures of the outfits alone are worth the book price, but the backstory behind each piece is the icing on the cake. Every time you watch a YT video or a DVD of Michael's performances, you are seeing Bush and Tompkins' creations. Michael would provide the design impetus for a particular outfit and challenge Bush and Tompkins to "make it happen". They never failed him and he was always (eventually, ha) appreciative.

This is the BEST book by someone close to Mr. Jackson. It was beautifully portrayed, filled with funny anecdotes, astoundingly beautiful photos of Mr. Jackson's wardrobe, stunning details about the work that went into creating his various styles throughout the years, and what was especially incredible was the level of devotion Mr. Bush and Mr. Tompkins displayed towards Mr. Jackson. The writer sticks to the subject of dressing the King of Style, thankfully avoiding ANY rhetoric about controversies over the years, except for one, but I leave it to prospective readers to learn what that brief story is about. I hated getting to the end of the book. As I neared it, I wondered what Mr. Bush would have to say about Mr. Jackson's death and honestly, I felt a bit anxious because I feared it would be very sad. Mr. Bush did a wonderful job of writing with as much objectivity as possible, given he was so close to Mr. Jackson. Still, I couldn't help but cry as I read his words reflecting his own experience around losing the man he considered his best friend. Now that I own the book, I can say that any true Michael Jackson fan would make a worthy investment even if you have to pay the full price.

Michael Bush's book was one that I could not put down. I also know my way around a needle and thread, and Mr. Bush's telling of his many years of designing and creating clothes for Michael Jackson kept me enthralled. He is truly an artist of the highest order. Making a garment for someone can be both challenging and rewarding, but to have to take into account the way that a person is going to move (read: dance!) in that garment, and get into or out of it quickly between sections of a performance, requires an entirely different set of skills that Mr. Bush describes in glorious detail. He takes us on a journey from precise measurement and pattern construction through fabric selection and traveling the world over to find just the right embellishments. He also shares some of the "tricks of the trade" that he used to create Michael's magic. The many full-color close-up photographs are simply breathtaking. MJ fans will enjoy the many funny and touching stories that Mr. Bush shares, as well as the myths that he clears up. The book is printed on high-quality paper, which makes for a heavy tome, but I was impressed to learn that both the author and the publisher are contributing to worthy causes through the profits from this book.