In the classic Madonna song "Vogue," there is a line that goes something like: "She had style, she had grace / Rita Hayworth gave good face." Indeed, Ms. Hayworth's milky skin, seductive eyes, and glamorous persona embodied what most of us imagine when we think of "style." Yet, as author Virginia Postrel argues in her compelling book, The Substance of Style: How the Rise of Aesthetic Value is Remaking Commerce, Culture, and Consciousness, style today means more than just having an attractive exterior. No longer is it sufficient either to have a pleasant face and astute fashion sense, or, to be unattractive but witty and intelligent. Today, Postrel states, one must be both "smart and pretty."

Far from being a superficial concern of a select few, Postrel aptly demonstrates that style has an important meaning in not just Western or American culture, but in cultures around the world. Although some would argue that the desire for aesthetic pleasures has increased because of American advertising, Postrel disagrees, asserting that beauty has long been a concern of all peoples, regardless of their culture or exposure to media. She illustrates her point with an example of Afghan women defying the Taliban in order to get their nails and hair done, even though their bodies were completely covered and their embellishments concealed. Furthermore, humans historically have always looked for ways to make their appearance more unique and beautiful, inventing such processes as tattooing, dying cloth, and adorning the body with piercings and jewelry. Certainly, no one can argue that ancient cultures sought to beautify their bodies because the media put the idea in their heads.

Undeniably, the quest for beauty is innate. However, Postrel asserts that the quest for all things aesthetically pleasing has become more apparent in the last couple of decades. Whereas good function used to be the main concern of consumers, now the products must also look good. Noticing the current trends in our culture, including media and consumer habits, Postrel notes that we are indeed living in an "Age of Aesthetics." Today, nearly all consumers feel they have the right to products, environments, and even people who are not only smart, but pretty, too.

Postrel makes her points clear with pertinent examples of how pure function and fine style can easily work together. For instance, interior design-based television shows such as "Trading Spaces" have gained wide popularity for their fresh ways of refashioning rooms in average homes. The show's designers decorate space in an attractive, creative way that is still functional and economical. While these shows use a team of designers to help create the homes' new looks, average people perform most of the creative work, operating on shoestring budgets. Here, "smart" is making a space more useful and roomy while spending less than a thousand dollars, and "pretty" is making the room more beautiful and indicative of the owner's personality.

Postrel's excellent research also demonstrates how technology has allowed companies to focus more on the design of their products. While having good technology allows all companies to develop a functional, working product, the companies that flourish are the ones who take design into strong consideration. Even computers- machines with purely functional purposes will not sell well today if they are the boring, gray boxes of the past. Companies, like Apple Computers, who use innovative design realize that today's consumer wants a product that functions well-and comes in a wide variety of colors and shapes, too. When these design innovators raise the bar on consumer's expectations, other companies must also improve their design, or go bankrupt. Postrel clearly shows that technology improves companies' abilities to compete by creating aesthetically pleasing products.

In a humorous, yet important example, Postrel uses the quotidian toilet brush to illustrate the effect of aesthetics on sales-design has moved into consideration when purchasing even the most mundane, essential household object. Of course, one can buy a functional toilet brush for a minimal cost; yet many are choosing to spend upwards of two hundred dollars on this item because it appeals to their sense of style. Still, no one would buy the brush if it did not perform its intended function well. Consumers have the luxury to choose products in regards to how they look and feel and fit into the rest of their home's style. Only in an aesthetic age would consumers choose toilet brushs that they feel defines who they are.

Consumers in today's aesthetic age also can choose to spend their free time in places that appeal to their individual sense of style. Postrel cites Starbucks as an example of how aesthetic concerns have become integral to public businesses. For instance, the color scheme of each Starbucks, though displaying a great deal of unity between stores-is unique for each location. Though you may be able to get the same venti decaf soy caramel latte at any Starbucks store, the paint colors or countertop design may differ just enough from store to store to make customers feel slightly more inclined to visit one Starbucks rather than the one right across the street.

Yet, as Postrel appropriately mentions, when design becomes such a fundamental part of modern life, who should dictate what is good or bad design? In many communities design boards must approve any proposed changes, and Postrel cites several instances in which creativity was stifled in the name of good design. For instance, towns with conservative design boards may believe that only brick buildings are acceptable and will reject a plan to incorporate a glass-front structure, even if it is to be designed by a well-known architect. These board members may not have the artistic training that qualifies them to make such significant decisions.

Although Postrel is quick to point out that the aesthetic regulation in these towns can help make the streets more beautiful, she argues that in environments that allow mistakes, great art will also be allowed to occur. If we prohibit the missteps, we may inadvertently prohibit the next Picasso or Frank Lloyd Wright.

In this thought-provoking, optimistic book, Postrel's numerous examples and detailed historical analysis merge into a key premise explaining why we are living in this age of aesthetics-individualism and identity. What we own, where we go, and how we look all help define who we are: "I like that. I'm like that."

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