I love August, the month where a wheelbarrow is required to bring the September issues of my favorite fashion magazines in from the mailbox. I subscribe to Elle, Vogue and InStyle; I read Harper’s Bazaar at the bookstore while the boys flip through comic books. I like to see what trending for fall and winter, even though I know I will never wear most of it. (Leather and lace? No).

On a daily basis, though, I don’t turn to fashion magazines for style advice, but to a carefully culled library of style books. Unlike a magazine, which is both ephemeral and aspirational (they need you to buy the next issue, too, you see), books are permanent, and their advice tends to be more evergreen. In other words, your life will never look like a Vogue photo shoot, but a good shopping or style guide actually can help you hone your look.

So which guides are good?

Recently, I’ve been making my way through Nina Garcia’s fourth book, “What to Wear for Every Occasion,” which is a pragmatic compendium of advice for various milestones in every woman’s life. Garcia has divided the book into broad sections — work, dating, day, night — and then broken those into smaller moments. In the section on work, for example, she covers what to wear for the interview, for your first day at a new job, and to a big meeting. She also talks about what to wear when you work from home, in a section called “The Sweatpants Trap.” (Spoiler: Garcia is not a fan of spending the day working in your pajamas. I’m sure you’re shocked to hear that.)

Garcia’s advice is smart and practical and easy to follow. She believes in finding your own personal style, and she’s here to guide you as you search for it. The book itself is beautiful, with illustrations by artist Ruben Toledo. Toledo has illustrated all four of Garcia’s books; the images are the perfect foil for Garcia’s text.

This is a book you can return to over and over. Garcia’s advice is sound and her tone is upbeat and fun. Having “What to Wear for Every Occasion” on your bookshelf is like having Nina Garcia living in your closet. More or less.