NATURALLY TAN
BY TAN FRANCE
Do you know Tan France? Certainly, watchers of Queer Eye will recognize the name. As Netflix announces the tenth and final season of the epic queer makeover show, I thought it was great to delve into this book. Darling readers, this week's Fashion Book Friday is wrapped in denim, stitched with sincerity, and topped off with a perfectly executed French tuck. Naturally Tan by the one and only Tan France is part memoir, part style guide, and all heart. It's precisely what you'd expect from the fashion guru of Queer Eye: cheeky, charming, and brimming with closet-clearing wisdom.
But don't be fooled—it's not just about silk shirts and sockless loafers. This book is Tan's love letter to identity, culture, and surviving with style when the world tries to shrink you down. A must-read for anyone who's ever stood out, been told to fit in, or struggled to love what they see in the mirror. Now, before we strut any further, let's meet the man behind the perfectly styled magic...
About the Author
Tan France (born Tanveer Wasim Safdar in 1983) is a British-Pakistani, Muslim, gay, and fully fabulous individual. Born and raised in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, Tan grew up in a conservative Pakistani household where queerness and self-expression were more whispered about than worn out loud. But thanks to his grandfather's denim factory (yes, fashion literally ran in his blood), Tan started styling before he could spell "stylist.”
He worked his way through high-street fashion giants like Zara and Selfridges. Tan France sought new opportunities and immigrated to America. It was here with a Mormon friend that he started his own successful women's ready-to-wear line, Kingdom & State. But it wasn't until he joined Queer Eye's Fab Five in 2018 that Tan became a household name—becoming the first openly gay South Asian man on Western television. Since then, he's taken on parenting, hosting (Next in Fashion), and passport stamps from every corner of culture. With his signature silver streak and no-nonsense style edits, Tan has become an icon of inclusion, visibility, and impeccable tailoring. And yes, the man really hates flip-flops, and with this, I couldn't agree more.
TAN FRANCE
THE QUEER EYE- FAB FIVE
Tan on the set
NATURALLY TAN
By Tan France
What's Inside
Naturally Tan reads like a very chic sleepover with your funniest, most stylish friend. The book is loosely organized around fashion staples—blazers, denim, sunglasses, you name it—but each piece becomes a launching pad for a story: growing up brown in a white town, navigating racism and homophobia, the pressure to be a "good immigrant," and the freedom that comes with self-acceptance.
Tan gives us behind-the-scenes gossip from Queer Eye (no spoilers, but let's just say Jonathan Van Ness's energy is very real), and he generously doles out fashion advice along the way. His tone is confessional and conversational—think late-night WhatsApp voice notes, but with better vocabulary and less chaos.
There's also plenty of glamour: from his early retail jobs to styling for celebrities, and eventually, to his role as the fashion therapist of the Fab Five. But what elevates this book is Tan's honesty—about colourism within the South Asian community, coming out in a religious family, and being mistaken for the valet more than once in L.A.
Style Notes by Tan France
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Tone: Delightfully British with just enough bite. Tan's voice is warm, funny, and refreshingly self-aware. He's also from the North of England, like my family, and I delight in some of his Northern humour and expressions.
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Pacing: Quick, breezy chapters with a mix of memoir and wardrobe wisdom. Perfect for reading in bed with a face mask and a cuppa.
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Fashion Tips: Practical and precise—Tan is not here for trends, but he will save you from shapeless jeans and bad tailoring.
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Highlights: A chapter titled "Chapstick," his lifelong hatred of flip-flops, and his love story with husband Rob—tender, awkward, and beautifully grounded.
J. Andrew's Take
What I adore about Naturally Tan is that it doesn't try to be more than it is. It's not trying to be a political manifesto or a literary heavyweight—it's a heartfelt conversation about life, style, and finding joy in your reflection. Tan doesn't claim to have all the answers (though he does have all the blazers), but he shares what he's learned with radical generosity.
His style advice is timeless—ditch fast fashion, get your trousers tailored, know your proportions—and his life advice is even better: be unapologetically yourself, even when that self doesn't fit the mould. Especially then.
It's not the deepest memoir out there, but it doesn't need to be. Like a good outfit, it's well-balanced, thoughtfully layered, and totally authentic. If you're looking for representation, laughter, or just a little style boost, this one's for you.
Final Thoughts
Naturally Tan is like that one friend who always tells you the truth—but hugs you after. It's the story of a queer South Asian Muslim man who carved out a space in fashion, television, and culture—and did it with kindness, grace, and a killer shoe game.
Add it to your shelf, pass it to a friend, or read it on a flight while wearing your best blazer. I listened to this book, and because Tan is a media personality, listening to him read the book was utterly delightful. Just… don't even think about flip-flops.
CIAO FOR NOW, J. ANDREW JACKSON