What Not To Wear – Not Quite Primetime

“Nobody likes a saggy crotch.” — Clinton Kelly

When you ask a woman what her favorite TLC show is, more often than not, she’ll respond, “What Not To Wear!” Even Ayla Kell admitted in a recent interview that the makeover show is one of her guilty pleasures. So what is it about makeover gurus Stacy London and Clinton Kelly that is so addicting?

There are a few elements of What Not To Wear that I believe make it attractive to viewers:

• Familiarity. Lots of women can relate to the feeling that nothing in her closet looks good (even though that’s never really true). I know that, personally, it takes a lot of effort to look put together, especially now that I have a baby and really don’t have time to dress myself, let alone go shopping for a new look. Which brings me to the opposite of familiarity, which is …
• The Fantasy Aspect. Who wouldn’t love $5,000 and the chance to take a trip to New York to shop at whatever stores you want? And then get a great haircut and your makeup done? And then have a huge party thrown in your honor where all your friends and family get to see you looking fabulous? Don’t we fantasize every day about a makeover fairy coming to your house and giving you a break from your hectic life in order to make yourself look awesome?!??! (I can’t be the only one … right?)
• Humor. Even though grumpy guys like my husband would disagree, Stacy and Clinton are funny people and great hosts. They poke fun at the women on the show while they throw all their unsightly, outdated, or embarrassing clothing into a trash can. But they do it out of love!
• Great Tips. I learned great points about what I should and shouldn’t do with dresses, shorts, jeans, dress pants, and jackets from the show.
• Relief That There Is Hope. You know how sometimes, you think you look great, and then other times, you think you look horrible? And not over the course of a few months, but sometimes even within a day or two — or simply with a wardrobe change? That’s because there really are some things that certain body types should not wear. (For me: skinny and/or low-rise jeans, tube tops, and maxi dresses. Yuck.) But there are also, most definitely, things that each body type can wear! It’s amazing what an empire waist or a cap sleeve can do for some people.

For those of you who have never seen the show before, here’s a quick rundown of the format:

Family and friends of [embarrassing dresser] contact TLC and send photos, videos, etc. proving she needs a makeover. Hidden cameras follow [embarrassing dresser] around for a little while. Stacy and Clinton show up and surprise [embarrassing dresser], and the gang gathers around as they watch the horrifying footage, usually with the “friends” who set it up.

Stacy and Clinton ask [embarrassing dresser] if they agree to hand over their wardrobe (and pretty much any poor fashion choices from here on out) in exchange for a credit card, shopping spree, and makeover. Stacy and Clinton watch [embarrassing dresser] via webcam, commenting and screaming appropriately.

Stylists Ted Gibson and Carmindy round out the lineup by putting the finishing touches on [embarrassing dresser]’s new look. [Embarrassing dresser] takes the training wheels off by showing Stacy and Clinton a little preview of what they’ve bought and what they’ve been able to do with their new pieces. Finally, [embarrassing dresser] has her “swan moment” as she is greeted by a huge crowd at an event celebrating her new look.

And on this morning’s episode of WNTW, the event was a high school reunion! The show, which aired at 9:00 A.M. on OWN, featured Marissa P. She was one of three women in a three-episode series which followed her and her old high school pals Cheryl and Stacey as they approached their 20-year high school reunion. Pile that on top of the fact that they hadn’t seen each other since graduation!

This theme, that of “The reunion,” hits home for many viewers. It seems as though many people fear their high school reunion. I’ll probably be one of those women who feel equal amounts of excitement and dread when the 20-year one rolls around. I guess to some, how comfortable you feel at your reunion is a sign of your self-perceived success since you graduated. (And yes, how you look is only one aspect of why people feel nervous at reunions; there’s a whole slew of other concerns for those of us who can’t help but be competitive.) As Clinton and Stacy point out, you really want to show off all you’ve accomplished since you left.

I liked that there was a goal to the episode — to get a snazzy new look for this event. And I should mention that even though Clinton and Stacy give their clients tough love,they are extremely caring and are usually pretty emotionally attached to their “project” by the time they are done with them.

Anyway, if you want an hour (or more!) of makeover madness, with a touch of snarkiness, a bit of humor, and a lot of love, try What Not To Wear on for size. (Just make sure it suits your body type.) Check out the show’s website for the next showing.

Clacked by Rachel Blum-Jose
on Jun 09, 2011 @ 15:00 EST5EDT