It's a Friday night, and my Fiance and I are at our local bar having our usual Friday evening cocktails after dinner. But I keep checking my watch. It's 8:45, and I'm dying to get the check. Why? Because I have to be home by 9 to watch Stacy and Clinton!
What better way to kick off the weekend then by tuning into channel 52 for an all new episode of TLC's What Not To Wear? The emotion at 8:59 on Fridays is similar to the anticipation the first week of August when the September issues are about to hit newsstands. Exhilaration. Giddiness.Like an honest friend, Stacy and Clinton help one person each week transform themselves from dowdy and underwhelming to modern and inspiring. The witty hosts do not rely on demeaning criticism, but rather employ constructive critique with an abundance of humor. (Last week I heard Stacy tell a woman she looked like Archy Bunker in drag. Poetic, and so illustrative!) The price the student must pay in order to receive a $5,000 gift card for a new wardrobe is the complete disclosure of her current closet, and the subsequent disposal of all items. (Perhaps you are not familiar with the ultimate high that comes along with the seasonal closet purge, but it is something everyone should experience at least once a year. Trust me.)
The show is filled with the expected meltdowns that accompany a huge overhaul of one's personal style (nothing is more personal than style) but the focus remains on the clothes, the hair, and the makeup that make the person whole to the outside world. During final exams in law school while my classmates came dressed like dirty piles of unfolded laundry, I always dressed in skirts or slacks. You can't really feel confident if you allow your inner turmoil in trying times to spill to the outside facade that shows people what lies beneath. (I wish I had a camera at the New York Bar Exam, the atrocities I saw make one wonder how anyone becomes a licensed attorney these days.) So tune in Fridays for a lesson in dressing that can add a little fire to your style.
You know, I used to watch this show and then sort of forgot about it. But then I happened to catch an episode recently and remembered how good it is. So I'm going to try to catch the repeats more often. And thanks so much for the link love. There's a reciprocal link on my blog. :)
ReplyDeleteHa, nice post. What do you think the hosts would say about the girl who showed up to day 2 of the bar in heels and a mini-skirt looking like she was on her way to a club?
ReplyDelete