The Snuh Zone

TLC’s What Not to Wear July 28, 2009

I watch very, very few (non-sports, non-news) t.v. shows on a regular basis. TLC’s What Not to Wear is one in a very small group of shows. I’ve found that people who are aware of the show but haven’t watched it have a certain amount of cynicism behind a perceived message. Now you can make fun of me all you want for watching this show, and I’m fine with it, but I still think it can be worth your time because:

• They understand and promote affordable clothing. They aren’t looking for you to always be buying shirts that are $100’s of dollars. However, they do say buy quality not quantity and you’ll end up saving way more in the long run.
• Reasonable style. So, a lot of episodes actually deliver very polished but not crazy cutting edge runway looks. It would be better to call it fashion for the real world. This also applies to the hair cuts Nick makes, which is generally the point where most will really see the transformation.
• There are lessons you can apply yourself. While its all fun to see someone else change so much, the real value to watching is the advice on colour, fit, and style for a personal wardrobe.

I’ve watched the BBC version of the show and I do not find it as entertaining. If you have TLC, I’d say try to catch the show. Stacy and Clinton are also hilarious. Also, the majority of episodes are for women, so fellas it might take a while for you to apply the rules for yourself. The cynicism that I referenced earlier is the belief the show promotes only a certain “look” and you’ll somehow be a different person. The truth is, the show is only trying to show that how you present yourself matters to how you are perceived and for most adults that means with a certain degree of respect. The fashion advice normally sticks to enhancing yourself and your message without the visual noise of odd/poor fitting clothing.