Lessons Learned from What Not To Wear

(Um...NO)
Do you watch What Not To Wear on TLC? Although I flatter myself that I would never be a candidate, I enjoy the show. Unlike 10 Years Younger, the participants on this transformative program receive no cosmetic procedures like Botox, lasik or teeth whitening. They get a new wardrobe, a good haircut and a makeup lesson. The main thing they receive, on almost every episode is a self-confidence makeover.

You can tell that some of these girls have chosen to dress in a manner that is so funky and so far out in response to their belief that they are not attractive. Somehow, somewhere in their past they were convinced that they could not be beautiful and so they became quirky. They wear their quirkiness like armor against the way they perceive that the world views them. Seeing themselves transformed by the end of the show into the beautiful women that they really are, never fails to move me.

Most of us will never get the opportunity to have two wardrobe experts take us shopping and teach us how to dress ourselves in the most flattering way and, as an added bonus, pay for it! On the show they teach some valuable lessons, which are repeated in almost every episode. One of the big ones is to dress the body we have, not the body we want. I’m with you, I don’t want to spend good money on a new outfit when I’m just about to lose ten pounds. How long have I been just about to lose those ten pounds? Okay, quite a while. Can’t bring yourself to buy a whole new wardrobe for THIS body? Buy one well-made, well-fitting outfit. You’ll probably decide that you look a lot better than you thought you did!

Buy quality as opposed to quantity. Better to have some good quality, timeless, mix and match separates than a whole closetful of cheap, trendy stuff. No reason not to grab an inexpensive blouse in the season’s hottest color but don’t make that sort of purchase be the backbone of your wardrobe. This rule applies to shoes, as well as clothes. I wish I were in a position to buy $300 shoes but I’m not. At the same time, those $10 black pumps from Payless, which are probably going to have to be replaced every season, aren’t such a bargain either. Buy the best quality you can afford. The other tip about quality shoes and clothes? Take care of them! Reattach loose buttons, re-stitch loose hems, polish shoes and get them re-heeled and re-soled as necessary. Good quality clothing and shoes that are well-taken care of will last for many years and in the long run, save you money. If you are fortunate enough to live in or near an affluent area, check out their consignment shops for good deals on higher-end wardrobe items.

Get rid of old, worn-out or non-flattering items taking up space in your closet. No matter how much you love the shirt you bought on that special trip to Hawaii twenty years ago, if it is tattered and coming apart at the seams, throw it out. Those clothes you wore when you were thirty pounds heavier? Donate them to Goodwill. Hanging on to them keeps you connected to the person you used to be. The same can be said for clothes you wore when you were thirty pounds lighter. There is nothing more depressing than looking at a bunch of clothes you can no longer fit into. If you ever do lose those thirty pounds, think how much fun you’ll have rewarding yourself with new clothes!

Buy well-fitting undergarments! Sad but true, gravity is not our friend. Well-fitting undergarments can reduce the look of all that sagging and bulging and make our bodies and the clothes we wear look a lot better.

The most important lesson from What Not To Wear? Try to look at yourself with new eyes. That really is what the show is all about. Try something new. Try some different styles. Get a makeup makeover from a cross-product expert but don’t buy anything until you’ve had a chance to catch sight of yourself in several different lighting situations including natural light.

We are all beautiful women, no matter our age, and we need to learn to see ourselves and dress ourselves in the way that best flatters us and lets our light shine!