Comments on: Beauty in a Wicked World: Hair, Homes, and Fashion as Feminism

By: Sarah Court

Sarah Court — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:16:55 +0000

Jennifer – I love that you hit on exactly what it is that I adore about this show as well. That it’s never about belittling the women or pointing out their flaws, but uncovering their beauty by allowing the clothes to truly reflect their insides. I love that more often than not, the women are crying at the end, not because they’re demoralized and shamed, but out of the relief of this inside-outside match.

By: Kimberlee Auerbach

Kimberlee Auerbach — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:43:31 +0000

What I love about this post is what you love about the show. You like seeing women feel empowered and good about themselves. You like women getting out of their own way and finding freedom in expressing their most beautiful, put together selves. Here’s to that!

By: Jennifer Gandin Le

Jennifer Gandin Le — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:23:42 +0000

Richard — you are cracking me up — you’ve described Clinton so well! I think adore him probably exactly because he’s similar to those two guys.

By: richard

richard — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:54:46 +0000

There actually were some men on in the first couple of years, before they dumped Wayne (who had seriously long hair) and added Clinton (who reminds me of either Don Knotts or Hank Williams Sr., I can’t tell which).

I understand what you say, and I think I agree, but I can’t get past thinking that Nick and Carmindy are better at giving advice than using it themselves….

By: Jennifer Gandin Le

Jennifer Gandin Le — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 12:58:41 +0000

I think you’re talking especially about the secret footage and the 360 degree mirror part of the show, right? (For non-viewers — the participants are secretly taped in various outfits and excursions for two weeks prior to the show. Once they agree to the makeover, Stacy & Clinton sit them down and they watch and heckle the secret footage. And the 360 degree mirror is just that — a small room of mirrors where participants get a chance to see what their clothes look like from all angles.)

Yeah, sometimes they can be harsh — but I’ve noticed that it is NEVER about the women themselves or their actual physical bodies. The teasing is only about their clothing, and is usually accompanied by compliments on their actual bodies. (ie. “Do you see how this t-shirt makes you look like you’re 20 pounds heavier than you actually are? You have an amazing curvy hourglass waist and you should be dressing to accentuate it.”)

Some women do get upset, but sometimes they even admit that they don’t believe what they’re saying about their style. For most, that kind of extreme clothing criticism is exactly what they need to shake them up and make them aware of how poorly they are serving their beautiful bodies.

I don’t think their harshness is what draws viewers. For my part, I know that I LOVE watching the show because of the amazing transformations that happen in these women. And also for the excellent tips on how clothes should fit on my body.

P.S. I should also say that I have no idea what the real motive of the show is, but this is what I take from it. However, I must say that I’m watching a lot of TLC these days, and they show some pretty progressive programming (including commercials featuring non-homophobic situations with gay couples).

By: Courtney E. Martin

Courtney E. Martin — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:19:48 +0000

JGL, thanks for spelling this out for me because I never would have seen this. The idea that women shy away from their own fullest, richest beauty is a really powerful one. I have felt this inclination since middle school where standing out meant being commented on, losing control of my own image and the way it might be perceived.
But…I guess I can’t get past the “harsh fashion critic” role. Why do they have to dress it up in that if the real motive is to help women buy clothes that will make loving their bodies easier?
I’ve caught the show before and they seem like they are torturing a lot of the women who get picked, making fun of them, mocking them, really cutting them down. Doesn’t that part make you mad? Do they think that their ratings would plummet if they were actually nice to these women? Maybe they would…