Should Style "Experts" Make Women Cry? - Fashionista - Fashion Designers, Models, Shopping, Style

Today’s Guardian has an interview with Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine, the authors of The Body Shape Bible and the hosts of the new British TV show “Trinny and Susannah Undress the Nation.”

Trinny and Susannah, formerly of What Not to Wear, are most famous for stripping women to their underwear and making them cry, all in the name of a makeover, but they insist they give confidence to the women they make over, and that they aren’t bullies.

“I don’t think it’s what we say that makes women cry,” says Susannah. “It’s the realization of something about themselves that we act as a conduit to that makes them cry. Often it’s, “I can’t believe I’ve dressed like this for so many years. How can I have done this to myself?” It’s not that we go, “You are a fat, ugly cunt and there’s nothing you can do about yourself.”

Though the British form of fashion bullying seems a bit extreme, we’d be lying if we didn’t see it on reality TV shows in America, too - especially on anything Tyra related!

It may make for entertaining television, but are these style experts really all that different from their trash-talking middle school counterparts?

—ALISON COOL

posted by mckeb753

Nov 08, 2007 11:14AM

fashion offenders have to be talked down so that they can be built back up...if people can't accept that there's something not right about the way that they are dressing, they won't be compelled to change it. besides, people go on those shows knowing what they are getting themselves into, so it's hard to feel sorry for them, especially when they get handed $5000 to go buy new clothes.

posted by guest

Nov 08, 2007 11:51AM

I like Trinny and Susanne's method. It's tough love. I think it's great when they grab someone by their saggy bra and hoist their boobs up to where they should be sitting. And I like them a whole lot better than those two American nit wits on The Learning Channel. Those two sound like such idiots.

posted by Susan

Nov 08, 2007 1:03PM

This is going to sound harsh, but here's two things that come to mind. One, these women have boring style. Why would they have the gall how to tell anyone to dress? Two, why would anyone cry when told that they dress "incorrectly"? My reaction to these boring sorority/business-type dressers would be laughter and/or a giant roll of the eyes. Changing a wardrobe into something that a British reality show host would wear does not sound like a good way to boost confidence. It's a bit more psychologically complex than that.

posted by allison

Nov 08, 2007 1:52PM

susan:

sorority/business type dressers? haha how can those two even be joined by a slash

posted by brooksie

Nov 08, 2007 2:06PM

I can't stand these two. Their 'tude and frankly their looks simply reinforce the stereotypes about fashion and fashion people. For starters, they ain't great to look at lookswise or stylewise, so their aggression/condescending attitude towards people they deem "less fortunate" is rather laughable. Add to it the idea that they have such poor people skills and zero tact.....it simply makes many who view fashion people as stuckup and bitchy queens steer clear from fashion altogether. IOW, defeating the whole point.

Nov 08, 2007 3:34PM

I know, it's weird. I've joined them in my head for a long while b.c. the two groups of women who, to me at least, seem to dress in a manner which is boring, are those who are in sororities, and those who are business-y. Ok, more specifically, they seem to be dressing like those women on that Trump show, what was it called, The Apprentice. To make this even longer, sorry, they seem to both be the antithesis of style. The antithesis of trying to be stylish and individualistic.

posted by Annmarie

Nov 08, 2007 3:45PM

I always feel terrible for the makeover victims on Finola Hughes' show. Its one thing to go after somebody's clothes, but she always seems ti hit them in the personal areas where it really hurts, and they always end up crying. Frankly, by the end of it they sometimes look worse off than at the beginning of the episode.

And yeah, Trinny and Susannah's outfits are kind of boring. What advice are they giving?

posted by rachael

Nov 08, 2007 4:30PM

I understand the sorority/business thing...especially since I was in a sorority and I dress everyday in business attire. I think people see sororities as kind of preppy and cliche, which is fine because mine was just that. Designer jeans and polos during the day, party tops at night. It was a simple recipe. Thankfully by the end of my college career we all began to venture off into our own styles. As far as business dressing goes, the industry does not give much room for individualism. I try to throw in little hints of my style here and there...but for the most part its button down shirts and pencil skirts.

As far as Trinny and Susannah go, I find them entertaining. And although their style may not appeal to most on this site, it is still far above most women. It may not be creative or unique, but their style does allow women find flattering clothes that look nice and fit correctly. No one on any of these makeover shows will come out the other end as a style maven, but they will look put together. The common recipe for these makeover shows seems pretty simple...flattering trousers, bright blazer, silky top underneath. If that outfit is helping women look better, more power to it!