Like all women, I have an interest in keeping my wardrobe updated and learning new techniques for applying makeup and styling hair. This has resulted in watching my share of makeover shows or makeover segments on talk shows. I have found a very simple formula that they all follow:1. Choose a stay-at-home mom who "no longer has time for herself". (It is common knowledge that women with a career have oodles of time for themselves and have impeccable taste).
2. Rifle through her current wardrobe and scoff at each piece. Underwear is not off limits. Maximize on this opportunity to express disbelief and condescension.
3. If the hair is long, cut it. If the hair is straight, curl it. Bangs if no bangs, etc...
4. Highlight, highlight, highlight.
5. Apply makeup.
6. Steps 3-5 must take a ridiculous amount of time and money to upkeep.
7. If your program has time, send the woman shopping by herself and mock her selections.
8. Dress the woman in 'dry clean only' clothing (a cocktail dress is preferable) with stiletto heels.
9. Reveal the new woman to her friends.
And... voila! You have transformed a frumpy, stay-at-home mom into a hottie ready for her new life attending board meetings, the opera, and black tie events.
But what is she supposed to wear when she's running errands, changing diapers, or doing housework? I've decided these shows focus too much on dramatic transformations rather than finding realistic solutions for the individual's lifestyle. Sure, they are entertaining, but I don't think they are very helpful or relevant. Plus, how hard is it to find a better solution to a sweatsuit? The before and after pictures don't even compare.
If you're looking for a good resource on wardrobe selection, I have found this book helpful. Any other great resources out there?
I totally blow-out my hair and put on my 4 inch heels to clean the bathroom. The heels give me an added advantage to get those hard to reach angles.
ReplyDeleteI bet they come in handy when cleaning grout too. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteThere is a male version at the gyms and on exercise infomercials. The before picture needs to show a hairy, pasty white person with poor posture. The after shows a person devoid of body hair with a tan and a layer of oil on it standing proud. I'm pretty sure you can achieve those results in one day.
ReplyDeleteso true!
ReplyDeletei always remember how on tim gunn's guide to style, they teased a mom about wearing the "mom uniform": t-shirt and capris. whenever i'm at playgroup and look around and we all are wearing the mom uniform, i chuckle to myself. while the shows are entertaining, am i really going to wear a dress and cute shoes to playgroup. i don't think so!