Fashion Show Victims

With no job prospect in sight, let me rephrase that, with no urge or motivation to even look for a job, I spend my time watching a lot of TV. My schedule has been very off, I wake up around noon and don't go to sleep until 3~4am. I like to think I'm living in the Pacific time zone now.

In the afternoon shows, other than catching up with the all important Desperate Housewives since I haven't really seen that much of it previously, although sometimes I wish it was on HBO or Showtimes, so I can see some more risque shots of Jesse Metcalfe, James Denton, Shawn Pyfrom or Lee Tergesen. Of course, the storylines are embarrassing and Terri Hatcher can't act for shit, but that's beside the point.

Along with soaps, another show that comes up on the afternoon is a reality makeover show on TLC called What Not To Wear. I used to watch a lot of TLC during their interior decorating shows phase with Trading Spaces and While You Were Out, by comparison What Not To Wear is a lot crappier but they serve to kill some time. But then there are something about these shows that bugs me...

When I say these shows, I meant to say makeover shows in general. Bravo's Tim Gunn's Guide To Style, and TLC's Ten Years Younger follows a formula in which the first part of the show is to berate and shame their subjects to give them motivation to change their appearance, then a tutorial correcting their ways followed by a shopping spree and then a dramatic reveal in front of their friends, colleagues and families.

My problem with these shows comes in a few folds. Aside from the people getting helped are 99% female, some of them don't need help. Some of these participants are nominated by their friends and families that supposedly love these fashion victims but can't bare to be seen with them because of what they are wearing. It's just too embarrassing. Or these fashion victims didn't realize their full potential that their friends and families realized for them, hence they need to change. If you love he person, shouldn't you just accept them for who they are?

Some of them have quirky personalities and their X'mas sweaters or giant scarves reflect that, why does everyone have to be the same and dress the same way? Given, I'm not advocating for my big chested sisters to wear a t-shirt saying Juicy right around the chest line to the office, (Even though it actually happened before) but not everyone have to wear matching suits or get a $150,000 wardrobe. Why abandon your sense of self just to make other people happy?

Most of the transformation happens during the haircut and the make up anyway. Aside from a master like Tim Gunn, some of the transformations are not really that necessary. The results are not much better than before the transformation, sometimes even worse. The subject turns into another generic figure that can be easily forgotten, the personalities get lost and what do you have afterwards but another mannequin on the street? Of course being the center of attention would make anyone feel good, but what do you learn from the experience? Give anyone a few thousand dollars and they can get pretty clothes, aren't we just promoting commercialism and that money can solve everything?

I feel worse for those who didn't want to change at the first place and then get defensive and hesitant to change and ends up with something that neither them nor the stylist wanted.

I guess I have a problem conforming for other's approval. I got really heated reading an etiquette article online where the author said you have to pay 25% for tips when you're dining out and a few dollars more matters that much, you shouldn't eat out at the first place. Another article can come out next month to say that if you don't tip 30% or 40%, you're completely low class and you should just stay home. It's quite irresponsible and obnoxious to even suggest that. But then maybe it's just me, maybe I'm just insanely jealous...


What Not To Wear Before and After - Is it really that bad before and is it so much better after? The after pic just look so fake.