What Not to Wear (US)

Infobox Television
show_name = What Not To Wear


caption =
format = Reality show
camera = Multi-camera
picture_format = 480i (SDTV) and 1080i (HDTV)
runtime = approx. 52 minutes
creator =
executive_producer =
starring = Clinton Kelly
Stacy London
Nick Arrojo
Carmindy
narrated = Adam Harrington
theme_music_composer =
opentheme =
endtheme =
country = USA
network = TLC
first_aired = January 18, 2003
last_aired = present
num_seasons = 6
num_episodes = 215
website = http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/whatnottowear/whatnottowear.html
imdb_id = 0393009
tv_com_id = 20809

"What Not to Wear" is an American reality television show which is based on a British version of the show. The program currently airs on The Learning Channel (TLC) and is hosted by Stacy London and Clinton Kelly.

Episode format

Typically, the participant is nominated by their friends and relatives, although some episodes ask for self-nominations, such as the class reunion specials or mall-nominations ("What Not to Wear" set up 360-degree mirrors in various malls across the US for self-nominations). If the subject is nominated by others, the show then secretly follows and videotapes the participant for two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, Stacy and Clinton review the secret footage and prepare to surprise the participant. During the surprise visit, the participant is offered a Bank of America Visa card in the amount of US $5,000 to buy a whole new wardrobe, but there is a catch: They must turn over their existing wardrobe to Stacy and Clinton and be prepared for honest criticism. If the participant accepts, they are brought to New York City for a week of evaluation, shopping, and hair and makeup styling.

On the first day of the participant's visit, Stacy and Clinton review the secret footage with the participant and also go through their entire wardrobe, which the participant brought with them. They critique the items and most of the clothes are tossed in a large garbage can (this is an act to make the show more dramatic; Stacy and Clinton have admitted on-air that the clothes are donated to charity). As they sort through the wardrobe, the participant tries on typical outfits and steps inside the infamous 360 degree mirror. Stacy and Clinton pop in to comment on why the outfit is not as great as the participant thought. Although Stacy and Clinton often give harsh criticism and make sarcastic remarks, they typically follow up with reasons that the clothes do not flatter the body (for instance, baggy t-shirts making a person look wider rather than smaller). At the end of the day, they present three different complete outfits to the participant to help illustrate the rules that they will need to follow as they shop for new clothes. In later episodes, they began providing Polaroid photos of the outfits to the participants.

The participant is then given two days to shop for clothes. On the first day, they visit various New York stores (including Sears, H&M, Bloomingdales, and Macy's) independently. Stacy and Clinton watch the videotaped footage and comment for the benefit of the viewers, letting the audience know if the participant is following the rules they set forth. On the second day, Stacy and Clinton surprise the nominee, comment on whether the previous day's purchases follow the rules they set out, and tag along while the nominee shops.

After shopping, hair stylist Nick Arrojo and makeup artist Carmindy work on the nominee's hair and makeup respectively. For men, Carmindy either works on facial hair or instructs on skin care, often suggesting a microdermabrasion or use of a moisturizer.

At the end, the participant models three outfits for Stacy and Clinton (who have not seen them after Nick and Carmindy's input) to show how they have learned to follow the rules that Stacy and Clinton set for them. After that, the participant shows their new total look to their friends and family.

Credited cast

Current

*Stacy London, fashion consultant
*Clinton Kelly, fashion consultant
*Nick Arrojo, hair stylist
*Carmindy, makeup artist

Former cast

The US series was originally co-hosted by Stacy London and Wayne Scot Lukas, a celebrity stylist. He was succeeded after the first season by Clinton Kelly. In 2008, narrator Adam Harrington resigned.

References

ee also

What Not to Wear (UK)

External links

* [http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/whatnottowear/whatnottowear.html "What Not to Wear" fan site on Discovery.com]
* Episode Listing: [http://www.tv.com/what-not-to-wear/show/20809/summary.html TV.com - What Not to Wear]