The iconic TLC makeover show “What Not to Wear” has died and reincarnated as “Wear Whatever the F You Want.” This reboot sees the return of Stacy London and Clinton Kelly (Medill ’93) as they develop their clients’ personal styles. The new show is a flawed but much improved format in comparison to its predecessor.
In “What Not to Wear” (which aired from 2003-2013), participants were offered $5,000 to shop for a new wardrobe on the condition that they threw away their old clothes. London and Kelly were brutal in their critiques, getting rid of the majority of clients’ closets and replacing them with a basic early-2000s office casual wardrobe. It didn’t matter if someone already had or enjoyed their own personal style; if London and Kelly didn’t approve, it had to go.
In “Wear Whatever the F You Want,” which premiered April 29 on Amazon Prime video, London and Kelly are simultaneously much less critical and more eager to please, taking into account each client’s preferences to ensure they end the episode in the outfit of their dreams.
Clients are not asked to get rid of their old clothes or put their personal style on the backburner. Instead, London and Kelly base their wardrobe selections around ideas given by the show’s participants. Clients named fashion icons from Dolly Parton to Billie Joe Armstrong as their style inspirations, and the stylist duo adapted to them all.
While the new show’s format is a bit rushed (clients only work with London and Kelly for two days), “Wear Whatever the F You Want” simply cannot be bad because of its incredible casting. The strong personalities featured on the show are loveable and bright; I couldn’t pick a favorite episode. Everyone seemed enthusiastic about the process, making them much more fun to watch than the often reluctant participants on “What Not to Wear.”
However, I couldn’t help but wonder how the clients would dress when they returned home. Most of the outfits London and Kelly selected were clearly intended for date nights or events; what were these people supposed to wear on a daily basis?
While “Wear Whatever the F You Want” isn’t perfect, it’s a huge step up from its successor, as the final episode proves.
When the final client, Selena, walked on set, I felt my heart drop; what were they going to do to her? Her style was already absolutely gorgeous: hair streaked with green, a black coat with neon green fur lining, a watering can purse. It was the neon-goth look of my dreams.
What she wanted? A professional, ’90s-preppy transformation.
I sat in anticipation, waiting for the blazers, pencil skirts and other business-casual fare “What Not to Wear” was infamous for. When she asked the hairstylist for a bob, I gasped in horror.
“What Not to Wear” hair stylist Nick Arrojo (who parted ways with the show after six seasons and did not return for the reboot) had given every woman who sat in his chair the same awkward, chin-length cut that was devoid of personality. He’d motivated my elementary school-aged self to cut my own hair into a bob that now haunts my childhood photos — I didn’t want Selena to suffer as I had.
However, I was pleasantly surprised. Selena spoke about how she had simply outgrown her goth style and wanted to dress in a way that would allow her to be taken seriously as a businesswoman. London and Kelly accommodated this beautifully, giving her colorful two piece sets and dresses that showed her personality while still allowing her to look professional; there wasn’t a pencil skirt in sight. Even the bob, a shaggy cut with an adorable set of bangs, worked out in the end.
In “Wear Whatever the F You Want,” London and Kelly are more accommodating, kind and, dare I say, fashionable. They’ve clearly grown over the years, and they’re the perfect people to help their clients do the same.
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