Stacey & Clinton

I have a love-hate relationship with Stacey & Clinton (from TLC's "What Not to Wear"). I think they give some very wise advice, but sometimes they do things that irritate me. Because I like to finish on a positive note, I'll start with what I hate:

-They never let people keep a few grubbies. When they go through and purge the subject's closet, they never ever keep any t-shirts, workout attire or flip flops. I get that their motto is that you should look fabulous everywhere you go (i.e. you should always care what you look like; you never know who's watching!), but let's be honest: I don't need to wear a lace-trim cami, belted blazer, skinny jeans and a great wedge to run out for milk. Nor do I need to wear that attire when I'm playing blocks on the floor of my living room with my son. People need a few grubby clothes... let them have them!!

-Nick Arrojo (hairstylist). Thank goodness they have gotten rid of him and traded him for someone with a much more updated style and repertoire. Granted, I know Nick was part of the show and not necessarily "Stacey & Clinton" but I have to get this off my chest. He always seemed to do the same things to everyone's hair (chopped it all off) and made them look at least 10 years older. I also now share the same grudge as my favorite curly-haired friend: every person he "made over" with curly hair, he would blow it out and straighten it, rather than teaching them how to manage and style their hair curly. Sure, curly hair looks cute straightened, but it also looks good curly. I firmly believe we should all "own what you've got." If you have curly hair... own it!

-Copy/Paste. If you ever watch a marathon, you'll see this clear as day: they style everyone the exact same way. No two people are the same, nor should two people be styled the same way. Everyone has their own unique tastes and personalities, which can easily be incorporated into a made over wardrobe. There's no "one size fits all" in the fashion world, and cookie cuttering everyone into the same box is almost as bad as letting them go out in their ill-fitting, out dated, worn & torn wardrobe.

With my irritations out of the way, here are some great S&Cisms:

-You can mix patterns, as long as one is more subtle than the other.

-Black + Brown are ok together, because they are both neutral. Any neutrals go together.

-Use a tailor to get the "right" fit for you.

-Always start with a well-fitting bra and appropriate undergarments.

Finally, my personal fave:

"It doesn't match, it GOES."