After more than a decade of hosting style shows, Stacy London makes a surprisingly revolutionary statement. “I just don’t like the term ‘makeover’ or ‘makeunder,’” she says. “I really feel like it’s about transformation in perspective.” You may remember London from “What Not to Wear.” She now hosts “Love, Lust or Run,” currently in its third season on TLC.On the series, London helps women tone down their over-the-top style — without taking their spirit away. She doesn’t necessarily force them to conform to conventional style; she just helps hone the message they convey through their clothes. Related: Nobody wears it, so why does haute couture matter? What to expect this season Instead of taking the most extreme cases, they’ve focused on more extreme messages. “You’ll see people that are still a little bit wack-a-doodle,” she says. “There are also people I feel are more relatable. They’re making mistakes that are important to talk about.” Related: How a junk food vegan fought food addiction and won The key to personal style Not sure where to start? “You’ve got to spend time with your body. That means spending a lot of time in front of a mirror naked,” she says bluntly. “Sit in front of a mirror until all of that emotion burns away and you are able to look at yourself objectively and say, ‘Alright, I get it. I have emotions about my body. I hate my ass. I love my boobs.’” Then use those feelings to find a game plan. In this case, London suggests, “You want to consciously camouflage your tush and you want to highlight your boobs, ’cause they’re great.”
She never wants women to hide their body parts, explaining, “You’re perfect. You are a unique set of atoms and that is nothing to be ashamed of. I want to take shame out of the equation and I want people to accept that they’re not all going to look like Gisele [Bündchen].” “Tough break, maybe next time around you will,” she jokes. “Frankly, Gisele isn’t going to always look like Gisele. She’s going to get old like the rest of us.”
Related: Brooke Burke-Charvet’s tips for keeping the whole family healthy Why people tune in “That may mean a pair of new jeans or leaving a bad marriage,” London says. “It’s all symbolic. Clothes are just my way of getting into it.”
Season 3 of “Love, Lust or Run” airs Fridays at 10 p.m. on TLC.
On this Friday’s episode (airing Feb. 12), viewers will meet one of London’s favorite ladies from this season. Geraldine is an older woman working at Columbia University. “Wait until you get a load of her,” London teases. “I have kept in touch with her ever since. She is truly the person you will meet on television.”
When asked for a universal style tip, London says, “You have to be self aware.” Tying into this, she adds, “You can’t be in the body you once were. You can’t be in the body you wish you were in the future. You have to be in the present body. That is the key to having great style.”
Speaking to the power of style shows, she says, “When people relate to what they see, whether it’s a woman being vulnerable or confessing she really doesn’t know what she’s doing, it spreads a message of hope. If transformation for them is possible, it’s possible for anybody.”
Stacy London focuses on personal transformation on ‘Love, Lust or Run’
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