Make-Over Shows

I feel like there are more and more shows on TV that show people undergoing a makeover. Only recently have I discovered shows like What not to Wear, Love, Lust or Run and Style by Jury. Funnily enough I haven't seen a single male participant. The shows are basically about women having stylistic problems, they dress inappropriately for the situation and wear no or evidently too much make-up. But what do these shows teach us, and why are they so appealing?

From what I gather, the usual script goes like this: family and friends of the person who is to undergo the makeover submit a sort of application in their name to the TV show they want the 'problematic' person to participate in. The 'problem' is then addressed, the experts (the hosts) advise the participant on how they should dress, dispose of all of their old wardrobe and give them money to buy new clothes, but only ones they approve of.

After that, the participant receives a new haircut and make-up and shows themselves to their family.

The funny part, in my opinion, is the stress throughout all the program on the fact how the whole process is totally not superficial and how the way we look influences one's personality. The hosts always make sure to underline how it helps in self-acceptance to dress properly and to look good. Almost always the participants end up crying and realizing that their dressing problems are a result of deeper, often family- or love-related issues.

In my opinion, these TV shows are done very very well to sell themselves. They play a lot on the audience's emotions and, if you don't analyse it in more depth, their logic makes sense. The participants are forced to throw away all their own clothes and many people (especially women) have an emotional connection to their wardrobe, they remember the occasions for which they wore particular pieces; I for one understand that the parting is difficult. They show you how happy you can be when looking into the mirror and how fulfilling it is to look good. They often have women who are intellectuals, which adds to the credibility of the shows.

But that's it: they are always women. Thus it is yet another illustration of the fact that women's looks are their most important features. And even though the motto of these shows tends to be: "nothing superficial here, just trying to find peace with myself and resolve my childhood problems", to me they scream 'superficiality'.

Another aspect is that the shows are designed to make you feel good about yourself (as the audience). They tend to depict middle-aged, average-looking women, which just shows that anybody has the potential to be beautiful. Just a little make-up, a new dress and voi-la! self esteem boosted, audience rates go higher, everyone's happy. "Everybody needs a little TLC"...