What Not To Wear

Although I almost never watch television these days, I do have one show I watch anytime I can— TLC’s “What Not To Wear.” I relate on a deep level to those girls who can’t seem to put together an outfit and are frustrated with a body that clothes just don’t seem to fit right.

So, last summer when my boss asked me and my co-worker Kelsey what kind of incentive we wanted to complete an enormous training project, I convinced Kelsey that what we really wanted a What Not To Wear shopping spree with my sister Anna acting as Stacy and Clinton.



This took a little longer than initially anticipated as we worked to get down to a
size we wanted to buy clothes for, but in April we were finally ready. I did some pre-shopping in Park City and came home completely depressed because none of the new styles looked good on me.



Enter Anna and her magic.

She’d been collecting coupons and analyzing my existing wardrobe for months, and called me one day saying the sales were on and she’d already had clothes on hold for me at the mall. I took an early lunch and met her there. As I tried on the stacks of clothes she had waiting for me and looked in the mirror, I gasped . I was stunning! She chose exactly the right styles and colors and put them together like a work of art. We’d go through stores and she would run her fingers through the racks of clothes and come up with the perfection. And she did the same thing for Kelsey.



This went on for several days. One of those days, Anna had to bring all 4 of her boys (5 and under) with her. My co-worker and I would take turns entertaining the boys in the dressing room or playing hide and seek in the shoe store while the other tried on and got the approval nod or disapproval shake from Anna. Another day, we brought our entire closets to her house, tried on every piece of clothing we owned, and she told us what we had to get rid of. I could tell that there were things she’d been dying to have me get rid of by the look of satisfaction on her face when they hit the discard pile.

The whole thing was like a college-level education in fashion merchandizing with classes in ensemble, the rules of shoes (my worst subject) and what you should and shouldn’t match. I was one of the most purely fun experiences of my life and I’m so grateful to have such a talented and giving sister. Everyone I told about it wished they had an Anna!