With TV’s top dressers Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine heading to Swindon to sign their latest style bible “What You Wear Can Change Your Life” I headed into Swindon to snap some of Swindon’s snappiest dressers… and to find out if Swindon's fashion is actually What Not to Wear. But getting Swindon’s best dressed to agree to become victims of Trinny and Susannah’s public humiliation was harder than I thought. In fact after two hours of chasing down the trendy and well heeled around Swindon's Brunel Centre I had only found four brave fashionistas willing to face the fashion police.
So for four more unsuspecting fashion victims I had to turn to family and colleagues all willing to face a spot of uncompromising, merciless and brutally honest advice... which is exactly what they got. Vanda:  | | Vanda |
- Describes her style as: Smart and trendy.
- Was most worried about Trinny and Susannah: criticising her hair.
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TRINNY: I would say she’s doing quite well. She’s in proportion and her jacket is a very good length for her it doesn't cut half way down her bottom it’s above it. I think it’s a good look actually. She looks tall I don't think she looks petite. TRINNY: Her hair, she looks a bit tired with it that’s the only thing. SUSANNAH: I think the hair’s a bit swamping it’s over-powering. I think for her height it’s a bit too much. TRINNY: And she’s just wearing it tucked behind the ears so it shows that she’s just lost the sense of what style it can be. But the dress sense is good. Sharon:  | | Sharon |
- Describes her style as: Smart and casual.
- Time spent choosing this outfit: Two minutes
- Was most worried about Trinny and Susannah: saying that her outfit was dowdy, not very colourful and a bit dated:
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SUSANNAH: I think she’s probably right actually. I would say I'm not surprised it took her two minutes to get ready. It is something you just chuck on when you really can't be bothered to make an effort and you're putting on clothes because you can't walk around naked. TRINNY: I think the back view is not bad. The boots aren't great because they're white and even though she’s got long legs it cuts off her legs and I think neither Susannah or I like white boots with blue jeans. And the Puffa jacket? SUSANNAH: It’s not very cold at the moment TRINNY: She’s got gloves … she looks like she’s freezing. SUSANNAH: They're invaluable when you're really cold. You can get some which are a little bit shaped, which this one isn't, and you know they serve a purpose and they're practical. That puffa would look nicer with some nice wide legged black trousers and a pair of trainers or something to make it a bit more modern… Shak-kira:  | | Shakkira |
- Describes her style as: Work and casual.
- Time spent choosing this outfit: No time at all.
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SUSANNAH: I would say, looking at her, she has got probably the most fabulous legs and the most fabulous figure and we're not seeing it. The colours are gray and black. On coloured skin she could afford to wear such beautiful colours and it’s a real waste of a really stunning lady to be dressed like the grim reaper. TRINNY: Those colours though... it is a winter kind of look and she can wear those colours. I think the coat is great but maybe what she needs to do is go and take in a lot of her clothes. I think she’s someone who is dressing a size bigger than she actually is. SUSANNAH: I think if she wore the gray coat with trousers, with some really nice chocolate brown trousers, it would be more elegant and with a simple top and some beads again to make it a bit more modern. Helen:  | | Helen |
- Describes her style as: Just casual
- Time spent choosing this outfit: 20 minutes and puts on several outfits before deciding.
- Was most worried about Trinny and Susannah: criticising her lack of accessories:
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TRINNY: I just have a Bête Noire about these kind of jackets which are the puffa with the fake fur and the elasticated waist. I don't know how flattering they are. I think from the back it’s not that flattering. It’s just a look, I don't know, I think the top underneath it looks like a ribbed cotton top and those kind of tops they lose their shape very easily so you never see somebody’s shape underneath. Lizzie:  | | Lizzie |
- Describes her style as: Casual and quite normal
- Time spent choosing this outfit: 5 minutes.
- Was most worried about Trinny and Susannah: had no idea what they would say but was dreading it.
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SUSANNAH: Lizzie looks amazing. Really, really fab. The colours are great. I mean it’s just a work look, showing off her figure, without being too kind of sexy. She just looks really modern. The skirt’s maybe a bit creased. I love the tights with the boots, she’s got really good legs, she can wear boots that cut straight across the middle of her calf and she’s wearing the perfect top with the collar for someone flat chested. Heather:  | | Heather |
- Describes her style as: Classic, conservative and quite contemporary.
- Time spent choosing this outfit: Has very few to chose from.
- Was most worried about Trinny and Susannah: thinking that her outfit was awful and really dull.
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TRINNY: Do Heather and Lizzie work in the same place. They've both got the same tights on and the same boots on nearly… These boots are really in at the moment, but can many people wear them? TRINNY: No, not many people and not the way Heather is wearing them. I can't wear them. I think it’s very difficult to wear them other than tucked into jeans. SUSANNAH: Or just under jeans… TRINNY: But that’s an especially bad look unfortunately because it’s a heavy black coat. These boots are always quite tan in colour. But they're nice under jeans or over jeans I think with skirts it’s harder. Lizzie’s boots look more like they're suede. Heather should borrow Lizzie's boots. Shelley:  | | Shelly |
- Describes her style as: Funky, quirky and a bit conservative.
- Time spent choosing this outfit: About an hour.
- Was most worried about Trinny and Susannah: saying that it is really boring and bland.
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SUSANNAH: I should say that Shelley should think of some more sophisticated colours. I mean we saw her today with candy pink beads and a candy pink top with candy pink frosted lipstick and pale blue eye-shadow. She’s obviously a very bright girl but that gives her the impression of being a bit of a bimbo, Essex lady which she’s not. So she’s giving an impression with the colours she’s wearing. TRINNY: I would say she should really try and go for blues and greens and just try a week of blues and greens and not pinks. And than her make-up all I see actually is Shelley’s make up. I was going to say something to her but didn't, maybe she couldn't take it today, because she was nervous interviewing us. But just to use a Juicy Tube natural lip colour on her lips and than with her eyes perhaps do a clear on the top, very pale with perhaps a little purply mushy eyeliner and instead of all the highlighter on her cheeks just a little bit of red rouge swept away. So she looks like she’s just gone for a great walk and you see her beautiful face and skin and you don't see the make up. Debbie:  | | Debbie |
- Describes her style as: Sort of 40 plus but trying to be a bit younger. Sort of smart/casual.
- Time spent choosing this outfit: Planned it the night before.
- Was most worried about Trinny and Susannah: not liking her outfit. She bought it as an ensemble at the weekend...
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Is it better to buy outfits or separates? SUSANNAH: I think it depends on how you like to shop. There’s no rules on buying outfits or separates it’s however you get the best look together. TRINNY: I think you shouldn't actually buy outfits because I feel that an outfit has been created by a sale’s assistant on a mannequin or by somebody not taking into account your individual body shape. TRINNY: If you buy in outfits you know that’s how you do it. If Debbie wants to follow that same principal she needs to always remember 'does this suit my body shape' she’s got to make the decision herself. SUSANNAH: And that pink belt is killing me, you know, it should be brown or black. And Debbie's boots? TRINNY: I don't want to comment… How do you stop making the wrong decisions when you're shopping and ending up with new clothes that you never wear? TRINNY: What we suggest, in a chapter in our new book on how to gain a wardrobe without spending money, is to get all the clothes you don't wear, cut off every label and make eight girls have a party with you. You all bring those clothes and than you swap clothes and you find things in other people’s wardrobes that you know you'd wear and you just do swaps and forget about what they each originally cost… Than you should go home with a new wardrobe you might wear. So will you be doing one? and can I come? TRINNY: We're doing one in February, we're doing a huge sale in London for charity which is going to be to get rid of very expensive wardrobes from a lot of women so we'll say more about that later. Trinny and Susannah's new book "What You Wear Can Change Your Life" follows their first book "What Not to Wear" that accompanied the BBC Series. |