Oh No She Didn't: The Top 100 Style Mistakes Women Make and How to Avoid Them
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About this ebook
Who hasn’t had the unfortunate experience of witnessing—or (gasp!) actually wearing—one of these fashion disasters?
The atrocities Clinton Kelly has seen—it’s a surprise he hasn’t gouged out his own eyes. Mom jeans? Fancy fingernails? Tracksuits? In the same straight-talking style that has made TLC’s What Not to Wear a smash hit for eight seasons, the cheeky media personality and author of Freakin’ Fabulous shows women how to outfit themselves with confidence and style as he pokes fun at fashion "don’ts." From the most obvious faux pas (Texas tuxedos) to borderline offenses (peekaboo boobies), Clinton offers detailed and entertaining critiques of our top one hundred sartorial slip-ups. He turns his keen eye to wardrobe, color, cut, cleanliness, hairstyle, accessories, and even posture. And because he loves you, he presents easy alternatives and practical suggestions for creating fabulous outfits that will make you forget you ever wore socks with clogs.
Clinton also explains how to use trends to your advantage at any age, from deciding which ones work for you to understanding how to wear them to keep your look relevant. Because if you’re not comfortable in the sequined mini, everyone around you will know it.
A delightful mix of hilarious dish and expert fashion advice, Oh No She Didn’t will turn anyone from fashion victim to fashionista in no time.
Clinton Kelly
Clinton Kelly is a television personality, style expert, and entrepreneur. He won an Emmy as a cohost of ABC’s daytime hit, The Chew. He also cohosted What Not to Wear, TLC's longest-running primetime reality show, for a decade. Clinton starred in more than 300 episodes of What Not to Wear over the course of ten years, offering honest style advice with a sense of humor. More than one million people watched the popular makeover program every week. Clinton is the author of Freakin’ Fabulous; Freakin’ Fabulous on a Budget; Oh, No She Didn’t; and I Hate Everyone, Except You.
Read more from Clinton Kelly
I Hate Everyone, Except You Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Freakin' Fabulous Holidays Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Freakin' Fabulous on a Budget Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for Oh No She Didn't
181 ratings25 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I thought it was pretty hilarious. even if you just skim it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5insightful and entertaining- looking forward for more practical style tips
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Fun, but too obvious. I didn't learn much while reading it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Clinton has a great sense of humor! This book had me laughing and cringing (because let's face it--we all have committed some fashion faux pas). I really miss his fashion tips and I am amazed at the women who don't know (even my husband does), "color, pattern, texture shine"!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I don't watch his show, what not to wear but I fell in love with Clinton Kelly after reading this book. I'm still using a lot of the rules in here. especially when shopping. does this shirt fit with two other things in my wardrobe? read this first a year ago and this is my second read.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5A relict from another time. Useful, if mansplaining needed another example.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One of the most sensible book of gems on style and dress sensibility. A must read for all who want to look put together and do not know how, or simply want to be reminded on how to look put together despite being in denial about something they already know they should or should not do.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good, quick, relevant and humorous read. Good advice.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Started off real well - very actually but half way of the book it's pretty much the same and doesn't tell much.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5All right. A bit dated.
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mr. Kelly's personality really came through in his book. I would enjoy meeting him in person, as long as I knew about it well in advance, and could get my outfit that day up to his standards.
I'm a fan of the WNTW show from its early days, and this book is more of the same, with sharper zingers at fashion offenders than allowed on broadcast television.
That being said, the fashion critique and advice given is solid and informed. I hoped to be able to use a few tips to upgrade my approach to personal style, and I was not disappointed.
Mr. Kelly's snarkiness and stressed-out-ness at times was annoying, but considering I read the book in one sitting it might have been better in smaller doses of several chapters over a couple of days.
Definitely recommend for a fun look at how to improve and update your style. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I'm bringing this book to the salon where I work. It's humorous and very helpful for people who are clueless about appropriately dressing.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Well the biggest mistake is caring what anyone, MUCH less any man, thinks about how women dress. Wear what you want.
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Loved it! Useful info and lovely writing. Easy and fun read
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5nice book!
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5it's just one guys opinion
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Not the best read I've gone through it feels very quickly cobbled together, lots of mistakes. Good bit for information but I could have done without the snark and bitchiness.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I agree with about 90% of this, especially his hatred of flip flops, "I-give-up" dresses, and people who wear pajamas in public.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Mr. Kelly gets 5 stars for snark, but -2 for his regrettable insistence on empire waists.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Fashion and life advice presented with a tasty layer of snark, this is a light-weight little book that I read in under 2 hours while occasionally interrupted to do other things. No challenge to this (unless you are doing some of Clinton's no-nos) but it was fun. With no insult to Clinton Kelly, who I do sort of like and have spent many hours watching on TV, I picked this up in large part because it was half price.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Completely irreverent, funny and a bit off-color, Clinton Kelly dishes on what not to include in your wardrobe in Oh No She Didn’t. Each page is filled with humorous pictures of how we shouldn’t dress and contains a rule along with a snarky explanation.Most of the rules in here are common sense (or at least most of them should be). The rule about not wearing flip-flops outside of the pool or the beach gets a big “Amen!” from my corner. I remember going to the store and looking for sandals for my sons a few years ago and finding an entire aisle of flip-flops and not a single true pair of boy’s sandals. I couldn’t believe that flip-flops had become the default summer foot-wear.Some of the other no-no’s from the book include: mom jeans, crazy painted fingernails, horizontal stripes, clogs with socks, and cartoon characters. Okay, so I didn’t pass with flying colors. I was actually wearing my favorite Mickey Mouse sweatshirt while reading the book, and I’m sure Clinton would pass out if he could see the pile of horizontally-striped clothing in my dresser, but at least I don’t wear white socks with my black shoes anymore.Oh No She Didn’t was a lot of fun to read and has some entertaining fashion advice. If you’ve seen a lot of What Not to Wear episodes then most of this will be old hat, but that being said, you’ll probably still love it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5With Clinton Kelly's voice talking to you as you read each page, it feels like you could be on What Not to Wear with him telling you each of these things. I love the silly photographs for each fashion mistake and the "hand written" notes from Clinton. A great, funny and fast read to help any woman combat her fashion mistakes!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Clinton Kelly, from the TV show What Not To Wear, has put together an easy to read book detailing very common fashion mistakes. Really easy to read--each mistake is given a full color picture with a short write up on the facing page. Most of the advice should be common sense, but alas, some women need to be told to not let their pants hems drag on the ground. I'm guilty of one of the fashion gaffes discussed, and have gathered up some pants of mine to be altered, as they "gap in the back".
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hilarious! If you love Clinton Kelly on television's What Not to Wear, you'll love him even more after reading "Oh No She Didn't". Addressing important fashion topics like bad brows, camel toes and low boobies with snarky, hilarious advice, Kelly is both entertaining and informative. I had more laugh out loud moments with this book than any I can remember in recent history.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5SO FUN!!! Clinton Kelly is hilarious.
Book preview
Oh No She Didn't - Clinton Kelly
GALLERY BOOKS
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
Copyright © 2010 by Clinton Kelly
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Gallery Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
First Gallery Books hardcover edition October 2010
GALLERY BOOKS and colophon are trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or business@simonandschuster.com.
The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event.
For more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.
Designed by Jane Archer (www.psbella.com)
Creative Direction by Megan Lesser
Illustrations by Gant Powell
Photographs by Steve Giralt
Photographs on pages 19, 31, 44, 122, 175, 200 by Pasha Antonov
Line art by Clinton Kelly, Jane Archer, and Megan Lesser
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kelly, Clinton.
Oh no she didn’t / by Clinton Kelly.
p. cm.
1. Clothing and dress. 2. Clothing and dress—Humor. 3. Fashion—Humor. I. Title.
TT507.K414 2010
746.9’20207—dc22
2010015759
ISBN 978-1-4391-6316-0
ISBN 978-1-4391-6936-0 (ebook)
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO:
________________*
*Write your name here so nobody steals your book! Plus, people will think you were my inspiration and be, like, so jealous.
Contents
INTRODUCTION
THE MOM JEAN
SCUFFED-UP HEELS
FANCY FINGERNAILS
CATHOLIC SCHOOLGIRL
TATTOOS AND EVENING WEAR
GNARLY FEET
MUFFIN TOP
TRACK SUITS
HAIRY LEGS UNDER HOSE
COUNTERFEIT ANYTHING
LOW BOOBIES
APPLYING MAKEUP IN PUBLIC
PAJAMAS IN PUBLIC
COLORED SUITS
REINFORCED TOE
TRAMP STAMPS AT WORK
CARTOON CHARACTERS
DENIM ON DENIM
HORSE HAIR
SOCKS WITH CLOGS
NIPPING OUT
BLACK ADDICTION
SUNTAN HOSE
TURTLENECKS
MATCHING YOUR MATE
THE MONICA SHOE
TOO-LONG SLEEVES
CONDIMENT COLORS
WET HAIR PONYTAIL
THE WHALE TAIL
HOLIDAY SWEATERS
TOO MUCH CLEAVAGE AT WORK
CROSS-TRAINERS
FRAYED HEMS
MATCHY-MATCHY OUTFITS
RED LIPSTICK
DROPPED CROTCH
BEIGE
FRIZZ
HORIZONTAL STRIPES
SLUT SHOES
GAP IN THE BACK
FIDGETING
GIVEAWAY AND SLOGANED T-SHIRTS
OUTDATED PATTERNS
DOUBLE BUBBLE (OR, THY CUPS RUNNETH OVER)
CROPPED PANTS
PORN MOUTH
FROSTED HAIR
VISIBLE PANTY LINE
FLIP-FLOPS
MIDSECTION CLING
BAD BROWS!
UNDERFILLED CUPS
PASTEL PINK
ATTACKED BY ANIMAL PRINT
CAMEL TOE
THE I GIVE UP
DRESS
DATED HAIR
POLAR FLEECE
ANY SORT OF BELLY-BARING SHIRT WHEN YOU HAVE STRETCH MARKS
OLD-SCHOOL POLYESTER
HEAD-TO-TOE TREND HO
SWEATSHIRTS AND THEIR EVIL COUSINS, HOODIES
MUSTACHES
TENTS
DROOPY SHOULDERS
THE LLBD (LAME LITTLE BLACK DRESS)
SCRUNCHIES (AND OTHER CHEAP HAIR CRAP)
PLEATED KHAKI CUFFED SHORTS
DISTRESSED DENIM
SHINE OD
IT’S VINTAGE!
ROOTS
GLOPPY MASCARA
STIRRUP PANTS
PEEKABOO, I SEE YOUR BOOBIES
TINY LOGO BAGS
TUCKING
VISIBLE PIN JOBS
NOVELTY BAGS
THE BOCA SANDAL
ALL SOLIDS ALL THE TIME
PUBESCENT STYLE
JACKETS THAT DON’T BUTTON
THE LITTLE NUBBIN IN THE BOAT
BAGGY BUTT
MATCHING JEWELRY
PLATFORM FLIP-FLOPS
PILLING
MISGUIDED BELTS
BAD POSTURE
STAINS
KOOKY EMBROIDERY
CALF-LENGTH SKIRTS
MINI ANYTHING OVER A CERTAIN AGE
COVERING YOUR ASS WITH AN INVISIBILITY CLOAK
MALL JEWELRY
BLACK PANTS AND WHITE SHIRTS
OPTING OUT
INTRODUCTION
THE ATROCITIES I’VE SEEN
I mean, seriously, sometimes I’m surprised I haven’t already gouged out my own eyes. Truth be told, I did come pretty damn close once. I was in Pittsburgh, at the airport, or maybe it was Cincinnati. Doesn’t matter, really. There I was, just minding my own business, reading the newspaper and waiting for my flight to board, when a couple of women approached me.
Are you Clinton?
one of them asked.
This question always kind of bugs me. You know it’s me. Just say hello and go back to your quadruple mocha latte. Yep,
I replied, and looked up to see two of the most horrific outfits imaginable. Both women—both—were wearing horizontal-striped turtlenecks tucked into high-waisted Mom Jeans with white cross-trainers.
We love your show!
said one.
We watch it all the time!
declared the other.
I smiled and said thank you, because I’m a gentleman. But inside my little head, I screamed to the heavens with all my might: Why, God! Why do you hate me so much!
Maybe I get a tad exasperated from time to time, but certainly you can understand why. I’ve spent the good part of a decade explaining, with as much patience as I could muster, why you shouldn’t pair socks with sandals, why you might want to avoid tube tops after the age of forty, why elastic-waist pants are evil incarnate. But, evidently, not everyone is listening.
Still, I continue on with my mission to make America a more beautiful place. I’m like that Native American dude from the commercial who cries when he sees people litter. Except, I’m not crying. It’s more like I’m laughing at you. In fact, he’s laughing at you too. We’re having gin and tonics right now, and I was just telling him that your outfit was revolting. And you know what he said?
And how.
And how! Couldn’t you just die? I almost peed my pants a little.
the mom jean
I was recently nursing a hangover on the couch and flipping through the TV channels, when I stumbled upon The First Wives Club. And after about a half hour of watching it, I realized two very important things. First, this is one of the worst movies ever made. I mean, seriously. The script is a steaming pile of pure poo. And second, Diane Keaton should stop shaking her head so much. She’s going to give herself a goddamn concussion.
But I also noticed that Elizabeth Berkley’s character (a mindless twit whose name I couldn’t bother remembering) was wearing a pair of high-waisted, light-wash, tapered-leg jeans! That chick had a rockin’ body and even her rump looked as wide and flat as a trash-can lid. It blows my mind. That movie was made in 19-freakin’-96 and women across North America are evidently still using it as a style guide.
Listen to me, ladies, and listen well; I’m only going to say this 27,352 more times before my career is over: Instead of the Mom Jean, go buy a pair of dark-wash trouser jeans. They should rest about an inch below the belly button. They should also hang from the widest part of the hip, straight down to the ground. Hem them so that they are about a quarter of an inch off the floor. Then, throw your old jeans into the biggest, most raging, blazing fire you can find.
Thank you.
Fallbackscuffed-up heels
Look, I don’t know how much information your brain can accommodate, but I need you to clear out a little gray matter for the following concept:
The Shoe always, always, ALWAYS, sets the tone for an outfit.
Think about that for a minute. It’s deep. It’s the reason nuns don’t wear stilettos and strippers don’t wear orthopedic shoes.
You could be sporting a five-hundred-dollar haircut, flawless skin, an Italian silk blouse, a fierce Dolce&Gabbana pencil skirt, and a diamond the size of Rhode Island, but if you do it wearing chewed-up, gnarly heels, people will think you’re a slacker. Seriously, I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve seen women wearing shoes well past their expiration date, and there’s this sloppy, careless vibe that clings to them. It’s a little like, "I sleep on a mattress without sheets, I have