. Nineveh Makeup Ministries: The Heart of Fashion - Jeannie Mai

Thursday, January 12, 2012

The Heart of Fashion - Jeannie Mai

Can you imagine waiting until you are 36 years old and on national television before you actually hear your mother tell you, for the very first time, "I love you"? 

This is exactly what I just witnessed on one of my favorite shows "How Do I Look?" on the Style Network.  Stay with me here - the title of the show does nothing to capture the beauty of the inward transformations and healing that occur on every episode. 

Rather than simply critique someone's fashion sense, make her over into someone she is not, and then have the person inevitably return to her old ways, host Jeannie Mai helps her guests discover who they really are and how some of the ways that they present themselves outwardly are holding them back from growing.

Some guests are stuck in a decade that they remember being happy. They want to retain those memories by dressing as if, for example, it's still 1982.  This may be off-putting to potential employers, or their children may be embarrassed to have them show up at school. 

Some guests wear very revealing, inappropriate clothes no matter where they go or what the occasion. This may make their spouse or relatives feel very uncomfortable. Often times, the guests will say that they do not believe that how they are dressing (presenting themselves to the world outwardly) has any real negative effect on their lives. This is where Jeannie Mai steps in. 

Jeannie is a fashionista, but I think of her more as a "Life Stylist." She engages and befriends her guests during their journeys, and she prepares a social exercise for each of them, designed to open their eyes to how their choice of clothing affects others' perception of them and how this may be holding them back.

Jeannie Mai, from the hit show "How Do I Look?"

Guests will often reply (and I must admit, I shared this viewpoint until I watched my very first episode of "How Do I Look?"): "I don't care. If people want to judge me, that's their problem," but, the truth is, we live in a judgmental world. 

People, including us, naturally make judgments all day long. 

If you see a woman dressed in stilettos, a short leather miniskirt, and a brassiere at your child's daycare center, would you feel comfortable leaving your son or daughter in her care? The fact is, there are appropriate, socially accepted dress codes, and people trust people who "look the part."

After Jeannie takes the guest through an experiment, the guest almost always has her "a-ha" moment, and only then does she go on to try a variety of wardrobes and choose a hairstyle to compliment her new fashion. At the end of the show, the guest reveals her new look the world - but it doesn't end there. 


Throughout the journey, Jeannie picks up on cues from her conversations with the participant. Perhaps a guest longs to finish school, pursue a new career, or travel. Jeannie closes by making the guest's dream come true. And, often, something positive happens, like a mother letting her know she is proud of her daughter and that she loves her.


If you have the opportunity, I encourage you, with an open mind, to check out the show. You may find that you are very touched by the guests' personal stories and the chance to witness their journeys and growth. 

Your heart may also grow in compassion for that fashion misfit neighbor, coworker, or relative.  There are reasons why people present themselves to the world in the way that they do. This show will give you some honest insight into a myriad of reasons that will also allow your heart to grow for others and yourself.  

Jeannie Mai's tweet about this blog post!


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