When Makeovers Go Bad

Orange Velvet Suit Man at the Twin's baseball game the other night: I salute you. Not many people would go to a ball game decked head to toe in a bright orange velvet zoot suit with matching orange fedora. I love that about you! And I don't even know you! Ignore the frat boys calling you "pimp", revel in the gawkers - you are awesome and I hope you never change.

My love for the Orange Velvet Suit Man might stem from the fact that I too will take any occasion to dress up - I myself wore a kicky little dress and strappy sandals to the game (yes, I was cold and no I still don't regret it although I did see a blinged out jersey that I would totally wear if I ever go to another game, which I probably won't because, well, baseball is pencil-in-the-eyeball boring). Frankly, there are not enough orange velvet suits in the world.

A pet peeve I've long had is when people - usually stylists from a TV show or magazine - makeover a person with a very distinctive personal style to make them look more in line with popular culture's definition of good looking. I call it the "Average Makeunder." Sure they look more like everyone else but often they look nothing like themselves. I know Stacey and Clinton mean well but I think a makeover is only warranted in the cases where the person themselves feels badly about the way they look and they want to make a change. I hate it when people are forced or tricked into going on those makeover shows. Who cares if they're still wearing their beloved Two Wolves Howling at the Moon cross-stitched sweatshirt? Eventually it'll come back in style!

I never thought I'd have strong feelings about The Jersey Shore boys - they created the stereotype of douchebag, after all - but after I saw what happened to them when GQ got a hold of them... well, it's bad people. To see pics and read my take on their Average Makeunder, check out my post on Huffington Post.

How do you feel about quirky dressers? Do you love a character or do you think costumes should be reserved for major holidays and/or parades? How do you feel about the myriad of makeover shows on tv now? Have you ever wanted a makeover?