I have seen the show a few times, but not often enough to have a clear opinion of the personalities (or Nick's hair finesse!). Even then I wasn't interested in the ultimate figure flattery view of dressing and never wore heels. I liked her book, and her article, because they represent stages of her evolution, and because she does try to look at herself honestly.

Ok I finally got around to reading this. Yay call and working 10 some hours yesterday.
I liked the show. You have to realize I grew up in small towns without cable. A show, about fashion for real people...it was amazing for me. To take real people and dress them up. They dressed plus-sized woman.  They even did guys a few times.
Obviously I need to read her book. I remember Angie meeting her.

This article spoke to me SO F*#@ing much. I'll be 44 in gulp, nine days. I'm single. I wear the crazy clothes. And yeah, people don't know what to make of me. Heck sometimes I'm not even sure myself.

ETA I'm Gen X, like her...and that's another reason why it resonates. We were a very small generation. And sorry to the Boomers on here, you dominated the cultural landscape for so long. You lorded over us in so many ways, and I still sense some of your entitlement on here. Gen X had a blip, and now the Millennials dominate.

ETA 2, funny thing is that Refinery29 is geared to Millennials

ETA 3 I need to get these earrings

Geez! I'm a boomer and don't recall lording anything over anyone--not even my own DDs, who range in age from 18 to 34.

I don't think she means it that way, BC; not as individuals. But I can see it, how the world caters to me as a boomer. When I was first pregnant (later, of course, than previous generations) suddenly chic maternity boutiques appeared. Then babies and childrearing became trendy, and practical advice and innovative products proliferated. And now that I am very grey, I am trendy again. It is never as easy for those who aren't in the herd by sheer numbers.

I'm a late boomer, barely in the group. I remember stricter dress codes and the pressure to conform, but I also remember the counter culture and all the folks who didn't conform. Growing up in the '60s and '70s was a study in contrasts. I never felt like anyone was lording over me, but that may be due to my loving parents who taught me to think for myself.

Anna, I can't believe you haven't gotten those earrings yet. Get on it, girl!

I never thought about this in a generational way before. Hmm. Yeah, I guess I'm sort of early Gen X, as are many of us on here -- but I actually feel a bit in between the Boomers and X, like I don't really quite relate to X but I definitely don't relate to the Boomer generation. Makes sense relating to my style choices, as I feel a bit caught in-between and therefore just end up feeling like I should make my own rules.

But back to the show: I have a background in broadcasting, so it has always been extra-obvious to me that a lot of the snark on the show was for entertainment sake. (It's downright gentle compared to some of the stuff you see now, a decade or so later, and that's sad.) I read an essay once by a participant on the show, and she said that S&C could not have been nicer in person, off camera. What makes for kind and gentle criticism and guidance IRL does not necessary make for good TV. I think they did a good job of tempering it as the show went on. Even my husband liked watching it with me sometimes.

I'm a Boomer. I'm almost exactly in the middle of the group. We get blamed for all kinds of things. In the New York Times there was an article about Baby Boomers being too self absorbed to baby sit their grandchildren:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/.....hone-share

I wanted to say hey - my son's grandparents, members of the so called "Greatest Generation" each spent one week of his entire life watching him. That's one week spent with his maternal grandparents and one week spent with his paternal grandparents in which his parents weren't also there. So if they weren't considered too self absorbed to watch him, then why are we?

I try to shake off these vilifications which I think are undeserved.

Not to hijack but happy almost 44th Anna. I hit 43 in a few weeks.
As for the show, Clinton was more my speed. I can see both the positive and negative perspectives on the show and enjoyed it or felt irritated depending on the episode and possibly my own mood.

No no. Y'all don't understand. We Gen-x'ers are characterized by bitterness. Hahaha!

The Cancellation of the Social Contract by Maggie and Ronnie was timed just right to coincide with our coming online. Boomers are thinking about retirement and managing funds for a longer than expected life. The Gen-X plan is 'work until you drop dead early...' Even before the Great Recession, that was the plan. For Boomers caught up in it, well, that wasn't the plan in anycase.

The Millenial plan seems to be 'hope you get a real job one day and maybe cut down on the number of roommates it takes to make rent.'

Jus' sayin': Let me have my bitterness

(See my discussion in Off-topic, rachy. )