You've heard her name, followed her fashion tips and definitely seen her on numerous television shows.
Jeannie Mai is a fashion celeb, best known as the host of The Style Network's two-time Emmy nominated television program "How Do I Look?", was in Singapore last week and InCinemas got to chat with the chic style icon.
I was stoked and rather fearful at the same time to meet this multihypenate fashionista. After all, she's the host of the fashion-intervention show and I'm quite sure I would be on the show if it ever came to Singapore.
Her sweet, generous smile shone brighter than her yellow blazer, which fitted nicely around her shoulders, greeted me as we introduced ourselves. The overwhelming fear started to fade as soon as we chatted, and slowly I came to realise why she was the right fit for the Emmy-nominated reality show - her genuine personality and a strong passion for fashion.
Besides being a fashion guru and inspiration to many women out there, this bubbly 'Wearapist' is not shy in declaring her love for Singaporean cuisines like Laska and Chilli Crab. Though I failed to solve the mystery of the 'eww tube' (a suction tube in How Do I Look that sucks up participants' clothings), the 33-year-old lad shared her experiences and memorable moments in the show.
How Do I Look airs Mondays to Wednesdays @9.50pm on DIVA Universal (Starhub Ch 522)
InCinemas: Hi Jeannie, tell us, how is the filming process of ‘How Do I Look’ like?
Jeannie Mai: It takes four days and that’s the crazy thing. It takes a long time because we have the ‘victim' to get comfortable with the fact that they are going to get pretty ‘pratted’ by me.
It seems like it’s all fun and games in the beginning but my goal is to make sure that this woman knows that my heart is in the right place to change her, so it takes about one to two days. Yes, we first interrogate her style, suck her things up the ‘eww tube’, but then the next couple of days are really important where you get to know her lifestyle and develop a relationship. Only then can I come in and really change who she is from and how she looks.
InCinemas: You’ve seen many profiles, or victims on the show. Is there one that left a great impression on you?
Jeannie: I would have to say... the no.1 person actually left a negative impression on me, but it taught me something. She was Forest.
Forest volunteered herself to the show and she kind of took advantage of what we were giving her. If selected in the show, you get a whole new wardrobe; from shoes, bags and an amazing experience in Hollywood! She just took it for granted and started to be really rude with my staff and the people that were around her, and even myself. Even though we had to finish off the show, it was something that I learned. You need to be polite with people and at the end of the day, no matter what you’re going through, kindness goes a long way.
InCinemas: I am very curious, please, please tell me where do all those clothes go after they’ve been sucked by the eww tube.
Jeannie: I can’t tell you, but I will say that we definitely care about the environment and do take things that are salvageable, put them back into recycling and shelters that women can make use of.
InCinemas: How do you make these women open up to you about something that is so personal to them?
Jeannie: The
most special part of the show to me is the second portion “The Psych Of
Style”. I take them into a public experiment which allows
them to see a part of themselves. The past we had moments where I put six
different outfits that vary in sizes and put them in front of the woman
and ask her describe her body type. More often than not, women realised
that they have a skewed view of what size they really are and always pick the larger one.
These public experiments allow them to
step outside of their own mind for a second and to see what the other
people are thinking. When you ask the words ‘how do I look?’ you are
asking other people to weigh in on what you look like. Not to
get people to criticize you, but is the message you’re
conveying the same you want people to receive? There’s a time and
place for everything and that’s why it's important for the message to be the same.
(Go to Jeannie Mai's website to learn more about her!)
InCinemas: What do you think attracts viewers to love 'How Do I Look?'?
Jeannie: I really think that is the fact that everyone of us, even myself, have moments of insecurity and doubt, and we need some type of reassurance that everything is going to be okay. Even if it's through a lipstick change or a beautiful blouse, you can believe in yourself with the way you look.
And therefore I think the show identifies with all women at some point in their lives where they’ve lost it, and it helps us feel better that there is encouragement out there.
InCinemas: Wow, so what do you think is the greatest misconception about fashion?
Jeannie: That if it's ill-fitting, it looks good. I always say, you don’t have fit, you don’t have fashion. Everything you wear has to have a right fit to it, even if its over-sized.
InCinemas: You've been to Singapore a couple of times. What do you enjoy about Singapore?
Jeannie: The food and the chilli crab! Also, I really love the (Singaporean) women’s accent. For some reason I don’t think it’s amazing on men but I love it (the accent) on women, it sounds really cute to me. I also love the hospitality! Everybody wants to feed you and I’m totally okay with that.
InCinemas: You’re definitely a foodie.. What other local cuisine do you enjoy in Singapore?
Jeannie: (beams with smiles) A hundred percent! I love the Laksa, every version of it! I love that you can get so many different types of food here in Singapore. I love the mall foodcourts, they are to die for. I even love the food in 7-11!
InCinemas: If you would to rate Singaporean’s style from 1 - 10, what would it be and why?
Jeannie: Fashion is something you buy; Style is something you have.
For fashion I would say 10! You have amazing array of stores here and some of the best international designers, not to mention Asian designers out there in the world.
For personal style for women, I think they are very experimental so I give them 6 in experimental and 6 in execution. I think that Singaporean women need to be more adventurous and they need to take time to put their hair up or do something to their makeup. A lot of Singaporean women think that if I put on a cute dress, I don’t have to do anything else. It should all go together.
InCinemas: We heard about the 'flip-nots'...
Jeannie: Yes! All the way, no flip-flops! I hate them, and think they make a woman’s butt look flat. The whole sound of it (sound that flip-flops make) makes me want to take that and slap you. (does the slapping action)
InCinemas: You’re such an inspiration to many women out there. So what exactly is next for Jeannie Mai?
Jeannie: I want to create some kind of new program here in Asia. I want to do something of a makeover level or some type of entertainment that allows women to be able to interact with me here. I want to be in Asia more, have a show here, and have some type of ability to connect with women more out in Asia. I’m working with NBCUniversal to see if something like that can happen.
InCinemas: How about a few words to those out there who aspire to be like you?
Jeannie: I don’t want you to be like me, I want you to be someone better than yourself. When you see that woman in the mirror, think about her biggest dreams, her biggest ambitions, her challenges and her flaws, and turn it into something awesome! Make sure that you live your life to the very fullest. You have one life and you have your own personal style and story to tell, so live it out to the very best of your ability!
How Do I Look airs Mondays to Wednesdays @9.50pm on DIVA Universal (Starhub Ch 522)