Words by Jaelyn Molyneux c/o Avenue Magazine

Clinton Kelly, co-host of TLC’s What Not To Wear, brought his familiar cutting and hilarious critique to Calgary for Styling Your Life, an event hosted by stylist and Studio Gorgeous owner Karen Judge.

The afternoon party was a combination silent auction, fashion show, inspiration talk all meant to empower women and have a good time.

If you were one of the 580 people in the room for Styling Your Life, you know it’s a special person who can call you a trend ho and still make you want to hug him.

Kelly is that kind of guy. He’s gregarious and quick with the witty quip that is at once insulting and refreshingly honest. A trend ho, by the way, is someone who follows all of the trends at once. When you are 20, it is cute to be a trend ho. When you are 40, exercise restraint when approaching trends.

With the crowd riled up after a few glasses of wine, Kelly took to the stage. He talked about WNTW, classifying the women on WNTW into three categories: frumps (women who don’t want any attention), sluts (women who only want male attention) and freaks (women who want any attention they can get).

He gave specific style tips — white denim is a trend for everyone, a bra fitting by a professional is a must (sorry Victoria’s Secret you don’t count) and skirts above the knee should be worn with caution.

Kelly’s main message to the crowd came in his eight tips for healthy style esteem:

1. Admit It

“Admit that style does matter,” says Kelly. “What you say, what you do and how you present yourself tells the world how you want to be treated.”

2. Believe that you are worth it

Nope this isn’t a Loreal commercial, but it is a message that needs repeating and a little follow through from almost all of us who fall back on the ponytail and sweatshirt as a style option. Kelly particularly gave a shout out to moms who don’t make time for themselves: “Kids want positive role models,” says Kelly. “That comes from being the best version of yourself. You deserve to be beautiful and everyone has the capacity, they just need a little time and knowledge.”

3. Be skeptical when reading magazines and watching television

“In North America, we celebrate a very specific type of beauty and that is tall and thin,” says Kelly. “That is warped. Women in magazines have the benefit of stylists, make-up artists, borrowed hair, veneered teeth and Photoshop. Your beauty is different and that is important to recognize.”.

4. Lose the haters

“If there is a friend who makes you feel fat or old or stupid don’t hang out with them and stop calling them,” says Kelly. “You’ll feel better about yourself.”

5. Embrace your own imperfections

This one comes with a hard and fast rule from Kelly. “Do not use the word hate ever when talking about your body,” says Kelly. “We are all here as magnificent creatures. We are all perfect and imperfect.” And, just as you think Kelly might be crossing over a little far into cheese-land he follows that sentiment up with: “Even the most beautiful people could be freaking crazy.”

6. Stop living in fantasyland when it comes to getting dressed

On WNTW they try on clothes for two days from the time the store opens to the time it closes to find seven to nine outfits.

“Shopping is not easy,” says Kelly. “You will not walk into a store and find the perfect dress. You have to get things tailored and make your clothes work for you.”

7. Shop with a plan

“Decide what you need your clothes to do for you and set a budget for the year,” says Kelly. “Divide that budget into clothes for fun and classic clothes that need to work for you. If you have a tight budget I would give 25 per cent to the more trendy items you can have fun with for a year and then give away.”

Kelly also says it is a must to clean out your closet at least once a year. That means taking everything out, piling it on your bed and trying each item on.

8. Have fun

“Clothes should be a good time,” says Kelly. “Ask yourself if you feel good in a particular outfit.”

All proceeds raised from Styling Your Life went to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, which is currently working on the Women Moving Women campaign to help 2,500 women move out of poverty in the next five years. To learn more or donate, visit womenmovingwomen.org