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In spite of working with internationally renowned designers, it's
taken 40-year-old Susannah Constantine 33 years to define her style.
Two years of writing about cars and cricket matches didn't help the
situation, but the experience of dressing more than 2,000 women since writing her fashion column in UK
newspaper The Daily Telegraph cemented her knowledge of female dilemmas. Susannah lives in chaos with
her husband Sten and two kids.
What do you like about What Not to Wear?
"All the women we have worked with have been fantastic and they're tremendous characters in their own right.
There's a very human side to the show, where everyone says 'oh clothes, it's not a science it's just clothes,
who cares about clothes.' But actually, if a woman dresses right and she dresses better than she did before, it
gives her so much more confidence.
Why is WNTW so
successful?
"There is a real human story that each show follows, but also if a woman watching the show has big tits
or a flabby tummy, they can see and identify with that woman and see how they can dress themselves. I
think that is the secret of the show's success. It's real fashion, for real women.
"There's so much political correctness now. It's very real and it's in
your face. And that is quite refreshing.
So, you think you have
style?
"I was once asked who was the least stylish person on our show and I said without question myself. I find
it very easy to dress other people but I find it very hard to dress myself. It's getting better, but I'm
someone who was not born with style and I've kind of learnt what suits me.
What do you consider to
be your worst fashion disaster?
"I've had so many fashion disasters. Elton John has a ball every year - white tie and tiara. I'd just had
a baby and thought I was a lot thinner than I actually was. I had the opposite of anorexia and thought I
looked like Elle McPherson. And my God did I not! I wore a dress that was very plunging. My tits were H
cup, and my arms were huge to carry the weight of my breasts and I wore this little strappy dress with
this net coat over the top. I looked like a barmaid. I looked so hideous. I look back now and I'm so
embarrassed. And it wasn't that long ago.
And are you always so
stylish?
"I can't live and die by what I wear, especially now I have two kids. My TV life and private life are
so separate they don't cross over at all. Most of the time I'm in the countryside, looking like shit."
Most important thing
to have in your wardrobe?
"A decent bra. If you've got boobs definitely a decent bra. It's the foundation from which you can
build."
And the worst
thing...
"The tapered trouser and sensible court shoes."
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