Saturday 21 November

BLOGS

blogCategory
Previous
Back to blog
Next

Twiggy's Frock Exchange

Paula Reed, Twiggy and Lauren Laverne
  • Posted at 3:50pm
  • 09 October 2008
  • by AlisonGraham-RT
  • 21 comments

I'll start this week's column with an admission - there's a strong chance I missed quite a bit of Twiggy's Frock Exchange (Tuesday 7 October, 8:00pm, BBC2) because I had my fingers in my ears AND my hands over my eyes.

It was a painful and excruciating hour of witlessness that made me embarrassed for womankind. I wouldn't blame a single man watching for thinking that we are all squealing ninnies who would lop off an ear lobe for a chance to own a Matthew Williamson dress.

Mr Williamson himself actually appeared on the show, during a little filmed insert conducted by a gushing Twiggy…but more of that later. First an explanation of Twiggy's Frock Exchange. The series piggybacks the success in America of something called "swishing", where women turn up en masse at a particular venue to swap clothes (no money changes hands).

It's like a big bazaar really, and it's a jolly nice, sensible green idea. But does 'swishing' make good telly? No, it doesn't. Even with all of the padding - Twiggy was joined by nervy fashion editor Paula Reed and a shrieking Lauren Laverne, who gave the swishing women style advice - it was a thin idea stretched on the rack of poor imagination.

All the way through my trembling hand hovered over the remote control. Shall I switch off or switch over? For some reason, I didn't do either, possibly out of a sense of duty or possibly because I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing and hearing and felt compelled to hang around.

It was abysmal. Twiggy (is it just me or is there something strangely charmless about her?) stood around grinning and bellowing encouragement as the women scavenged along racks of clothes. And as for that Matthew Williamson insert…awful.

He did everyone a huge favour by donating a designer dress, for which Twiggy was so grateful I thought she would self-combust. The fact that it looked like a 1970s caravan sofa after an attack by a grizzly bear didn't cross anyone's mind. Back in the studio a handful of swishers lost their last shreds of dignity by parading in front of Laverne and other swishers, who then decided who should be the lucky recipient of the hideous garment.

Laverne also pounced on a woman who looked a bit like Chantelle Houghton. The woman appeared to be perfectly happy with her appearance but no, Lauren had other ideas. She was going to turn this lady into a rock chick. Dear reader, I can't go on. It was as impertinent as it was embarrassing.

**

Alison Graham is TV editor of Radio Times - read her column in the latest issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale now.

Link to this post
Post a comment | 21 comments

Comments

  • Posted on 15 June 2009
  • at 9:12am
  • by bob

why criticise someone for smiling! what an idiot! shes so much more successful than you and all you can do is put her down, if u dont like whats on tv then your in the wrong business!

  • Posted on 14 November 2008
  • at 10:14pm
  • by chantelle

Hi I was told it was the only one made in this colour and style so it isn't avaliable to buy! Im very lucky in this sense to have won it I did try to sell its worth ¢2000 apparently but will be worth more being exclusive! greeneyebutterfly@hotmail.com chantelle

  • Posted on 07 November 2008
  • at 4:48pm
  • by saffi

hi there does anyone know the style name and number of the green burberrys mac, i want to buy one. cheers

  • Posted on 07 November 2008
  • at 11:48am
  • by Krish

FAO: Chantelle

I love the Green burberry mac/trench coat you won, it looks lovely on you! Any chance you would be able to let mek now the ref no of the item so that I can maybe order it or buy it online? I would really appreciate it. Please can you e-mail me.

Thank you! :)

  • Posted on 01 November 2008
  • at 3:32pm
  • by madgie

Well,I thought it was very silly but a lot of fun. I love clothes and dressing up. I also liked the craft bits, showing you how to do the customising of clothes. We need more of these programmes, not less.

  • Posted on 28 October 2008
  • at 12:44pm
  • by chantelle

Hi i was in fact the winner of the trench coat and the screen did make me look tiny however i am a size 10 which i guess is an ok size. It definately wasnt a size 6!!! But the day was exciting and forgot totally about the other items i swapped and those i took home! But really the show was quite long and each series was exactly the same which was a shame alot more could have happened!

  • Posted on 23 October 2008
  • at 4:18pm
  • by Susan Eliss

Well said. My question and maybe you should take this point up with the BBC, how come they put the face of shopping, M&S, as the face of swapping. It is a really fab idea for the planet and the credit crunch but the reason it was so crap was because Twiggy has no idea how to do it, bless her and it showed in the finished series.

Find the real experts and do it right this time.

  • Posted on 22 October 2008
  • at 8:31pm
  • by Ezma

On episode three, the opening song [Musical, pretty I thought sounded like "the cure"] Anyone know what song/band it was? I'd like to know.

  • Posted on 21 October 2008
  • at 10:53pm
  • by Hannah E

I was on it! It was a good idea, or should I say is! I was bitterly disappointed that I took some Marc Jacobs shoes, with the promise of designer gear in return and came away with nothing I really wanted to keep in hindsight. Well except a bottle of champers from Twiggy herself! :-) hic!!

  • Posted on 21 October 2008
  • at 9:32pm
  • by Barbara Wright

I agree with your every word what a load of condescending rubbish

  • Posted on 19 October 2008
  • at 2:13pm
  • by Amma

I personally loved the concept of the show. And I think it is a concept that is taking off... I have organised swishing events myself; and although I found the show to be a tad too long. I am glad that the concept is being pushed into the mainstream. Maybe, it would have been better as a one off show rather than a three part series. But, kudos to Twiggy for embracing the zeitgeist. http://www.welikeswaps.com

  • Posted on 15 October 2008
  • at 5:12pm
  • by Lynne

This is an excellant programme if you just like clothes! Which Im sure lots of women do. Not so sure about the Very expensive shoes, dress and last night burberry mac just being given to someone on the whim of a couple of other women - I felt sorry for all those other women standing in the background who were too shy to ask or perhaps to large to fit into the clothes. I have a wide screen TV but that mac looked teeny tiny - was it a size 6, who is a size 6 these days!! But swishing is a great idea we sort of did it once within a small group of my family and friends where we tipped everything on the floor we had all brought and then we could pick what we wanted out of the pile. It was great fun and we all got some "new" items. Let the swishing commence.

  • Posted on 15 October 2008
  • at 11:00am
  • by Ra

I thought it was a great program really informative and in this 'credit crunch' a useful way to save money and update clothes. For students a wonderful idea and fun to watch Twiggy is a fashion icon and an excellant host dont listen to the critics watch instead.

  • Posted on 14 October 2008
  • at 11:41pm
  • by Jay

I loved the programme - great fun - enjoyed Twiggy and her very casual approach - what you see is what you get - relaxed, warm, sincere and genuine - how refreshing. I have taken armfuls of unworn, untouched but nostalgic, clothes from my cupbd and am having the greatest fun deciding how to change them; Thank you and many more of the same please. Critics - stop carping and finding fault. I am early sixties, ex rock chic, Biba purchaser etc and enjoy life to the full.

  • Posted on 14 October 2008
  • at 7:38pm
  • by cath

Twiggy started the show by saying she 'had been around clothes all her life' Errr, haven't we all?

  • Posted on 14 October 2008
  • at 10:18am
  • by A fella

As a chap, I found it rather informative and was a bit of fun, a ladies Top Gear. Yet the criticism Alsion has projected over a show should cement my impression that she has no style or interest in clothes.

  • Posted on 13 October 2008
  • at 4:22pm
  • by Katy

I took part in the show and it was a lot of fun and looked far better than I thought it would. I can't see swishing taking off; the poor own clothes that are too awful and the rich dont wear cast offs but as an idea its a nobel one and good escapist tv.

  • Posted on 12 October 2008
  • at 2:14pm
  • by Caroline

Absolutely superb Alison! What a wonderfully worded review.

  • Posted on 12 October 2008
  • at 11:01am
  • by Julie D

Isn't this just another example of the "me me" greedy world that Britain has become? Having seen the trailer for the programme I couldn't bring myself to watch it and this article confirms my decision.

  • Posted on 11 October 2008
  • at 7:37pm
  • by aveydanative

I was a bit disappointed that I'd missed the prog. but after reading your comments I'm soooooooooooooo glad that I didnt bother - what a waste of valuable TV space!!!!

  • Posted on 11 October 2008
  • at 12:51am
  • by Nikki

Dear god Im getting a make over I'm mortified that I look like Chantelle Houghton haha

Post a comment

Do you have something to say about this post? Share your thoughts…

Post a comment

(first or nickname only)

Please do not include any personal or personally identifiable information about yourself or others (including email addresses). All information you submit about yourself or others can be viewed by others.

Thank you for your comment

Thank you for your comments. All comments will be looked at by a moderator, however, due to the numbers of comments we receive, we can't promise that all will be posted on the site.

Post another comment

More


Advertisement