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Tim Gunn's Guide to Style

(Rated TV-PG, Reality TV, Starring Tim Gunn, Veronica Webb, Where to watch: Bravo, Online)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 13.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Makeover show is solid, but not a runaway success.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 13 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Instead of emulating impossibly skinny models and celebrities, women are encouraged to embrace their own bodies and strive for their personal best. As part of the closet-cleaning process, they're also asked to donate unwanted items to "Dress For Success," a charitable organization.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.
  • Sex:

    Women are sometimes told they look sexy, but that's as suggestive as it gets.
  • Language:

    "Ass" is allowed to fly, but more serious offenders (like "s--t") are bleeped.
  • Consumerism:

    Brand names and fashion designers (including Catherine Malandrino, John Barrett, Trish McEvoy, and Ice.com) are prominently featured.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Tim Gunn's Guide to Style

Parents need to know that this reality-style makeover show primarily targets adult women, but its content is fine for most teens. Language is clean for the most part, and the show also imparts positive messages about self-acceptance and body image. The only real downside is that the show subtly reinforces materialism by promoting expensive brand names and luxury retailers that are woefully out of reach for most Americans.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about why so many people -- especially women -- judge their self-worth by the way they look compared to others. When you shop for new clothes, are you more concerned with buying a pair of jeans that are trendy and popular, or a pair that actually flatters your shape? Do you ever catch yourself comparing your body to other people you know and wishing you looked a different way? How does our current culture of celebrity worship contribute to the way we feel about ourselves? And can changing the way you dress, do your hair, or put on make-up really change your personality?

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