Not sure how we missed this show til now, but we just sat down and watched all the episodes on-demand in a marathon like manner. Dresscue Me, a new series on Planet Green, follows Shareen Mitchell “beloved by fashionistas and recessionistas alike” for her unique, affordable approach to vintage clothing. A former actress, this designer is a throwback – part Joan Crawford super bitch, part prim Betty Crocker housewife (she holds her hand to her chest when someone says something thoroughly modern,) and all drama, all the time. This show is sort of an LA Ink for the eco-fashionista. Girl gets divorced and is depressed, girl comes into Shareen Vintage, Shareen tells her she is beautiful 100 times and then reworks a cool (sometimes hideous) vintage piece into something often incredible.
A self-taught designer with retail outlets on both coasts, Mitchell reworks old duds and turns them into fashion-forward frocks. To create these one-of-a- kind pieces, Mitchell welcomes her exclusively female clients (her sign reads “No Boys Allowed”) into her boutiques in both downtown Los Angeles and New York’s Chelsea district.
“Every girl is beautiful-and it’s so rewarding to work with those who don’t know it yet,” said Mitchell. “To watch someone jump up and down after seeing herself look in a way she never imagined she could-you just see their self-esteem skyrocket. I’m not really interested in selling dresses – I’m interested in changing a person’s life.”
For anyone fascinated by the vintage clothing world, or interested in making money off their vintage finds, Dresscue Me is a green fashionista’s fantasy come true. At the very least, you’ll love the campiness that World of Wonder (the producers behind RuPaul’s Drag Race and Tori & Dean) serve up. It’s a subtle stew of camp this time, but those looking for it will find it a-plenty (gotta love the Los Angeles “spiritual” girls botoxed and restylaned within an inch of their om-chanting mouths.) The only potential deal breaker for us; on a visit to Shareen’s website we noticed lots of vintage fur in her images. We are hoping it’s fake, and are glad it’s not featured on the series.