The fashion tribe has spoken: Now she's budget maven
By Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| "The Look for Less" host Elisabeth Hasselbeck helps women find designer looks without breaking the bank.
E! Networks 'The Look for Less' Style Network (analog channel 77 and digital channel 550) 3 p.m. Wednesdays (repeats 6 p.m.) Elisabeth Hasselbeck Host of Style Network's "The Look for Less" Age: 26 From: Cranston, R.I. She now lives in Los Angeles. Education: Graduated from Boston College, where she majored in studio art. Marital status: Formerly Elisabeth Filarski, got married last year to Tim, a backup quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. His brother Matt is the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. Items she can't live without: An off-white canvas tote bag with a hot pink lining, and her Reebok running shoes |
But you wouldn't have been able to tell when Hasselbeck was among the final four barely-dressed, dingy finalists on "Survivor: The Australian Outback" (she was Elisabeth Filarski when it aired in 2001).
Today, Hasselbeck is the ultra-trendy host of Style Network's "The Look For Less," a show in its second season that's "about taking high fashion and bringing it to someone who has a budget," said Hasselbeck, who was using a cell phone headset while driving in Los Angeles.
The Style Network sweetheart and crew will work their fashion magic on lucky locals during a weeklong stay in Honolulu, starting Aug. 20, to tape shows that are expected to air by October, Hasselbeck said.
"I've never been to Hawai'i, so I'm actually thrilled," she said. "I just saw the show that we shot in Vegas, and it's really nice to have the setting of each city that we're in as a part of the show."
The show's niche involves taking "real people" — from someone's neighbor who wants a killer outfit for a first date to a fifth-grade teacher preparing for her high school reunion — and re-creating a specific designer look for them in one hour and on a budget, usually between $100 and $200.
"We're probably going to be working with anywhere from four to six people," she said about their Hawai'i visit. "I think it'll be two whole shows. There actually may be more."
Hasselbeck will be directly involved with four of the women, probably two each day, who'll be made over and taken shopping around Ala Moana Center.
Hasselbeck said it's likely regulars Chip and Pepper Foster — the energetic twin brothers who started the Golf Punk boutique on Melrose in L.A. — will come along for the ride.
The fashion-savvy Hasselbeck's move from "Survivor" fame to "The Look For Less" isn't far-fetched, considering her design background.
She was the only female footwear designer for Puma North America and also designed for supermodel Christy Turlington's Nuala yoga footwear line before landing her "Look For Less" job.
When it comes to high style, Hasselbeck assures women that putting together runway looks doesn't have to be a dreaded task. It can also be affordable.
"You can find things so inexpensively now," Hasselbeck said. "It's so easy."
Hasselbeck offers these tips:
- Know your body. "For instance, a mid-calf-length skirt may be all over the runways ... but for me, that's the most unflattering length of a skirt that I could ever find," Hasselbeck said. "So I would say, you need to know your body and know what works well on you proportionally."
- Look at what you already have. "You may have a hidden jewel in your own closet and may not know it," she said. "It may just need a little tailoring. You can spend $10 to shorten the length of one skirt, as opposed to spending $78 for a brand-new one."
- Look into your closet to see what you use a lot, whether they're black trousers or blazers. "Those are the pieces that you're going to spend more money on because you want them to last," Hasselbeck said.
- Take advantage of sales.
- Familiarize yourself with runway looks by studying fashion magazines, such as In Style and Lucky.
