The Surprising Lives Stacy London and Clinton Kelly Have Led Since ‘What Not To Wear’

Of the iconic reality TV shows of the 2000s, one of the most memorable is TLC’s What Not To Wear, which guided well-meaning civilians and taught them how to dress their best and subsequently set them up for success in the world. The series was hosted by the equally iconic duo Stacy London and Clinton Kelly, who first banded together back in 2003.

What Not To Wear ran for a total of ten years, its final season airing in late 2013. The show ended among rumors of tension between Stacy and Clinton, and only recently it was announced that the two had cast aside past issues to reunite for a reboot show called Wear Whatever The F You Want. In the gap that has lasted over a decade, here’s what each of the hosts has been up to – and truth may surprise you.

The Surprising Lives Stacy London and Clinton Kelly Have Led Since ‘What Not To Wear’

According to both Stacy and Clinton, following the end of What Not To Wear, there was so much conflict between the two that they weren’t speaking. Clinton has even spoken about how Stacy had him blocked on social media, showing the extent to which the two had fallen out of touch. It’s no surprise, then, that after filming concluded, the two headed in separate directions in terms of their careers.

Around the time that the final season of What Not To Wear ended, Stacy became an editor-at-large for Shape magazine, where she contributed a fashion column to the outlet each month. That wasn’t the end of her fashion-related work. In early 2015, she also went on to host yet another show on TLC, this time called Love, Lust, or Run. The premise of this show was for Stacy to meet with women to give them advice on their otherwise questionable fashion choices – similar to the original British series called Snog Marry Avoid.

Perhaps most significant of all is that Stacy also made a huge announcement about her personal life during the time between the series ending and the reboot premiering. Towards the end of 2019, she revealed that she was in her first-ever serious relationship with a woman, musician Cat Yezback, and that the two had actually been together for over a year. Stacy proudly revealed her relationship on Instagram with a bold caption:

According to the 55-year-old’s social media, it appears the couple is still together, now past their five-year anniversary. As of this year, Stacy also announced to fans that she officially identifies as a lesbian. Stacy will return for the reboot embracing her new identity – and this also means that the show officially boasts hosts who both have a queer identity.

Beyond her relationship, Stacy also worked as a contributing host on The View for its 19th season. She also remains involved with the National Psoriasis Foundation and AbbVie’s “Uncover Your Confidence” campaign, both causes that are dear to her heart. In the past, Stacy has spoken out about both her struggle with psoriasis, which she’s had since her childhood, as well as her struggle with eating disorders, including binge-eating and anorexia.

Another condition which has become a bit of a trademark for Stacy is the streak of gray hair that frames her face. This naturally-occuring phenomenon is known as poliosis, and apparently Stacy’s rocked this look since she was just 11 years old. It’s unquestionably a part of her signature look, and she even has a “gray clause” in her contract with Pantene which allows her to leave it as is.

Clinton Kelly Has Also Remained On TV Since

For his part, it seems that Stacy’s co-host Clinton Kelly has also kept plenty busy since the original show ended. While What Not To Wear was airing its last couple of seasons, Clinton was already working on his next show, as he became the moderator of the daytime show The Chew on ABC back in 2011. The Chew covered topics related to food and general lifestyle trends, but much of it was about the wonderful chemistry displayed by the hosts.

The show allowed viewers to get more of an inside look at Clinton’s real life in a way that What Not To Wear didn’t. The series was so successful that it ran for seven seasons, and Clinton even received a Daytime Emmy in 2015 for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host along with the rest of his co-hosts.

In addition to The Chew, Clinton has since tacked on some more hosting credits to his name. He would also go on to host both the fifth and sixth seasons of Spring Baking Championship, which aired on the Food Network in 2019 and 2020. He also hosts another Food Network show called the Haunted Gingerbread Showdown, further showing his love for all things entertaining and culinary.

Fans will also be excited to know that Clinton has previously hinted at working on a home design show, though currently no further details about the show’s premise have been released. No doubt Clinton’s natural warmth and charisma keep bringing him back to new projects.

Outside of filming, Clinton also published a collection of essays in 2017 titled I Hate Everyone, Except You. The concept for the book was to give Clinton a chance to truly open up about who he is – even beyond fans’ conceptions of him from watching him on TV.

A Reboot Is Currently In The Works

Though an official airdate for Wear Whatever The F You Want has yet to be announced, we do know that it’s slated to be an eight-episode series. Clinton and Stacy return both as hosts and executive producers of the show, and the official announcement remarks that it will make for the first time the two have “collaborated on camera” in more than a decade.

The new series brings a much-needed revamp to the original concept, as the fashion advice the two will dole out is no longer prescriptive, but rather about helping individuals embrace their authenticity through their clothing choices.

“The world has changed a lot since the run of
What Not to Wear
, and, thankfully, so have we,” said the hosts. “These days, we have zero interest in telling people what to do, based on society’s norms – because there are no more norms!”