Robert Verdi, Beverly Johnson, and Kim Alexis celebrate ageless beauty in She's Got the Look

Celebrity judge, television personality, and super-stylist Robert Verdi has been holding informal soirees with a select group of friends, colleagues and media, to screen each episode of the reality television show "She's Got the Look" (Wednesdays on TVLand). The show follows a group of absolutely gorgeous women who are, very refreshingly, all over age 35. One lucky winner gets a a second chance for a supermodel career, a life changing contract with the world famous Wilhelmina Modeling Agency, and a spread in Self magazine .

I was invited to see the finale of "She's Got the Look" sponsored by Aveeno, featuring Robert Verdi in person. He's as great in person as on the television screen, with sparkling eyes, a genuine, wide smile, and a magnetic personality that pops off the tv sreen (in this case,a huge Panasonic television in a giant "living room"). While Verdi's adorable puppy playfully chewed the fingers of the ladies sitting next to me, we watched the final episode unfold.


The format of "She's Got the Look" is familiar to the masses from the likes of "American Idol" and "Americas Next Top Model," with celebrity judges, a coveted prize, and hopefuls vying for the winning spot by participating in a variety of challenges (one episode had the ladies ascending ladders to swing on a trapeze high above the ground--a chance to conquer fear as well as look beautiful in a photograph). "She's Got the Look" is first and foremost, still a beauty/modeling contest, but the show forces the contestants to show more than one dimension. For example, in the finale, the contestants have to design and execute their own concept for a cover for Self Magazine. The show sends positive messages along with the glam factor and it's a small but significant step in the right direction to help shift the perception that aging is unattractive. The celebrity judges (all over age 35) have proven talent and wonderful personalities. My favorite is of course, the charming Robert Verdi, and celebrity supermodels Beverly Johnson and Wilhelmina boss Sean Patterson, plus a host-with-the-most (personality that is) in former model-Kim Alexis (stunning at last night's screening in a simple, berry-colored shift dress).



What makes me really happy about "She's Got the Look" is that the beauties are not the usual blank, unsophisticated, underweight and under-age version of a woman. Despite some snarky comments on the Internet that I've seen, there's nothing lightweight about following a dream, even if it's just to be a pretty face on a magazine cover (and the money and fame that goes with it). For the viewer, watching the weekly trek to the model's winner's circle may still be motivated by the "gilty pleasure" of gorgeous jewels, clothes and makeup, but it is the distinct and strong personalities of the models themselves that really capture our attention. Each week, before out eyes, they become more confident and beautiful with every challenge they face.


For viewers over age 35, the show does a good job of subtly sending the message that aging is good, positive, a part of life. Experience makes you interesting and tghat makes you more attractive. The contestants are beautiful but they don't look like young girls. What shows on your face shouldn't be completely obliterated with surgery and injectables.



Somewhere, on a blog, a young girl wrote "this show should be cool...for our mothers." She totally missed the point. Robert Verdi (about to turn 40 himself) does get the point. The show is paving the way for her. She will soon discover that by virtue of living, she's become one of those "mature" women not even on her radar screen right now.



Mr. Verdi confided that he loves the idea that this show celebrates multi-facted beauty --the type that comes not just from an unlined face and a size minus zero figure, but from the depth, intelligence, and dimension that really makes a person beautiful. Unlike the clueless blogger, Rober Verdi is a taste maker with influence. In 2000, he co-created and co-hosted Full Frontal Fashion , a show that was the first ever to air complete coverage of runway fashion shows, bringing the exclusive events into American living rooms. He's gone on to create a number of other great television shows featuring fashion and style as well.




If you took all the fashion magazines and blogs and removed every model and reference to those under age 30, there would be nothing to see at all! With shows like "She's Got the Look," hopefully, this will soon change.