Stacy London

{{Short description|Television host and author from the United States}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Stacy London

| image = Stacy London by Gage Skidmore.jpg

| caption = London in 2023

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|5|25}}

| birth_place = New York City, U.S.

| relatives = Herbert London (father)

| spouse =

| partner =

| education = Vassar College

| occupation = Stylist, fashion consultant, author, magazine editor

| years_active = 1993–present

}}

Stacy London (born May 25, 1969) is an American stylist, fashion consultant, author, and magazine editor. She is known primarily for her time as co-host on What Not to Wear, a reality television program that featured wardrobe and appearance makeovers.

After graduating from Vassar College, London started her career as a fashion editor at Vogue and transitioned into being a stylist for celebrities and designers. She moved into television by co-hosting What Not to Wear with first Wayne Scot Lukas and then Clinton Kelly, and doing fashion reporting for Access Hollywood, The Early Show, and the Today Show. From 2009 to 2010, she was a celebrity spokesperson for Pantene, Woolite, Dr. Scholl's, and Riders by Lee. She co-owns Style for Hire and is the creative director of Westfield Style.

Early life

London was born in New York City on May 25, 1969. She is of Sicilian descent on her mother's side and Jewish descent on her father's side.{{cite news |last=Kadosh |first=Dikla |title=A passion for fashion |url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/tribe/article/advice_from_tlcs_style_maven_stacy_london_20101119/ |work=JewishJournal.com |date=November 15, 2010 |accessdate=May 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017101417/http://www.jewishjournal.com/tribe/article/advice_from_tlcs_style_maven_stacy_london_20101119/ |archive-date=October 17, 2012}} Her mother, Joy Weinman, worked as a venture capitalist, and her father, Herbert London, was the president emeritus of the Hudson Institute.{{cite web |last=Gitter |first=Emily |title=The Makeover Artist |url=http://www.nysun.com/style/makeover-artist/379/ |work=NYSun.com |date=August 17, 2004 |accessdate=March 27, 2009}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/obituaries/herbert-london-dead.html|title=Herbert London, Conservative Savant and Social Critic, Dies at 79|first=Sam|last=Roberts|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 12, 2018}} Her stepmother, Vicki Pops, is a romance novelist. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, she said of her father, "We don't see eye to eye on that much politically [but] he did instill a certain sense of propriety and right and wrong in me, which plays into my fashion sensibility."{{cite news |last=Riley |first=Naomi Schaffer |date=July 6, 2007 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118369123482458971?mod=taste_primary_hs |title=In the World of Women's Wear: Sense and Sensibility |work=The Wall Street Journal |accessdate=June 16, 2009}} While going to Vassar College, she double majored in 20th-century philosophy and German literature and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. It was during a summer internship in Paris in Christian Dior's PR department that she took a serious interest in pursuing a career in the fashion industry.

Career

London began her career as a fashion assistant at Vogue magazine and later became the senior fashion editor at Mademoiselle.{{cite web |author=Steve Boorstein |url=http://www.clothingdoctor.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=46 |title=Clothing Doctor bio |work=ClothingDoctor.com |access-date=2009-03-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502034608/http://www.clothingdoctor.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=46 |archive-date=2009-05-02 }} She has styled fashion photos for other publications, including Italian D, Nylon, and Contents. London has styled for celebrities such as Kate Winslet and Liv Tyler, and on fashion shows for designers Rebecca Taylor, Ghost, and Vivienne Tam.{{cite web |title=Stacy London: Fashion Expert |url=http://www.caaspeakers.com/stacy-london |work=CAASpeakers.com |access-date=October 22, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828202023/http://www.caaspeakers.com/stacy-london |archive-date=August 28, 2012 }} London has worked on numerous advertising campaigns; her client roster includes Hanes, Wonderbra, Bali, Procter & Gamble, CoverGirl, Suave, Target, Levi Strauss & Co., Maytag, Swatch, Longines, and Calvin Klein.{{cite web |title=Beauty & Style Experts: What Not to Wear |url=http://beauty.ivillage.com/author/bio/0,,97mndg3c,00.html |work=iVillage.com |access-date=March 27, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508073830/http://beauty.ivillage.com/author/bio/0,,97mndg3c,00.html |archive-date=May 8, 2009 }}

London began co-hosting TLC's What Not to Wear in its inaugural season in 2003. In 2005, she and co-host Clinton Kelly wrote a book titled Dress Your Best.{{cite book |last1=London |first1=Stacy |last2=Kelly |first2=Clinton |title=Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That's Right for Your Body |publisher=Three Rivers Press |location=New York |year=2005 |page=[https://archive.org/details/dressyourbest00clin/page/256 256] |isbn=0307236714 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/dressyourbest00clin/page/256 }} London is known for her love of high-heeled shoes, owning over 300 pairs.{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Olivia |date=November 22, 2007 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/home/2007-11-22-athome-london_N.htm |title=At home: TLC's Stacy London shoehorns her style into her duplex |work=USA Today |accessdate=March 28, 2009}} In a What Not to Wear "Best of 2005" look-back show, Clinton Kelly teased London by saying "...there are almost as many great moments as there are high heels in Stacy's wardrobe."{{cite episode |title=Best of 2005 Season Special |series=What Not to Wear |series-link=What Not to Wear (US version) |network=TLC |airdate=December 23, 2005 |season=4 |number=17 }} In 2008, London also served as the host of her own talk show Shut Up! It's Stacy London! which was the pilot episode for Fashionably Late with Stacy London.{{cite web |url=http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/fashionably-late/fashionably-late.html |title=Fashionably Late with Stacy London |work=Discovery.com |accessdate=August 13, 2009}} London has done fashion reporting for Weekend Today, The Early Show, Good Day Live, and Access Hollywood. She is a frequent contributor on NBC's Today Show.{{cite web |title=Style lounge opens at Westfield |url=http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/trumbulltimes/community/122873-style-lounge-opens-at-westfield.html |work=Acorn-Online.com |date=May 24, 2012 |accessdate=June 17, 2012 }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

From 2009 to 2010, London was a spokesperson for Pantene,{{cite web |title=Meet Pantene personal pro: Stacy London |url=http://www.pantene.com/en-CA/expert/stacylondon.jspx |work=Pantene.com |accessdate=March 27, 2009}} Woolite,{{cite web |title=Stacy London |url=http://www.findthelookkeepthelook.com/ |work=FindtheLookKeeptheLook.com |accessdate=March 5, 2010}} Dr. Scholl's,{{cite press release |title=DR. SCHOLL'S(R) FOR HER Joins Forces With Style Expert Stacy London to Help Women Achieve Style and Comfort |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/DR-SCHOLLSR-FOR-HER-Joins-prnews-1253093842.html?x=0&.v=1 |publisher=PR Newswire |date=April 8, 2010 |accessdate=April 27, 2010 }}{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and Riders by Lee.{{cite press release |title=Stacy London Finds Her Perfect Fit with the Riders by Lee Brand |url=http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090310006089&newsLang=en |publisher=Business Wire |date=March 10, 2009 |accessdate=March 27, 2009}} In addition to her hosting duties and endorsements, London and business partner Cindy McLaughlin co-founded Style for Hire—an online service that matches people with personal stylists that live in their area.{{cite news |last=Givhan |first=Robin |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/26/AR2010082606453.html |title=Web site's founders offer style mavens to the masses |date=August 27, 2010 |newspaper=The Washington Post |accessdate=September 17, 2010}} The goal of the online agency is to bring personal styling services to average income people. Style for Hire was launched as a pilot on September 13, 2010, in Washington, D.C., to test the idea.{{cite news |last=Freschman |first=Samara |title=Style for Hire Launches to Revamp Your Wardrobe |url=http://www.fashinvest.com/style-for-hire-launches-to-revamp-your-wardrobe/ |work=FashInvest.com |date=April 18, 2012 |access-date=June 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728110438/http://www.fashinvest.com/style-for-hire-launches-to-revamp-your-wardrobe/ |archive-date=July 28, 2012 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last=Boyd |first=E.B. |title=Style For Hire Puts Stacy London's "What Not To Wear" Fashion Smarts In Every Woman's Closet |url=http://www.fastcompany.com/1834213/style-for-hire-puts-stacy-londons-what-not-to-wear-fashion-smarts-in-every-womans-closet |work=Fast Company |date=April 16, 2012 |access-date=June 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621032316/http://www.fastcompany.com/1834213/style-for-hire-puts-stacy-londons-what-not-to-wear-fashion-smarts-in-every-womans-closet |archive-date=June 21, 2012 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last=Strugatz |first=Rachel |title=Stacy London's Style for the Masses |url=http://www.wwd.com/media-news/digital/stacy-london-spreads-her-wings-5856212 |work=WWD.com |date=April 13, 2012 |access-date=June 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120630164221/http://www.wwd.com/media-news/digital/stacy-london-spreads-her-wings-5856212 |archive-date=June 30, 2012 |url-status=dead }} The agency launched in its entirety on April 16, 2012. As of that date, there are 135 stylists in 24 cities. London is also the creative director for Westfield Style and the editor-in-chief of Westfield STYLE magazine.{{cite web |title=Westfield Announces National Partnership With Celebrity Stylist Stacy London |url=http://www.runwaynews.com/prod/2011/08/westfield-announces-national-partnership-with-celebrity-stylist-stacy-london/ |work=RunwayNews.com |date=August 26, 2011 |access-date=June 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420030330/http://www.runwaynews.com/prod/2011/08/westfield-announces-national-partnership-with-celebrity-stylist-stacy-london/ |archive-date=April 20, 2012 |url-status=dead }} Westfield's Style Lounges are staffed by professional stylists from Style for Hire who provide free on-demand fashion consultations. There are three Style Lounges located at Westfield Garden State Plaza in New Jersey, Westfield Montgomery in Maryland, and Westfield Trumbull in Connecticut.{{cite web |title=Westfield Style |url=http://www.westfield.com/us/style/lounge/ |work=Westfield.com |access-date=June 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616044757/http://www.westfield.com/us/style/lounge/ |archive-date=June 16, 2012 }}

London was the executive producer of Big Brooklyn Style, a reality show about customer experiences at Lee Lee's Valise boutique in New York. The show premiered May 29, 2012 on TLC.{{cite news |last=O'Hare |first=Kate |title='What Not to Wear's' Stacy London embraces 'Big Brooklyn Style' |url=http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2012/05/what-not-to-wears-stacy-london-embraces-big-brooklyn-style.html |work=Zap2it |date=May 29, 2012 |access-date=June 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619182313/http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2012/05/what-not-to-wears-stacy-london-embraces-big-brooklyn-style.html |archive-date=June 19, 2012 }} In February 2013, she became an editor-at-large of Shape magazine. In her role, she was to write a fashion column for the magazine every month.{{cite press release|title=Shape Editor-in-Chief Tara Kraft Adds Stylish Stacy London to Roster|publisher=PR Newswire|date=February 13, 2013|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shape-editor-in-chief-tara-kraft-adds-stylish-stacy-london-to-roster-191063721.html|access-date=February 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605231711/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shape-editor-in-chief-tara-kraft-adds-stylish-stacy-london-to-roster-191063721.html|archive-date=June 5, 2013|url-status=dead}} In March 2013, TLC announced that What Not to Wear would air its final season starting in July. London said of the experience "This show changed me and the trajectory of my life... I hope we touched [our contributors] as much as they touched me. I hope we touched our viewers."{{cite news |last=Berkshire |first=Geoff |date=March 6, 2013 |title='What Not to Wear' canceled by TLC after 10 seasons |url=http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2013/03/what-not-to-wear-canceled-by-tlc-after-10-seasons.html |work=Zap2it |access-date=March 10, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130312031227/http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2013/03/what-not-to-wear-canceled-by-tlc-after-10-seasons.html |archive-date=March 12, 2013 }} In January 2015, TLC announced that London would host Love, Lust, or Run, a show similar to her previous work, What Not to Wear.{{cite news |last=Persad |first=Michelle |date=January 22, 2015|title=Stacy London Can Tell You More Than Just What Not To Wear |url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/22/stacy-london-what-not-to-wear-_n_6519348.html| work=huffingtonpost.com |accessdate=January 29, 2015}} She was an official contributor on Season 19 of The View from 2015 to 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://abc7news.com/956426/|title=Season 19 of 'The View' kicks off with new cast, old favorite|date=September 8, 2015|website=ABC7 San Francisco}}

Personal life

London lives in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of New York City's Brooklyn borough.{{cite news|last1=Velocci |first1=Cristina |last2=LeWinter |first2=Rachel |title=Most stylish New Yorkers: Stacy London |url=https://timeout.com/newyork/shopping/most-stylish-new-yorkers-stacy-london |work=Time Out |date=September 7, 2010 |access-date=June 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619192226/http://www.timeout.com/newyork/shopping/most-stylish-new-yorkers-stacy-london |archive-date=June 19, 2012 |url-status=dead }} On December 31, 2019, she announced that she was in her first serious relationship with a woman, musician Cat Yezbak, and had been so for over a year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/01/01/what-not-to-wear-host-stacy-london-comes-out-on-new-years-eve-and-reveals-hot-butch-girlfriend/|title = What Not to Wear host Stacy London comes out on New Year's Eve and reveals 'hot butch girlfriend'| date=January 2020 }} She wrote on Instagram, "So I used to date men. Now I date her."{{cite web |last1=Puente |first1=Maria |title=Fashion maven Stacy London is 'in love' with a woman, introduces her girlfriend on Instagram |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/01/01/stacy-london-in-love-woman-introduces-girlfriend-instagram/2789411001/ |website=USA Today |publisher=Gannett |accessdate=1 January 2020}} In 2024, she specified that she identifies as a lesbian.{{cite web |last1=Steinberg |first1=Russell |title='What Not to Wear' Alum Stacy London Now Identifies as a Lesbian: 'There Aren't Enough of Us' (Exclusive) |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/stacy-london-now-identifies-as-a-lesbian-there-arent-enough-of-us/ |website=Us Weekly |access-date=17 July 2024 |date=26 June 2024}} London and Yezbak separated in late 2024.

London has suffered from psoriasis since childhood.{{cite news |last=Zuckerman |first=Suzanne |title=My Long Battle with Eating Disorders |url=http://caaspeakers.com/media/181179/london_people%20feature.pdf |work=CAASpeakers.com |publisher=People |date=October 8, 2012 |pages=77–79 |access-date=October 22, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515212650/http://caaspeakers.com/media/181179/london_people%20feature.pdf |archive-date=May 15, 2013 }}{{cite news|last=Pomerance|first=Rachel|title=Stacy London: Rewriting Your Life Story Through Style|url=http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/10/17/stacy-london-rewriting-your-life-story-through-style|accessdate=October 22, 2012|newspaper=U.S. News & World Report|date=October 17, 2012}} Due to her experience growing up, she became a spokesperson for the National Psoriasis Foundation in 2007{{cite news |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |date=September 18, 2007 |url=http://www.ok-magazine.com/news/view/1455/Q&A:-Stacy-London |title=Q&A: Stacy London |work=OK! |accessdate=March 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816042636/http://www.okmagazine.com/2007/09/qa-stacy-london-1455/ |archive-date=August 16, 2011}} and AbbVie's "Uncover Your Confidence" campaign in 2013.{{cite web |date=July 8, 2013 |title=Stacy London Launches Uncover Your Confidence™ Campaign to Empower People Living with Psoriasis |url=http://www.multivu.com/mnr/61804-abbvie-stacy-london-uncover-your-confidence |work=MultiVu.com |publisher=PRNewswire |access-date=September 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720031944/http://www.multivu.com/mnr/61804-abbvie-stacy-london-uncover-your-confidence |archive-date=July 20, 2013 }} She is well known for her naturally-occurring gray streak in the front of her hair—known in the medical field as poliosis—which she has had since she was 11 years old. Her Pantene contract includes a "gray clause" that allows her to keep it.{{cite news |last=Firesheets |first=Tina |date=March 15, 2009 |url=http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/03/13/article/stacy_london_advocates_empowerment_through_fashion |title=Stacy London advocates empowerment through fashion |work=News & Record |accessdate=March 28, 2009}}{{cite news |last=Martin |first=Adrienne |date=December 21, 2010 |title=Glory grays |url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/12/15/1913320/glory-grays.html |work=The Charlotte Observer |accessdate=December 21, 2010 }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In the early 1990s, London struggled with anorexia, binge eating, and other weight issues. Standing {{convert|5|ft|7|in|cm}},{{cite news |last=Huget |first=Jennifer |date=April 21, 2009 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/20/AR2009042002413.html |title=Stacy London's Low-Snark Approach to Feeling Fine About Your Body |newspaper=The Washington Post |accessdate=April 26, 2009}} she was {{convert|90|lb|kg}} at her lightest weight and {{convert|180|lb|kg}} at her heaviest.{{cite news |last=Wicks |first=Amy |title=Stacy London: From Makeovers to Memoir |url=http://www.wwd.com/eye/people/stacy-londons-own-story-6370420? |work=WWD.com |date=October 1, 2012 |access-date=October 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104011813/http://www.wwd.com/eye/people/stacy-londons-own-story-6370420 |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |url-status=dead }} In a 2007 interview with Sirens magazine, she said of the experience, "I have been every size in my life. I've been smaller than a zero, up through a size 16. I've had lots of issues with body image and weight my whole life and it really took a great deal of work to recognize that at all those weights, no matter how I felt, I could still find a dress that made me feel sexy and powerful."{{cite news |last=Bartz |first=Andrea |date=December 19, 2007 |url=http://sirensmag.com/2007/12/quote-this-stacy-london/ |title=Quote This!: Stacy London |work=Sirens Magazine |accessdate=March 28, 2009 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090808044613/http://sirensmag.com/2007/12/quote-this-stacy-london/ |archive-date=August 8, 2009}}

In 2010, London was profiled by Time Out magazine in their article/photo series about the most stylish New Yorkers.{{cite news |last1=Velocci |first1=Cristina |last2=LeWinter |first2=Rachel |title=Most stylish New Yorkers: Stacy London |url=https://timeout.com/newyork/shopping/most-stylish-new-yorkers-stacy-london |work=Time Out |date=September 7, 2010 |access-date=June 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619192226/http://www.timeout.com/newyork/shopping/most-stylish-new-yorkers-stacy-london |archive-date=June 19, 2012 |url-status=dead }} That same year, she performed in the Off-Broadway play Love, Loss, and What I Wore, a series of monologues about women's clothes and their relationship to life events/memories. As of 2016, London has never been married and has no children. She discussed being single, the importance of personal style, and her past struggles with eating disorders in her second book, a memoir, titled The Truth About Style.{{cite book|last=London|first=Stacy|title=The Truth About Style|year=2012|publisher=Viking Adult|location=New York City|isbn=978-0670026234|pages=[https://archive.org/details/truthaboutstyle0000lond/page/224 224]|url=https://archive.org/details/truthaboutstyle0000lond/page/224}}

In December 2016, London underwent spinal fusion surgery to correct a chronic back problem, which required a six-month rehabilitation.{{cite news|url=http://www.refinery29.com/2018/02/188983/stacy-london-managing-money-heartbreak| title=Stacy London on Her Year of Going Broke| author=Stacy London| publisher=Refinery29.com| date=2018-02-02| access-date=2018-02-03}}