With over 15 strong-minded women to dress, Gemma Shanley and Bertie Bowen have their work cut out, but this power pair of celebrity stylists wouldn't have it any other way, rating their success in getting Linda Robson to happily wear a dress for the first time as one of their best achievements. The fashionable pair – known as MotherShoppers – invited HELLO! into the Loose Women studios to reveal all about what it's like working on one of ITV's biggest daytime shows, and the tricks and tips for dressing the panellists.
MotherShoppers are the stars behind the Loose Women panel's style
A good relationship is vital between the Loose Women stars and their stylists, and Gemma and Bertie have earnt the trust of all of them, which has meant seen their style change drastically as a result. "It's great that someone like Janet Street-Porter is really opinionated and knows what she likes, and we have built up a relationship with her over the years so she will try things – sometimes it's a flat no – but as women we all know what suits us," they explained.
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HELLO! caught up with Gemma and Bertie at the Loose Women studio
"We got Linda Robson in a dress the other day which was amazing. She would always be in a scarf, covered up, and now she's embracing new things so that's been really nice to see. Nadia Sawalha's style has also changed. She's embracing her body shape and curves a lot more and shows them off more which is really flattering. She's having fun with fashion and really trusts us. She always tries what we suggest which is really nice."
The colour of the set impacts on what clothes the panel wear
Anchor Ruth Langsford has also enjoyed experimenting with what she wears on TV. Gemma and Bertie told HELLO!: "For a long time, Ruth wasn't a fan of trousers but now she does. She also wore a suit the other day. She would always just wear a dress before. Ruth has a real understanding of what suits her and because she also has her own range, she has a lot of insider knowledge and understands how clothes form and fit."
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Gloria Hunniford has an impressive collection of jackets
"It's helpful when panellists tell us what they want to wear. They aren't actors and are themselves on the show so they have to feel comfortable with what they are wearing and for it to reflect their personalities. We can encourage them to try different things and new shapes but it's always easier when someone knows their own style," they explained.
Janet Street-Porter loves to clash prints
Planning is also key for Gemma and Bertie. "We have something called the grid that tells us who is going to be on that week and we consult it. Most of the women have their section in the wardrobe room and we replenish their outfits regularly, as well as borrowing pieces. Everyone then has a 'worn' section and a 'to be worn' section. Some of the panellists wear the outfits a couple of times and some have a vaster turn around if they are on more, so it just varies on the week and the woman," they told us.
Andrea McLean is known for her sophisticated style
And you would be surprised that not everything works well on TV, especially now that the Loose Women set has changed. "In TV, colour works really well and it makes it easier for the director to pick out individual women if they have one block colour. Now our set has changed and it's more colourful, print works really well depending on which seat the woman is sitting in and what is behind them," they said. "We are still finding our feet with what works on the new set and what works, as for example if someone is wearing red they will look like a floating head if they are sitting on a certain seat."
Gemma and Bertie can be found on Instagram @mothershoppers, and online at mothershoppers.com
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV
