Participants were nominated by friends, co-workers, or relatives. Some episodes involved self-nominations, such as the class reunion specials or mall nominations. In the latter, "What Not to Wear" set up a 360-degree mirror in various malls across the United States, which allowed women to explain why they needed fashion help. Early episodes featured both men and women; however, as the men's transformations did not prove to be as remarkable, all later episodes featured women exclusively. Some episodes featured both the nominee and the nominator being selected for a makeover.