Tiffany transformed on 'What Not to Wear'

Eighties pop icon Tiffany got the "What Not to Wear" transformation treatment on the show's tenth-season premiere -- and Stacy and Clinton knocked it out of the park.

Born Tiffany Renee Darwish, the star owned the charts back in 1987 with a pair of singles, "I Think We're Alone Now" and "Could've Been." These days, she's still putting out music; she also owns a vintage store called Tiffany's Boutique in White House, TN, where she lives with her husband and kids. But while she's a pro at advising customers on what looks great, Tiffany has taken her own retro look overboard in recent years, piling on the '70s paisley and fringe, and hiding sensitive areas in dresses two sizes too big for her.

[Related: 2012's most notable former child stars, then and now]

On the plus side, Darwish knew she had a problem, so she nominated herself for the patented "WNTW" makeover instead of waiting for friends -- or fans -- to do it. Could show gurus Stacy and Clinton pop Tiffany out of her rut? (See the video at the bottom if you can't wait to find out how the transformation turned out!)

At first, it didn't look promising. Tiffany did volunteer herself for the show, but she was reluctant to let go of what Clinton called her "oversize gypsy style" (he also invoked Liza Minnelli, "gay Bavaria," and fortune-tellers…ouch) for the more modern, body-conscious look the "WNTW" stylists favor. She felt self-conscious about her weight, even though she's dropped 20 pounds recently. "My body, it's become, as I get older…not my friend," Tiffany said, adding that her touring schedule doesn't help her stay fit.

And while she admitted to Stacy that her '70s/Stevie Nicks aesthetic is partly a way to distance herself from her '80s image, Tiffany also balked a bit at updating her look, noting that she didn't want to look like just another "soccer mom" and that, as a celebrity, she wanted a unique look that set her apart. And when she admitted she didn't know what a peplum was, Stacy nearly swooned.

Unsurprisingly, Clinton and Stacy weren't having it. The usual merciless weed of the subject's current wardrobe ensued -- exactly one jacket survived, and it was not the painted, cropped leather horror from Tiffany's '80s tour with NKOTB -- before Clinton got through to Tiffany by mentioning "the major difference between hiding and camouflaging." He also reassured her that she could stick to a vintage feel, while adding modern pieces that fit better -- and would make her look younger and hipper.

Tiffany embraced the challenge at last, and Clinton was dead on about the results. New dresses and tops, in the correct size, showed off the singer's curves, while seeming to drop another 20 pounds from her frame.

[Related: The most memorable music-on-TV moments from 2012]

And Ted Gibson worked magic with Tiffany's hair, too. He stuck to her trademark red palette, but actually gave her style some shape, adding blunt bangs that made her look years younger. (Carmindy didn't do a ton with the makeup, but the deceptively simple addition of some eyebrow pencil made a huge difference.)

Tiffany loved her new look (one pair of jeans drew raves for "how it makes my butt look"), closing the episode with a mini-concert to show it off. Her appearance on "WNTW" was probably about more than just an updated wardrobe, too. Tiffany hasn't been able to replicate the success of her mall-touring days in the intervening years, but she's continued to put out records, including a country album, "Rose Tattoo," that dropped in late 2011. Since her '80s heyday topping the pop charts and touring with the likes of Debbie Gibson and New Kids on the Block, she's done everything from voice-over work (Judy in "The Jetsons Movie") to "Playboy" spreads (the April 2002 issue) to "Celebrity Fit Club." She and her family have lived near Nashville for several years.

Watch Stacy and Clinton's reaction to Tiffany's new look: 

Did you watch the "WNTW" season premiere? What did you think about Tiffany's transformation -- did you think the tweaks worked? Do you like it better when the style subjects are more resistant to change?

"Charles in Charge" and "Baywatch" star Nicole Eggert gets a "What Not to Wear" makeover on Thursday, 1/10 at 10 PM on TLC.