The ever-changing world of reality television has recently been bombarded with various fist-pumping, poofy-haired, ultra-tan shows centering on the state that viewers have come to love to hate – New Jersey. Jersey Couture, Oxygen’s attempt at a summer reality series equal to the success of MTV’s Jersey Shore, seemed it would be just another outlet viewers could turn to after the finales of hit shows including Jerseylicious and The Housewives of New Jersey. An Italian family that brings more humor than hurt to drama with their strong accents and rough Jersey attitudes are nothing new to the world of Jersey reality TV. But Jersey Couture, which follows the Scali family as they try to maintain family stability while running a successful dress store in central New Jersey, brings a fresh dose of raw reality to the already wacky yet entertaining world that is Jersey reality television.
Jersey Couture focuses on the Scali family – including husband and wife Sal and Diane, daughters Kimberly and Christina, and son Anthony – as they help to run Diane’s successful dress store Diane and Co. in Freehold, NJ. The season premiere, which debuted on June 1, opened with Diane constantly bombarding her costumers and embarrassing her daughters with her quirky “booty pop” dance, and with Kimberly harassing younger sister Christina on the importance of responsibility and her need to find a healthy relationship.
Such family drama, which is so pure and genuine that almost any family could relate(even those non-Italians), is interspersed throughout the show while viewers are also shown firsthand how it is to run a small, family-owned business focused on a rather select customer base. Selling dresses proves once again how brutally honest the Scali women can be. If a dress makes a girl look like she has “muffin tops,” every woman’s ultimate fear when it comes to dress shopping, Kimberly will be sure point it out right away and go until she finds the perfect dress to fit the girl’s personality and body type. Although the Scalis sometimes bring family drama into the work place – which helps to keep the show’s entertainment factor high – the business’ success proves how well the Scali women can relate to their clients as your everyday-type of girls who like to feel special and shine on their special day, whether it be for a Sweet 16 or prom.
At a time when much of “reality” television seems to be more forced than actual reality, Jersey Couture enters with a cast not yet swayed by the powers of money and fame. The Scalis do not force drama and deep emotions in front of the camera because their lives are already full of such entertainment without it having to be exaggerated – at least in their first season. When Kimberly and Christina travel to Aspen in order to work a wedding, the cameras follow them as they work diligently to please the bride, but also follow the sisters as they fool around on the ski slopes and hit up the bars to scope out cute guys. The connection to these individuals that the viewer experiences – because the Scalis appear to be such down-to-earth people trying to make it as a family and business – is rarely found reality TV.
Jersey Couture will be sure to keep viewers – especially those self-proclaimed jersey girls – coming back for more with the humorous bickering mixed with the honest love and devotion that keeps the Scali family and business strong.
Jersey Couture airs on Oxygen on Tuesday at 10 p.m. EST.
To learn more about Jersey Couture, click here.
