For ten years, Clinton Kelly criticized people’s fashion choices as host of TLC’s “What Not To Wear” in New York City. Today, 11 years after the show ended, he goes shopping in Litchfield County in his gardening clothes.

“I’m a lot more casual (in Connecticut) than I was in New York City,” Kelly says. “I spend a lot of time in the garden and then go to the grocery store in my gardening clothes. I’m pretty sure I told people that was totally inappropriate when I hosted ‘What Not To Wear.'”

Kelly says he’s moved away from fashion “rules” and is now focusing on what makes someone feel confident – and that’s one of the reasons he and his former “What Not To Wear” co-host Stacy London decided to return to television together with their new Amazon Prime Video show, “Wear Whatever the F You Want.”

The fashion reality series follows Kelly and London as they help their clients “find their true style” and feel strong and confident enough to wear what they want, according to a Prime Video press release.

“We wanted to show that even though we haven’t really spent much time together, our style philosophies have evolved in the same direction,” Kelly said. “We thought now would be the right time to show everyone that we are actually friends, despite some of the rumors floating around the internet.”

The television presenter, stylist and author moved from New York City to Kent around 2008, where he still owns a home with his husband Damon Bayles.

“New York City is crazy,” he says. “I wanted to get out of New York City, at least on the weekends. Plus, I think the Litchfield Hills are beautiful.”

Kelly says his decision to move to Connecticut was influenced by his sister, Courtney. She lives in Litchfield with her two sons, one of whom is named after Clinton. “I’m very close to all of them,” Kelly says.

Kelly, who also hosted the ABC food and cooking show “The Chew” until 2018, says he loves the farm-to-table situation in Connecticut.

“There are many local, independently run farms,” says Kelly. “Nothing makes me happier than supporting local farmers and then cooking delicious meals with their freshly grown produce.”

Kelly also adds that one of the most attractive aspects of Connecticut for him is the people. “I eat quality food, look at beautiful scenery all day, and meet really nice people,” Kelly says of Connecticut. “It really is a wonderful place.”

Kelly says Litchfield County is “one of the most beautiful parts of the world” – at least in the spring, summer and fall.

“I’m not a fan of it in the winter,” he says. “The thing about fall in Connecticut is that it’s really breathtakingly beautiful. It’s such a beautiful place to live and be, and then it gets so cold and gray and dreary that it’s just pure misery.”

The cold in Connecticut is one reason why Kelly often reuses clothes he wears in the summer for his fall wardrobe.

“I think a big part (of reusing clothes) for me is to preserve some of that summer joy,” Kelly says. “My key is to bring as much joy into my life as possible during the summer and fall so that I can survive the misery of the next four months, maybe even a little more.”

Reusing clothes and conscious shopping are an important part of Kelly’s fashion philosophy, as he believes textile waste can be “a big problem for the world” and a “huge waste of money.”

“The older I get, the more I find textile waste disgusting. I feel the same way about textile waste as I do about food waste,” says Kelly. “It’s like someone ordering a 16-ounce steak, eating three bites of it and then sending it back because they’re full. It makes me really sick.”

Kelly says he constantly advises his clients to buy clothes with intention and enthusiasm, rather than shopping “haphazardly.”

“You don’t have to join the latest trend just because some influencer on TikTok says you have to,” says Kelly. “Every single item in your closet should have been bought because you thought it was special and because it says something about you as a person.”

So Kelly advises not buying a whole new wardrobe to match fall trends when transitioning from summer to fall. He says repurposing summer clothes for fall in Connecticut can be an easy transition with the right layers and colors.

“It used to be that summer fabrics were only for summer,” says Kelly. “Now there are no rules, and that’s great.”

Want to reduce your textile waste and make your summer clothes fall-ready? Here are some of Kelly’s tips on how to adapt your wardrobe to the changing seasons.

“Boho translates very easily into fall,” says Kelly. For a boho look with long dresses and floral prints, Kelly recommends wearing either knee-high or ankle-high suede boots with a thick sweater over the top.

He also says that wearing layers over a summer boho outfit, such as a long-sleeved collared shirt and a sweater, can make it more fall-appropriate.

Kelly says he generally has two or three cashmere sweaters in neutral colors that he can wear with any outfit throughout the fall in Connecticut.

“Always keep sweaters and light jackets in your car so you’re prepared at all times,” says Kelly. “You really have no idea if it’s 21 degrees in the sun, then the sun disappears below the horizon and next thing you know it’s 10 degrees and you’re freezing.”

“Stealth Wealth” is a look that relies on a subtle, simple style of clothing that conveys luxury without logos or clear brand names being visible, so Shine.

Kelly says any summer stealth-wealth look can work in fall with a camel coat or trench coat.

“I think a nice camel hair coat is a staple piece to have in your Connecticut wardrobe,” Kelly says. “Just something that keeps the lines really clean, really simple, no frills.”

“I’ve seen a lot of white dresses this summer,” says Kelly. “A lot of people would say you can’t wear them in the fall or winter. I would say you can definitely wear them.”

He says the easiest way to make a white dress or skirt more fall-appropriate is to add black pieces to your outfit. Kelly suggests pairing a white skirt or dress with a black blazer, black boots or tights.

“Black and white was and remains a classic style combination,” he says.

“Shiny works for any season,” says Kelly. A denim jacket over a shiny ensemble can help tone down the shine and make it more appropriate for fall, says Kelly.

“It’s one of the easiest ways to transition into fall,” he says. “Just having a little bit of sparkle without shining it in everyone’s face.”

Tennis fashion really took off this summer, thanks in part to the release of the tennis rivalry film “Challengers” and Zendaya’s styling during the film’s press tour.

Kelly says that any tennis-inspired look can find its way into fall and that Zendaya’s looks at Wimbledon can serve as a good source of inspiration for how to style a tennis look as the seasons change.

“You might think about wearing the jacket that (Zendaya) wore, a shirt and a tie,” Kelly says. “You might want to wear a lot of thick layers on top, your flared tennis skirt and your sneakers.”