Kate Gosselin: From Mom of Eight to Fashion Plate

It's been a whirlwind few years for Kate Gosselin. On May 10, the famous Gosselin sextuplets will turn five. In those years, their mother has gone from a relatable "every mom" to a glamorous celebrity in her own right.

When TLC's popular Jon and Kate Plus Eight reality series began, Kate sported light brown hair and was usually seen in T-shirts and "house pants" (basically sweats/yoga pants). Now, hairdressers nationwide are often asked for "the Kate", her signature hairstyle with highlighted stripes and choppy pieces.

Kate's wardrobe has spruced up as well. She says Ann Taylor Loft is her favorite clothing store, and in recent months she is usually seen in fashionable tops, skinny pants, and swing coats.

Gone are the old tennis shoes: Kate currently favors high heels, even when taking her kids to a hands-on museum or a sporting event. She wore flashy white platform heels for an April 2009 Nashville appearance, and when I saw her in February 2009 in Indianapolis, the first thing I noticed where her high (4") black heels. At that time, I was unused to seeing her in such flashy shoes.

When her sextuplets were a year old, Kate was the recipient of a complimentary tummy tuck which rid her of her "jowls of a dog", as she called her poochy post-baby stomach. The show has also shown her and Jon receiving free teeth-whitening from a local dentist.

To what can we attribute Kate's newly svelte figure? She was never overweight, but lately she has veered into very-thin territory, with conspicuous collarbones. Kate says she gets up early to run on the treadmill each day, and has said she "lives on salad".

She also appears very tanned, even in the dead of winter. Kate has not addressed the cause of her sun-kissed look, but we may assume it's the result of tanning beds or spray tanners.

Kate has recently said she loves what she is doing, and what mom wouldn't? She gets to travel the country, speaking to adoring crowds and signing copies of her best-selling book. She has no doubt realized her celebrity status and is taking advantage of the stepped-up look that she feels should accompany it. On the season four finale, she and Jon suggested an episode featuring her "changing look" throughout the years of the series.

Even as Kate's look continues to evolve, the backlash against her family builds. Along with Kate's looking becoming more refined, her personality has become more polarizing as well, with people either loving or hating her. Will Kate continue to veer into stardom, or will the coming years see her returning to her humble roots? TLC hopes you will stay tuned to find out!