Some of you have mentioned that you can’t watch Project Runway because you don’t get Lifetime channel on your TV. NO WORRIES! Each episode of PR is on the Lifetime website the day after the episode airs! Yes! It’s all right HERE, along with an archive of other episodes. So now you have an excuse to waste a few more hours of time today.
Okay, now that we’ve got everyone tuned in….Wow. I’m not sure if this week’s episode should be called It’s a Party or, Me, Myself, and Gretchen. Holy Moly. I was so in love with her the past two episodes, and I understand that Reality TV show editing can actually create drama by choosing which clips to share and contrast. But…..can Gretchen be more annoying?
We realize, you’re talented. You really do make beautiful clothing and I love your own personal style as well. But dear Mother Hen, no one in the room is looking for a mentor. They’re your competitors! And you know, there’s something to be said for humility. Abdi, who just won Work of Art, knew just how to celebrate the other artists’ works and successes and view them as equals. I’m just sayin.
So….this week’s episode was all about thinking outside of the sewing box. Designers had to choose their “fabrics” and supplies from a cheap Party store. These type of challenges are my favorite. They’re forced to be very inventive and to really push their own creativity. Sounds fun! One of my favorite episodes was many seasons ago when they used items from a floral shop. Beautiful creations. Anyway, I was surprised at how bummed many of the contestants were about the challenge, making comments like, “I don’t know how to create something without using fabric.” Really? Buck up and get creative! And many of them did. There were some really cool things on the runway.
So here are the GOOD and BAD (from my perspective)
The GOOD
None of these made it to the Top Three but they are my favorites. I guess I love a pretty dress:
LEFT: Aside from the boring stuff we’ve seen from Ivy so far, her garden party dress is really beautiful. It’s a bit full but it’s playful while still elegant. Has anyone else noticed that her past three designs are a pale lavender color? Funny.
MIDDLE: This dress was so simple and made from napkins. The color wasn’t my favorite but the style was feminine and dainty. I really thought the back was gorgeous and the hair finished it off nicely.
RIGHT: What a Red Carpet dress! The color is stunning and the style is spot-on. I’m surprised Michael’s dress wasn’t a Top Three. I’ll take one please!
Two of these were the judge’s favorites:
LEFT: Wow. The dress is not something I’d wear. But….it’s made out of folded pieces of ribbon AND looks totally cool??? Impressive Andy, impressive. I’m glad he stuck with his gut and kept folding away all afternoon. He deserves THE WIN!
MIDDLE: I really like Mondo. He has a funky style that’s young but tasteful. And I’m a fan of a hot pink/reddish color mix (my wedding colors were fuschia and red!) The bodice is made from plastic party plates. Very inventive.
RIGHT: So two weeks in a row, I’ve liked the bottom parts of Valerie‘s dresses and hated the tops (she made the red dress last week). The black/white skirt portion made from hundreds of folded napkins was impeccable. But you’ll find the other part of the dress in my BAD section because there was way too much “side boob” for my taste.
The BAD
LEFT: and there’s the top to Valerie’s dress. I realize that napkins aren’t the most form-fitting. But man, I’m not sure who (other than J. Lo) could pull that off.
MIDDLE: Casanova. Many of you guys have nailed it. It’s likely that he keeps coming back each week for his insane factor. He’s good TV, yes. But he’s bad with taste. Wow. The back of the dress was kind of fun but what is going on in the front? In the words of Michael Kors, “She looks like a transvestite, flamenco dancer at a funeral.” Indeed.
LEFT: I was really bummed that Sarah got the boot. I was curious to see what else she’d create throughout the season. But, I guess she deserved to lose. The dress wasn’t horrible but it was so pointless and effortless. A real downer.
Somehow these train wrecks managed to make it through to another week. All three look cheap, tasteless, and like they came from Party City. Oh wait, they did.
LEFT: AJ’s craze-fest was in the bottom and barely made it through to the next round. Not sure where to start. Michael summed it up nicely, “I’m all for short, but I don’t know about fringe crotch being the focal point. yeeew.“
MIDDLE: Nothing more than a boring grass skirt. Might be the coolest dress at a Hawaiian-themed party but not impressive enough for the runway.
RIGHT: Okay, Peach. You’ve lost me. I’ve concluded that YES, you are indeed a 50 year old suburban mom who really does love toile capris. The weird part is….she really thought this was edgy and innovative. Really? It’s a bad breed of Hot Topic clothing meets Claire’s accessories. It felt young, cheap, and small town (in a non-charming way).
Okay, that was a lot of info. Sorry. The episode was jammed-packed with conversation starters!
Just a few more points for The RUNDOWN
* As I stated last week, I’m love the extra 1/2 hour of time! We get so many more good Tim moments! He was giving one-liners right and left last night…
“Ascot Gavotte would not introduce Teeeeal….“
“it’s like you’ve got a piece of coal up your butt. Turn it into a diamond and pull it out.”
“the potential in this room is overwhelming. I have chills, I really do!“
“there’s something Schiaparelli happening here.” (huh? Glad the designer was as uneducated as me. I had to look it up).
And finally, three words: Animal Wooly Balls. Have you ever seen such great Tim Gunn footage? We’ve all had slap-happy laughing moments. It’s nice to know Tim does too.
* Editing. LOVED the opening sequence of Gretchen’s self-image contrasted by what the other designers really think of her.
Gretchen: the other designers are happy for my win. They respect me.
Others: Gretchen’s a B*&%$. Can her head get any bigger?
And the editing of Casanova shopping for “fabrics”….
Tim Gunn: “The judges do not respond well to materials that correspond to fabric….tablecloths, wrapping paper, etc“
Five minutes later, Casanova grabs 10 black table cloths and reports: “So….I run to the table cloth aisle because it’s like the stuff more close to, look like a fabric.“
Oh, Casanova.
Tim finishes it off, “Well, YOU have a ‘make it work’ moment“
* Betsey Johnson is a bit cuckoo. She was definitely an appropriate judge for this episode. But when she thought the winning look was “too pretty” to win and that one of the bottom looks needed to take his craziness even further, one scratches their head. That’s all.
And finally, there’s never enough Tim time, so check out Under the Gunn:
And that’s plenty for one week, I’d say.
A very fun episode; lots of good laughs!
What are your thoughts??
