Project Runway Episode 14: TGIO (or, Thank God It's Over)

Zip it up, this season's done! I can't remember a show where I've been so bored for so long, wondering why I was still watching, week after week.

I am glad that the winner was Leanne. But then after seeing Korto's clothes in action, I was a bit bummed she didn't get the nod. Korto's big, statement-piece jewelry really made the looks, and since she made them, even more snaps for her.

Don't worry, Korto. You've got talent, and winning that prize doesn't always amount to much (Sorry, Leanne!). You'll be fine and someone will back you.

Kenley's garish colors were just cheap-looking. Purples and fuchsias together? You'd see dresses like that at Kohl's, or on the clearance rack at Marshall's. Although spectacularly made, the dresses themselves were over- (or should I say under-) whelmed by her atrociously immature color story. I was so glad to see her summarily dismissed by Heidi once the decisions were made.

(Was I the only one, though, who thought it odd that Heidi didn't deliver the typical commentary about what earned the designer the auf before she bestowed the kiss of death? Oh, well. Guess it doesn't matter.)

The colors in Korto's line were sophisticated and bright without being manically happy. I loved them. The sheen was such that I couldn't envision wearing anything in her line, but I loved the feel, the consistency, the creativity.

In the end, aside from the interesting petal details (an evolution of the noodle!), Leanne's slipping in that she'd used sustainable fabrics probably gave her that added green edge that made her line more marketable, or more newsworthy.

Ultimately, of the three, Leanne's designs are the ones I could most covet. (I mean, probably not the bulbous skirt that overemphasized the model's hips, but that belted, multi-hued petaled-skirt/corset combo? That was hot!)

So, in the end, one of the best designers won, so at least the season ended on a slightly higher note.

A Nation of Whiners

When Bravo rewards Project Runway contestants like Kenley with more screen time and artificial praise for projects they have no right to win, merely to keep them in the game and potentially keep eyes tuned to the screen, it's cheapening the entire enterprise.

A competition? Hardly.

TV under the guise of competition? Now we're getting somewhere.

And rewarding the people who complain the loudest, cajole their colleagues and generally behave the worst -- all while trotting out the saved-til-the-end, made-for-tv sob story -- not to mention attitude for miles? Ugh, ugh, ugh!

When Project Runway's first season came to an end, and Jay McCarroll walked away with the well-earned first prize, I kind of mourned the show's newness.

At that time, with Wendy Pepper cast as a villain employing a strategy, most of the other designers, from what I could see, seemed to view the show more purely, as a means to establish themselves, build their businesses and get the word out about their design point of view.

Once the show aired, and a savvy auditioner could see that a persona could get you farther than raw talent, from that point onward, the die was cast.

Project Runway was no longer a competition based on design talent (if it ever was); rather, it was a competition to see who made for the best TV.

This isn't a new and startling development. But it's something that has hit home recently, since I've been tiring of all these reality shows.

And so that's it, with the Project Runway season finale, I'm swearing off of them, at least until I can stand it no longer.

(Thank God 30 Rock is waiting in the wings.)

Project Runway Episode 11: Sayonara Suede

Suede really got the shaft this week. Poor guy. Although his talents were limited and his character was annoying - especially given the third person references - he seemed like a nice enough guy, unlike Kenley, who struck me as evil from early on.

Kenley really crossed a line when she basically dissed Tim and his advice. Especially galling when she essentially took his advice the previous week.

Why didn't Michael Kors really call her on her 'tude?! She should have received the fashion-is-about-criticism-girlie, so get used to it talking-to that he'd given other designers in the past.

Kenley needs to grow up, take the criticism for what it's worth, learn from it, retool and move on.

Another site pointed out that this season, the producers went more for character (oh, really?) and less for talent.

Personally, I'd take talent any day.

It takes more creativity on the editors' and producers' part to make a good season out of it. Picking "characters," as pseudo as they may be, cheapens the show and makes for much more boring television.

Good thing Bravo still has a shot of keeping the show in their stable!

You, Sarah Palin, are No Tina Fey

Much has been made of Sarah Palin's presentation, specifically, her glammed-up look... and what she calls her "librarian glasses."

Since seventh grade, I've worn eyeglasses. And as family photos prove, in various forms: my own frames have ranged from super-sized 80s goggles rendered in mauve plastic to my favorite current pair of rectangular ones by Face A Face, tortoise fronts with oversized striped temples.

Those rimless frames, I do not understand. They strike me as frames for people who don't want to look like they're wearing glasses - but I know some stylish people who have interesting versions.

But for styles like Sara Palin's, I just think they look strange in photographs and on TV, with that floating temple hanging off the ears, and a bridge suspended mid-air, balanced over the nose.

A full frame is more in keeping with the librarian theme - the kind that are actually sported by Tina Fey.

[And now I'm kicking off my heels and climbing up onto the soapbox:]
Can we please stop it, already, with all these comparisons of Sarah Palin to Tina Fey?

How lame are the Daily Show dudes - whose Democratic and Republican convention coverage was otherwise spectacularly funny - when they mash up the words brunette and glasses and decide that makes the two women doppelgangers?!

There's just no comparison.

Aside from the outspoken Democrat position, not only does Tina Fey not have the same temperament - political or otherwise - as Ms. Palin (um, hello? Tina supported Hillary), I'd also like to point out that she wears real eyeglasses.

Project Runway Episode 6: Drama Queens

Last week, when I saw the previews, I was just thisclose to not watching the drag queen episode that was scheduled for last night.

Chris March be damned - and he was one of my favorites last season - I just didn't feel like watching the designers create some wackadoo outfits that I'd never in a million years wear.

That's it. I said it.

The whole reason I watch Project Runway is that I think somehow, it will give me some fashion inspiration.

Day in, day out, I wear suits because they're easy, they fit and I know a few good manufacturers that fit my gigantic frame (I'm tall for a woman, and can't buy off the rack because of it - grr!).

But they're boring. Lowercase "b" they're so boring.

Yet the thought of wearing sequins to the next staff meeting, or a belt the size of a dinner plate, simply makes me break out in hives. That's why I'd mentally written off this episode.

So I was much-surprised when I found myself enjoying this episode. Not only for the design worthiness, since you got to see who really had the chops for serious construction and figure-flattering designs and pretty impressive execution.

But most of all, I enjoyed seeing the drag queens, both in an out of costume.

Seeing these guys like you'd see on the street traipse in during work day to try on the designers' wares, really drove home how much of an art form drag really is.

It takes a lot of artistry, possession of skill for dressing one's own body (and for some, mega workouts, to be sure!), and the ultimate in emphasizing the good and downplaying the not-so-hot aspects of one's physique.

While Varla kind of annoyed me with her Ann Margaret persona, she looked smokin' in that pink jumpsuit! So, Joe, my hat's off to you!

Project Runway Episode 5: Bungle in the Jungle

Well, product placement is the name of the game with Project Runway, but promoting Lipstick Jungle? I thought that show was doomed!

Anyway, Brooke Shields is just lovely, and I'm glad she's back to work... although when I saw her do that hands-together, Namaste move as she exited the room after explaining the challenge, I rolled my eyes skyward.

So!

Pairing up the designers this early was interesting, to highlight the personalities and see how people do under pressure.

If it were the winter Olympics, I'd compare this to pairs skating.

You know, where one team member is holding the group together and the other is the artistic yet emotional wreck of a human being?

Or the two are high-energy showstoppers, like some hell the Energizer Bunny hath wrought?

Or they're stone-faced and stoic, methodically plodding along to the end of the routine where you wonder how the heck they got here?

Alas, it's not winter, it's summer Olympics time, and all the team summer sports just don't inspire the same metaphors in me, so there goes that...

Anyway, it warmed my heart to see Jerrell welcome Stella with no pity, just open arms even though he had last pick and she was the one nobody wanted on their team for kickball again. (Sorry! Schoolyard flashback!) Something about the way Jerrell totally rah-rahed up as Stella sidled up to him, noting that he had leather in mind and could use her skills? "That Jerrell is a good egg," I thought to myself.

After his laughable, Annie Get Your Gun meets Holly Hobbie ragdoll getup for the Olympics last week, I really thought he was a goner. But while he juuuust squeaked by last week, his design this week should have won the challenge, hands-down. The colors were sumptuous, and that belt around the middle was just divine.

I'm thinking Brooke simply doesn't have confidence in her own post-baby midsection and shrank back at the thought of cinching the waist. But Jerrell? Well done!

Keith's design, I don't know. Those angel-wing sleeves in that drecky print? (Kudos to Tim for steering them away from the sing-songy Kohl's blouse print that Kenley was gunning for - awful!) I just don't see what were the judges oohing and ahing over, with this dress. I just don't get why a skirt of shreds looks modern.

When I see unfinished, shredded chiffon, I think, "How long will that take to unravel?" But then, I'm practical, that way. (And what is it with all clothing taking on that planned obsolescence, made-like-crap so you can toss it after a season business? Who has time or money to constantly replace their clothes? I have a shirt I've worn three times that I noticed the collar was already coming apart - as in shredding away from the seam!)

It strikes me that Terri is the type of control freak who will simply self-destruct if she has to work with others. Heck, at least Suede was honest about his hesitancy to cut a blouse free-form when he knew the fabric was at a minimum - and all she did was berate him for it when it didn't turn out well (I guess it was she who saved the day with the gathered neckline?). While I don't like Mr. Third Person, I think Terri needs to take a chill pill. Outfit score? Just eh.

I'm going to call Korto the Volumizer - everything she makes has gigantic quantities of fabric. This jacket looked like a leftover costume from the local dinner theater performance of The King and I, while the dress was totally ill-fitting. With a plain-Jane sheath, it's all about the fit.

Oh, Kelli-Kelli-Kelli. True, that leopard-trimmed getup for a show with the word "Jungle" in it was way obvious, and the execution was a little mall-diva-wear-ish. But I think Michael Kors was a bit strong with the "Slutty, slutty, slutty!" reference. I've seen sluttier on this show - at least it wasn't short. At least she made Daniel re-do the skirt. At least she made a jacket (although this show's photography is awful when it comes to black; the light is just absorbed by the fabric and you can see Zero details over the tube). She would have done better leaving the leopard in the pile at Mood, and finding inspiration in the teal and black fabric.

Blayne should have gone home - they kept him simply for his weirdo-ness. His outfit was inappropriate for day at a high-powered office or for night. And sure, Leanne should have spoken up. But what makes a good designer isn't necessarily their ability to commandeer and direct and steer a group project in the direction that they solely want it. But at least he had the ethics to stand by his design and insist he'd be the one to go home if voted the losing design.

Personality trumps design, yet again.

Project Runway: Que Sera, Surreal?

With the Olympics about to begin, what a surprise that the designers were ordered to create women's wear for the opening ceremonies. This could have been an interesting challenge if we had the designers from last season, wouldn't it? Just imagine what the edgy, Kit Pistol would have come up with--or some of the other more talented Season 4 designers?

Let's see...

• Chris's design would have employed human hair on the shoulders of a track suit. Like fringey epaulettes.
• Alisa would have imbued the fabric with the sweat of athletes of years gone by. Then after the ceremony it would be recycled into ribbons for the rhythmic gymnasts.
• And of course Christian would have come up with something fabulously skinny and unwearable that only David Beckham would have been able to pull off, most likely featuring denim.

Lucky for the Season 5 designers, they didn't have to actually work with Olympians who would wear their designs... I can't help but think that having to fit athletes, with their various built-up muscles, would have been an exercise in futility. Well, except for Joe's ho-hum skort and jacket combo (and am I the only one who thought the flap on the front looked like a dinner napkin she'd tucked into her front?).

About Jennifer, last night's auf'd designer, Nina was kind by noting that Jennifer has a hard time letting go of her own style, and she was absolutely right about that. And Jennifer was glad to get back to her "surrealism." Honey? We saw no evidence of your surrealism. Unless you were hiding a dripping clock in a petticoat somewhere. Last I checked, the element of surprise was one of the harbingers of a surrealist painting. Maybe it was a surprise to her that she was auf'd?

Still, I couldn't see anyone tucking themselves into Korto's winning, color-blocked leather vest and yet another extremely wide-legged trouser (yawn!) completely lucked out that so many people got so many things wrong last night. Terri rocked it more than Korto, I thought, with her gorgeous jacket -- I would buy that in a heartbeat; loved the seams.

Jerrell? You have got to be kidding me, with that Holly Hobbie getup you threw on that model? You are lucky that somebody in that judging room thought the mix-and-match fabrics meant you had a clue. (And what was with the Robin Hood costume? Unless you actually steal from the rich and give to the poor, you should just give that hat the heave-ho.)

Keith's dress with the puff at the bottom should be burned. That was an insult to women athletes, everywhere. Heck, an insult to women.

The gladiator outfit that Stella wrought wasn't as awful as I'd predicted.

There is something about Kenley... I'm not sure if it's pure evil, or if she's just picking apart the competition. With immunity in hand, she clearly saw Daniel as a threat, and I can't help but think she meant to lead him down the rosy path of ruin by suggesting he avoid the Wonder Woman cliche, when it could have been the very thing to save him! (Poor lad, he looks sick to his stomach in every episode; I hope this doesn't do him in.)

Something about Kelli's outfit makes me think, 70s homemaker Mom, smoking a cigarette out back before her kids come home from school - probably the farthest thing from an Olympian outfit you could put out there, aside from Jerrell's monstrosity.

A circle skirt? Really, Suede? Hm...

Leanne, stop adding things onto your clothes. Just make great clothes. Period.

Actually, that's a tip for all of you! Make it sew!

Project Runway Episode 3: Bright Lights, Big City (Or, Are The Judges Blinded By the Light?)

Last week, it was Kenley who got gypped. This week, it was Leeanne in favor of Kenley.

Kenley's nightmarish green/purple dress with the bulb of ombre purple tulle forming half the hip of the dress? We're supposed to be impressed with a cheap-looking, garish color scheme and a bubble skirt that looks like she ran out of fabric? Incomprehensible. But then, I don't get Marc Jacobs, either (well, except for the handbags).

With Leeanne's design, you could see the inspiration of the grate around the tree, and how it came to fruition in fabric - just superbly conceived and designed, if a bit literal. (But why she continued to say the shapes were "organic" when it was clearly a man-made iron grate? I mean, if she'd modeled it after the tree trunk, I could see, but I didn't understand that reference.)

With all the interviews with Keith, I thought for sure that the reality show editing-clue machine was out in full force, and thought the kiss of Death was Michael Kors likening his god-awful dress to a swirl of toilet paper.

And then they go and diss Emily for an errant ruffling, albeit over a dress that was clearly well-made, with some shape? I was no Emily fan, but she got totally screwed.

It's a topsy-turvy world, this season.

While I'm the first to admit I'm disconnected and out of touch with club fashion, I must be really far gone. Because although I have been a Terri fan, I just did not understand her outfit. I thought the top looked incredibly dowdy - like the front half of a mother-of-the-bride dress that someone bought on sale.

Although honestly, Terri's design was not nearly as dowdy as Jennifer's clock-watcher dress.

And whoops! Heidi dropping the bomb that she just didn't care to see any more of Jennifer's designs, seemingly evar?! That made me worry for the bookish-looking, earnest girl who somehow found her way to Italy.

Tip: If you consider Salvador Dali an inspiration ("My design style is Holly Golightly meets Salvador Dali!" she eked out, when under pressure from the judges to explain herself), you'd better have melting, dripping clock faces on your garment, not a literal translation of a clock design on a sleeve.

And what of Jerrell? Didn't see a peek at him other than with his nighttime face mask, and then he shows a ruffly display of respectability? While not exactly night-life fare, I say good for you, Jerrell! He kind of came in from left field.

Suede's dress this week looked stiff and cheap, like something you'd find smushed in the racks at Forever 21. The longer he refers to himself in the third person, the more insufferable he becomes.

The Mad-Max themed fire hydrant-inspired outfit that Kelli designed looked interesting, but the detailing got lost on TV, what with all the matte-black fabric that just soaked up the light. It looked interesting, what little we saw of it.

Blayne, surprisingly good and better than anything he's done so far. And I like that when compared with his inspiration photo, you could see where the color ideas came from, although nothing I could ever imagine anyone wearing in reality.

Daniel, shiny-blah lame pageant gown cutoff? Joe, you literal-minded man, you! Eh, let him stay. Korto? Again with the black fabric that we can't really see the detail, but your silhouette looked good. You can stay, too.

But talk about silhouette, and staying true to your vision? The silhouette of Stella's garment showed she was totally in her element with this challenge... Despite not being able to turn on her camera for much of the allotted inspiration-capture time.

(How the woman doesn't set herself aflame is beyond me...)

Sure, it's likely an act, or it could be sleep deprivation, or all the partying she did in the 80s. But girlfriend knows her way around a grommet mallet and managed to annoy the heck out of some of the show's most annoying people, so Stella? Bang away!

What did you think?

Project Runway: Bad Mood Rising

Well, this recap is dedicated to fellow blogger FishWithoutBicycle, without whose Comment in my previous post, pointing out my goofball scheduling error, I would not have seen the show in real time! Thanks again, Fish!

Truly, I wanted to be able to stand up and say "Yeah!" in support of this show's last season on Bravo. The bizarro-world move to Lifetime I think is setting this show off its rails and I'm afraid that already, the shark has been jumped. Let me count the ways...

1. Another supermarket challenge to kick things off? Yawn. You will simply not be able to keep the audience excited over something where they already know the inherent risks. We know food is a problem and that tablecloths end up kitschy. All right, already!
   
2. Trotting out - literally - Austin Scarlett to introduce the challenge and judge? Isn't this guy's 15 minutes long gone? He so clearly tries to channel Yves St. Laurent whenever he shows up anywhere that it is just Annoying. Capital A.
   
3. The Safety Dance: As you'd assume, the designers took one of two approaches: Use a fabric substitute and play it safe or go so far out on a limb that you can barely recover. Overall effect? Bo-ring.
   
4. Saving Grace: Kelli, the Vacuum-cleaner bag savant. Spotting the full-sleeve tattoo-age I thought, Sweet P Part B? Then I saw her doing the dippity-do in a vat of dye or whatever she used with the bleach to paint her "fabric." "Oh here we go, another outer-space, artsy-craftsy Elisa," I thought to myself... And so she surprised the hell out of me when she pulled out the resulting marbelized skirt design! The browns and the greens were lovely together! The top was atrocious, those two snowflakey doilies at the chest? Blech. But that hook-and-eye closure in the back made of spiral notebook springs? Damn! What a way to lace up a corseted back! Creative in the extreme.
   
5. Stellllllaaaa! Oy, if I had a dollar for every time Mr. Spandrel yelped this from the office, I'd be able to purchase a Louis Vuitton bag without feeling guilty. The girl's outfitted Blondie and Joan Jett and Sebastian yet she couldn't twist, wrap, slice, dice, twirl, tweak or otherwise beat into submission some trashy garbage bags? Shame on you, Stella! You strike me as a scrapper, and scrappers make do.
   
6. The Yang to Siriano's Yin. Seattle's Blayne is the Season Four Boy Wonder's opposite in so many ways. First, there's the obvious West Coast/East Coast parallel universe. Then, where Christian had talent, Blayne is just a pretender. While Christian's patented catch-phrase generator helped establish his character from Day 1 (even I have mumbled "Looks like a hot tranny mess" from time to time over the past year, although Amy Poehler does it best), Blayne is just a me-too wannabe also-ran. Christian's pasty complexion belied his spending way too much time hunched over a sewing machine, while Blayne works on turning his skin into the consistency of tumbled leather. Don't get me started on his design. You rip up a few sweatshirts, splash 'em with paint and call yourself a streetwear designer? Please.
   
7. In the "Oh my God, what have I done?" camp: Solo-cup boy (aka, Daniel, the sensitive Bird-Man) created something utterly unwearable. I mean, how on earth would this woman sit? Bend? Breathe? Jump on a bus--let alone slide into a cab?! He was saved only by the curvy silhouette and the model's dark hair, which looked fabulous against the royal-blue color of the dress, which, really, was more like plastic armor. There is no way this should have been considered a brush with greatness: the fact that it was one of the two best speaks more about the low-calibre of competition than its inherent goodness as a design.
   
8. Give those girls a cookie. Is it me, or are too many of these designers "camera ready?" Too many lanky-limbed, coltish girls all look like they themselves were strutting down a runway a season or two ago.
   
9. Enough with the quirky characters, already. The blue faux-hawked Suede? The Salt Lake City dude (Keith?) whose bio says he just sort of decided to be a designer one day after doing artwork for a shoot? The mysteriously bland-seeming Jennifer, who does embroidery for Blumarine in Italy?
   
10. The Onion. Jerry's haircut was just distracting from the first time he appeared on camera onward. I once worked in PR for a client whose coworker was described as looking "Like an onion." This guy was a blond version of Jerry.

To be continued...

Project Runway Countdown!

Already, this is shaping up to be quite a busy week, with some gnashing of teeth and rapid-heartbeat projects at work... so I'm especially thrilled that:

1. Project Runway ramps up this Thursday
2. It will be shown at 9:00 p.m. Eastern (so I can keep to my regular sleep routine)
3. It is still on Bravo, for the time being.

Tonight, I'll go in search of a nice bottle of wine to crack open to enjoy with the show. Any suggestions?

Life from Both Sides

On Friday, when I first saw the headlines about Tim Russert's death, I suddenly felt very sad.

I'd long admired his ability to moderate all the discussions - whether roundtables of pundits or presidential debates.

Tim Russert was one of those people I think of as operating on a higher plane - by that I mean that state of flow where you're at the proverbial top of your game, perfectly in sync with your strengths and interests, informed and in total control of a situation.

And in reading about his devotion to his family and faith, and what they call his blue-collar roots, I only felt a little more melancholy.

But learning that he had just returned from a celebratory trip to Italy with his wife and newly graduated son, that he died at work, a place and a situation he clearly relished, my thoughts changed.

Here was a man who clearly left this world his own terms, his heart likely full of joy and love, instead of fear and a sense of foreboding.

We should all be so fortunate.

Top Chef Got it Right

Being somewhat reserved myself, I just cheered inside when Stephanie, with her controlled, non-flashy, self-doubting manner, and her ricotta poundcake with banana cream (huh?) took Top Chef Honors last night.

Despite keeping Lisa - um, why? - until the end, the judges got it right.

As another blogger reviewed, the Anthony Bourdain-led episode where Dale got ditched was the huge mistake. Lisa should have been sent packing and shown the door.

In the back of my mind, I'd pegged it as a contest between Stephanie and Richard, who just kind of fell apart in the face of the enormity of it all... (How Stephanie kept her cool when bossing around totally HAWT Eric Ripert - that accent! that hair! that knife-work! - I do not know!)

I feel bad for him to have been shown up by the girl who all season long churned out barely tolerable Asian-inspired food. Although I have not ever had pork belly, the dish Richard made looked just, unappetizing.

But just a tip? If you're ever making a show-stopping meal, anything with the words "pound cake" just won't cut it.

Project Runway Finale: Christian Nears the Breaking Point

As I said before, seeing the clothes in still shots of little online video snippets is one thing. But watching the show, seeing the designs as they're trotted out one by one, is another thing altogether.

The fourth season of Project Runway ended with a bang, in that the last show was edited well, and had a better feel overall than years past. I can't quite put my finger on why.

But like Jillian, I was surprised at how it all played out.

Runaway Rami

With Rami's collection, every piece that had a color looked just wrong. That teal that he opened the show with? Bleh. That muted raspberry tone? Looked like something you'd see a designer do for Target.

And I'm sorry, that gold lame number (the first of the last three long gowns) looked like a shabby afterthought. The last two gowns were stunning - the 30s lace zig-zag details were lovely. But that was the only thing that turned my head from his collection. The weaving? Yawn, just more fabric trickery, on par with the draping.

But the sheer joy on his face when he introduced his collection? That's a shade of Rami we never saw all season - having fun.

Jilted Jillian

Jillian should have been in 2nd place. But yes, I see where her collection was a bit all over the place. That pleated evening-pants-with-bustier thing? That was somewhat out of left field.

But her knitwear was beyond interesting - it was a material that few if any on Project Runway had really done since Jay McCarroll won.

If he's smart, Ralph Lauren will fund Jillian in some high-priced 2-year contract that gives her a real shot, giving her a huge investment in the upside if it succeeds.

Aside from the loopy-loop striped sweater that had real presence, I REALLY loved that sweater-jacket over the goldish pants (with the weird ski hat?), and the ruffled zig-zag front. Just superb. I would wear that in a heartbeat.

Clearly, however, wearability is a sin.

Christian Cracks Under Pressure

His season-long love affair with the camera and viewers was bumping up against the harsh reality of all the little details that go showing at Fashion Week. Models who bitch about the shoes or simply don't show up. Feathered bird pants that Tim Gunn hates. Near-tears on the runway.

Although it wasn't my favorite, Christian's line was totally cohesive, dramatic, point-of-view, all the things they say every designer should have. And I thought that although all those black pieces lost some of the detail in the show, you could see enough to know there was texture there from all that work.

And his last piece, that ombred feather gown? Alexander McQueen better just hang up his serger, toss his sketchbook into the bin and retire now, because there's a new enfant terrible in the world.

Throughout the season, I was never a Christian fan. His personality was so off-putting at some points, I thought "Yeesh, if this is what the Great American Designer is like, I'm so over it."

But actually, I'm thrilled the prize went to a designer who isn't as established, like Rami is, or like Chloe or Jeffrey had been. I just hope Christian has a good head on his shoulders and spends the money wisely, really making a name for himself other than as Posh Spice's stylist.

Given how they edited the show all season to make him look like a Bratty-Bitch, it was heartening to see glimpses of Christian being human - the choking up on the runway was a surprise, the lack of uber-confidence when Tim called him on it in the workroom.

Yesterday, I read an interview with Chris where he said that the show didn't do Christian justice, that he was really much warmer and full of heart than the show portrayed.

In the end, I'm glad that these three were the finalists, and hope to see great things from them in the future.

Project Runway: Missing March

Well, last week's Project Runway episode, in which Chris March lost to Rami Kashou and his anti-drapes, left me a bit deflated.

Surely Chris deserved to win based on the strength of the pieces he sent down the runway, human hair or not.

I'm still convinced that this combination of using hair as trim that made the judges gack, having "costume designer" on his resume, and being auf'd before they realized they'd have a too-short season once Jack left were the reasons Chris got his walking papers.

But that's all I'll say about that because in every post-auf interview, Chris has sounded gracious and grateful for the exposure, and has spoken of opportunities he's never dreamed of coming his way. And since actually winning Project Runway doesn't actually seem to do much for the winner other than tie them to the show forever (frankly, hasn't it been something of a kiss of death?), it's probably a blessing in disguise.

So enough sturm und drang - let's start the show! [Oh, Heidi, how I will miss your kewpie-doll announcements.]

Just based purely on what I've seen of the designs in photos and such, here are my pre-show predictions:

Winner: Jillian
Second place: Christian

Books We Have Known

The bookshelves have been sagging under the collective weight of all the Amazon purchases lo these many years, and so we're divesting ourselves of many books of which we have come into possession.


Herewith, is a random list of five of those books, some equally random comments on their contents or quality, and, potentially, what I was thinking when I bought and/or read the book:

1. It Takes a Village Idiot: Former Entertainment Weekly writer buys a house in sticks, only to be made fun of by locals. Hilarity ensues.

2. How to Be A Star at Work: Don't bother even taking this one out of the library, because the upshot is, there's really only one way, and the key is this: Make lots of money for the firm.

3. Confessions of a Window Dresser: The memoir of Simon Doonan, the mastermind of the Barney's shop windows. Got this in the bargain bin a couple of years ago. A few good anecdotes, but not as good as I'd hoped. The book felt kind of slapped together, like a collage of ideas someone had kept in a shoebox.

4. How Now: A new-agey, feel-good tome that I found amidst the stacks -- at our local Anthropologie store, no less. What was I thinking when I bought this book? I have no idea. What was I thinking when I read this book? "I should have bought the coffee-table book on Parisian style instead."

5. Television without Pity: Far more entertaining to make your own snarky comments about TV shows. Reading others making them? Not so much.

I give up. Good night.

Project Runway Episode 13: They Really Did Pick Just One

With last year's four finalists, it always seemed a possibility that they could pull another surprise and allow both Rami and Chris to show at Fashion Week.

But the not-so-subtle clues of only having three workspaces in the workroom drove home the point: someone would be going home. Immediately.

Before that occurred, Tim Gunn took us on a mostly New York-based excursion to meet the finalists on their home turf. And it was an interesting journey to say the least.

Christian's apartment was the first stop. His teensy nook of a room - in what I assume is a shared apartment - was the size of a closet and had once functioned as one, according to Christian. So when he said early in the season that he slept on the floor because he'd rather spent his money on clothes, the kid was only half joking. His "bed" is something he waved to hanging on the door (Was it a cot? A sleeping bag? I couldn't tell.)

About Christian's designs... When Tim held up a pair of feathered trousers, I was stunned... could it be? Has the wunderkind misstepped? These pants looked like they were made from dozens of chickens who had met an unfortunate demise. And given Tim Gunn's suggestion to edit-edit-edit, I'm not surprised they didn't make the final cut. The previews for next week allude to Christian losing his mojo, so maybe this is the beginning of a much-needed period of growth and reflection that he is not all that simply because he can out-trashtalk the best of them.

Jillian's collection looked just like plays on the best of the designs she churned out all season - well-tailored coats, with surprising details and femininity all around. (But what's with all the little cutouts on the jacket arms and such?) She must have taken Tim's suggestions to heart regarding her color palette, because the runway shots look less "gray skies" overall than the designs she showed him.

It was sweet to see Tim Gunn meet Jillian's family and enjoy dinner with them. Meeting the contestants' families is always one of the most interesting parts of this show for me. I love to see where people came from, maybe how the way they grew up inspired them one way or another to become what they've chosen to be. This episode was all the more poignant given that two other contestants introduced us to their "chosen families," who seem to give them tremendous strength and feed their creative spirits.

Chris's designs intrigued me from the moment they appeared online. But Tim's analogy of the monkey house with Chris's design was a little over-the-top, but maybe there was a kernel of truth there. Using human hair in such a creative way, as a decorative element on clothing, was certainly gag-inducing if you thought about it too much. But the way Chris did it was so inventive and smart, who could blame him for following through on an idea?

Once they got on with the elimination show, I thought the designers made surprising choices in the three items they selected to compete.

Given Tim's reaction to the human hair business, I was surprised when Chris stuck to his guns - and I have to say I respect him for sticking with his creative vision, even if it was one I couldn't stomach, really. The safety-pin skirt was architectural and inspired. With most of his three designs, the overall effect was one of movement and life, despite the dark gothic with a twist theme (granted, the gown seemed to trip up the last model, and I think that was probably the final nail in Chris's coffin). His designs shimmy'd down the runway, and the details showed he really could design clothing. He has a costumer's sense of the absurd, though, so finding his audience may take some time. I think that's what the judges were responding to when they said his looks were overdesigned... and frankly, I think they couldn't get past the hair.

Although he moved away from the draping, the three selections that Rami made were, to me, a bit disappointing. The teal coat looked over-engineered and definitely sturdy enough to go into battle. The second piece, the dress with the every-which-way fabric dancing across the front looked so lovely, but I would have liked it to be a little longer - the way it revealed the model's leg made her look a little odd or chunky. Rami's last look, the gown, was so elaborate but strange with the circular hip-targets, but I liked the almost Spanish influence and all the ruffled detailing really showed some tailoring chops.

In the end, I could see why the judges went with Rami - and realistically? They wouldn't give it to Chris given his returning status when Jack's health caused him to withdraw from the competition.

But damn... Rami already has a career in this industry, and a showroom - and a following in Hollywood, for crying out loud! (I had the same complaint about Jeffrey Sebelia, so go figure.) Why not celebrate the creativity of someone like Chris, who stands to make a significant career change that could shake up the industry a little with some out-of-this-world creativity and execution ideas?

At one point, Chris March joked about the small size of a room he walked into, noting it was "about the size of my first apartment!" Thinking back to Christian's tiny sliver-of-a-space, I had a glimpse of two futures taking divergent paths. Who knows whether Chris always wondered what would have happened if he'd done something differently, chosen another path.

Farewell, Chris. I really hope we'll see more of you. In Vogue, perhaps?

Project Runway's Christian in the Lead

Surprise, surprise, even the poll I ran on this blog revealed that people think Christian -- garnering 60% of the vote -- is a shoe-in to win Project Runway.

(Jillian got 30% and Rami just 10% of the vote. Chris got nada.)

I'm wondering, though ... given all the attention he's received during this season, it just seems unlikely. In theory, I know the producers don't know who's going to win during the course of the show. But they still reserve the right to choose whomever they want.

And who wants to watch the finale if there's no element of surprise?

There hasn't been anything on Bravo to hint at any dramatic tension, yet. Maybe they'll ratchet it up after tomorrow's episode.

Maybe during the hometown visits, Tim will be startled to find some seismic shifts going on to cast doubt over everything we've come to think this season.

It's fun to think about what could result during those visits... For example, Tim Gunn could:

• Declare Christian's three-color "sophisticated" palette is just too-Donna Karan circa 1987.
• Find something spectacularly artistic during his visit to Rami's abode that proves that he is more than a drape-master.
• See Jillian's ideas taking shape in a collection that kicks Ralph to the curb.
• Unveil in Chris's collection an aesthetic that had been heretofore buried under his attention-seeking portfolio of Wonder Woman costumes and broadway showpieces.

Seeing the collections in photographs is just completely different from seeing them stride down the runway.

Two seasons ago, I remember thinking Chloe's collection looking prom-ish and fusty in the photos. But seeing the models strut down the runway really sold her collection. And it's difficult to get a bead on the workmanship from a still photo.

As they say, "We shall soon see!"

Make It Today: Jamie Oliver's Cheat's Papardelle with Leeks

If you enjoy leeks, you must make this dish, courtesy of Jamie Oliver, whose latest show should be subtitled, "Cooking in the Garden Shed" because that's what he does most of the time.

His approach to cooking looks slap-dash and frenetic, but the flavors are a substantial symphony culled together from years of practice.

We made this last night for dinner, and it was easy and delicious and we ate twice as much as we expected.

You don't have to, but we also made the porcini-mushroom breadcrumbs for the top, and it added an earthy garlicky crunch to every bite of pasta. Yum.

Project Runway Reunion Show

Did you cast your vote in my Project Runway poll, yet? It's easy... and it's right over there, at the top of the last column. Go ahead, vote!

---

The reunion show was... well, it was a clip show. Under normal television standards, these are hack job affairs that don't provide any insight into the show or its underpinnings.

But Michael Kors losing it during the WWF Divas challenge? That just got me. He's normally so, I don't know, reserved and together, sort of approachably imperious with the occasional kooky commentary. To see him just flat-out overcome by a fit of the giggles made him more human in a way.

But oh, how they didn't let the designers get away with a thing!

With a nod to both Marion and that girl who was eliminated first (oh yeah, Simone), they were asked each about their experiences. Marion seems like a genuinely earnest sort, disappointed at not having had the opportunity to showcase his avant garde side and accepting of his fate. Simone marveled at how she's been stopped while out in the airport with Kit Pistol (um, probably because Kit was around for a while and developed a following?).

Carmen, who boo-hooed too much about not being properly missed after she was dissed by the judges? With her massive architectural shouldered jacket, just begging to take up more space on the screen, I kept yelling "Grow up!" at the television. And her sarcastic "Thanks, Heidi," sort of snort she made when Heidi mentioned the menswear challenge after Ms. Klum specifically mentioned "an outfit that had no shirt." Maybe Carmen will see how a lack of grace and gratitude aren't exactly becoming a former model turned fashion designer. Perhaps she could take a cue from some of the other auf'd designers who handled their fate in a more mature way.

I'm no fan of Victorya, but I lost a bit of respect for Heidi after her derisive remark about Victorya's uptight nature -- when they'd just been describing Jack's very sad departure and how Victorya felt about it. Tim, too, joined in the slam, which surprised me, because Mr. Gunn is nothing if not the master of courtly politesse. Something tells me there's something going on, what with Victorya showing at Fashion Week in spite of her being dismissed weeks before the finalists were a glint in the judges' collective eye.

Was anyone else surprised by Jillian beating the crap out of her dress model? The girl has moves like she's taken a self-defense class, or at least an aggressive form of Tae-Bo.

As a fan of Catherine Keener's movies, I was glad to hear Sweet P got some attention from her at some point. Catherine Keener's got an interesting sense of style, and I admire how she got started late in the acting game, but carved out an indie-film career for herself (one of America's most underrated actresses, along with Hope Davis).

It was a shame that the segment on Kevin focused so much on his not being gay. Wouldn't it have been more interesting to see how he thinks being a heterosexual male means he's got a unique angle on for designing for women?

The way Elisa acted on the reunion show now makes me suspect that she adopted this interplanetary character/persona and played it to the hilt for the sake of getting more air time. Boo.

Was it me, or did every shot of Ricky make it look like he wanted to strangle the producers? He looked angry from every angle. And when the feature on his crying jags was introduced, he seemed ready to punch someone. Can't say that I blame him.

All the bellyaching about having no money is getting old, actually. Sweet P mentioned it, and so did Christian. I realize this is a tough business -- but having any business is hard work, labor intensive, and financially risky. Get used to it! Like Michael Kors says, the insecurity never goes away because like Heidi says, one day you're In and the next, you're Out. There is no more fickle finger of fate than that of fashion.

I loved how Rami's advice for subsequent contestants focused on how you've got to love what you do, that this isn't a springboard -- even though it really could be. It's clear that none of the previous contestants have really used it to its fullest advantage, at least as far as I can tell. Michael Knight is coming out with a fragrance? What about a line of clothing? Did he, too, fall prey to the licensing bug, a la Jay McCarroll? And what of Chloe? Jeffrey? Hello?

Christian being voted Fan Favorite wasn't surprising, I guess. He had the most over-the-top, made-for-tv personality, garnering him the most screen time, albeit with the overuse of a tired-old expression (I thought "fierce" went out after the inaugural season of America's Next Top Model?). For me, though, his winning the Fan Favorite award was a teeny bit jumping the shark, because his persona seems so calculated and sound-bitey.

These reunion shows are seldom as good as the clips lead you to believe, and it's all due to the editing. I can't imagine fitting together such a disparate group of comments into an interesting narrative, when people aren't really as inspired as they may be in the heat of the battle.

The clips quoting Heidi were the lamest group of snippets ever! Maybe they didn't want to harp on the worst outfits, but how can you do a segment on Heidi-isms and leave out her assessment of the outfit Marion and Steven cobbled together? Behold:

"It's like 'out of the basement.'
It looks dirty -- it looks like a rag to me."

Honestly, ever since Heidi uttered those words, that phrase runs through my mind whenever I feel disheveled or not at my best, fashion-wise. It's like the title of a bad made-for-TV movie: "Out of The Basement," the tragic drama of an outfit gone horribly wrong.

The dish from the other designers over who they thought would win? Clearly Christian has their respect, but I suspect that his Fan Favorite status means he'll never take home the big prize. Jillian had her share of supporters, too, with the exception of Victorya, who clearly seems jealous of Jillian's talent, having worked with her on the coif challenge that got them attention for Jillian's dramatic coat design.

Rami had a few nods, too -- and one from Marion, (or was it Steven?), who said he was confident that given Rami's skill that he'd do besides the draping (Note to Marion/Steven: Uh, don't hold your breath!). Only Jack put in an off-hand good word for Chris, while hedging his bets in speaking kindly about all the finalists. Shades of things to come? Or Red Herring?

It will be an interesting final two shows, no?

Our Comcastic DVR Meltdown Nightmare

Yesterday, we went to watch something we'd recorded on our Comcast DVR to find that we lost everything. Ev. Ry. Thing. Thanks to Comcast and its faulty DVR.

Project Runway episodes from the start of this season. The new Jamie Oliver shows (loved the one about leeks). Almost a season's worth of Futurama. A few stray Flight of the Conchords. Even Lost. (Thankfully, we'd seen all the episodes in this truncated season, but still.)

The Comcast DVR we had so lovingly programmed our tv-watching habits around had been half full -- or half empty, depending on your point of view.

But now, the Comcast DVR unit had turned magically overnight into a doorstop. Couldn't even change the channels.

All gone!

During a storm the night before, our block suffered a power outage. But after power was restored, the DVR was working. As I recall, I even watched a few old recorded episodes, and deleted a few.

Then, yesterday, the unit locked up -- we couldn't change channels or get audio. So, we did as we've done when it locked up once or twice before -- we unplugged the DVR and plugged it back in.

Only this time, the DVR was DOA.

A call to Comcast confirmed we were totally out of luck. Ding-dong, the DVR's dead. They offered no way to get the shows back off the hard drive. And no, there's no backup.

In rare cases, losing power, we were told, can wipe the hard drive clean!

We pointed out that this was unacceptable in a service that purports to hang onto whatever you tell it to -- especially because it gives you no options whatsoever to create a backup of the hard drive contained within.

The response? Something along the lines of this:

"Too bad."

Clearly, frustration reigned on both sides of that conversation.

Because they don't offer any way for you to easily and effectively back up the hard drive that comes with the DVR, the assumption is that Comcast has it covered somehow.

Well, they don't.

So, let that be a lesson to you. If you have a Comcast DVR:

• Watch whatever you record -- or love -- early and often. Because you never know when your shows will completely disappear. God forbid you live in a rainstorm-savaged part of the country.


• Write down a list of the shows you record as a series. If, like us, you've become dependent on your DVR and no longer pay attention to a show's actual broadcast time, this could be a challenge to reconstruct later. Do it now. On paper.


• If you ever get an on-screen message that involves calling Comcast and giving them some sort of special code number, pack up your DVR and find out which local Comcast office you need to go to to trade in your DVR for a different unit and pencil in some time to go ASAP.*

Live and learn!

*This happened to us a few months ago, and with a simple phone call, they were able to fix something on their end to reset it, and we marveled at Comcast's efficiency. However, when I traded in the DVR yesterday, the very nice Comcast person there said that's a sign that something's up and you should just trade in the DVR right away.