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.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Project Runway Episode 13: Beware the Temptations of Asymmetry
It's the difference between a perfectly executed hairstyle and a 'do where the stylist decided she needed smoking break halfway through but declared you done, pumping you up with talk of the cutting-edge style represented by your new "asymmetrical cut."
Haircuts and clothes, especially, require a solid understanding of the rules so that one can break them effectively. Coloring outside of the lines first requires being able to see the lines and knowing why they exist.
It takes a tremendous amount of skill to pull off asymmetry in design. What looks like randomly placed elements typically treads a fine line between desirable and disastrous.
Jerrellicious
Jerrell's wedding gown represented the latter. From the grayish, shabby-looking tulle, to the swirl of taffeta crinkled around the model's body like gold-sprayed craft paper, not to mention the disaster of a bodice with the flaps over the chest... it was just one poorly executed idea after another. (And don't get me started on those gems plopped in the middle of the chest.) I liked the colors and textures he chose, but little else. The bridesmaid's dress was, well, I hate to say it, but it was dreadful - cheaply shiny and with fake flowers to boot.
Sadly, I knew in my heart, as soon as I saw Jerrell's wedding dress hadn't changed much since Tim's critique, that his days were numbered on the show. Like a Saab driver in the 90s, Jerrell goes his own road, and much of the time it involves piling it on and piling it on. He needs to learn editing so that he can let his creativity really flourish and sing.
Korto Loses Her Way
Korto's wedding gown seemed lumpy in addition to overwrought... with that weird tiered effect at the waist and knees - she actually made the model look chunky. The bridesmaid's dress was only bridesmaid-y in that it had been hacked down to look different in length from the bridal gown. Meh.
Her collection, from the Tim visit, looked very Korto-esque. Well-made. Interesting to a point. But in the end, predictable. She is not an over-the-top, make-a-loud-statement designer.
Kenley: Little Girl Lost
Here's my biggest problem with Kenley's outbursts. First, if you're involved in fashion, you just simply cannot say unequivocally that you're not inspired by a particular designer. Especially if someone far more experienced and knowledgeable calls you on it.
If they see something, there must be something to see, get it?
Sure, you may have steadfastly ignored the videos on the web showing McQueen's similar dress, or held your hands over your ears when fellow fashionistas regaled you with tales of a similar dress, all while shouting "La, la la - I can't hear you, la, la, la!"
But Kenley, tell me you didn't page through a magazine or accidentally click on by some coverage, or spy even a flash as you clicked past the Style network? You're in the business, for crying out loud.
Even if you didn't, just wait - let the judges speak.
Kenley's head-shaking over the McQueen comparison was childish, as was her previous behavior in reaction to the judges' comments. She needs to learn to listen and then defend. It's far more powerful if you hear people out, and then defend yourself with a well thought-out argument. Best comment from Heidi all season came for Kenley's wedding gown: "It's Crazy Good!" Admittedly, the kooky feathered wedding dress was impressive. But from what I saw of Kenley's painted prints, the color scheme for the collection overall seems far from sophisticated.
Leanne: Variations on a Noodle
Leanne's architectural, nature-inspired creations? What an interesting set of ideas she put out there! Those wavelike flaps with the different colors, fluid lovely draping, emphasizing movement in a modern, sleek and interesting way. Love it.
(Actually, I kept thinking that they looked more like ripples on water than waves. But wave is a much cooler and sleek-sounding word to use when explaining work that's inspired by water and how it flows. So kudos to her for thinking like a marketer.)
Leanne's complete rework of her wedding gown, and her willingness to learn from her superiors, to take valid criticism however harshly or randomly it appears to be dealt, to incorporate what's relevant into her solution, and most importantly, press on? That is the mark of a professional.
And even if she doesn't triumph in this trumped-up contest?
She has an interesting career ahead of her, for certain.
Prediction
Leanne wins, Kenley is second, Korto is third.
Haircuts and clothes, especially, require a solid understanding of the rules so that one can break them effectively. Coloring outside of the lines first requires being able to see the lines and knowing why they exist.
It takes a tremendous amount of skill to pull off asymmetry in design. What looks like randomly placed elements typically treads a fine line between desirable and disastrous.
Jerrellicious
Jerrell's wedding gown represented the latter. From the grayish, shabby-looking tulle, to the swirl of taffeta crinkled around the model's body like gold-sprayed craft paper, not to mention the disaster of a bodice with the flaps over the chest... it was just one poorly executed idea after another. (And don't get me started on those gems plopped in the middle of the chest.) I liked the colors and textures he chose, but little else. The bridesmaid's dress was, well, I hate to say it, but it was dreadful - cheaply shiny and with fake flowers to boot.
Sadly, I knew in my heart, as soon as I saw Jerrell's wedding dress hadn't changed much since Tim's critique, that his days were numbered on the show. Like a Saab driver in the 90s, Jerrell goes his own road, and much of the time it involves piling it on and piling it on. He needs to learn editing so that he can let his creativity really flourish and sing.
Korto Loses Her Way
Korto's wedding gown seemed lumpy in addition to overwrought... with that weird tiered effect at the waist and knees - she actually made the model look chunky. The bridesmaid's dress was only bridesmaid-y in that it had been hacked down to look different in length from the bridal gown. Meh.
Her collection, from the Tim visit, looked very Korto-esque. Well-made. Interesting to a point. But in the end, predictable. She is not an over-the-top, make-a-loud-statement designer.
Kenley: Little Girl Lost
Here's my biggest problem with Kenley's outbursts. First, if you're involved in fashion, you just simply cannot say unequivocally that you're not inspired by a particular designer. Especially if someone far more experienced and knowledgeable calls you on it.
If they see something, there must be something to see, get it?
Sure, you may have steadfastly ignored the videos on the web showing McQueen's similar dress, or held your hands over your ears when fellow fashionistas regaled you with tales of a similar dress, all while shouting "La, la la - I can't hear you, la, la, la!"
But Kenley, tell me you didn't page through a magazine or accidentally click on by some coverage, or spy even a flash as you clicked past the Style network? You're in the business, for crying out loud.
Even if you didn't, just wait - let the judges speak.
Kenley's head-shaking over the McQueen comparison was childish, as was her previous behavior in reaction to the judges' comments. She needs to learn to listen and then defend. It's far more powerful if you hear people out, and then defend yourself with a well thought-out argument. Best comment from Heidi all season came for Kenley's wedding gown: "It's Crazy Good!" Admittedly, the kooky feathered wedding dress was impressive. But from what I saw of Kenley's painted prints, the color scheme for the collection overall seems far from sophisticated.
Leanne: Variations on a Noodle
Leanne's architectural, nature-inspired creations? What an interesting set of ideas she put out there! Those wavelike flaps with the different colors, fluid lovely draping, emphasizing movement in a modern, sleek and interesting way. Love it.
(Actually, I kept thinking that they looked more like ripples on water than waves. But wave is a much cooler and sleek-sounding word to use when explaining work that's inspired by water and how it flows. So kudos to her for thinking like a marketer.)
Leanne's complete rework of her wedding gown, and her willingness to learn from her superiors, to take valid criticism however harshly or randomly it appears to be dealt, to incorporate what's relevant into her solution, and most importantly, press on? That is the mark of a professional.
And even if she doesn't triumph in this trumped-up contest?
She has an interesting career ahead of her, for certain.
Prediction
Leanne wins, Kenley is second, Korto is third.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Heaven in a Tinfoil Cup
Staying home from school with a sore throat, at least before my tonsillectomy as a six-year-old, usually involved a cadre of special "sick treats."
One of the best was Hanscom's egg custard.
Smooth as silk, it was topped with a golden brown haze of nutmeg dots, nestled in a tiny crinkled-foil cup. I'd scrape off the nutmeg bits and eat those first.
Hanscom's Bakery was a Philadelphia institution, with outposts even in the suburbs. For a while, I recall a corner of the Acme had a Hanscom's display, with treats stacked high.
My grandmother had treats from Hanscom's, too, from time to time. Although, with Nanny, I recall more frequently having a whole chocolate frosted Tastykake Junior to myself and thinking it the very definition of heaven. I don't recall her ever making my sister and I share; we always had our own slab of cake.
While I've always been a cake girl, those egg custards are the things I associate with Hanscom's, and which I miss dearly. Smooth and filling, they were a great comfort food.
I could really use one of those custards. Right. About. Now.
One of the best was Hanscom's egg custard.
Smooth as silk, it was topped with a golden brown haze of nutmeg dots, nestled in a tiny crinkled-foil cup. I'd scrape off the nutmeg bits and eat those first.
Hanscom's Bakery was a Philadelphia institution, with outposts even in the suburbs. For a while, I recall a corner of the Acme had a Hanscom's display, with treats stacked high.
My grandmother had treats from Hanscom's, too, from time to time. Although, with Nanny, I recall more frequently having a whole chocolate frosted Tastykake Junior to myself and thinking it the very definition of heaven. I don't recall her ever making my sister and I share; we always had our own slab of cake.
While I've always been a cake girl, those egg custards are the things I associate with Hanscom's, and which I miss dearly. Smooth and filling, they were a great comfort food.
I could really use one of those custards. Right. About. Now.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
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.)
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.)
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Odd Man Out
Everyone feels it at one time or another, right?
Sometimes it can be a good thing, though.
Embrace your inner iconoclast.
Project Runway Episode 12: Pre-Finale Rip Job!
Dear Bravo:
What you deem "Good TV" just won out over good design. Fooey!
It's no longer a surprise - or even mildly intriguing - when you end the so-called competition without the number of winners you set out to. No laughing and high-fiving amongst the winners? (Mr. Spandrel even noted, while passing by the TV on his way to the other room, that "Nobody looks happy?")
That's because they weren't!
Kenley's poor-me impassioned pleas, not her talents as a designer, won her a reprieve for her godzilla-mermaid, flappy-scaled dress. Heck, every creative type has been an outcast at one time or another. I got news for you, Kenley, you are just -- just mean and unpleasant!
And tell me how you can justify allowing some trumped-up pageantry charge dangle Korto over the edge of the Auf Precipice. Just because the woman isn't a loud mouth, she should be punished?
My prediction for the selection of the real final three during the finale?
The designers show up with their collections in tow, but are told they have to make a wedding gown out of muslin or some other weird, restrictive fabric, proving who has the most vision and last-minute chops under duress. In an hour.
And either Korto or Leanne will explode in the pressure-cooker that is the looming-in-the-distance Fashion Week. Kenley will adopt that tough-girl-from-the-50s stance and blabber on and on and on and on until the judges say "Uncle."
Jerrell will summon some kind of kooky muse that inspires him to create something intriguing and over-the-top that gives him the win that legitimately gets him the Bryant Park show. With a tut-tut from Michael Kors and Nina Garcia, telling him he'd better be focused on finishing and touching up those raggedy hems.
And maybe Leanne's Judy Noodles garments will get the nod. Or maybe Korto's African-inspired big-look designs will get her in, all depending on how the nerves fray...
But to think that Kenley, with her Mad Men frocks and her wackadoo prints is showing in New York City with the imprimatur of the Project Runway Final Three?
It almost makes me want to not tune in.
But I will, because I want to see everyone else, and I mean everyone. I just may need to hit the mute button every time Mean Girl opens her big mouth.
Sincerely,
Spandrel
What you deem "Good TV" just won out over good design. Fooey!
It's no longer a surprise - or even mildly intriguing - when you end the so-called competition without the number of winners you set out to. No laughing and high-fiving amongst the winners? (Mr. Spandrel even noted, while passing by the TV on his way to the other room, that "Nobody looks happy?")
That's because they weren't!
Kenley's poor-me impassioned pleas, not her talents as a designer, won her a reprieve for her godzilla-mermaid, flappy-scaled dress. Heck, every creative type has been an outcast at one time or another. I got news for you, Kenley, you are just -- just mean and unpleasant!
And tell me how you can justify allowing some trumped-up pageantry charge dangle Korto over the edge of the Auf Precipice. Just because the woman isn't a loud mouth, she should be punished?
My prediction for the selection of the real final three during the finale?
The designers show up with their collections in tow, but are told they have to make a wedding gown out of muslin or some other weird, restrictive fabric, proving who has the most vision and last-minute chops under duress. In an hour.
And either Korto or Leanne will explode in the pressure-cooker that is the looming-in-the-distance Fashion Week. Kenley will adopt that tough-girl-from-the-50s stance and blabber on and on and on and on until the judges say "Uncle."
Jerrell will summon some kind of kooky muse that inspires him to create something intriguing and over-the-top that gives him the win that legitimately gets him the Bryant Park show. With a tut-tut from Michael Kors and Nina Garcia, telling him he'd better be focused on finishing and touching up those raggedy hems.
And maybe Leanne's Judy Noodles garments will get the nod. Or maybe Korto's African-inspired big-look designs will get her in, all depending on how the nerves fray...
But to think that Kenley, with her Mad Men frocks and her wackadoo prints is showing in New York City with the imprimatur of the Project Runway Final Three?
It almost makes me want to not tune in.
But I will, because I want to see everyone else, and I mean everyone. I just may need to hit the mute button every time Mean Girl opens her big mouth.
Sincerely,
Spandrel
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Netflixable: Burn After Reading
While down the shore last week, we had one rainy-awful day that made taking long walks on the beach unpleasant, if not impossible.
So, we did just like I did as a kid during vacations: we took in a movie.
Unfortunately, the theater in the town we stayed in had nothing playing that we were interested in (the latest Nicholas Cage debacle, for instance, and the DeNiro/Pacino movie that just looked a little too violent for vacation fare).
Luckily, we found a theater just a few miles away that was showing Burn After Reading. I love all the Coen Brothers movies, whether they make sense or not. And John Malkovich just seems so unhinged.
This one received so-so reviews, but maybe because there was not much going on that day, it was totally dreary and rainy, and my expectations were set pretty low, entertainment-wise, but I loved this 97-minute goof.
Mr. Spandrel gave it an "eh," mainly because he felt that it was hard to see where things were going during the first half of the movie. The minute the credits rolled, the woman sitting on the other side of him burst out with a "Worst. Movie. Ever!"
But I thought the connections that were revealed made sense, there were laugh-out-loud points and randomness such as you'd find in life. That's all I'll say.
That, and add it to your queue when you have a chance.
So, we did just like I did as a kid during vacations: we took in a movie.
Unfortunately, the theater in the town we stayed in had nothing playing that we were interested in (the latest Nicholas Cage debacle, for instance, and the DeNiro/Pacino movie that just looked a little too violent for vacation fare).
Luckily, we found a theater just a few miles away that was showing Burn After Reading. I love all the Coen Brothers movies, whether they make sense or not. And John Malkovich just seems so unhinged.
This one received so-so reviews, but maybe because there was not much going on that day, it was totally dreary and rainy, and my expectations were set pretty low, entertainment-wise, but I loved this 97-minute goof.
Mr. Spandrel gave it an "eh," mainly because he felt that it was hard to see where things were going during the first half of the movie. The minute the credits rolled, the woman sitting on the other side of him burst out with a "Worst. Movie. Ever!"
But I thought the connections that were revealed made sense, there were laugh-out-loud points and randomness such as you'd find in life. That's all I'll say.
That, and add it to your queue when you have a chance.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
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!
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!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Flow
Gardening is just not in my genes. But an appreciation of others' horticultural handiwork is. This is part of a garden that I walk by on the way to my favorite place to meet friends, relax and enjoy a salad.
The past few seasons in fashion, shades of green have been pretty big; so much so that it's something of a cliche, having worked its way down to the Targets of the world and back out again.
But I adore all the shades of greens you can find in nature, and pairing them with deep purples and vibrant blues makes both colors just pop with electricity.
I'm in awe of gardeners who can interpret "Plant 24 inches apart in bright sun, will grow 8 to 10 in tall" and know that they'll have an undulating carpet of color before summer's end.
Perhaps a course is in my future, and that may help. Understanding which plants are good for support and background while others need to be propped up to shine may help my own planning efforts.
They say that fall is the best time to install perennials, so after we get back from a quick trip to the beach, that's on my agenda, too.
In the wake of this week's financial turmoil, it might be restorative to think about nature, and not ones and zeroes and decimal points for a while.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Project Runway Episode 10: It's Fixed, I Tell Ya!
You could call it divine intervention, fate, karma, what-have-you.
I say those buttons in Heidi's bag were stacked.
That the producers matched up the designer with the model/graduate that would make for the most interesting show.
How else could you explain Kenley getting the vintage mini-me? (And what of the rant how Tim doesn't understand her style, that she's not cutting down that tulle? Yet on the runway, just an inch or so of the stuff peeked out from the hem?)
Jerrell designing for the printmaking major who'll work as an artist's assistant? (Can I tell you? I love-love-love this look! I would wear it myself tomorrow if I could get my hands on it.)
Joe - whose lower-level skills make him fit-challenged to begin with - being given the largest model? (Did that jacket have tails, as in tuxedo?)
And Suede being paired with the photographer who loves pants - an item that he just can't sew? (Toward the end, I could hear the producers nerves begin to fray because, drat! She fell in love with his mall-rat dress.)
Saddling Leanne with the mother-daughter team that was all a-twitter with opinions for just-add-water instant drama? (You could see her head spinning as she had to rework the dress after the first fitting when it was too matronly - and probably "too Leanne." But in the end, her pleats made an appearance, and all seemed well, despite throwing her into the bottom three for a little bit o' drama.)
The only one who seemed unfazed was Korto (who in typical Korto fashion, kept her laid-back cool with her model... but I think Korto's really in the zone, has the skills, knows her stuff, and realizes that she's just got to keep producing whatever she likes and she'll be safe).
This particular episode was poorly filmed edited. I kept wanting to tap people on the back and ask them to get out of the way and let me see what was going on. Obviously, a tactic of the director's, keep things hidden until the runway show, but still annoying.
Are we there, yet? I'm getting so bored with this season...
So, Joe and his interview costume didn't make the grade.
Kenley again looked miffed when the judges didn't give her the highest grades.
Jerrell hitting all the right notes with his artsy-fashionable take on an artist's assistant.
And while the jacket ended up being a fitted, gorgeous triumph, Korto's design would have been more flattering to her model overall if the skirt had been just a couple of inches longer. I think the judges just didn't want to insult the college grad by saying so. Regardless, the client adored it.
I still say the final three remain:
I say those buttons in Heidi's bag were stacked.
That the producers matched up the designer with the model/graduate that would make for the most interesting show.
How else could you explain Kenley getting the vintage mini-me? (And what of the rant how Tim doesn't understand her style, that she's not cutting down that tulle? Yet on the runway, just an inch or so of the stuff peeked out from the hem?)
Jerrell designing for the printmaking major who'll work as an artist's assistant? (Can I tell you? I love-love-love this look! I would wear it myself tomorrow if I could get my hands on it.)
Joe - whose lower-level skills make him fit-challenged to begin with - being given the largest model? (Did that jacket have tails, as in tuxedo?)
And Suede being paired with the photographer who loves pants - an item that he just can't sew? (Toward the end, I could hear the producers nerves begin to fray because, drat! She fell in love with his mall-rat dress.)
Saddling Leanne with the mother-daughter team that was all a-twitter with opinions for just-add-water instant drama? (You could see her head spinning as she had to rework the dress after the first fitting when it was too matronly - and probably "too Leanne." But in the end, her pleats made an appearance, and all seemed well, despite throwing her into the bottom three for a little bit o' drama.)
The only one who seemed unfazed was Korto (who in typical Korto fashion, kept her laid-back cool with her model... but I think Korto's really in the zone, has the skills, knows her stuff, and realizes that she's just got to keep producing whatever she likes and she'll be safe).
This particular episode was poorly filmed edited. I kept wanting to tap people on the back and ask them to get out of the way and let me see what was going on. Obviously, a tactic of the director's, keep things hidden until the runway show, but still annoying.
Are we there, yet? I'm getting so bored with this season...
So, Joe and his interview costume didn't make the grade.
Kenley again looked miffed when the judges didn't give her the highest grades.
Jerrell hitting all the right notes with his artsy-fashionable take on an artist's assistant.
And while the jacket ended up being a fitted, gorgeous triumph, Korto's design would have been more flattering to her model overall if the skirt had been just a couple of inches longer. I think the judges just didn't want to insult the college grad by saying so. Regardless, the client adored it.
I still say the final three remain:
- Jerrell
- Korto
- Leanne
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Good Things
Lavender buds.
Friends you've had since you were six.
Colorful textiles.
Electric blue patent leather handbags.
Moleskines.
Knives with heft.
Tomatoes so good you eat them like apples.
Walking under a canopy of trees.
Cheerful banter.
Seeing with fresh eyes.
Knowing someone understands you.
The unexpected Roz Chast cartoon.
Amelioration.
The foam at the edge of a crashing wave.
Good sleeping weather.
Spotting a cache of butterflies.
Being pleasantly surprised.
The glide of a pen over smooth paper.
A perfect cartwheel.
Bananas with no spots.
Undulating waves of flowers planted by someone who cares.
Using your strengths.
Biding your time.
Biting your tongue.
A coupon you forgot you had.
Well-worn shirts.
Oft-read books.
Togetherness.
Friends you've had since you were six.
Colorful textiles.
Electric blue patent leather handbags.
Moleskines.
Knives with heft.
Tomatoes so good you eat them like apples.
Walking under a canopy of trees.
Cheerful banter.
Seeing with fresh eyes.
Knowing someone understands you.
The unexpected Roz Chast cartoon.
Amelioration.
The foam at the edge of a crashing wave.
Good sleeping weather.
Spotting a cache of butterflies.
Being pleasantly surprised.
The glide of a pen over smooth paper.
A perfect cartwheel.
Bananas with no spots.
Undulating waves of flowers planted by someone who cares.
Using your strengths.
Biding your time.
Biting your tongue.
A coupon you forgot you had.
Well-worn shirts.
Oft-read books.
Togetherness.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Project Runway Episode 9: Odd Man Out
Yeah, so I guess the judges decided it was time to let Blayne go out in a blaze of glory, manifested by neon pink and turquoise poufs that cascaded oddly down his model's body-stockinged garment.
He was kooky, but self-consciously so. He was savagely tan, resembling a turkey ready to pop out of the oven. And he wanted to unleash the ideas that rattled around his head onto the runway.
Ah, Blayne, we hardly knew ye. Well, we knew ye enough.
Obviously talented, but very young. Just like Stella called it. "He knows nothing." Live a little, Blayne.
Kenley's model had triceps-on-steroids shoulders pumped full of air, the proportions staggeringly ridiculous. The plaid in the top and the tull-laden puff skirt were just awful. Bad fabric. Bad design. Bad self-promotion. I predict that Kenley's either getting auf'd this next episode or she's in for the long haul, and we'll have to suffer through her like we did Wendy Pepper. And we'll have to sit through her boring Betty Page-inspired collection [yawn!].
But enough of the baddies.
Sagittarius Saves the Day
Jerrell is hitting his stride with his textile mix-and-match skills, which were put to good use these past few challenges. His Sagittarius garment was far and away the best - he earned that win - and he obviously took inspiration from Tim's comment that the design was on the precipice between utter disaster and taking the prize.
And I give Jerrell a ton of credit: Rather than shrink back from his design, second-guess himself, and present something weird and half-baked, he looked like he just forged ahead. We haven't seen much of Jerrell's design process... I wonder if that's because it's being saved for the last 2 episodes. (Or it's just too boring to capture on film?). I couldn't tell what fabric that little jacket was made of, but the colors and just worked together.
My sister's a Sagittarius, and although she'd laugh to hear this, I could totally see her rocking that dress.
Leanne's exoskeletal Scorpio was interesting in concept, but in execution, looked a little, I dunno, flappy.
Korto, I loved the color interpretation of her Aquarius dress, but damn, it looked like a caftan and the same flowy shape she's done a kajillion times before. Is it me?
Other Hot Messes
Terri = disaster (Hello? What does shiny red have to do with a lion - I mean, other than offal?). Suede getting called out by the Duchess for his third-person shenanigans - ha-ha! - clearly zapping his delusions of grandeur.
Oh, yes, and Joe's ruffled rust mess made it all the more evident that he is employing the "I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you" strategy. Which is kind of lazy. Or what less talented people do.
Really, if Blayne hadn't indulged in that fabric explosion and instead played it safe with a more traditional garment, we'd still be seeing his goofy betanned grin next week. Ah, well. Can't blame him for going for it, I guess.
Final Three
These are my hopes for the final three:
He was kooky, but self-consciously so. He was savagely tan, resembling a turkey ready to pop out of the oven. And he wanted to unleash the ideas that rattled around his head onto the runway.
Ah, Blayne, we hardly knew ye. Well, we knew ye enough.
Obviously talented, but very young. Just like Stella called it. "He knows nothing." Live a little, Blayne.
Kenley's model had triceps-on-steroids shoulders pumped full of air, the proportions staggeringly ridiculous. The plaid in the top and the tull-laden puff skirt were just awful. Bad fabric. Bad design. Bad self-promotion. I predict that Kenley's either getting auf'd this next episode or she's in for the long haul, and we'll have to suffer through her like we did Wendy Pepper. And we'll have to sit through her boring Betty Page-inspired collection [yawn!].
But enough of the baddies.
Sagittarius Saves the Day
Jerrell is hitting his stride with his textile mix-and-match skills, which were put to good use these past few challenges. His Sagittarius garment was far and away the best - he earned that win - and he obviously took inspiration from Tim's comment that the design was on the precipice between utter disaster and taking the prize.
And I give Jerrell a ton of credit: Rather than shrink back from his design, second-guess himself, and present something weird and half-baked, he looked like he just forged ahead. We haven't seen much of Jerrell's design process... I wonder if that's because it's being saved for the last 2 episodes. (Or it's just too boring to capture on film?). I couldn't tell what fabric that little jacket was made of, but the colors and just worked together.
My sister's a Sagittarius, and although she'd laugh to hear this, I could totally see her rocking that dress.
Leanne's exoskeletal Scorpio was interesting in concept, but in execution, looked a little, I dunno, flappy.
Korto, I loved the color interpretation of her Aquarius dress, but damn, it looked like a caftan and the same flowy shape she's done a kajillion times before. Is it me?
Other Hot Messes
Terri = disaster (Hello? What does shiny red have to do with a lion - I mean, other than offal?). Suede getting called out by the Duchess for his third-person shenanigans - ha-ha! - clearly zapping his delusions of grandeur.
Oh, yes, and Joe's ruffled rust mess made it all the more evident that he is employing the "I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you" strategy. Which is kind of lazy. Or what less talented people do.
Really, if Blayne hadn't indulged in that fabric explosion and instead played it safe with a more traditional garment, we'd still be seeing his goofy betanned grin next week. Ah, well. Can't blame him for going for it, I guess.
Final Three
These are my hopes for the final three:
- Korto
- Leanne
- Jerrell
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
I Heart Sweet Leaf Tea
I admit, it was the Granny cartoon mascot that drew me in one day while at a gourmet market, looking for something to drink with my overpriced lunch.
But one sip of this stuff, and its cane sugar sweetness, and you'll never go back to high-fructose corn syrup sweetened Snapple.
(Digression: I once met a guy who traveled on business with a full case of Snapple Lemon Tea in his luggage - his assistant confirmed that every day he glugged down two bottles of the stuff before his first 8 a.m. meeting and simply could not operate without it.)
Anyway, Sweet Leaf Tea has become my obsession, and while their Lemonade Tea is pretty good, and they have the obligatory Peach and Green Tea versions, their original Sweet Leaf Tea is just spectacular.
Go out and try it!
But one sip of this stuff, and its cane sugar sweetness, and you'll never go back to high-fructose corn syrup sweetened Snapple.
(Digression: I once met a guy who traveled on business with a full case of Snapple Lemon Tea in his luggage - his assistant confirmed that every day he glugged down two bottles of the stuff before his first 8 a.m. meeting and simply could not operate without it.)
Anyway, Sweet Leaf Tea has become my obsession, and while their Lemonade Tea is pretty good, and they have the obligatory Peach and Green Tea versions, their original Sweet Leaf Tea is just spectacular.
Go out and try it!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
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.
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.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Project Runway Episode 8: The Day the Music Died
So, I could see where this was headed. Although she lives in the meatpacking district area, Stella is just such a marked contrast to Diane Von Furstenberg, that despite her ability to adapt the challenge to her point of view, we were headed for a terrible train wreck.
Or was that simply the story we were fed?
Kenley's dress, while the fit and execution (sewing-wise) looked pretty strong, I must be the only person in the country that hated that wacky print. I thought the lace lace collar was dreadful and the black belt just wrong-wrong-wrong. She nailed the silhouette, but she came in second for a reason...
Leanne, you Quirky-Girl, you are surprising me! The dress was just beyond chic - it called to mind the Anette Bening character in that movie (from the 80s?) Bugsy. Sexy, flowy, emphasizing all the assets. The jacket looked like a modified hoodie that the judges somehow just decided to ignore in making their choice, which was just as well.
Joe got a major reprieve, and should just pack his bags because he'll be on the road to nowhere sometime soon.
Granted, Stella's heart didn't seem entirely in it, and maybe that's the problem.
And a part of me is convinced she threw the race. (Perhaps the first time anyone's thrown the competition in the show's history? Can you think of another?)
The seatbelt skirt last week barely held together. The trash bags, for crying out loud!
When getting her auf smooch, she acknowledged her own ego was probably too big to last long in this alterna-reality world, and I think she was right.
I mean, she knew she was outta there.
Witness, her exit ensemble: Her leathuh, full makeup and shiny blowout. Brilliant!
Or was that simply the story we were fed?
Kenley's dress, while the fit and execution (sewing-wise) looked pretty strong, I must be the only person in the country that hated that wacky print. I thought the lace lace collar was dreadful and the black belt just wrong-wrong-wrong. She nailed the silhouette, but she came in second for a reason...
Leanne, you Quirky-Girl, you are surprising me! The dress was just beyond chic - it called to mind the Anette Bening character in that movie (from the 80s?) Bugsy. Sexy, flowy, emphasizing all the assets. The jacket looked like a modified hoodie that the judges somehow just decided to ignore in making their choice, which was just as well.
Joe got a major reprieve, and should just pack his bags because he'll be on the road to nowhere sometime soon.
Granted, Stella's heart didn't seem entirely in it, and maybe that's the problem.
And a part of me is convinced she threw the race. (Perhaps the first time anyone's thrown the competition in the show's history? Can you think of another?)
The seatbelt skirt last week barely held together. The trash bags, for crying out loud!
When getting her auf smooch, she acknowledged her own ego was probably too big to last long in this alterna-reality world, and I think she was right.
I mean, she knew she was outta there.
Witness, her exit ensemble: Her leathuh, full makeup and shiny blowout. Brilliant!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Brooching the Subject
Often when I see women sporting brooches, the look is kind of old-school, school-marmish, or a throwback to the late 80s linebacker-shouldered power-suit days.
Or they're little itty-bitty things, like barely a commitment to wearing jewelry.
But Michelle Obama's brooches during the Democratic National Convention gave a nod to fashion, a certain kind of style sense, one that I can't quite put my finger on.
The starburst speech on her teal dress added to her radiance during her speech. Brooches lined the neck of her fuchsia and black Thakoon dress on the night Barack gave his address.
Clearly, whether she's styling herself, or someone else is providing advice, keeping the fancy framing her face is a great tactic; every closeup shot of her applauding caught site of the sparkle, which was just enough, very chic and not at all over the top.
She's like her own assemblage of a Thousand Points of Light with those brooches, turning heads and laying claim to a style all her own.
Or they're little itty-bitty things, like barely a commitment to wearing jewelry.
But Michelle Obama's brooches during the Democratic National Convention gave a nod to fashion, a certain kind of style sense, one that I can't quite put my finger on.
The starburst speech on her teal dress added to her radiance during her speech. Brooches lined the neck of her fuchsia and black Thakoon dress on the night Barack gave his address.
Clearly, whether she's styling herself, or someone else is providing advice, keeping the fancy framing her face is a great tactic; every closeup shot of her applauding caught site of the sparkle, which was just enough, very chic and not at all over the top.
She's like her own assemblage of a Thousand Points of Light with those brooches, turning heads and laying claim to a style all her own.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Moved to Tears
When I was growing up, music was a huge part of my life. I played several instruments and considered pursuing performance as an occupation. Somehow I changed my adolescent mind and my major, but music remains a huge emotional outlet for me.
It's also an emotional inlet, in that listening to can trigger highly emotional reactions. Perversely, if I'm going through a stressful time, or need time with my thoughts, I can't listen to much music. I need the silence, to hear an idea rattling against the cage and give it some voice.
But there are several pieces of music that have - from my first listen - prompted tears, a joyful release that is incomparable. If it weren't for their incongruity, they'd make the ultimate playlist whenever I felt like I needed a good cry that would lift my spirits. There are others, but these are the ones that come to mind:
It's also an emotional inlet, in that listening to can trigger highly emotional reactions. Perversely, if I'm going through a stressful time, or need time with my thoughts, I can't listen to much music. I need the silence, to hear an idea rattling against the cage and give it some voice.
But there are several pieces of music that have - from my first listen - prompted tears, a joyful release that is incomparable. If it weren't for their incongruity, they'd make the ultimate playlist whenever I felt like I needed a good cry that would lift my spirits. There are others, but these are the ones that come to mind:
- The Flower Duet from Lakme: Whether it's a British Airways commercial or an angelic opera compilation, those high-note harmonies are the primary trigger.
- Ave Maria: Probably from my earliest recollections, at a regular mass I'd attended as a child; later, for weddings and, sadly, funerals.
- Another Train: By the Poozies. These women are doozies when it comes to harmony, with nary an instrument to keep them on pitch.
- Bohemian Rhapsody: The first time I heard this song, I turned the volume of my tinny little radio all the way up, drinking in every note, thrilling at the stylistic changes and operatic choral parts.
- Bridge Over Troubled Water: Like some cliche from an after-school special, over and over I played this Simon and Garfunkel song as a college freshman, when I felt weary, down and out, or just plain homesick.
- We Belong Together: Pat Benatar was a constant during the 80s, but it's that children's chorus, dammit, that gets me every time.
- Rilo Kiley's A Better Son/Daughter: A former coworker included this on a mix CD and while it triggered some tears on the first listen, it helped me stand tall as I left a job that I hated.
- Skateaway, by Dire Straits: It's the off-handed softness of this melody and how it just slips out of Mark Knopfler, who could probably pen a jingle for potato chips that would make me tear up, too.
- Breakfast in America by Supertramp: There's a tuba, or a trombone, that is just such a surprise, it gives me a little catch in my throat each time I hear it.
- They Say It's Spring, as warbled by Blossom Dearie: First discovered on the Target commercial a few years ago, each springtime since at the arrival of the first cherry blossom, I play it and tip my hat to this girlish-sounding jazz maven.
Project Runway Episode 7: Saturniquet
Now, I realize that this is just a season full of product placement gone horribly awry.
But making clothing designers work with car parts? Atrocious.
Although like Rachel Zoe (and is it me, or does that girl look like she's ingested too much Ketel One at 4 a.m.?), I think Korto's jacket was something I could wear tomorrow. (OK, maybe not tomorrow, because I'll probably be cleaning up my house if I get motivated, but still, you know what I mean.)
First, I believe Jerrell should have won if we're looking at innovation and technique and point of view.
And while Leanne did something interesting, I don't think giving any woman mega-hips, that she needs to stuff her undergarments with muslin to pouf up, is advisable. I mean, who wants their hips to look bigger? Sure, you could fool people with the whole effect, and by nipping in the waist, create something kind of architectural and not literally against the body (which the "fabric" didn't really allow for, anyway).
I'm betting the judges liked what Leanne did with the fringe and gave her the win for not keeping the seatbelt in its original form (although, I'm sorry, I took one look at those piles of mauvey-taupe seatbelts and thought, "Weaving!" so I'm not sure how innovative weaving seatbelts really is - sorry, Korto).
And Blayne, have you learned nothing if not to make sure the top of your dress actually fits?
Suede's model looked as if she had fashioned a skirt from one of those mylar pom-poms that you'd see at a football game.
While I used to be a Terri fan, I'm definitely tiring of her 'tude. And yes, like someone muttered under their breath, she does seem to just have 4 patterns that she recycles again and again. (To wit: Hasn't she worn an outfit similar to the one she designed?)
What the heck was Kenley thinking? Looks like poor Germaine got into a fight with a lampshade.
And thank God they auf'd Keith, because if I had to put up with one more week of his excuse-laden, bitchy whining and misunderstood-artist rap, I'd put my foot through the TV!
But really... Enough of the bizarro-world materials, Bravo. I'd rather see them give the designers strange constraints like:
But making clothing designers work with car parts? Atrocious.
Although like Rachel Zoe (and is it me, or does that girl look like she's ingested too much Ketel One at 4 a.m.?), I think Korto's jacket was something I could wear tomorrow. (OK, maybe not tomorrow, because I'll probably be cleaning up my house if I get motivated, but still, you know what I mean.)
First, I believe Jerrell should have won if we're looking at innovation and technique and point of view.
And while Leanne did something interesting, I don't think giving any woman mega-hips, that she needs to stuff her undergarments with muslin to pouf up, is advisable. I mean, who wants their hips to look bigger? Sure, you could fool people with the whole effect, and by nipping in the waist, create something kind of architectural and not literally against the body (which the "fabric" didn't really allow for, anyway).
I'm betting the judges liked what Leanne did with the fringe and gave her the win for not keeping the seatbelt in its original form (although, I'm sorry, I took one look at those piles of mauvey-taupe seatbelts and thought, "Weaving!" so I'm not sure how innovative weaving seatbelts really is - sorry, Korto).
And Blayne, have you learned nothing if not to make sure the top of your dress actually fits?
Suede's model looked as if she had fashioned a skirt from one of those mylar pom-poms that you'd see at a football game.
While I used to be a Terri fan, I'm definitely tiring of her 'tude. And yes, like someone muttered under their breath, she does seem to just have 4 patterns that she recycles again and again. (To wit: Hasn't she worn an outfit similar to the one she designed?)
What the heck was Kenley thinking? Looks like poor Germaine got into a fight with a lampshade.
And thank God they auf'd Keith, because if I had to put up with one more week of his excuse-laden, bitchy whining and misunderstood-artist rap, I'd put my foot through the TV!
But really... Enough of the bizarro-world materials, Bravo. I'd rather see them give the designers strange constraints like:
- Sell their drawings on the street for 2 hours to raise the money they need to buy fabrics at Mood.
- Give them just a teeny budget and see what they can wring out of Mood's inventory.
- See what they'd create from the same pile of materials (real ones, not car parts) and how their personalities and design points of view represent. Can you imagine what Stella would do when faced with a dollop of silk organza?
This last challenge is the most interesting to me. I've always been amazed at how people who are into beading and jewelry design will take the same set - a jumble of beads, colors, accents, pendants and thread - and create something totally unique to their point of view.
Sure, you see glimpses of the same color palette; that can't be avoided. But if I hear anyone else say their design is innovative, when really it's only unique to something done in that room that day, I will just spit.
Here are the picks I'd most like to see in the finale:
- Leanne
- Jerell
- Stella
Thursday, August 21, 2008
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!
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!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
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.
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.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Part of Who We Are
For the past few weeks, I've been thinking about underpinnings. Infrastructure. Support systems. And then I go and start my weekend off with dinner at a friend's house. This friend is a marvelous cook -- a modest one, too -- so if she ever read this, she'd cluck a "tut-tut" and change the subject immediately.But there were five of us girlfriends there, each with her own story to catch up on, and in some cases, seek advice on.
The air was electric. I'm convinced it's the important people in our lives who make us greater than the sum of our own parts. And each of these women is remarkable on her own. But collectively, we're a supportive force to be reckoned with.
When I'm enjoying myself fully in a social situation, there's a moment where I sit back and mentally take stock of the moment.
This time, I was grateful to be part of this circle of friends, who met by chance but stayed together by choice, a bunch of early-to-bed types who started this weekend by staying up well past midnight because the energy in the air crackled and the food was beyond compare.
I made a resolution right there, that rather than veg in front of the TV, to take action and really start my weekends on Friday nights. No Ashley Paige reruns, or Project Runway obsessing, or even Jamie Oliver food shows (a staple of our weekend downtime).
That fun-filled evening laid the foundation for a restful respite from hither and yon errands, and I felt more contented than I have in a long time because I felt more fully present in each moment of the last 48 hours than I have in a long time.
What do you do, to make your weekends really last?
Thursday, August 7, 2008
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...
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!
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.
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!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Progress: Incremental
I guess it doesn't count for my own list if it's Mr. Spandrel who successfully grows the tomatoes.
With no vacations on the horizon, and a lack of area volcanoes, I'm not sure how feasible #54 is right now. (And heck, even #58, 69 and 70 are looking like 2009 at the earliest.)
On the plus side, specifically #37, I have been making more sandwiches, including last week's killer grilled cheese with asiago, havarti, tomato, basil, a drizzle of honey, all fried up to golden perfection.*
As for #46, I'm reasonably certain we've added 7 more recipes to our collection, mostly focusing on asparagus, zucchini and spinach.
With my new job, #39 is definitely advancing. I'm all about using my strengths, these days. Although I should also add weight training to the list, because my physical strength seems to be sapped (or maybe that's from the heat?).
And yes, I did do #74, although sadly, I don't have a photo of said gift. So you'll just have to take my word for it.
With no vacations on the horizon, and a lack of area volcanoes, I'm not sure how feasible #54 is right now. (And heck, even #58, 69 and 70 are looking like 2009 at the earliest.)
On the plus side, specifically #37, I have been making more sandwiches, including last week's killer grilled cheese with asiago, havarti, tomato, basil, a drizzle of honey, all fried up to golden perfection.*
As for #46, I'm reasonably certain we've added 7 more recipes to our collection, mostly focusing on asparagus, zucchini and spinach.
With my new job, #39 is definitely advancing. I'm all about using my strengths, these days. Although I should also add weight training to the list, because my physical strength seems to be sapped (or maybe that's from the heat?).
And yes, I did do #74, although sadly, I don't have a photo of said gift. So you'll just have to take my word for it.
*Disclosure: I heard of this combo on Oprah, as she talked about her friend Gayle's obsession with sandwiches.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Losing Track of Time
This weekend, I had the fortune of meeting with a former coworker for lunch.
We went to one of my favorite haunts - a breakfast-and-lunch restaurant in a converted greenhouse, serving fresh salads and delicious baked desserts. I dug into an excellent greek salad with wheatberries and barley, the healthiest thing I've eaten in eons.
We laughed, we caught up on office politics, asked about the folks in each others' lives and heard all about her friend's new babies (twin girls - what a hoot!).
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the table beside us seemed to turn with alarming frequency. But our waitress gave us breathing space for a leisurely lunch, and dropped the check to be paid anytime, and kept our iced teas full.
We even picked at carrot cupcakes with real cream cheese frosting, the likes of which I've had nowhere else.
Suddenly, we realized they were ready to close, so we settled up, and sauntered outside. I glanced at my new watch (a birthday-gift purchase to replace my battered old one).
When I saw it said 2:30, I thought, "Hm... that was a nice, long, two-hour lunch."
We meandered up to the bookstore, I bought a gift for a friend. We continued our chatter a few more blocks to where she'd parked her car and said our goodbyes.
When I got back to my own car, I dug through my purse, and retrieved my phone to call Mr. Spandrel.
As I clicked it on, I noticed the time on the phone: 4:30. That's odd? Why is it so far off? Then, as I started up the car, I noticed the clock on the dash registered 4:30, too.
So while it hadn't stopped, my brand-new watch seemed to do something more nefarious: it lost track of time.
We went to one of my favorite haunts - a breakfast-and-lunch restaurant in a converted greenhouse, serving fresh salads and delicious baked desserts. I dug into an excellent greek salad with wheatberries and barley, the healthiest thing I've eaten in eons.
We laughed, we caught up on office politics, asked about the folks in each others' lives and heard all about her friend's new babies (twin girls - what a hoot!).
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the table beside us seemed to turn with alarming frequency. But our waitress gave us breathing space for a leisurely lunch, and dropped the check to be paid anytime, and kept our iced teas full.
We even picked at carrot cupcakes with real cream cheese frosting, the likes of which I've had nowhere else.
Suddenly, we realized they were ready to close, so we settled up, and sauntered outside. I glanced at my new watch (a birthday-gift purchase to replace my battered old one).
When I saw it said 2:30, I thought, "Hm... that was a nice, long, two-hour lunch."
We meandered up to the bookstore, I bought a gift for a friend. We continued our chatter a few more blocks to where she'd parked her car and said our goodbyes.
When I got back to my own car, I dug through my purse, and retrieved my phone to call Mr. Spandrel.
As I clicked it on, I noticed the time on the phone: 4:30. That's odd? Why is it so far off? Then, as I started up the car, I noticed the clock on the dash registered 4:30, too.
So while it hadn't stopped, my brand-new watch seemed to do something more nefarious: it lost track of time.
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