BuzzSugar

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 14, "Finale Part Two"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:30:32 -0700

Ah, the Project Runway finale. It's like my Super Bowl. Luckily for me, it came twice this year (which is an especially good thing knowing that the fate of next season is up in the air). But enough about the future of ProjRun - let's talk about the present. As you know, last week Jerell was eliminated, leaving the three female contestants to vie for the win: Leanne, Korto, and Kenley.

The good news is that I was excited to see what all three of these women could do on the runway - after all, each of them made my top 10 looks of the season list. The bad news is that it was probably the dullest finale in the show's history. I mean, where was the drama? Even the cameo from Morgan (the terror model from season one) was devoid of tension, and they had to turn to dog poo to liven things up a little. That's not to say I didn't like their respective collections. On the contrary, I thought all three had very strong showings; I'm even ready to say these were three of the strongest overall collections in the show's history and the first time I would have been satisfied with any winner. I was just a little bored. Boo.

To talk more about the episode, and to see all of the final looks, read more.

Before we get to the looks, here are a couple of my favorite moments from the episode:

Morgan is still the best and most dynamic model from all five seasons of Project Runway. Bring back the model mayhem in season six! Also was excited to see Amanda - and, briefly, Shannon from Make Me a Supermodel.
I was so impressed that Korto created two new looks for the runway. Usually the designers struggle to finish the looks they've already completed. Kudos, Korto.
The dog poo moment was funny. I loved Leanne's reaction: "I can't even imagine explaining that to the judges, that there's dog crap on the evening gown."
How hilarious was it that Kenley was so snooty about letting anyone help her iron, and then was shown dropping one of her gowns on the floor?
Even though we knew Jennifer Lopez would not be judging the final showdown, I was a wee bit disappointed that there wasn't a guest judge. But you couldn't ask for anyone better than Tim Gunn to fill her shoes.

And for the last time this season, let's talk about the looks:

Kenley: Kenley found inspiration in Alice in Wonderland and exuded that whimsy in her color palette and silhouettes. While Tim had minor problems with her rope trim, the biggest issue the judges had with Kenley's collection was her carbon-copy designs. Last week they called out her wedding dress as looking too Alexander McQueen; this time they found fault with her floral dress looking too Balenciaga. And yet again, the proof was in the pudding. (Also, am I crazy, or did they say that about this dress, too?) It was enough to cost her the win.

View 10 Photos ›

Korto: Korto's collection was inspired by nature. The colors she used were beautifully rich greens and browns. There was also a hint of her African ancestry interwoven into the outfits and accessories, and I loved her hand-done beadwork (and wished there was more of it). The judges loved Korto's line, especially the color and cohesion. The only gripe Heidi had was that some of the pieces looked a little overworked. And as with Kenley, this minor misstep hurt her dearly. She's out.

View 10 Photos ›

Leanne: As with the other two, the judges, in general, loved Leanne's collection. Michael was in awe of her workmanship. Tim and Nina loved her versatility in silhouettes. And Heidi applauded her innovation. Their biggest beef was that she was a little one-note with her petal detailing (Michael even called her Petals Marshall, which he said sounds like a stripper, not a designer. Ha!). I agreed with the judges in this aspect. It reminded me of Chloe's final collection from season two: beautiful, but the looks were very similar with little variation. (That doesn't mean I wouldn't kill to wear them, especially that blue evening gown.) In the end, she got the win.

View 10 Photos ›

So, what did you think of the episode? Did Leanne deserve the win? I was torn between her and Korto and would have been happy with either. You?

Oh, and to see how to get all the fashion from last night's episode, check out our new site CelebStyle!

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 13, "Finale Part One"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:34:27 -0700

There's just one week left till the end of the Project Runway road, and you know what that means: a little thing I like to call Tim Gunn's Couture Tour. This is the episode where Tim travels to each designer's home to critique his or her forthcoming collection, and from that standpoint, this season's version was about what I expected. Luckily, in true ProjRun fashion, they threw the contestants a curve ball . . . or two.

The first twist occurred at the beginning of the episode. Before the designers were sent home, Heidi delivered the usual "create a collection that represents you as a designer" assignment but added an additional task: designing a wedding dress. This news made me giddy, especially when I remembered how fun the wedding challenge was in the first season. The second twist came when the designers returned to New York, where Tim asked them to produce another piece: a bridesmaid's dress that complemented both the wedding dress and the collection as a whole. Also, whether they competed at Bryant Park would depend entirely on the wedding and bridesmaid's dresses. Yikes for them; yay for us!

To find out how each of the designers entertained Tim and to see who's competing in next week's finale, read more.

Tim's Couture Tour:

Korto: Tim traveled to Little Rock, AR to visit Korto and overall said a lot of positive things about her collection-in-progress. He loved her bead work and her color palette, calling it "stunning" and "sophisticated." He did, however, have reservations about a few pieces, calling one specific look "a little sexual." Side note: I believe he also said "I don't want a snatch shot." Can you even say that on cable? I wore out my rewind button trying to decipher his exact verbiage. Lastly, Tim critiqued Korto's wedding dress for looking a little more red carpet than wedding. But she still entertained him with some awesome African drumming.
Leanne: Tim went from Little Rock to Portland to visit Leanne (and meet her dorky-cute boyfriend, aw!). As with Korto, Tim had mostly accolades for Leanne. His two concerns were the color choice in one of her tops and the wedding dress not having the same "ease and flow" as the rest of her wave-inspired line. The best part of Tim's visit to Leanne, however, was seeing the two on a bike together. Priceless.
Jerell: Next up was Jerell in Los Angeles. Tim didn't have as many nice things to say about Jerell's collection. Tim thought the bust of his wedding dress needed more stability, and as for the rest, he said Jerell really needed to edit - and I couldn't have agreed more. In fact, Tim's critiques were so negative that toward the end of his trip he asked, "Can I still meet your family and friends?" Ouch.
Kenley: Finally, Tim met up with Kenley in her cute Brooklyn apartment. As with the other girls, he was very impressed - though he did question her decision to incorporate a rope at the neckline of a dress ("I just think about people hanging themselves"). But, in general, he loved her line, especially her feather and tulle wedding dress.

Now, on to the looks of the evening. . .

View 8 Photos ›

Leanne: The judges loved, loved, loved both Leanne's wedding dress - which had been totally reworked since Tim's visit - and the accompanying bridesmaid's dress. They applauded the colors and the fabric, and Nina said it was "modern and dreamy." As for what I thought - yep, Leanne nailed it. I'd wear that bridesmaid's dress in a second.
Korto: Heidi said of Korto's wedding dress, "I would not want to be the bride." And, that about sums it up. All of the judges had issues with how overworked the design was. They didn't love her bridesmaid's dress either. For me, Korto's was the worst of the bunch.
Jerell: Just like Tim predicted, the judges found Jerell's wedding dress too overworked (but sloppy at the same time). Nina even said that his tulle looked "dirty." Jerell's pieces weren't my favorite, but I thought the judges were a little harsh, especially when Nina said he hadn't put thought into his designs. What killed him, though, was that he doesn't know when to stop putting stuff on an outfit.
Kenley: Michael Kors faulted Kenley's wedding dress for looking a little too Alexander McQueen. And, well. Other than that, he loved both looks, as did Nina and Heidi. After last week's disaster, Kenley certainly proved herself with this challenge.

In the end, Jerell was eliminated. This upset me a little, since I think he should have had an advantage from winning the final "regular season" challenge and I actually liked his wedding/bridesmaid combo better than Korto's. But from the previews of Jerell's and Korto's lines, Korto's looks stronger, so I think it was the right decision in the end.

What did you guys think of last night's episode? Should Jerell have been sent home (home, in this case, being "showing at Bryant Park anyway")? Did you catch his slam at Michael Kors at the end? And are you excited for next week? The preview got me pumped for one thing in particular: Morgan!

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 12, "Nature Calls"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:30:22 -0700

Last night on Project Runway, the remaining four designers had to step up and prove themselves (and their designs) to the judges in hopes of moving on to Fashion Week. Of course, we know that they (and two others) all make it to Bryant Park, but last night it was about discovering who would present his or her collection in the final episode of the season as a contender for the Project Runway win.

I thought each designer would blow me out of the water, especially since the challenge was so basic. Actually "basic" is probably the wrong word - I think "stale" is better. We've seen the "take a picture and be inspired" challenge before (this time the theme was nature), even earlier this season. And in season two, Daniel V won a very similar challenge with his orchid-inspired ensemble, a look that was much more stunning than what these designers produced. That said, the final challenges are almost always a letdown; the judges want the designers to take risks (but punish them when they go awry), while the designers are so close to their goal that they get safe.

To read (and see) more about last night's episode - including a spoiler that annoyed me to no end - read more.

Before we talk about all of the looks from last night's episode, here's some Project Runway free association:

Kenley continued her obnoxious streak. The episode began with her blaming Leanne for sabotaging and not "sell[ing her] outfit on the runway" and ended with her arguing with the judges about her attitude. Note to Kenley: If someone calls you out about your poor behavior, it's probably in your best interest not to argue with them. In doing so, you're only proving the point.
Jerell - the lone guy left - presented some hilariously awkward moments. Most notably, right after he admitted to being lonely, he was shown putting on a "puppet" show with himself (represented by a bottle of maple syrup), a Tim Gunn bobblehead, and two past contestants: Joe and Suede (two apples with faces drawn on). Someone needs a roommate!
You reap what you "sew": Because Kenley had rubbed the other designers the wrong way, when she discovered she had left her tulle at Mood, both Korto and Jerell refused to hand over their leftovers. I didn't blame them. But why didn't Kenley just go to the producers?
Kenley's story about her father being a tugboat captain didn't make me sympathize with her as a loner (or a loud person), though I'm sure that was her intention.
I was surprised that all of the designers were working till the very last minute. They had two days for this challenge, and none of the dresses was nearly as intricate as what Christian Siriano busted out last season.
Can we talk about all of the waterworks? I think this ep might have had the most ProjRun tears in history. And that's including the season with Andrae.

Now on to the looks:

View 4 Photos ›

Leanne - Leanne's one-shoulder, pleated purple dress was beautiful. Bonus that the judges also liked it. But the random blue train that she added last minute was haphazard and ugly. It would have been much better without it.
Jerell - Jerell's look was by far the most current and youthful. That being said, I was afraid that his model's breasts were about to pop out at any moment. Otherwise his look was good, and in an underwhelming pool, I suppose it deserved the win.
Korto – The judges had a beef with Korto's orange dress because they thought it looked too "pageanty." It wasn't the most innovative dress, but I think Korto received more flak for it than she deserved. Sure, it wasn't pushing the needle, but it fit her model like a glove and it was finished. All in all, not bad.
Kenley - Jerell said it best: it was Kenley the Dragon Slayer. What was she thinking? Kenley finally stepped out of her 1950s bubble, and came up with a dress that looked like a combination of Barney the dinosaur and Ursula from The Little Mermaid. It was by far the worst look, and Kenley should have been eliminated, but. . .

In a completely (un)shocking moment, Heidi announced that all of the designers would be creating a collection for Fashion Week. The only caveat was that one would be eliminated right before the Bryant Park show. I've come to expect these exceptions from Project Runway, but, to be honest, this time I was especially annoyed. Kenley should have been gone. Period.

Should Kenley have been auffed last night? Or are you excited to see one more elimination before the big finale? And what do you make of all the designers trashing Kenley on the runway after Kenley again talked back? (Extended clip here, if you think you can handle it!)

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Project Runway Rundown: Episode Seven, "Fashion That Drives You"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:30:12 -0700

Last night's episode of Project Runway was surprisingly entertaining (I figured it would be hard to follow the drag queen episode) - not because of the challenge, per se, but because Tim Gunn shamed the designers right off the bat, reminding them of how pathetically they performed in the very first challenge that required innovative thinking. And thank goodness Tim lit that fire under their you-know-whats, because otherwise we would have seen a boatload of beige seat belt pencil skirts coming down that runway, which makes me fall asleep just typing about it.

As it happened, we were only subjected to a small percentage of seat belt skirts (and one unfortunate seat belt dress) while a good portion of the designers used this challenge as a moment to stand out. So far this season I've been unsure about which designers I would want to see at Bryant Park, and this ~~Saturn hybrid commercial~~ car parts challenge helped me understand who among this group has taste and vision and who just . . . doesn't. To see which designers I have a new respect for and what I thought of one designer's mental meltdown, read more.

Before I run through the looks, here are my thoughts from last night:

I'm glad Korto's jacket was such a hit, because Terri was so obnoxious during this challenge! It's just really bad form to point and laugh at your competitors like that.
Speaking of Terri, her outfit was really boring to me, which was disappointing after seeing that amazing samurai drag queen outfit she made last week.
When Tim told Kenley her model had dropped out, I wondered if the periodical model disappearances on Project Runway were due to illness or something? But then Jerell rang in with models taking other jobs and how they have to make a living too, and I got it.
OMG! Stella's boyfriend! I nearly fell out of my chair because a) his name is Ratbones and b) they want to design clothing together under a label named "Zotis & Bones." I really want to go play pool or throw darts with Ratbones and Stella. I think that would be an amazing way to spend an evening.
Keith! We'll discuss further, but my goodness, man, pull yourself together. He was a complete emotional mess last night, and when his model sat down and ripped her skirt I felt so bad for her. Like, "Run, girl, cause he is going to cut you!" bad.

View 10 Photos ›

As for the best and worst:

Jerell - Guest judge Rachel Zoe called his futuristic get-up "intricate," and while the overall look was over-the-top, the judges were impressed because it worked together well.
Blayne - Michael Kors hit the nail on the head when he said it looked like a car wash, and the fit at the top of his seat belt dress was wretched. Who's that flattering on? Nobody. I continue to be unimpressed with Blayne.
Korto - Despite Terri's insults in the work room, the judges were completely enamored with her woven seat belt jacket. Rachel said several times she would walk right out of the building in that jacket. I like Korto and think she is one of the few designers with a specific point of view that she brings to the runway each challenge.
Leanne - I was so impressed with Leanne, and so were the judges, who made her the evening's big winner. Her skirt was awesome, and I could see it on a red carpet. I think Leanne is emerging as a serious contender for the finals - what do you think?
Stella - Uh, what? What was she thinking? Well I guess we know she wanted to do something besides hammering and grommeting but clearly she should stick to what she does best: leatha!
Keith - Poor, poor Keith. He was just was all kinds of neurotic last night. I know I should feel some sympathy for the guy, but his excuses on the runway were too much, forcing Michael to deliver a smackdown lecture on taking criticism. Plus his dress was seriously plain, and the back was horrendous.

So did you think it was Keith's time to go? Did you feel bad for him, or do you think he'll never get anywhere in the fashion biz if he doesn't grow a thicker skin? Which look was your favorite? Did you want Korto to win or were you happy for Leanne? Any idea who you'd like to see in the finale yet? And how great was it to see Laura Bennett?

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Project Runway Rundown: Episode Six, "Good Queen Fun"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:30:47 -0700

The word that keeps popping into my mind when I think about this week's episode of Project Runway is "big." There were big, huge drag queens with big personalities, there was the return of that big Chris March laugh, the outfits the designers created were big and over the top, guest judge RuPaul is a very big person. . . you get the idea. And as the saying goes, bigger is better, so it's no surprise that this episode was a whole lot of fun! Maybe even the best one of the season so far - what do you think?

Honestly, I was in heaven once those drag queen names started rolling off of the ladies' tongues: Hedda Lettuce, Varla Jean Merman, Annida Greenkard, Acid Betty, Sweetie, etc. It was such a good injection of colorful fun into this season and most of the designers really stretched themselves to come up with something "theatrical," as Tim instructed them to do. I said "most," though, not "all" - so to chat about who soared in this competition and who utterly bombed, read more.

Before I run through the looks, here are some other thoughts:

How cute was Tim's advice to Suede about dealing with his catty drag queen? "You tell her hold on there sister!"
Um, what was up with Suede's little daydream? It's sweet that he misses his grandfather but that story about his grandpa sending him seeds to sprinkle on the dress (or something) made me wonder if he were maybe on something.
Were you glad to see RuPaul? I was! And his polished outfit and coif were so well put-together. Plus, he dispensed with some useful fashion information specific to outfitting a drag queen, like how the whole trick is to accentuate the "assets" and "hide the candy."
Tim had a snappy line of his own last night that didn't include "make it work" or "dubious!" On Blayne's lame-o outfit: "It looks like a pterodactyl out of a gay Jurassic Park."
Speaking of Blayne, one of his wings lost its will to live on the runway. How was he not at least in the bottom three?
Also, I don't really want to give the whole "licious" ridiculousness a mention because it's not even worth that much but there you go. He's trying so hard to be a reality TV personality which continues to come off as pathetic.

View 11 Photos ›

As for the best and worst:

Korto - I loved her blazing red design with that sparkly fiery detail. I know she was nervous but it worked out really well for her. Plus the judges said in addition to the great theatrics of her outfit she managed to give that huge man a lovely silhouette.
Jerrell - I liked the colors of his dress but the judges were right about it being matronly. Why would you give your drag queen a hemline that hits at the knee? Michael was right: it's totally something an aunt would wear to a bar mitzvah.
Keith - Oh, Keith. Keith, Keith, Keith. You are not going to get away with your little fringies much longer, my friend. Michael called his outfit a "sad chicken."
Terri - You could tell from the look on Terri's face at the end of the episode she felt like she should have won that one. And I think she's probably right. Her gladiator kimono spectacle of an outfit was off-the-charts awesome.
Joe - OK, big "awwww" for Joe. He's, you know, the straight guy, and he helped his cute drag queen hide her candy in pink. The whole look was super cute and it's hard to be mad at him for swiping the prize from Terri.
Daniel - Poor verbose Daniel. He talked a big game about his "taste levels" but never quite put his money where his mouth is. Last night his outfit was a major "meh" and his excuses to the judges were worse. It was an emotional goodbye but you know, we all gotta go sometime. Or. . . they do. You get what I'm saying.

So, what did you think? Was it strange that Blayne survived that one? Were you sad/happy/relieved to see Daniel go? Was his outfit really that much worse than Keith's dead chicken? And most importantly, what would your drag name be if you were a fabulous queen for a day?

I think mine is Ivana Tivothat.

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Project Runway Rundown: Episode Five, "Welcome to the Jungle"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:30:33 -0700

On this week's Project Runway, Heidi told the contestants that they would be designing an outfit for a high-powered, glamorous woman. I loved that Blayne immediately thought of Hillary Clinton - and then groaned to the camera that the last thing he wanted to whip up was a neon pants suit. Lucky for him, the client was not a trail-blazing politico after all. In Project Runway-land, "high-powered woman" is usually another way of saying "stars in her own TV show - preferably on an NBC network."

The mystery guest was Brooke Shields, whose Lipstick Jungle character, Wendy, desperately needs a look that will take her from day to night. Did anyone else immediately flash to that '80s working-woman icon Day-to-Night Barbie?

While it wasn't the craziest challenge ever, I definitely was happy to sit back and watch the designers sketch and pitch their ideas to Ms. Shields. Plus, things always get interesting when designers are paired up, so I knew we were in for some highly entertaining television (and with Blayne's sketch among Brooke's choices, it couldn't have been boring). Another thing keeping this episode spicy: extremely colorful language all night, including Michael Kors calling one look "Slutty! Slutty! Slutty!" Let's discuss it together - just read more.

Before I run through the collaborative looks, here are some other thoughts:

When Jerell ended up with Stella as his partner, he was so sweet to her that I had a feeling they'd work well together. They were pretty cute all night! I now have a soft spot for Jerell, his personal eclectic styling choices and all.
Last night provided one of those moments where you can really see how Tim's feedback can make or break a contestant. When he approached Korto and Joe about their big potato sack of a jacket, they listened and fixed it. I'm positive it saved them from the bottom two.
Best Tim line of the night: "I'm dubious."
Message to Blayne: Stop trying to make "Holla at your boy" happen.
Was it just me or did things get seriously potty-mouthed last night? I nearly spit out my drink when Jerell said, "Terri's running around like her sh*t don't stink." But that was nothing compared to Terri's "I don't know what he's packing: balls or vajayjay," in reference to Suede's lack of confidence. It was funny but a little on the trashtastic (trash-licious?) side for Project Runway.

View 9 Photos ›

As for the best and worst:

Jerell and Stella - Brooke loved their dress, although she wasn't thrilled about the belt (plus that was awfully literal with the jungle pattern). Heidi, on the other hand, loved the whole thing, and Michael thought the silhouette was gorgeous. I could see someone on the show wearing that; it just wasn't my personal taste, and I don't find that kind of silk around the boobs all that flattering.
Kelli and Daniel - This was the "Slutty!" look. First of all Daniel's defense of his "impeccable taste" made me so embarrassed for him, and even more so once Kenley started pointing and laughing at him. That was awkward and didn't seem appropriate in front of the judges. As for Kelli's design? It was atrocious and inappropriate for the challenge. I guess it made sense that she went home.
Keith and Kenley - Michael hit it on the head when he observed that these two probably brought out the best in each other. Kenley added some structure to Keith's free-flowing aesthetic that sometimes comes a little too close to Golden Girls territory, and Keith (well, and Tim) talked Kenley down from another Palm Beach-y print.
Blayne and Leanne - Ugh, what was Blayne thinking? First of all, why would a business woman wear that either to the office or out for drinks? Second of all, even as casual wear, his outfit looked so Forever 21, which is unacceptable at this level and for his client. That dude wears on me.

Was it fair to send Kelli home? Especially after we saw all the times Daniel messed up on the skirt? Did a cold shiver head down your spine when Nina stated that taste isn't something you can acquire and Kelli clearly didn't have it? And which would annoy you more: Stella's "leatha"-pounding or Kenley's laugh?

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 4, "Rings of Glory"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:30:32 -0700

Last night's Project Runway began as they all do: winner picks model, Heidi tempts us with a prelude to the challenge, the designers get a promise to the tune of "Tim will fill you in on all the details later." Lucky for us viewers, we got to hear what was in store mere moments later, but the designers weren't as fortunate, leaving Jerell to say, "I don't really have any idea where we're going to be going - I just really hope it has nothing to do with female wrestlers." Oh Jerell, that'll never happen again. Right?

Well, this week's challenge wasn't to wardrobe the women of the WWE, but it wasn't too far off. The designers were instructed to create an outfit for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics. This didn't seem too "wack-a-doodle" (as Suede would say), but based on the reactions of designers like Daniel who had never watched an opening ceremony, it was. As he imagined it, "somebody holds a flame and runs around a track field." Which was off the mark, but not nearly as much as his dress was. Yes, he designed a dress, and most of the other designers did skirts, which resulted in a couple laugh-out-loud moments watching the models walk the runway.

To talk about (and see) what was so humorous, read more.

Before we get to a breakdown of the looks, here are some other random thoughts from the episode:

I truly think that the designers having access to the Olympic archives was to their detriment. Had they not been "inspired" by very feminine pictures from the past (when women didn't wear pants!), I doubt as many would have chosen to design skirts and dresses.
Dear Blayne: Clearly the tanning has gotten to your brain if you don't know what Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club is. You're not that young. However, I did love Tim's response: "Oh God, youth!"
Speaking of Blayne's tanning, and Stella's "leatha," and Suede's, well, Suedeness, I'm starting to think those three went to Reality TV School to learn how to be annoying but memorable. It seems to be working, since all three are still standing.
How moving was Korto's story about coming to America to escape a civil war? It really made me feel for her, and subsequently I'm now on team Korto. It's funny how a little back-story can do that.
Favorite line of the night: "As you can see, we're back to high school, and I just want to get to college."

Onto the judges' favorite and least favorite looks (and a bonus one that I just have to mention):

View 13 Photos ›

Stella - Although Stella wasn't officially in the bottom of the barrel, she really should have been. What was that atrocity? Her weird, belly-exposing black (black!) pants-and-vest combo was bad. Really, really bad. They've got to be keeping her around because of her character and not her talent, right?
Terri - Terri's pants, blouse, blazer, and scarf ensemble was perfect. I was obsessed with it. It was the most wearable and the most appropriate for the Olympics. Alas, she was robbed, but luckily the win went to my second choice.
Korto - Korto won the challenge with her pants and leather vest. It was very modern and it worked - not quite as well as Terri's, in my opinion, but I was happy nonetheless.
Jennifer - Jennifer was eliminated last night and, really, she should have been. Gold-striped pleated skirt with a navy cardigan? As Heidi put it "I just don't see Olympic, and I don't see America in it, at all." Well said. You know what else I don't see? Surrealism!
Joe - I cannot believe the judges liked Joe's design. This was one I was laughing at when it went down the runway. I mean, a skort? An uneven skort? No. At least it said USA. Literally, it did.
Daniel - Poor Daniel. His intentions were good, and his dress was kinda cute. It just wasn't right for the challenge. At all. Should've gone with Wonder Woman.
Jerell - I love how Michael started getting the giggles when Nina critiqued Jerell's design. I thought we were going to witness another Kors breakdown, but he managed to keep himself somewhat composed. If Jennifer wasn't heading home, Jerell should have been next on the chopping block.

Which look did you think was most fab? Do you agree that Terri was robbed? Were you sad to see Jennifer go? And fill in the blank: Jerell was dressed like Robin Hood because _____________.

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 3, "Bright Lights/Big City"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:30:31 -0700

The challenge on last night's episode of Project Runway was nothing new: Take inspiration from the sights and sounds of New York City and turn it into something fierce. It may not have been the most earth-shattering challenge (they did it in season two, remember, with Daniel V.'s orchid-inspired winner?), but if I were a designer on the show, I probably would have really enjoyed it.

Some designers were lacking in original inspiration, though: The "street" designer Terri went straight for - what else? - graffiti! Meh. We've seen it before. Viewing all previous seasons of Project Runway should be required for all contestants. Hilariously throwing a wrench in the old "find inspiration from the city" idea, though, was the fact that it was dark and rainy outside, so we watched people whose clothing aesthetic is supposed to be more refined than the rest of ours suffer through the hideousness that is the poncho. There's lots more to talk about, including one of the best comments made from a guest judge ever and the most crushing critique I've heard from Nina in awhile, so read more.

Before we chat about the good, the bad, and the ugly, here are some of my favorite (and least favorite) moments . . .

Sandra "nightlife aficionado" Bernhard was the guest judge . . . because they took pictures of nighttime for the outfits? Who knows. Regardless, she delivered the best judgment ever, declaring that a woman wearing Terri's dress would turn to someone following her down a dark street and say, "I have a knife and I will cut you up!"
Argh! I will wage a one-woman war to ensure Suede never wins fan favorite if he doesn't stop speaking in the third person! And in front of Heidi, no less!
Stella is always kind of needing help. Like when she couldn't figure out how to work the digital camera. Or when she was in the fabric store begging for help. As soon as I saw the printers in the workroom, I thought, "Great, Stella won't know how to work that, either."
Yes! Keith uttered his variation of the reality TV phrase that someone's just gotta utter at some point: "You know I’m not here to become their friend."
Biggest eye-roll of the night goes to weirdo Blayne who tried to teach poor Tim the phrase "Holla atcha boy." It was lame and stupid, but kudos to Tim for being a good sport.
Nina actually said she had nothing to say about one design. "The worst review is no review!" declared Michael Kors. Ouch.

View 14 Photos ›

As for the best and the worst:

Kenley - I could never pull off wearing the dress she made, and I think the majority of women in America feel the same way. However, I agree with the judges that it was original and surprising that she managed to pull it off. There was a bubble of tulle, and the shoulders practically looked padded, but she made its '80s vibe work.
Keith - Ick. Michael got it right when he said that dress looked like toilet paper. I'm surprised that didn't get him the boot.
Terri - Her dress was the one that earned Sandra's awesome praise and the judges were pleased with the outfit. The entire episode I had a nagging feeling that her "graffiti" look was not going to turn out well, so she really surprised me.
Emily - That dress looked like a really bad outfit from my Barbie's old closet. The ruffles were terrible, and I didn't like the colors either. What was she thinking?
Leanne - Oh my gosh, what an improvement! It's nice to see a designer really absorb the judges' feedback (in her case it was to edit her designs) instead of complaining that they just don't "get it." I thought her skirt was gorgeous and was surprised she didn't win. I would totally wear that.
Jennifer - Her dress was really dumpy, and the judges were not happy with it at all. Heidi was so put-off by it that she wasn't even curious to see what else Jennifer could do. For all Jennifer's talk of surrealism and such, I too am unsure of her point of view, and she'll be in trouble if she doesn't pull it together soon.

What did you think of last night? Were you sad Emily got axed? Or do you think it should have been Keith or Jennifer? Were you glad Kenley won or do you think it should have been Leanne or Terri?

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Buzz News Roundup, 7/30

BuzzSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:30:46 -0700

The Hollywood Reporter has news that CBS will remake the 1970s cop series The Streets of San Francisco.
ComingSoon reports that Guillermo del Toro is producing a remake of the horror-thriller telefilm Don't Be Afraid of the Dark.
After a legal battle, John Goodman is back on board for the medieval drama Pope Joan, Variety writes.
Speaking of legal battles, the New York Daily News has an update on the Project Runway proceedings - including the shocker that Tim Gunn didn't get paid for the first season!
Alicia Keys will sing the next James Bond theme song, which was written by Jack White, E! reports.
Miley Cyrus's album Breakout debuted at the top of the charts this week, reports Variety.
In other remake news, The Hollywood Reporter writes that ABC has won the rights to remake the French comedy Do This, Don't Do That.
Josh Lucas will star in the Showtime pilot Possible Side Effects, Zap2it reports.

Source

Project Runway Rundown: Episode 2, "Grass is Always Greener"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:30:22 -0700

After last week's relatively lackluster season five premiere, boy was I pleasantly surprised with this week's episode of Project Runway. It was definitely my favorite episode of the series in a long while. Heidi started the night off by having the designers choose their models, and what a choice it was. See, after the designers were given the challenge of creating a cocktail dress using eco-friendly fabrics, they found out that their models were their clients. And while my hope that at least one of the models would be as crazy as Morgan from season one wasn't realized, the night was chock full of drama regardless.

Dramatic moment number one: when the designers learned that the models would be going to Mood to pick out the fabrics for them. Sweet. Even Stella said, "Oh great, I'm going to have somebody that probably doesn't know that much about fabrics to begin with go pick me out some fabric." Big words from someone who used trash bags for her last challenge! Dramatic moment number two: when some of the designers realized that their models had chosen a lot of the same fabric, and not enough of it at that. Ruh-roh.

There's a lot more to discuss, including a gallery of all 15 looks and a very, very special guest star, so read more.

Before we chat about the good, the bad, and the ugly, here are some of my favorite (and least favorite) moments . . .

Did Blayne really call Heidi Darth Vader and Darthlicious? Yep, I think so. As he explained, "because on the outside she's all shiny, all put together, but on the inside she's crazy [Darth breathing]."
Seriously, Suede talking in the third person is as annoying as Ricky's hats from last season. Must. Stop. Now. Thank you to Leanne for calling him out.
As always, I'm loving Tim's vocabulary. The juxtaposition of "caucus" and "hot mess" is awesome.
Blayne making fun of Stella was perhaps the funniest ProjRun moment ever. "My cat's leather," "I like to watch leather TV," "my husband's leather," "my kids came out of me - leather." Um, amazing!
Gratuitous Wesley underwear shot. Yes, please. Speaking of Wesley, he has confirmed that he's dating a fellow contestant.
Biggest news of the night: guest judge Natalie Portman. She's just as adorable as I would have imagined.

Now, on to the highs and lows of the looks:

View 15 Photos ›

Stella - I'll give her props for keeping to her leather-y design aesthetic with her one-shouldered number. But, it's not my personal taste. I find comfort that it's not Natalie Portman's either.
Kenley - Kenley's gold sheath dress was stunning. The collar looked like something Christian Siriano would have designed and the belt-dress combo reminded me of Carrie in the Sex and the City movie. I was surprised that Kenley didn't win.
Korto - I didn't hate her short gold dress with exposed seams, but it did look inside-out. Bless Michael Kors for his comment: "Even curvy girls, they don't want fins off their butt." I can't really imagine girls of any size wanting fins off their butt. Well, except maybe this one.
Wesley - Wesley began his defense by saying that he was limited by the amount of fabric he had. No, no, no, Wesley. First you must say something good about the dress; then, as a side note, say "and all that with such little fabric." Unfortunately, his rather short and poorly executed dress was enough to send him packing. Needless to say, this was a big blow in the eye candy department for me.
Leanne - Leanne's dress was very similar in length and tone to Wesley's, but hers had bows throwing up all over it. Of the two, I definitely thought Leanne's was worse. But maybe I'm biased.
Suede - Suede's criss-cross dress with tulle skirt was the most unique of the night. It was also really pretty. Something that Natalie Portman would look great in. Even she admitted that she would wear it. So, it was no shock that Suede won. Although, personally, I was expecting them to choose a more versatile dress since it's going to be sold on Bluefly. Oh, and speaking of Bluefly, Christian Siriano's collection is now available.

What did you all think? Were you sad to see Wesley go so soon too? And did Suede deserve the win?

Photos courtesy of Bravo