Labor-Intensive Commentary on the Latest Project Runway

Alright! So I just finished watching Episode 3 of Project Runway so I'm straight off my Project Runway high! We actually don't have access to Bravo in our little house so I've been catching reruns on NBC or parts on YouTube.

Anyone else watch Project Runway? If so, then read on! But don't read past this part if you didn't watch the latest episode yet because there are *SPOILERS*

On the second episode I have to say I was really sorry to see Malan leave! He just seemed so genuine and I really sympathized with him- that part about his mom just throwing down his drawings and his will to prove her wrong was just so... I don't know, but it made Malan very real to me. I do have to say that the dress kind of skewed off the path.

[screenshot from bravotv.com]





The other thing worth commenting on is Keith. Wow. [yes. he kind of looks like a scrawny jude law] Keith kind of...comes across as an arrogant jackass. I'm not too big a fan of jackasses. [who is?] But he is just an amazing designer. As displayed in the most recent episode~ it's not like he's cold-hearted; he tried to help Bradley get moving along to get his outfit completed.

[screenshot from bravotv.com]





Oh God! And anyone remember the Tara Conner sort-of-groping thing going on there during the consulting about the pageant dress? I think he was the only person to physically grab her. And at first I was like, "Well maybe he's really just trying to show her how fitted the dress is." But right after he got on this really creepy spiel with this really intent stare:

Keith: [starts grabbing around] Totally fitted here. Fitted fitted fitted. Totally fitted, even in here.
Tara: Okayy.
Keith: I want to see your legs.
Tara: [pause]
Keith: I think your legs are SO important. They're Gorrrgeous.

You can actually view this segment right here. It's near the end of the clip- in the last minute.

Moving along- the latest challenge was for the designers to make an outfit for their model based on the "latest and hottest accessory"- the dog. I have to say I really enjoyed this episode! The puppies really carried personas all their own onto the show.

Puppy Moments:

1. Tim Gunn's face with all those little doggies scuttering around when he came over the little hill in Central Park.
2. Alison describing her dog exchange with Bradley. ["Bradley was like, what am I going to do with a poodle?"]
3. When the camera zoomed in on Laura's dog's face [she wasn't crazy about getting a dog] and said, "I actually didn't pick my dog. It was the last one left." It induced an, "Aww..." in me.
4. When Vincent's dog, "Lil' A," kept rubbing his head sideways onto the runway like an out of control lawnmower trying to get off his hat. Adorable and hilarious! I watched that part like three times. Vincent's story for his outfit however, eluded me- his dog's outfit was ten times more interesting.
5. When Jeffrey's dog fell to the side and started vibrating against the runway. Too funny. [he was actually tripping on the sleeves]
6. All the designer's proud faces [even Laura's]- commenting on their puppy models as they were strutting down the runway.

Uli won and Katherine was out. I was kind of dissapointed. I really liked Katherine. Yeah so her dress was more basic- but it was very casual which fit in line with her character's story. It sucks she didn't have enough time to add a hoodie like her dog's to her model like Tim Gunn suggested because I think that would've really saved her.

On Angela- Though I'm not crazy about Angela, I feel a bit bad for her since so far- because of her impression from the second episode with the whole Vincent-Angela-not-good-at-being-partners thing. I felt sorry because maybe some type of people don't work well with other type of people and maybe that's it. Unfortunately, first impressions are everything. But, as the judges put it, she also has questionable taste- black boots with bright gaudy puffy shirts and pinstriped stockings. It seems like the only thing she wears, that's all. I question her own taste myself. She doesn't pull off her outfits as well as she'd like to.

[screenshot and bravotv.com]





Now- Bradley. This is what Tim Gunn has to say about Bradley:

"Bradley’s dog, Stanley, was my personal favorite, because he was so emotional and needy -- you just wanted to give him a big, soothing hug. Frankly, I felt similarly about Bradley, because he was so disabled by this challenge. He had two fabrics: aubergine wool and honey gold silk... The top was a construction disaster. It looked as though he had sewn it with his feet. And the fraying at every seam and hem was horrifying. Prior to this disaster, he had another design, but he abandoned it; a likely consequence when you perpetually second-guess yourself. A mere hour before the judging, I thought he would forfeit, a Project Runway first, but he pulled himself -- and the top -- together." [bravotv.com]

Now that you know what happened with Bradley that episode [plus it was his birthday on elimination day] I have to say I really love Bradley. He's my favorite designer- personality wise (along with Alison). Plus the aubergine and honey gold went beautifully [I love that color combo and had been thinking about going with those colors for the prom Sr. Yr but thought it was just too rich and royal-y for a prom] Just like Tim Gunn says, Bradley looks kind of disabled and he acts like sort of weird sometimes and acts like he's in a dreamworld. When he keeps scratching his head and looking confused you can't help but sympathize and want to go hug him.

I was on the edge of my seat the whole time since I really didn't know what was going to happen with Bradley with Tim Gunn questioning the construction of the top. I was pulling for him and then all of a sudden when the judges just completely lauded his design it was an even bigger surprise and made you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Speaking of Project Runway, here's an old bit of news on Jay McCarroll [Season 1 Winner]- he and HSUS are partnering up for HSUS's Fur-free Campaign at NY Spring Fashion Week. Eek! So wish I could be there. This is his first, long awaited collection and it's so nice that he believes in HSUS's cause. Sometimes you can't help but think not enough people care and then pops up someone like Jay.

From hsus.org:

"I'm thrilled to work with The HSUS because I care about animals and love making
great clothes that don't cause animals to suffer," McCarroll said. "With so many
fun and fashionable alternatives, there's no reason to use fur. As a designer, I
know that compassion is in fashion, and the animals need their fur more than I
do."

You can read the article here. Take a few minutes to read it. It's definitely worth the time.

My favorite outfit of the entire season so far is still Robert Best's from the first episode. (and don't get me started on the red ribbons in the back!)

[screenshot from bravotv.com]

Out Into The West...(Nine West, that is)

Some of you may remember back in my "Knockoffs In a Bubble at Macys" post where I gushed over these Nine West shoes that were totally skin-free. Well I finally found out the style name of this one particular shoe that I was in love with and it's called "Karolane." It's a department store exclusive (think Lord & Taylor's, Bloomingdale's) and online it's available at only Zappos.com [& Amazon-- but I'd go with Zappos- bigger selection, sells shoes especially, and free shipping]. Here is the delicious shoe:



It's something like $78 bucks. Of course, knowing me, I'll probably wait till it's on sale. [I'm so in love with that shoe]

Anyway, upon learning that Nine West made skin-free shoes, I went and looked for all the styles they had [good news for vegs and style mavens alike!]:



Purple



Wedding-Ish



Girl's Night Out



Oh The Places You'll Go



Evening

If you hover your mouse over each of the pictures- you will find the name of the item at the end of the url on the bottom of the window, example- last shoe: cailey.jpg

Here is a list of all the animal-free styles anyway [not in order]:

CAY, ACCOLIA, TARISSA, MELODY, KAROLANE, CAILEY, FLEURE, INIKO, FEFE, TRYIT, NEKESHA, IDALLIS, SAPHYRA, QUIRAN, ELEGANTE, VEDNA, FLORITA, IZZI, LIZABETH, SAVITRI, REBEKAH, BAKANA, TALLARA, SHANDAL

Hope you find these of some use! They're really beautiful- and being Nine West (I saw some of the shoes in person) they're good quality.

What's wrong with leather? (taken directly from www.cowsarecool.com)

Leather may be made from cows, pigs, goats, and sheep; exotic animals like alligators, ostriches, and kangaroos; and even dogs and cats, who are slaughtered for their meat and skins in China, which exports their skins around the world. Since leather is normally not labeled, you never really know where (or whom) it came from.

Most of the millions of animals slaughtered for their skin endure the horrors of factory farming before being shipped to slaughter, where many are skinned alive. Buying leather directly contributes to factory farms and slaughterhouses since skin is the most economically important byproduct of the meat-packing industry. Leather is also no friend of the environment since it shares all the environmental destruction of the meat industry, in addition to the toxins used in tanning.

With every pair of leather shoes that you buy, you sentence an animal to a lifetime of suffering. Instead, you can choose from hundreds of styles of nonleather shoes, clothing, belts, bags, and wallets. Fashion should be fun, not fatal! Read more about the cruelty of the leather industry.

ASOs Big Sale [of Veg- Friendly Bags Shoes etc...]

As you can tell from this title, ASOs is having a big sale. Good news for everyone and especially those of you in the UK [£2.95 shipping!]. But the even better news is that a large majority (like 90%) of adorable and chic bags and shoes are all animal skin-free [and therefore cruelty-free AKA good for vegs AKA no outright supporting of the industry].

Lots of amazing deals- but you better snatch them up quick! I'm serious. Three minutes ago there were these Christian Lacroix-like tights in 3 different colors and now only the violets are left. It's like a madhouse.

(all photos from asos.com)

[$18 or Less] Bags Include:



[$10 or Less- except for Stella McCartney Sunglasses] Accessories Include:










They're All my favorites. I'm so glad I found that bag with the illustrations on it- Jeffrey Fulvimari is one of my absolute favorite illustrators (www.jeffreyfulvilmari.com). However I have a soft spot for that French connection Multi-Bow Belt... Oh, and btw (since you can't really see in that picture), the first headband has a Croc print on it.

Clothing [Kimono Top is about $7.50 and White Crochet Dress is about $25]






[$18 and Less] Shoes -- the first shoes are Stella McCartneys on sale on net-a-porter and of course those aren't $18, they're about 370 something I think. Anyhow, two ASOs for-sale alternatives right underneath it (including one pretty exact copy). Thankfully the knock-off artist at least didn't make the shoe out of leather like Marc Fischer's.










Anyway, that's all. Just thought I'd drop this by for you guys. [also, ASOs has a sale for the men too]