Off Her Game

Were the stylists getting high off hairspray cans this week?

We're of mixed opinions on this one. On the one hand the colors and fabrics are gorgeous.

It also fits her beautifully but that's no surprise because Kara Saun's just that good and besides, she's been working with Jenny for weeks now.

On the other hand ...oy. We hate pretty much everything below the waist on this.

We don't share the same opinion on handkerchief hems. Tom almost universally hates them and Lorenzo can put up with them on the right dress*. We are, however, in complete agreement that this hem looks terrible.

*Yes, that's an incredibly gay sentence. Guilty!

We'll get to the megapants in a second, but with or without them, this just looks awful. There's deconstructed and then there's unfinished. This looks like the latter, although we doubt it really is unfinished. This is apparently exactly what Kara Saun wanted to do. That's what makes this garment so puzzling.

Those pants are a great big WTF. Look at the beautiful line the dress creates as it hugs her curves, then...ditch-digging pants. Huge, beaded orange leather pants. Nothing says "red carpet" like that, right?

Even the beading looks awful (although that's probably Robbio's fault).

Prior to appearing on Project Runway, Kara Saun had already made red carpet dresses for Eve and Queen Latifah. She should have known better than any of them what works best for that. We just can't look at this outfit and not think it was going to end up on some "worst dressed" list if it actually had gone down a red carpet.

Kara Saun, honey...what happened to you this week? Never once in any challenge did you appear to lose your way or drop the ball. You always sailed right through, confident in your abilities and rightfully so.

Interesting to note that Kara Saun is wearing a flowy dress over pants. Never noticed that before.

Anyway, Tim was pretty adamant about losing the pants and it seemed like Kara Saun found the idea ridiculous. Of all the designers in Season 1 - all of them - she was always the one most able to assess her work and make edits (although Jay's good at that too). This week, that all went out the window and it's pretty clear why. Because she was obsessed with throwing Wendy out a window, that's why. We'll get into the dramarama in another post, but it seemed obvious to us that her feelings for Wendy really threw her off her game. Her supreme self-confidence, which served her so well up to now, was really what did her in this time. She couldn't see what she was doing, apparently.

Reading over this, we sound like we hated this or something and we didn't. Like we said, without the pants it would have been beautiful, even if we don't like handkerchief hems. It's just that it was so surprising to see her so off and not even realize it.

Oh! And another thing! WTF is up with Nancy O'Dell informing the designers on the runway that she doesn't like beading or sequins? Hello? Wouldn't it have been better to say that when they FRIKKIN ASKED YOU WHAT YOU LIKED AND DISLIKED IN A RED CARPET DRESS?! Worst judge ever.


[Screencaps: projectrungay.blogspot.com]


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S1/E8: Congratulations Kara Saun (again)!

Quickie recap: The designers are forced to spend the day working for the post office so they can gather ideas about how best to redesign the postal uniform. As per usual, drama and hilarity ensue. You can read Tim's Take on this episode here.

God, this was gorgeous. The judging was unusually good this week and we have to reiterate what Duchess Kors said: somehow, she managed to make a postal uniform look sexy while still looking like a postal uniform.

While we think this outfit would look good on a variety of body types, we question how many male postal carriers would like to wear those pants, fabulous though they may be.

Aside from that very minor quibble, this outfit was perfection. The colors are gorgeous and that alone could have given her the win, since one doesn't normally associate rich beautiful tones with the US Postal Service uniform.

That vest? We covet. Not enough to apply to be a postal carrier, mind you, but we covet it nonetheless.

And the hat? Shut UP! Where can we get one? That sweater is gorgeous too. Perfectly fitted, like everything Kara Saun does.

Honestly, it's almost difficult to write about this because we gush and gush and then we realize we're going apeshit over a mail carrier's uniform. But seriously, how can we not? This was masterful. It still looks recognizably like what it's supposed to be but unlike, say...every work uniform ever designed in the history of the world, this is actually stylish, hot, and flattering to a bunch of different ages and body types.

Kara Saun, you make being a fashion bitch very difficult because you're so annoyingly even-keeled and consistent, but damn girl, you totally deserved this win.



[Screencaps: projectrungay.blogspot.com]


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S1/E7: Congratulations Kara Saun (again)!

Working as a team (with Kevin as team leader), the designers have to create a collection for the year 2055. To make it more interesting, all their materials need to be purchased at Cheap Jack's vintage clothing store. You can read Tim's Take on this episode here.

Go, girl! This was gorgeous.

Imaginative, well-thought-out, and believable. None of which is particularly surprising because Kara Saun is a costume designer. This kind of challenge is right up her alley.

We absolutely love the use of the leather jacket to make the bodice. Less crazy about the lace. She needed something to soften the tailoring in the coat, since the through-line for the collection was supposed to be deconstruction, but we don't think the lace really adds anything.

Clearly, most of the group chafed under the deconstruction mandate, so why the hell did everyone choose it?

Gorgeous and dramatic. The beauty is, it works as a costume for 2055 while at the same time, you could see this walking down a runway today.

Lovelovelove all the little leather details. Hatehatehate the lace the more we look at it. And it pains us to say this, but there are some construction issues with this piece. There's puckering all over the place. Granted, some of it looks intentional, but the back does look a little messy.



[Screencaps: projectrungay.blogspot.com]


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The Best of the Rest

This was just okay, which is surprising coming from Kara Saun. The wrap is pretty, but the suit is just basic. And that bottom is poorly fitted. Looking a little Blue Lagoon there.

If she really wanted to be original, she should have sent this down the runway for the bridal gown competition. This would only be an improvement on Pam Anderson's last trousseau.

Props to Jenny for having the best body out of the models, though. Melissa's also got a killer bod, but Jenny looks fantastic in a bikini. Long and lean, with enough curves to make her look sexy and healthy.

We liked this. It was pure Jay. In what we surmise was something of a shock to him, Jay is actually quite good at marrying his aesthetic to the task at hand and always coming out Jay.

Love the straps and the bondage-y aspect of the whole thing, but we're not crazy about the wrap, which literally looks like he just wrapped some fabric around her waist.

And it's probably a good thing he did, because the cut on that bottom is all wrong. Way too Fruit of the Loom to be considered sexy. Judging by the various ass and cooch - fitting issues, it looks like making a bathing suit is probably harder than it looks.

Although apparently not as hard as figuring out how to put the damn thing on the next day. It looks like she got twisted up in a giant jockstrap.


[Screencaps: projectrungay.blgospot.com]


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S1/E5: Congratulations Kara Saun!

Quickie recap: The designers need to design a wedding dress according to the specifications of their "clients." In this case, the clients are the models themselves. You can read Tim's Take on this episode here.

And it's Kara Saun for the win again! We couldn't have agreed more. This gown was GORGEOUS.

The one thing that T&L were in disagreement over was the trim around the neckline. Lorenzo loved it but Tom didn't think it was necessary.

God bless freeze-framing, because this was shot so fleetingly that you barely noticed the beautiful train.

When it comes to wedding dresses, we're both big fans of the sleek, sexy, modern look rather than the "Princess Bride" look that's all too common. Sure, not every woman can pull off a dress like this, but then again most women don't look good in a bustle and somehow the bridal industry has convinced everyone that they're still de rigeur. Go for the modern look, gals. Why would you want to wear something that has nothing to do with who you are or the time in which you live? But we digress.

There's little else we can say about the dress because it's so simple. It fits her perfectly, doesn't it?

And for once a model cries not because she's a drama queen or a bitch (we'll get to you later, Olga) but because she's in love with what she's wearing. Jenny, you are an absolute sweetheart and a designer's dream.

See how the dress looks without the neckline trim? Did it really need it?

And is Kara Saun doing the Loco-motion or something?


[Screencaps: projectrungay.blogspot.com]


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The Best of the Rest

What is it with all the retro stuff this week? True, Banana Republic did have a "Grandma's attic" story to sell, but the designers went a little overboard.

It's pretty. The top and the neckline look great. Delicate and feminine, which definitely seems to be Alexandra's thing. Downside: it's a little too nightgown-y and once again, these all-one-color dresses tend to get a little boring. And that hem looks a mess.

Is it us or are the designers overusing the accessories wall this season? It's a chic, pretty dress and that hat does nothing for it. In fact, it takes away from it.

Kevin's aesthetic is pretty hard to pin down and this is coming from someone who's seen everything he made this season. This is sort of "classic with a twist" but then some of his other designs have been as out-there as anything Jay or even Jeffrey made.

Love the skirt, love the trim, hate the flower, but then again, we're pretty biased against them. We can't stand grown women wearing bows or flowers unless it's done with real subtlety. This is not subtle and it really works against the dress, which is all urban sophistication. It really doesn't need that Daisy Mae touch.

This was clearly not a Banana Republic dress, but props to Nora, because we really liked this one. Could've done without the neck brace, though.

Not crazy about that sash, but we loved the fabric choice and the asymmetrical pleating. BUT ENOUGH WITH THE MINNIE MOUSE GLOVES.



[Screencaps: projectrungay.blogspot.com]


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The Rest of the Rest

Ew.

We guess it's supposed to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek but frankly, it's bordering on the vulgar and again, we're surprised the judges seemed to gloss right over it.

This is just a great big what the fuck. For some reason, the designers this season seem determined to do everything they can to make pretty girls look like scary clowns.

We just don't get it at all. Where's the "envy" part?

Hate it. Hate the rick-racky trim. It makes the whole thing look way too home-sewn. Once again, we have to ask: where's the envy part of this, Alexandra?

She's got it, yeah baby she's got it
I'm your Venus
I'm your fire
Your desire

It's just so bleh. So...undesigned. It's not ugly and it seems to be well-executed but when you're relying on the whickety whack to make your outfit, there's definitely something lacking in your design.



[Screencaps: projectrungay.blogspot.com]


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