Project Runway 9 - All About Nina

Like the title of the episode says, this episode was all about Nina. I actually like what Nina stands for, the everyday working woman that needs clothes for the business place but also after work for a night out on the town. The designers were to design a look that Nina would wear from a day at work to night, I felt Nina didn't give much to work with since as she was giving her list of things she dislikes, I was like I don't even know what's really left that could give us a wow factor. I felt a lot of the designs this round weren't as great as I would have hoped but let's check out the best and worst looks and see how they coped with trying to design for one of the hardest judges to please:

Here are the outfits that I did like:

Anya

I really loved this design, what I didn't love was that it wasn't all Anya that did this and probably glad that it didn't win for that fact. I mean this competition is about constructing your own garments or if you do something in a group you take credit for that part. You can't be judge on something that someone else did. Without the collar and finishings that Laura did for this garment, it wouldn't have looked this good. This picture also does not do the outfit justice as it did on the TV. I could see this totally fitting the challenge and it's very modern, maybe not the most Nina like outfit but I think it could possibly be something she might wear. 

Joshua M.

This outfit is almost like a mullet, it's business in the front and party in the back. I feel the front is a bit safe and very generic but the shape had something to it but when she turned around I really liked the cutouts and the silhouette but it's very, very orange. I think if he toned done a bit of the orange or even picked a different color I would have liked this more but I still like this more than a lot of the other outfits out there.  

Kimberly

I can see why the judges picked this as the winning look, it's an interesting top and very nicely tailored pants. I like where the cutout is since it gives a hint of sexiness but isn't in bad taste for an office attire. I see this less business-like but when I saw Nina wearing it, it really changed my mind and I could see it there. My biggest issue would be the flap at the bottom of the top, I find it having too many asymmetrical pieces to it that it's too repetitive. 

Viktor

When I saw this I thought damn for a little black dress this has a wow factor to it. Just those little detailings really gave this outfit a shape that was interesting and that shoulder affect is very current. My issue would be the neckline, I think he could have brought it down a bit more, it makes her neck look short and awkward.

Onto the outfits that I didn't like:

Bert

Can someone tell me one interesting thing about this outfit at all? I really thought this would be in the bottom just for having nothing popping, this looks like a little black dress that has a bit of pleats and darts showing. I find the only things I like are the things he didn't make at all, those shoes and glasses. This isn't terrible but it is so boring that I probably would fall asleep if someone at the office wore this and I had to look at them.

Cecilia

Yes I would fire Nina Garcia too if I saw her walking into the office wearing this. You can't be a fashion editor and think this is good in any way. The fabrics look old and they make you feel sad, the detailing going across the bodice was a good idea and I felt that actual silhouette had promise but the fabrics were just so bad together and bad separately. With the fabrics she bought there was absolutely no way she could have made anything good. I disliked her defeatist attitude as well, she doesn't want to be here and this outfit shows it.

Danielle

I didn't get why this was in the bottom with the judges, I'm not saying this was good but there were worse outfits along with this one. I don't see much fashion or anything intriguing about this outfit but it was better than Bert's and his wasn't in the bottom. I did feel this was just a bit more business than night on the town and that neck area isn't perfectly constructed. I liked that it had some sort of pop of color and nicely tailored pants. It is a snoozefest and has a strange collar.

Julie

This just looks like a collage of fabrics sewn together to make this coat...dress? I would just say coat since I wouldn't personally call this a dress. The very open neck and strange collar just didn't work, I don't know what's up with bad collars in this challenge. I felt she had an idea with this and it doesn't look terrible but it does look a bit last minute put together. 

Olivier

I think Olivier has been getting away with producing some bad stuff, this is the second time I feel he wasn't placed in the bottom for something that deserves it. I felt this looked so badly made since it's so puckery and wrinkled. I just think this looks like a mess and reminds me a lot of his outfit from challenge one and I'm not a fan of either of them.


So who did I pick as having the best design this challenge?

Anya! I am basing this only on the design but if I were the judges, I would not have awarded her the win just because someone else helped her make this and this competition is about making your own clothes, while I know in the real industry they have others actually sew the clothes. 

The person I would select to be out is........................

Cecilia, just because this just looks terrible. I can't imagine anyone thinking this looks good at all and would wear this anywhere. I felt kind of drab after looking at this design for a bit wondering why it was so terrible. I can't stand this look but I wish I could give Olivier the boot too just because his wasn't that much better.

~Anthony

Read More

Wet N' Wild

Liquid Blue Floral Tankini / Gadzooks Skirt / Vintage belt

                                    Splendid Maxi Striped Color Block dress/ St. John Sunglasses


ANIMAL MODE out at the beach once again, this time getting totally wet n' wild. Featured in our post is Michelle and Lauren wearing two different types of dresses one may want to wear out to the beach for the summer. Michelle chose a white tube dress that can be easily used as a cover up for her bikini. Lauren on the other hand decided to wear a maxi dress which is in style for this summer. She decided to use a loose chain belt to accessorize it as well. These dresses are two different ways you can go out to the beach without having to look like the girl right next to you with her bikini and short shorts. I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your summer. We know its almost ending for some of you so get out there & get wet!!.

Read More

Project Runway 9 - Go Big or Go Home

For the contestants first challenge using fabrics at mood, I found this challenge to be slightly ridiculous. I mean yes, Project Runway is known for doing challenges that are out there but this just was not something I'd ever have in mind. The challenge was to make an outfit for a stilt performer, I never knew they had to be fashionable but apparently they do...I didn't get the huge difficulty of this challenge, it was just longer leg proportions than usual. Well onto all the looks this challenge:

Anthony Ryan and Laura

I liked this look and it moved great on the runway. I felt this was a good ready to wear piece and Michael Kors said that if it was made shorter it could be worn by a non-stilt performer as well. I agree with Nina thought I was like I've seen this before and it wasn't that most imaginative design, it was reminiscent of Gucci's Fall 2011 RTW collection.

Pretty much a combination of these two looks made into a cheaper version was what they created this challenge but it was still a good look for the challenge. I like the sheer on the Gucci versions but it wouldn't look for the challenge since the stilts would show.

Anya and Oliver

I find this a lot like Anthony and Laura's in which if they made it shorter it would just walk off the runway fine. It was a nice design and I like the use of color but I felt it was a bit too safe, it didn't take a huge risk like I would have liked. This is another look that reminds me of a runway look this time taking from Alexander McQueen's Spring 2010 RTW.

When I saw the look, I immediately went I've seen this before it reminds me a lot of McQueen, who of course I love, but this was not a great version of the look at all.

Becky and Kimberly

This look was the most edgy of the bunch. I felt this look had a concept behind it and was nicely constructed. I felt the color was a bit strange but I think the jacket was really interesting and kept your attention while the pants were nicely made and went with the jacket.

Bert and Viktor

This outfit looked so bad. It looks like an outdated curtain was made into a dress from the Victorian Era. It just looks like a big bad mess and it was not photographed that well either. I like the fabric coloring in which it sometimes looks purple or green but not in the way it is used at all. It looks so strange and like a giant blob was moving towards you. This needed some restraint which neither of them showed. I can tell they didn't work well together since this was produced.

Bryce and Fallene

This was a huge snoozefest, it had almost nothing interesting about it and it was just one giant tutu with boring pants, boring top and almost no color. It looked like it had no concept, although if Fallene didn't mess up the top it might have been better but I don't imagine by that much.

Cecilia and Danielle

This outfit was nicely constructed and was a polished finished look. I think the chiffon top over that tanktop was a nice effect and those sleeves were a job well done. I think the pants looked good but it sort of looks wrinkly but that might be what they were going for with the pleating. A nice finished, tailored look but it wasn't a wow moment.

Joshua and Julie

This look just packs a lot of bold punches. It has that bold red top with that matador cape as a sleeve paired with that bold print on the pants. If this was a normal woman this might have been better since that much pattern really shows how off the proportions are and exaggerates it. I like that they at least had a concept and executed it but damn this was a lot of look in one outfit.

My favorite looks this challenge were: Anthony Ryan and Laura and Becky and Kimberly, although I wasn't overly impressed with the results of this challenge.

The worst outfits this challenge were: Bert and Viktor and Bryce and Fallene.

Who's design did I pick as the winning look?

Anthony Ryan and Laura! The outfit was a knockoff of Gucci but still the best look in this bunch.

The look that I felt was the worst and should definitely be out and never made again is......

Bryce and Fallene, this was just atrocious and not a single concept I can think of can rescue this terrible monstrosity.

~Anthony

Read More

that's so 70's

                                     
                 

                             Jantzen Swimsuit/ Equipment shirt/ St John necklace/ Vintage hat

                                           Liquid Blue Swim suit/ Sweet & simple crochet vest


Here we got two different looks for our 70's beach outing. Lauren is wearing a one-piece swimsuit and covered it with a chiffon  shirt. She accessorized it with a pearl necklace which really brought the entire 70's classy outfit together. The vintage hat makes the outfit more intriguing as well. Michelle on the other, took the 70's theme to a different direction with her indie hair accessory along with her cream crochet vest. These small detailing turned her two-piece floral tankini into a bohemian styled 70's swim wear.

I hope you like our interpretation of the 70's. Although we are both in the same decade, you can take the 70's into any direction you are more comfortable with. Either way you will always look great!

Read More

OC fair

Forever 21 Blazer / White braided top / Charlotte Russe Lace shorts /  Aldo Gladiators

Miss Me Dress/ Vintage belt/ life stride sandals

Our pictures from the OC fair. We went on a Wednesday and was able to try the fried klondike bar, curly fries, italian ice, fried oreos, freshly squeezed lemonade and much more. It was our first time going to the OC fair together and it was a lot of fun. This post includes two outfits: one from Lauren and the other worn by Michelle. We had totally different looks. Lauren wore a skirt from Miss Me in which she turned into a dress by belting it. The skirt top portion is almost like a satin/silk finish with lace trimmings while the rest of the skirt was made out of tulle and lined with cotton fabric. Mchelle wore a white tank bustier with a pink lace short. She pulled the outfit together with her white bow belt & topped it off with her black blazer.

Read More

Project Runway 9 - My Pet Project

This episode's challenge is the absolute signature challenge of Project Runway and the reason why I watch, the unconventional materials challenge! I still remember Austin's corn husk dress from the supermarket challenge, Daniel V's flower dress from the flower district challenge, Leanne's car dress made from car parts, Andy's ribbon dress from a party store and the hardware challenge from season 8.

This time the unconventional materials came from a pet store. I really didn't know what I would do if I was placed into a pet store and asked to make a fashionable outfit out of something unconventional. I commend all these contestants for thinking of something but of course there were a lot of terrible or terribly boring outfits this challenge. Let's first take a look at the best designs this challenge:

Anthony Ryan

I absolutely love this outfit! This was sooo creative and I can't believe he was able to do this in a day. Placing all those bird seeds onto this outfit was a lot of work and I didn't believe he would finish. That neckline pushes this to the next level, yes it needed more length but for such a short time and getting all those seeds to stay on is a great job.

Joshua M.

I felt this was so current. The loose fit on the top is very on trend while giving it a nice twist with the amazing vibrant colors. That skirt seems so simple but it's nicely done and really complements that top. I find he did overstyle this outfit but if we took some of those extra things away the outfit he actually made was a job well done.

Oliver

I liked this outfit, I felt it does have a nice elegance and the texture looks great. I think she looks ridiculous with those eyebrows and I feel the fit isn't great but it was so creative. I can't believe he made this out of hamster bedding and a dog bed. I felt that he didn't go the most unconventional with the top since he did use a dog bed but it was nicely done and the belt really helped modernize it along with giving it some sort of shape. If the fit was perfect this would have been amazing.

Moving onto the ones that were disasters this round.

Bert

Bert! I had such high hopes for you since you really impressed in that first challenge. This just doesn't live up to what I would expect from you. This is very frumpy and just the weirdest looking thing on that runway. It looks like you just had a simple black dress and wanted to add this weird white sheer thing to make it a bit more interesting and yes it caught the eye but not in a good way at all.

Bryce

This was just a big train wreck walking down the runway. It was a badly made and fitted top that was absolutely unflattering on her body and so was that skirt. The skirt looked like a whole bunch of people had no place to put their used tissues so they just attached it to her dress. Oh and if I never hear wee wee paper again I'll be a happy guy since this is what will pop into my mind, if I could I would take a wee wee on this.

Fallene

There was nothing absolutely wrong with this outfit but damn is it the most boring thing you could make this challenge. I think the belt is the most interesting thing about this outfit and it wasn't even made by her or even great with this outfit. This was just a snoozefest walking.

Joshua C.

This was a pretty safe outfit. I felt he didn't push the boundaries at all, he used conventional materials to make this and he made a predictable outfit. He made up for the fit issues in his last challenge but this is not creative at all and the green belt clashes with the outfit.

Julie

This looked totally terrible. I felt the silhouette was good but the way the material looks is very cheap and terribly constructed. The dog collar/leash is the best part of this outfit, she did try something though with dog food bags but this was not a great outfit by any means but it's not the worst out there either.

My Results:

Winner:

Anthony Ryan! I love this outfit and I totally agree with Heidi, finally!

My favorite from the start is really impressing me, hopefully he keeps it up.

Out:

Bert, I felt this had no effort or creativity. He made a boring dress while making it terrible looking.

There were bigger messes but this was just terrible, had he not had immunity, I think he would have gone home.

~Anthony

Read More