Lucky Kitty

Judy Noodles wins the crown!

Project Rungay always call Ms. Leanimal Judy Noodles, appropriate, huh?!

By the way, if you haven't checked out Project Rungay... go there now... they are the best Proj Run recappers on the interwebs!

Leanimal wins!


Now, go get a haircut...

I had not picked Leanimal for the win last night - I was concerned that the judges would think her collection was too similiar... or in their words... 'one note'.

It was beautiful and amazingly crafted... and very noodley... but I thought her color choices weren't going to be bold enough and I thought the noodles might just push Top American Designer Michael Kors over the edge.

Leanimal is a smart one, however... she gave them exactly what they wanted... expert craftsmanship, a variety of garments... pants, shorts, skirts, dresses... here's a couple of my favs...


While not as noodley as the others, I love the floaty-ness of this skirt - it doesn't even look like clothing... more like a special effect!


This outfit looks so amazing on this model... it would not have looked even remotely as awesome on anybody else. I think the model actually sold the garment for me... which is rare...


Korto...



I think Korto wins the award for 'I want to win this competition the most'... I started feeling bad for her every time she teared up...

But hey, being 2nd place out of how many thousands of people? Not too shabby.

Here's a couple of my Korto favs from last night...


Love the print, love the cut of the dress, love the gold accent color. I could actually see myself wearing something like this...

Also liked...

This awesome gold dress. Once again, these seem like clothes that normal people could actually wear. So many times I say to myself that designer's collections will only look great on you if you are 6 foot 7 and weigh 85 pounds...

I think Nina Garcia even mentioned last night, that Korto makes clothes for women of many different sizes, which is refreshing.


Poor Kenley...


I thought she just might have a shot at winning this thing. Her collection was cohesive, but not one-note. It had many different types of garments... the color palette was nice (with the exception of that bad green animal print)... and I liked the idea of the hand-painting.

Here's my fav from Kenley...


Cute, fun, retro-inspired! The Husband pointed out last night that she has the same problem with the painting on the fabric that I do... You think it's going to look one way in your head, but when you actually get the paint onto the fabric... it's kind of flat... no movement... not what you wanted...

This dress would be so much better if she had hand-embroidered it... or done some sort of fabric treatment to make the design instead.

Here's her other hand-painted dress...

Which I'm not fond of at all... it looks too... Golden Girls for me. I was curious why she would go in this direction - what with the puffy sleeves and the bad print... turns out she took a little (or a lot of) inspiration from Balenciaga...

Here's the garment that all the judges said she copied...

... it's all starting to make sense now... the bad Golden Girls print looks much nicer when done as Couture...


All in all, I think Leanimal deserved this win... I'm curious to see what she does in the future!

... I'm also curious about what I'm going to blog about on Thursdays now... hmmm...

Wedding Dress Challenge!

I heart wedding dresses.

We were married almost 4 years ago, and to this day, I'm addicted to all teevee shows about weddings and dresses...

There's something so magical about a wedding dress.

It's the perfect dress worn only once on the perfect day.

Such a tough decision.

When we were planning our wedding, I went to exactly one bridal store... looked around for about 10 minutes... and immediately decided that I just couldn't pick a dress off the rack... just not special enough...

So, I decided to design my own and was lucky enough to find the amazing Kari Perkins of Estrella Bridal Arts to construct a one of a kind dress from my ideas...


Photo by Jenny Rhea.

For my dress, I was inspired by Bjork and her swan dress that she wore to the Oscars...



...as well as some bits and pieces that I found in magazines and on the internets...

To this day, I'm so amazingly glad that I didn't just buy something from the Bride Mart and call it a day... I absolutely love that my dress was designed by me and is a one of a kind!

I know I've talked a lot of trash about one Ms. Kenley Collins in the past few weeks.

Her attitude has been abismal at best... her horrible treatment of Tim Gunn is unforgiveable... but oh my goodness... she pulled one heck of a wedding dress out of her tugboat last night...



Yes, Top American Designer Michael Kors is right... she did mostly borrow her idea from Alexander McQueen...



... but they are different and Kenley's most certainly looks like Kenley.

If I were to renew my vows with my husband tomorrow... I would want to rock her dress.

She most certainly won the challenge in my opinion and I'm curious about what she's going to do at Bryant Park... although I'm still not a fan of her snotty snot snot attitude...

Second place goes to Leanimal...



It at least looks like a wedding dress... which is more than I can say for...

Korto...



...and Jerell...


Hot mess.

Okay, fine, Kenley... your wedding dress has changed my mind... a little bit... but we'll see... all is not said and done yet...

Tears and the Tents...

They all cried... they all looked exhausted... they all turned out sub-par work... and they're all going to Bryant Park...

Okay fine. It is always fun to have one last competition before they get to be in the runway show. I also enjoy when they throw in one last surprise challenge at the last minute too, so, hope that happens as well!

But before we get to the finale, let's get to what happened last night...

Congrats Jerell

My favorite thing about this look was the fake eyelashes they put on the model, which of course, you can't really see here in the pic. They had green tips on 'em! Awesome!

The dress is okay in my opinion - it was looking really wrong when Jerell was in the middle of it - lots of forest green sequins... which never turns out well... but all in all, he did a better job than I thought he would. I've always questioned his taste, and this dress was no exception. Oh, also, looks like the poor model needs to pull it up about 4 inches...

Korto looses steam...

We've all seen Korto pick some amazing fabrics and make awesome dresses from said fabrics... it's like she lost her mojo on this one. The flower she picked for her inspiration looked very 'Korto', but it somehow was lost in the translation. I agree with Top American Designer Michael Kors in that this doesn't look like an evening gown, but maybe a prom dress... or a dreamsicle... mmm...dreamsicle...

Leanimal looks defeated...

The judges seemed to really like this one, but I thought it was too... lavender... and noodley... and I didn't get her overwhelming need to add a swatch of blue fabric last minute to the back of the dress... didn't make any sense, but luckily, the judges just sort of commented and then moved on from it...

Kenley's karma bites her...

Okay, first off, Kenley has spent the whole season choosing floral print fabrics and making things from them... why now... when your challenge is to be inspired by nature, do you decide to not use your signature floral print, but instead whip up an Ursula the Sea Witch costume instead?

This would have been a much better choice for the drag queen challenge.

I did enjoy how the other designers decided to not to mix words with Kenley this week, but instead, just called it like they saw it... then completely railroaded her on the Runway... and then didn't apologize for it... pretty awesome. I can see why the producers decided to keep her in the competition... she and the reactions she causes makes for some wicked good teevee!

Dear Kenley,

For some strange reason last night, the judges took pity on you and let you stay...

Even after you turned this in as your 'hip-hop' look...

What the? Really? I know Leanimal is one of the whitest girls on the planet... but... oh my... oh no... not cool... look at those 'jeans'... shameful shameful.

You're a 25 year old person that, I'm guessing by your retro appearance, spends her time listening to 78s of old timey country records while applying your liquid eyeliner just right and getting those bangs just so...

You're also a 25 year old person who thinks that hip-hop fashion looks like this...


LL Cool J had big issue with you and your perception of hip hop fashion and for good reason...

You are a snarky, ignorant, self-absorbed, rockabilly freak show and for some strange reason, no matter what crap you happen to churn out of your sewing machine, you always think that you've 'nailed it'...

I am so amazingly offended by your attitude towards Tim Gunn. He literally turned red in the face last night - probably because it took every ounce of self control for him not to smack you in your big front teeth.

I really like how all the other designers also want you gone so badly that none of them mentioned to you how amazingly not hip-hop your outfit was last night!

Knowing Proj Run, they will probably keep you around til the bitter end for the sole reason that you make for good teevee...

Whew! I feel better with that off my chest! Let's get to the rest of 'em...

Poor Suede...

It's true... this is an outfit that if Jerell saw it in the store, he would most certainly purchase it, so, I guess the judges were right about Suede not taking it up a notch...

But the construction was better than Kenley's pants and Jerell really did look rock n roll in it...

I've never been a huge fan of the Suede, but I did feel badly for him last night - the whole episode he looked like he knew he was gone...

Jerell on the other hand...

...did a really great job turning Kenley Freakshow into Kenley Spears...

I could certainly do without the weird little purple fur vest... what's with these designers and their weird mini vests this season? Is this some new hot New York trend that us simple folk in Austin haven't gotten wind of yet?

Leanimal turns Korto country?

Kinda like Korto and Wonder Woman met up in a diner outside of Abilene right before a funeral? This look is a mess and it's all over the place.

Once again, just like hip-hop, there's absolutely no reason to not go in the Leann Rimes or Faith Hill direction... instead of the Hee Haw direction... really people...

Korto punks Suede...

Okay, so, it's better than what Suede usually wears, but it's not a favorite. I'm guessing the judges picked it for the win because it wasn't as tragic as the others...

Poor Suede, he looked even older with all that make up on... and even schlebbier (new word?) in an outfit that fits his body than his usual oversized camo cargos and layers of shirts...

All in all, this episode could have been really great - the judges were screaming for more, more, more... but nobody brought the noise or the funk last night...

Becky Home Ec-y

Oh Top American Designer Michael Kors... nobody is ever quite as vicious as you... not even Nina Garcia... loves it!

Let's start with Joe...

I totally agree with the judges that just because you're going on an interview does not mean you have to wear a pinstripe suit type thing... with shoulder pads... and a weird belt that doesn't go with anything... did you see those shoes... a pocket square?... Really?...

When it came down to being between Joe and Suede last night - my house was voting for Joe to get the axe... Yes, Suede's jacket was tragic...

Yes, I have purchased something similar to it... in the early 90s... at Contempo Casuals... I also shopped at Units at one point in my life... so, what do I know...

But at the end of the day, being out of touch with style, fashion, and let's face it - taste - is way way worse than making a horribly awful jacket...

Poor Leanimal...

She's been rocking it the past few weeks... looks like she just noodled out...

Leanimal, like Joe, seems to have this preconceived notion that in order to go on a job interview, you must look as drab and boring as you possibly can... certainly can't let your possible future employer know that you might have a personality... or flair... God forbid...

I really liked Korto's outfit last night...

The Husband didn't care for the jacket, but I thought it was cool. I'm really digging the dress - the print is awesome, it's age appropriate, it's cute but still 'professional'

If Jerell hadn't brought it last night, Korto would have won for sure.

Speaking of Jerell...

He rocked it last night. This look is fierce and this girl looks about one million times better in it than in her normal clothes.

He 100% got the challenge - it needs to be something professional, but still fit the girl's personality, while making her mother happy, and still keeping some of your own design in the mix.

Way to go, Jerell... I'm still creeped out by your sternum... but... you made a nice outfit last night... even though you wore a feather cap to the runway show...



Dear Kenley,

When Tim Gunn comes over to you and hands out advice and suggestions... YOU SHOULD LISTEN.

It literally makes me angry to hear her saying things like 'Tim doesn't know what he's talking about'... 'I'm not going to listen to Tim'...

What's great here - is that she did end up listening to him - she made the tulle shorter than it was originally... just like he said...

I would be seriously hanging on every word that man spoke to me and most definitely following his lead... he knows stuff... he's been around... he's Tim *$#@&$!@ Gunn!

She needs to go. I've grown tired of her large teeth and feather thingys in her hair

The bitch is back...

...and yes, for the record, I am referring to not only Nina Garcia's return to her judge's chair, but also the increased ferocity that Top American Designer Michael Kors seems to display in Ms. Garcia's presence...

He was on fire during the Q&A portion of the runway show - it was truly awesome...

Let's check out this week's losers!

Blayne

Looks like she is literally pooping fabric -Michael Kors

I agree... the whole thing doesn't make sense to me... what's up with the leather straps everywhere... did Stella need something to do while Blayne added more hot pink and turquoise ruffly thingys?

Terry

She looks like some sort of voodoo princess in hell -Michael Kors

Why yes Michael... I was just thinking that! Terry has really revved up the bad attitude lately... last night was off the chart and I completely agree with MK that in order to have a serious career in fashion, you have to collaborate and share ideas and let people help you. Granted, I wouldn't really be thrilled about working with psycho Keith... but take what you can get and make it work!

Kenley

Nope, she didn't win or lose, but this thing is so incredibly insane, I thought it at least deserved mention. She was talking such a big game about how great this thing was, how she was gonna win hands down, how much she rules... it was making me want her to get kicked off...

It was so great at the party when Heidi and the others didn't get the vision and Kenley got super defensive... as she did on the runway with MK... He was actually kind of complimenting it when he said the bottom looked Dolce & Gabbana and the top looked Victor & Ross... and her response was something along the lines of 'I don't look at collections'... You don't? You should...

and now for our winner Jerell...

Really? This is the best Avant-Garde garment of the night?

Really?

I don't get it...

I like the arrow in her hair and the feathers on her sleeves are kind of cool... but it looks like she's wearing the couch my parents might have purchased from Haverty's in 1976... although they would have picked this fabric with some nice bamboo trim... but...yikes...

All in all, none of the looks really grabbed me last night - they were all a little bit... eh...

I guess if I had a gun to my head and had to pick a fav, it would be Leanimal...

But seriously, only under the threat of impending doom would I ever consider this my favorite...

Living legend!

It's so true when they say that Diane von Furstenberg is a living legend...

I don't know if it was worthy of mean girl Kenley's teary confession-booth style interview that was edited to look like she was crying the entire time, but I will say that I got a little goose pimply at the thought of being able to run aroun DVF's sample room and take whatever I wanted and then make something out of it... possibly for her line...

I can relate to this particular episode much more than one where they use car parts... but anywhoo... let's talk about the fashions!

Congrats, Leanimal...

I will straight up say that your look was not my favorite last night, but I'm guessing that Top American Designer Michael Kors and the others must see something in you that I'm not getting...

They were all in love with the coat paired with this dress... doesn't do it for me - looks like she got cold at a cocktail party and someone lent her a jacket from the coat check.

I will say congrats, however, because I think you might be the first or at least one of the very few to ever win two challenges in a row... that's quite an accomplishment - most contestants with immunity just sort of coast... but not you, Leanimal...

My fav of the night? Well, that would be...

Korto!

This girl's the one to beat! She's quiet and seemingly nice, so, they don't give her a lot of air time, but man o man... she keeps bringing the noise and the funk... every week!

I'm totally crushing on the black and white fabric and agreed with Tim Gunn that the yellow kinda looked like bra straps at first, but it grew on me just as it grew on him.

This coat seems like it belongs with this dress... as though it was on purpose.

...and now for the loser...

Poor Stella... when this season started, I hated Stella off the bat.

She reminded me of a person I used to work with that drove me crazy... but Stella's really grown on me.

I love her "if you like my stuff, buy it... if you don't, move along" attitude.

She's older and wiser than the other contestants, been around the block about a million times, and of course, her boyfriend's name is Ratbones...

I really think they put her on the show so that she could be the rocker/ leather/ outsider element and for some reason, she was going further away from that aesthetic with each passing week.

I bet she'll be fun on the reunion show - just show her a bottle of Jameson and she'll make for some good tee vee... guaranteed...

See you later, psycho...

I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am that Keith was sent home last night... He's been slowly starting to creep me out over the past few weeks... Last night, his bitching and whining and weirdness and strange accent (Utah has an accent?) were enough to make me decidedly say that I wanted him gone.

I was so happy when Top American Designer Michael Kors told him that he needed to let critique roll off his back... it's so true! Keith was lucky ol' Nina Garcia wasn't around to put her two cents in as well... could have been a fight!

Here's what finally sent the psycho home...

I kinda like the top, until the model turns around, then, it's a hot mess. The skirt was okay as well, but it wasn't finished and it seemed unfair of Keith to blame the model's unfortunate habit of sitting down to get hair and make up done as one of the reasons why he lost.

See you later, psycho...

...and now for the winner...

I like the top of this garment a whole bunch - it's very chic how Leanne frayed the seat belt pieces to look so feathery... I also like that this girl named her clothing line Leanimal... that's kinda awesome - especially considering how incredibly nerdly she is...

However, I'm not a fan of the weird giant hip lump thing she's got going on the bottom of the dress... since when is adding bulk to your hip area considered flattering?

... but my over the top fav of the evening was brought to us by Korto...

I think it was creepy ol' Rachel Zoe that said she would wear this coat as is out of the building right now... and I agree! It's so elegant while keeping an updated retro vibe about it. The different colors that the seatbelts turn in the light is amazing as well.

I'm starting to think that Korto is the one to beat... She and Terry have been quite consistently turning out great outfits for weeks...

Like a pterodactyl at Gay Jurassic Park

Oh Blayne...

Even though she worked it on the runway, this outfit screamed early 90's Michael Alig club kid to me... not fierce drag queen... certainly not anything-licious...

...and now for the loser... my previous favorite...

Poor Daniel... I had such hopes for him! He seemed quiet and focused on what he needed to do to win... at the beginning... but then he just sort of got all whiny and a bit snobby... and seriously, if somebody has to tell me what great taste they have over and over, it makes me question...


This would be a perfectly fine dress if it wasn't supposed to be for a drag queen. Nina and Heidi were right... where's the glitter? Where's the sequins? Where's the... dragginess?

I think Daniel ended up out last night more for his attitude and inability to listen than for this particular design. It was close between him and the ever-annoying Keith... hopefully Keith will get his in the next week or two...

...and now for the winner!

My husband and I L.O.V.E.D. this outfit! It was described as Ann Margaret on the Love Boat and we couldn't agree more! The addition of the rhinestoe anchor earrings and brooch turned this from pink glitter Elvis into awesomeness!


I thought Joe got robbed on the Olympic challenge, so, it's nice to see him win with such a deserving garment. I do wish he would stop telling us how straight he is all the time... my wife this... my daughters that... I'm so straight that I... It's tiring and unnecessary... I don't care if you're straight or gay... just make some fabulous clothes already... okay?

Holla atcha boy!

Slutty, slutty, slutty...

Oh, Top American Designer Michael Kors... your comments are always the best! I remember once (although I can't remember the season or the designer) that all Top American Designer Michael Kors had to say was that he "wrote farty on his card"...

To this day, we still use that one at our house...

On to the fashions!


So, this is the one deemed 'slutty slutty slutty'... and I tend to agree, although I'd rather say 'cheap cheap ugly'. The shape, the colors, the fabrics - black lace, teal, and leopard? Really? Seriously. I agree with young Daniel... I didn't care about the skirt either... poor kid... he keeps ending up in the bottom... Daniel, you need to not only make it work, but you're going to have to carry on...


Okay, so, this one isn't my particular taste at all - not even a little bit, but I wanted it to win for a couple reasons...

Reason number one is that Jarell and Stella were a disaster waiting to happen... but low and behold, it didn't and instead, they made a bit of a dream team! They both seemed to have worked very hard, both had some input into the design, nobody got catty (unfortunately), and at the end of the day, they came up with something that looked like it just might fit the bill for ol' Brooke Shields.

Reason number two is all the judges were gushing over it... gushing... oh, it's perfect for the character, it's beautifully constructed, I'd totally wear that even though I prefer short, tight, shiny garments... Have you noticed this season, the judges always seem to pick their top two favs, completely go nuts over one of them, but then call the other the winner? I don't get it and I don't like it.

...and the winner is...


I do love the skirt... it's pretty awesome... looks like something I would try to make... key word... try...

The shirt is a bit of a hot mess, and it's part transformer - which might work the first time you wear it, but after that, you will never get it to go back to what it looked like originally... kind of like when things come with ties that are pre-bowed...

I was secretly hoping that Keith wouldn't win because he's getting smugger and smugger by the day... oh and Kenley's teeth were bothering me... they're a bit on the large side...