So here's my five-cents about this week's Project Runway:
First of all, I would like to state for the record that I CAN'T STAND Heidi Klum, or either of the "regular" judges: Nina Garcia, and Michael Kors. It's been suggested by certain members of my household that I should probably consider turning the channel during the judging portion of the show, in order to decrease the risk of my having a stroke before finding out who won. But being the glutton for punishment that I am, I instead choose to sit through their barrage of verbal abuse and humiliation tactics just so that I can feel the relief, (that I'm sure the contestants also feel), when it all comes to an end. They give all new meaning to the term "fashion victim."
Anyway, enough of that...here's what I thought about the contestants...
Laura Bennett: I'm soooooo happy that Laura was the winner this week! I was a bit worried, because I loved her dress, (see the photo to the left), and that's usually the kiss of death. I always thought I had pretty good taste, but apparently I was wrong about that because whenever I love someone's design it usually ends up being given the "boring" tag, or even worse..."something my mother would wear."
I've pretty much loved everything Laura has designed, including the long sleeved black number that made her cry. I felt so bad for her when she fell apart. As a fellow victim of hormone overload, I could feel her pain. I actually felt a bit better about myself after witnessing her meltdown. I figure that if hormones could cause someone as icy as she is to slobber in front of millions of people, it's slightly more understandable that I cried when they announced the Emmy award nominations.
I have also have been in a similar situation to hers a few times in my life. Let me tell you, there's nothing worse than being in a group with people much younger than you, feeling stupid and incompetent just because you're a little bit out of the loop. Not that the other contestants made her feel that way. It was really more the judges that did the damage. I know that you shouldn't embark on a career in fashion if you're thin skinned, but those judges could make the Gabor Sisters feel bad about themselves. (You probably have to be at least 40 to get that joke.)
I so wanted Laura to win that challenge, that I had tears in my eyes when they announced her name. (There's another ridiculous thing that made me cry.)
WAY TO GO Laura! You scored a major victory for the over-forty crowd.
Kayne Gillaspie: I think anyone who has been watching the show this season knows that Kayne was gonna get the boot this week. They kept him as long as possible because he was fun and entertaining. And it was justifiable because his work was good. (Athough there was the 'taste' issue. But don't get me started on that).
Regardless, there was no way in hell they were gonna give him a runway show. The thought of an entire show of Kayne's sparkly, puffy creations would put Michael Kors' already sour face into such a twist that it might stay that way permanently. A thought that actually gives me some pleasure.
Jeffrey Sebelia: Jeffrey, Jeffrey, Jeffrey...what can I say about Jeffrey? He reminds me of the kid in my third grade class who used to kick me in the back of my legs just to see if he could make me cry.
If you read the many blogs that discuss PR you'll find that people tend to have varying opinions about all the contestants. Except Jeffrey. He is the one person who is almost universally disliked. Even if they say something nice about his designs, they usually follow it with, "but he's a creepy person." [Edit: I was wrong. "The tattooed one" does have a loyal supporter in Rock Chick. One of my favorite bloggers, even though she doesn't knit anymore.]
I'm not going to jump on the 'Jeffrey is a jerk' bandwagon though. I actually feel kinda sorry for him. I think he must be a very tortured soul. People who are filled with that much hate generally are. I hope that he becomes successful, and that he finds some peace.
Oh, and that "cocktail" dress he designed looked like Daisy Mae channeling Elvira.
Uli Herzner: I'm not a big fan of Uli's work, not being a print and flowy fabric person. But up until this week her designs have been pretty, they fit well, and they appear to be well constructed. I don't know WHAT happened with this week's dress. Those way-too-long sleeves made it look, (as someone somewhere said), like a 7th grade home economics project. I guess that's what happens when you come out of your comfort level.
Michael Knight: I like Michael. He manages to be very confident without being cocky. He's articulate when speaking about his work, yet he doesn't come off like a snob or a diva. And he almost never says anything bad about any of the others. He always keeps it positive and focused on himself. I also thought it was really nice that he tried to help Kayne from doing his usual "too much."
I thought Michael's design this week was just beautiful, (if not a bit outdated). And as Nina pointed out, he pulls it all together so nicely. It's hard to find fault with anything he does. What amazes me most about him is how aware he is about the effect every aspect of the design will have. Like his comment about white looking good on black skin. Not that that is such a revolutionary idea, but just the fact that he thinks about the impact the design will have on the runway shows that he has insight that a lot of the other contestants don't. The same goes for his use of accessories. If he doesn't make it as a designer (which isn't likely), he would make a great stylist.
Vincent Libretti and Angela Keslar: Obviously Vincent and Angela were brought back this week to add to the drama. That was a really lousy thing that the producers did. It must be so humiliating to get kicked off the show once, but to come back just to get kicked off a second time is just nasty. Sure they gave it a positive spin by suggesting that the move gives them both another shot at making the final four. But come on, we all knew that was not going to happen. They were used, abused, and spit out, all for entertainment value. Shameful.
It was entertaining though, wasn't it?
I was complaining to my parents that I'd be the only single person there, so my dad suggested I go as a French Maid so all the husbands would pay more attention to me than their wives. He was right. I have never gotten so much male attention in my life. (Not that I really wanted attention from a bunch of married men.) In any case, it was a pretty interesting experience, to say the least. I think the only costume that might top that one would be 'slutty nurse'. I'll have to remember that one for next time. (And no, that's not me in the photo, but I had a similar costume
Reggie was a character that Jackie Gleason did on his variety show. My dad looked just like Jackie Gleason, so with the top hat, mustache and cape, he looked perfect. My mom took yards of fabric and wrapped it around her to make a strapless gown, then added a blond wig and long cigarette lighter. It was supposed to be a joke, but I thought they looked very glamorous. Somewhere there's a photo of them taken at the party. I wish I could find it. 
