Project Runway

It's time to pick our favorites from this week's Project Runway and decide which outfit we're putting back on the rack.

But first, I think we all need to decompress from this week's challenge.  Let's all take a deep breath and shake it out.

Wow. That was brutal. Almost not even fun-brutal just plain old brutal. Menswear…it's an entirely different planet from womenswear.  Many of the designers looked absolutely traumatized by the process.

I felt really bad for them, and, actually, especially for Carmen Webber, who didn't even try to pretend that her design was any better than it was. There's been a lot of talk in past seasons of Project Runway about “standing behind your designs,” but personally, I feel like it makes a lot more sense to admit when you failed. You might lose the challenge (and in this case, be auf'd) but at least it won't leave lingering doubts about your taste or, quite frankly, sanity. It was a disappointment, I'm sure, to leave, but I feel like she left with dignity.

I am very bummed that she left for one big reason: “fabric croissants.” Jay McCarroll, winner of season 1 of Project Runway, has been blogging about this season on Elle's website. And every time he mentioned Carmen, he would refer to her poufy shoulders as “fabric croissants” and eventually the repetition became hysterical. I was looking forward to more of it throughout the season, especially since she seemed irrationally attached to those fashion pastries.

But we have to move forward and make our picks.

So my pick for Chic of the Week?


Kit Pistol. Okay, if you're not feeling it (it does look kinda sloppy in this picture), bear with me for a minute, because the look had to grow on me too.

When I first saw it coming down the runway, I thought: snoozers. Boring colors, odd fit. But when Michael Kors pointed out the jacket was made out of navy fleece, it suddenly seemed brilliant.

If the outfit were tailored by an actual tailor (because tailoring menswear is a highly-specific, highly-challenging discipline unto itself), it would be an absolutely adorable business casual-type ensemble. I could see Tiki Barber wearing it on a brisk fall day for some kind of less-formal outdoor report.

The fleece is fresh and modern, and gives the whole thing a young twist, while maintaining the conservative edge in the color combination. Tiki seems like he likes to have a little flair in his clothes, so that even when the overall look might be conservative, there's something in the ensemble that is kind of a winking nod to his inner fashionista. While Kevin Christiana accomplished that through color, and Jack Mackenroth through print, I thought Kit's was the most clever and, frankly, efficient way to accomplish a twist, by using a casual fabric in a formal way, she married the best of both worlds.

In the context of the outfit she made last week for Sarah Jessica Parker's line (the snug sweater tunic and leggings), I'm starting to see that she might have a real eye for a cute and modern take on simple American sportswear looks – if she lets herself stay simple. Her pre-season runway looks and first episode show she might have a soft spot for Galliano-style theatrics, but I think it's possible she might be better-suited to an American classic look. It will be interesting to see how she develops.

Well, I guess Carmen had to go home due to the lack-of-shirt and crazy-crotch pants…but Sweet P's had to be the pick for Freak because…come on. It's made for a freak. It's like a Looney Toons outfit. I thought it especially unfortunate that she was paired with a mildly American Psycho-looking model.  I felt vaguely menaced by him and his loooooong tie.

To her credit, she had no delusions about her outfit. Her frank and good-natured acceptance of the disaster redeemed her in my eyes, somewhat, for her less-than-charitable cattiness towards Elisa Jimenez last week.

So what did you think?





- Leslie Seaton, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Images courtesy of Bravo)