PR: What Neighborhood Are YOU In?

I wasn't sure if I'd get to this right away because I have essays, but I got so many done yesterday I guess I've earned a brief blog break.
I like the idea of getting inspiration from different areas of New York. And, for once, the teamwork portion of the challenge was understated and fairly drama free. That being said, I wasn't that impressed with the work that came out this week. I liked parts of some of the garments, but no garment stood out to me, and I really didn't like the winner.

Amy: Amy's look struck me as the wrong neighborhood. I was really sorry to see Amy go, but after last week, you know she needed to pull off something fantastic. This wasn't it. I wasn't bothered by the color, but the shape of the look wasn't very luxe, and, while I think people would wear the look, it wouldn't be the people on the Upper East. Actually, when I look at the picture, it looks sort of like Chinatown to me, like a modified, modernized Chinese robe. So, in a way I think Amy missed the challenge, but I would not have picked her to go home.
Anthony: I liked the idea of the incorporation of the dragon folding. The dress's structure and construction, however, were a mess. It was too short, first of all, by about an inch. It's that's same skirt style Anthony always seems to do. It looks tarty. I also saw some puckering and poofing that disrupted the silhouette. This dress could have been so glamorous, but it just looked rushed, which is a shame considering its detail to the trim.
Emilio: I didn't like this dress. It was stiff and very baglike at the bottom. In fact, I thought it looked like a dress made out of a lightweight sleeping bag. Now maybe there is something urban about that, but I don't know what it is. The top of the dress was nice, but seeing the model walk in it, the bottom just destroyed it for me.
Jay: I liked this outfit the least. I really don't like pants in that shape, and never have. The tank top was a total throwaway. The colors in combination were just not there for me, either. I couldn't find anything I liked about this look.
Jonathan: I liked the idea of this dress more than its finished product. The top part of the dress was really pretty. There was just too much of the cutwork. It ended up looking like tattooesque lingerie (eg Victoria's Secret 2-3 years ago). If the top had been left alone, with a sleek black bottom, I think that would have been more attractive. Less challenging, perhaps, but more likeable.
Maya: Maya's work this week was well put together. Kind of understated, but that's not always bad. That being said, my evident absence of really "modern" color sense comes into play here. The peeks of red in the skirt really didn't make sense with the top; in fact, while I like those pieces individually, I don't think they go together. They're two parts to different outfits.
Mila: Mila had a good collected piece this week. But ask yourself--without the red tights, would you have been as interested in this look? I wouldn't. It would just be another of Mila's black and white outfits. The styling made the garments become more than they were. I didn't think this look was all that rawk either, as the model seemed to think, but it did fit the East Village. I might even wear that jacket. I just would sure like Mila to do something that would sustain her more than one season in the fashion industry. Is she literally going to do black and white casual separates from the 60s her entire career?
Seth Aaron: There is no question that Seth Aaron is a great tailor. He did a really great job on that jacket. That being said, this is decidedly not my style, and in a way it was almost a caricature of Harlem. That tam was a travesty...though, to be fair, I've seen hats like it (and have thought of them as travesties).

So, not the best week on the runway. I was kind of bored and disappointed in some construction issues on otherwise solid garments. As we get down to the small group, I always hope for better, more intriguing looks. That does not seem to be happening.