PR part one: In which Tim Gunn spoils my evening.

In the careers workbook I'm currently working through, in the skills section, Mentoring is listed as the highest-order People skill one can attain. A mentor helps "people deal with problems by giving legal, scientific, clinical, spiritual, and/or other professional advice."
I have always thought of Tim Gunn as a good mentor, someone who listens to a vision, comments with his professional opinion, and does so in a way that does not judge. At times he is called upon to exhort, and he has had to deal with a great many messes in the workroom, but he has done so with aplomb. Even when he has expressed bafflement with the judges' decisions, he has done so calmly and with disappointment rather than anger.
Last night was a game-changer, and I cannot admire Tim Gunn as much as I used to.
I've already pointed out that Tim Gunn has seemed more emotionally invested this season. So, when he began his talk with Team Luxe, I was not especially surprised. But then he publicly shattered Gretchen's character, essentially defaming her in front of her peers, acting very much as though she wasn't even there as he lambasted her.
What was exceptionally griping about this is that what happened was not Gretchen's fault. I mean that. Is she egotistical? Yes. Annoying? Yes. Micromanaging? Yes. A turncoat? Yes. But she didn't ask her team to be sycophants. Did she backpedal on the runway? You bet. But we all knew that the "team spirit" was going to explode on the runway. That is how Project Runway works. It's not her fault that none of her team had the spine enough to disagree with her, or show any ounce of leadership at all. This has happened before--Gretchen is not new. Usually, though, someone else in the group speaks up to put the leader in his or her place. That is the group's job.
In Tim Gunn's speech, all of the negativity was placed on Gretchen's shoulders, most certainly blaming her for the other team members' lack of integrity. He correctly pointed out the team's lack of courage to say anything, but he blamed Gretchen for everything that went wrong (one could see his anger escalate in the middle, and I think he just lost it). What upset me most was his manner of addressing the group, as I said, as though Gretchen weren't present at all. That is not only rude but absurd.
It could have been handled so much more as a mentor should--if Mr. Gunn really wanted to say something, he could have said, "I'm disappointed in you; Gretchen seemed to be pulling the strings here, even though you argued you were a unified team. Gretchen, your micromanaging was a problem, and not collegial. The rest of you need to work on speaking up for your point of view." Speaking directly to Gretchen would have been mature and helpful, especially given Mr. Gunn's credibility in the fashion world.
Instead, Mr. Gunn's anger got the better of him and he has demolished his ability to be objective in the workroom (or at least for me to believe he is objective), or to assist Gretchen, as is his job. As he has said so often in his own blogs in the past, "Shut up, Tim." In essence, he failed to empathize and let his judgment cloud.
All kinds of arguments can be made defending Tim Gunn, against Gretchen, in favor of the rest of Team Luxe, and so on. But here's my bottom line--I know Gretchen. I can understand where Gretchen is coming from, like an A student put in a group for a project, and no one can show initiative, endangering the final product and even the working process. Twice in my life, I have been gently admonished by a superior for making suggestions to colleagues. In my eyes, at the time, I thought I was helping out with colleagues who clearly didn't know what to do and lacked the ability to think of their next step (and really, what I said wasn't an order or a demand, or even a big suggestion). Yet I could understand my superiors' point, and worked on it, especially because it was presented to me seriously but kindly. It would be appropriate, I think, for Tim Gunn to speak with Gretchen, privately, or perhaps during their next workroom critique. Sometimes, people like Gretchen and I need a brief talk to curb our impulses. And perhaps Mr. Gunn's snappish comments will indeed help Gretchen in the future. Even so, the way this was handled was revolting, and worse than Gretchen's own actions, considering her character, that of her teammates, and what actually happened in the workroom.
If you would like a similar commentary from a contestant who has actually been there (and one I also defended in a past season), you can visit Laura Bennett's blog. For a counterview, you can see Nick Verreos's blog.

Need a dose of pretty to eke out your summer? Go check out some butterflies at my sister's not-so-secret-anymore, amazing blog, Cloud of Secrets.

PR: Chapi Chapo!

I love hats. I don't think that's a secret. I have to admit--I was disappointed this week in the results in what should have been a very good challenge. Even given the...exuberance of the hats (I'll say it--Heidi's looked like a growth), a creative designer could and should make something sassy to complement Treacy's work.
Take Valerie, for example--she got a LABYRINTH vibe. That suited me right down to the ground. And then her final result was not even close. She lost her way. Or, Kristin--she couldn't come up with the story for an orchid? Really? Miss Organic Process herself? Then, the judging--it was completely strange. Again, we in the TV audience know the designers' process, but even so, nothing made sense. I keep notes not just on my opinions, but also marking who was top and bottom from who got called out--and this time I completely screwed up my Ts and Bs because I didn't wait to hear what the judges thought. It's like I landed in Opposite World, and judging from a few blogs, I'm not the only one who thought so.

AJ--This polka-dot look reminded me a little of the racecourse. Like something you'd wear at Belmont. That wasn't a bad thing, though I did on the whole find it too stiff and poofy. Even the hat had sort of a motion-of-the-horse abstract way about it. That was probably not its intention, but it's what I thought of. Interestingly, the comments are very love/hate on this look.
Andy--The jacket part of this look was a little too voluminous, basically too big all over, but the look was very whole and complete. Also very Japanese, in a way. These elements looked well matched and bold, at least. I am getting a picture of Andy's work that I wasn't expecting from his portfolio, something smoother and a little more...upmarket, maybe? That's not the word I want.
April--This week's WTF moment. I can't defend the underwear look at all. I feel like April is very much in a discovery zone, and you just never know where she's going to fall. I don't feel any trust about her.
Casanova--I agreed with the comment that the dress looked like something you could buy in a store; I didn't get the impression, though, that Casanova thought that was a problem. All that being said, it did look polished and went with the hat well, and the back was really very pretty. I actually would buy and wear this dress, so I guess I can't complain.
Christopher--I love hearing which were the designers' favorites, as I've mentioned before, and I'm glad they stuck up for this outfit. I completely disagreed with the judges that felt this looked like draping fabric; it doesn't. It just doesn't. I liked this garment and I'm not going to apologize for it. It also complemented the hat in a unique way. Judges, I am so over you. I like the silver and the black, the structure of the jacketlike piece, and I even felt this was an appropriate time for leggings. And, while we're on the subject, everyone was down on Christopher because his look was heavy. I'm here to tell you that hats do not need to be buoyant. Where's the fun if all hats and coordinating outfits have to be airy? In fact, most of these hats did not look light to me at all. In fact, the contrast between the lightness of the hat and the drape of the fabric made me like it more, because it was different and thus complementary in another way.
Gretchen--Gretchen went to a kind of Robin Hoody place with this hat, no? I was not really that impressed with her top, though it was a pretty fabric. I'm confused by the leggings/boots. If anyone has figured out what's going on down there, clue me in.
Ivy--Ivy's look was kind of dull this week, and I was confused by what appeared to be fuschia + beige + white + gray. I quite liked the jacket, with the chiffon or whatever in back, but was bewildered by the outfit as a whole.
Kristin--Even more bewildering was Kristin's concoction. Black was a weird choice indeed, and the effect was sort of harlequinesque. I didn't go wtf, but perhaps I should have. In April's case, it was a question of taste, whereas here there isn't even a story being told.
Michael C--I wrote "wood nymph." But the hat was very Stargate, wasn't it? Did anyone else get a Ra vibe? The dress, though it is not ugly at all, was still very dance costumey. The look blended well in color, but not in feeling. Its references were askew. I would wear the garment, but I could also *make* that garment, thus I was unimpressed.
Michael D--I sort of thought this might snake through as the winner. I personally did not care for the skirt, but was intrigued by the top. It wasn't my style per se, but I liked that it was different and an homage to the hat. The petally look was creatively produced. This is a good example as a look that I wouldn't wear, but a look that intrigues me, makes me want to see more, and makes me think about fashion. Thus, I thought it should win.
Mondo--This is another week where I don't "get" Mondo. His outfit clearly said "Mondo" to me before the label came on, but it looks like clown clothes. I really can't bear it. This was a pick for me for the bottom three.
Peach--Pink floral with a zebra hat. I think Peach is just producing what she produces regardless of the challenge at hand. She could have sent this down the runway for really any other challenge. That troubled me, and made me want to keep an eye on her, as you would a child doing something mildly disturbing that you may want to curb if it happens again.
Valerie--Once again, a disappointment. The dress and jacket are certainly wearable, but why this was in the top three is incomprehensible. It wasn't very creative, and referred to the "hat" not at all. What happened to Labyrinth? It doesn't have to be black--Jareth wore lavender, for pete's sake!

By the way, there's someone who lives on a neighboring street with this license plate:
GBLN KNG.
Love.

Dream "Man"

I had a dream about my SyFy boyfriend, Josh Gates last night. He was a guest in my home-home, and my parents and sister were also there, so it was a full house. He was nice to everyone, but he kept being a goofball and dropping things on the floor (styrofoam peanuts, cutlery), which I then had to pick up. Just like a toddler.
It wasn't as romantic as one could hope.

PR: Party Glitter

*Laugh* I popped over to Grosgrain today before I started my blog, and darned if she didn't beat me to it! You're stealing my thunder, Kathleen Frances! Just kidding. Really, it's just one more thing we have in common.
Anyway--Unconventional Materials Challenge this week. I love this challenge, but I have to admit I felt like a party store was a little too easy. There are so many fabric substitutes there; it's not like there's no room for creativity, and some designers still had difficulty re-envisioning materials (as I would probably do, to be honest), but still, it was a little less adventurous than, say, a grocery or hardware store.
Has Casanova ever seen Project Runway before? My guess is no. "I just don't see the point." Really?
Two things I noticed about the designers in general, or at least the editing--more specific questions coming from the designers toward Tim, and a more "group support" atmosphere amongst the group. Sure, there are egos and hangups, and cattiness, but I also notice that they're readier to give each other compliments and to support designs they think are great, like everyone liking Valerie's last week, or people being so impressed with Andy's this week that they wanted to help him complete his vision. I like both of these elements--they're more specific, and add dimension to the show.
Also, laughing Tim=adorable. However, is he getting "soft"? I notice he seems more blown away by everything going on. Are the garments really that much better? I can't tell.

On to the fashions:

AJ--I wrote down, "8-year-old's party dress." I hardly ever agree with Kors, but he was right that it was a child's birthday dress. It wasn't for a woman. It also didn't look whimsical to me--it looked, as Betsey said, like too little. And blaming the model's cup size? No.
Andy--Andy was my pick this week. I wondered if he still would be if I hadn't seen the process, but there again, there are balancing factors--time issues and getting help versus doing something really artistic. Carol Hannah said, "I think it has more to do with the realization that something truly amazing, innovative and creative is coming into being. There's an honor in helping that fantastic potential not be wasted because the person needs 15 more minutes." I don't always like ambitious moves, but this one was really spicy. The interplay of textures impressed me, and I really liked the look as a whole. It had the look plus the effort.
April--I wrote down, "Very pointy--this dress is scary!" At the same time, I think a contemporary rock star might wear this structural piece to the Grammy's and be satisfied. I think April is rebuilding after week 1, and she's doing a good job making her statement.
Casanova--I needed another look at this, so I was glad the judges pulled it out. I also "responded positively" to the back, but thought the front was awful. Too busy and confusing. No.
Christopher--Ah, yellow. The fit was a little loose here, but I liked the sequinny detail to give the fabric a little extra sparkle. It was definitely wearable, but perhaps a touch too simple.
Gretchen--The girl can style, boots aside--I wonder if she will be that person who can style so well as to hide her flaws, representing the "shiny things" concept. The skirt turned out well, but the jacket seemed flat to me (though I like it better in the photos), and I wondered what it concealed of the top. I have a feeling that top was not that great. I'm going to leave her attitude out of the question for now.
Ivy--I liked the concept of Ivy's piece, though the color was a bit sedate and the top was too low. It didn't help that her look came next to Michael C's, which had the same shoulder treatment, and done better. There were other looks with similar materials that were sleeker.
Kristin--I needed another look at Kristin's dress. On the runway, it looked like it had a good shape and flow. In the still photos, it looks campier, too bright and plasticky. I do, however, think this was Kristin's best look so far.
Michael C--Very sassy. Someone compared it to Hererra, which I thought was true. It was a little busy, particularly around the middle and the top ruffle of the skirt portion, but Michael used the piecing technique and one-shoulder look to better effect than Ivy.
Michael D--The look was messy, the stringy top especially. It just seemed to be a clunker up and down.
Mondo--Someone in the comments called this "Party Warrior Barbie" which I think is the best description ever. This is a more "sedate" Mondo, and one I can get behind. While I wouldn't wear it, I thought it was kind of cute and, for me, "graspable."
Peach--Peach's garment is a more successful version of what AJ was doing, except for that top--so white, too plain (if you look at the close-up picture, you can see it's actually in a fanlike pattern, but the top seemed wholly reliant on that rather than styling and fitting it also). It didn't quite "get there" but Peach did better this week.
Sarah--Oh, Sarah. And that's exactly what I wrote. Can't we all look at Sarah's dress and think of things she could have done? Like changing the leaves somehow, manipulating them to make the skirt more than just leaves? The top is almost art deco-y in the way the leaf pieces fit together. Something similar for the bottom would have worked. It's like the dress gave up halfway down. But Sarah knew this, too, and Sarah probably could have come up with 100 ways to fix it, but it didn't happen. It's sad, because Sarah seemed a little unusual to me, in a good way.
Valerie--Valerie's look reminded me of one of the garments from the car challenge, and I can't remember which one. The dress was a bit plain, but it was sleek in a way that Ivy's wasn't. A little too daring, but smartly made.

I largely agreed with the judges this week in the results. I actually couldn't predict who they'd call out for the top three, but was right on with the bottom three.
The blogverse has already called Kors out for his "360 degree turn" comment about Valerie's styling, so I will let that rest.

A little blog love

I have to admit to a little blog crush on http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/
Seriously. Go and watch her little video tutorial on how to shir fabric (like smocking). I had a "laaaaaaa!" singing moment by the time she got to the spritzing and ironing and the fabric magically...well...shirred.
Her sweet giveaways aside, she makes "frocks by Friday," does regular tutorials, and somehow manages to take photographs of all of it, even while raising a family (I gather her mum is nearby to help with the kids, which is awesome--go Kathleen's mum!). She also posts pictures of her blog followers' finished garments from the frocks by Friday, which must really give sewers a charge. It's good fun, and useful at the same time. I am amazed by the regularity and helpfulness of her blogworld.
Kathleen Frances and I resemble one another a bit, which makes it extra intriguing. She's also self-taught on the sewing machine, and admits to her own continued learning. I feel a kinship with this person, even as I admire her mad skills.
So, thanks to whomever pointed me in Grosgrain's direction--I can't even remember how I got there, which is the funny part. Someone else's blog, I'm sure. Isn't that always the way?

PR: Your Ad Here

Preface: I'm completing my Project Runway writing this week with a Miss Marple episode on YouTube, with Geraldine McEwan. I like the other Jane Marples for assorted reasons, but McEwan will forever be my favorite, I think. She's adorable but steely. She's the kind of elder lady I want to be, and the way I really think Marple was meant to be--gentle and innocent-looking, but then sharp and mischievous. Every once in a while, McEwan's warm-fuzzy regard suddenly pierces. It's perfect. I don't actually remember the one I'm watching, At Bertram's Hotel, and it has about a million characters, so I apologize if I seem to trail off or make a hideous grammar error.
Now I think on it, I wonder if I should be collecting the dvds of Marples and Poirots. There are rather a lot of them, and I know for a fact I haven't seen all the Poirots, the short ones....

Anyway.
So--a Times Square billboard is the big prize this week. The needs of a billboard are really similar to the needs of a magazine cover: Bold design and color, but simple. Anything too complex will end up looking messy or cluttered. Any mistakes will be blown up and highly noticeable, even from such a height. Think of how Anthony's dress would look on a billboard--pretty striking, I'd expect. I think a lot of designers overdesigned this week, producing fussy garments rather than creating dramatic strokes.
I liked the photo shoot element--it was very instructive about designers' attitudes. Did anyone notice, though, how much trouble some of the models had with posing? They were all waiting for direction, and some of them seemed unable to produce even with direction.
I also liked seeing more of the sketches; though designs change drastically, that strikes me as an essential part of the process, and one I wish I had a talent at.
My favorite quote of the week is Tim's: "I respond positively to this." It sounds like something I'd say, and strikes me as essential Tim.
My least favorite quote is Jason's: "I'm a straight guy in a gay man's world." Excuse after excuse from this guy. He wished that judges could look past his closures. Really? You stapled a garment last week, and I use the term garment loosely. Shut up and sew already.
One further thing: How do you feel about the extended time of Project Runway? I kind of like it, but at the same time I noticed that there were thirty minutes given to the judging portion, and ten for the runway show. I felt like they rushed the photo reveal part before each model walked, and then I had to listen to too much from the judges.

Let's talk clothes:
AJ: I strayed a bit into the judges' snark when I wrote "taxi tart." A bright color is great, but the garment was ill-fitting and the model done up like a streetwalker.
Andy: The fluidity of Andy's pants was really quite fascinating. I love liquidlike pants. I liked the blouse's color, am undecided about the folding sleeve, but felt in general the blouse was a little clumsy.
April: April redeemed herself a bit for me this week. The bust area wasn't well fit, but the top of the garment was interestingly structural and I liked that color combo, though maybe not for a billboard. After last week's train wreck, this was a much needed improvement.
Casanova: I really liked Casanova's coat. The skirt was too tight, yet the whole look perhaps a little too...formal womanly? But saying that doesn't feel right, because I don't really see that as a problem. Think of how that coat would look with a hot pair of jeans. I'd like to have it.
Christopher: Something about this was discordant, perhaps because of the dark black and rather boring skirt with the flirty, flared, and duller black top. It looked mismatched.
Gretchen: Oh, Gretchen. On the one hand, Gretchen has a good model and a good eye. She seems to tailor and finish impeccably. I only just figured out this garment is blue. I guess I'm not surprised this won, because this is the kind of thing the judges like so often, but I really do not like jumpsuits, and thought this one made the hips look wide at the back. I also didn't care for the picture the judges swooned over, though the model eventually did a good job with the billboard shots. I liked the shape of the top, but would have preferred a dress with an interesting hem.
Ivy: I thought this garment was kind of hideous. It was plain and flat--almost too safe to be safe. There were enough disasters for this to slide by, but only just.
Jason: Whether the safety pin closures were intentional or not is immaterial--it was a bad idea, and this kid just cannot seem to take responsibility for his bad decisions. Plain and simple, it looked bad. "Impeccable the way it was sewn"? Gracious. And....done.
Kristin: This whole thing looks rickety and raggedy, as if scraped together. I know some designers make rich livings out of clothes that look cobbled together, but I have never seen any that I like. In my eye, this was a hot mess.
Michael C: This seemed well constructed, but also kind of blah. It reminds me of a Barbie dress circa 1988.
Michael D: I couldn't get behind Michael D. this week. Another flowy drape dress--but this time looking more like a hasty craft project. I actually have some fabric a little like that, and my project didn't turn out either.
Mondo: Still not caring for Mondo's work. That polka dot jabot. Those leggings. I liked the skirt, but all together this was a whole lotta look, and not in a good way. It seemed a little too young for the client as well. I would have been horrified if this had won.
Nicholas: I am so surprised that Nicholas got ousted. He is another with "a whole lotta look" but this was worse that Mondo's. The cape was off, the skirt too short and too tight. The blouse, though, was interesting, at least in the front. I thought Kristin's work was worse than this, and given the horrors of Jason I was surprised that the two were put on such a level by being ousted at the same time. I don't like the message there.
Peach: This was another craft project gone wrong. I thought Peach was a goner along with Jason, rather than Nicholas. While I'm not sorry they spared her, I wouldn't have blamed them if they didn't. Peach gave up on herself in this challenge. I was confused by the judges a little--they mentioned at one point that this was so matronly as to look like something a 70-year-old would wear. What? On what planet? This dress was confusing, yes, and the idea of the collar a little "matronly" but the dress itself was not. Mind your credibility, judges--don't let your confusion make you look like idiots.
Sarah: This looked a little too tacked together, and the top was misshapen. The piecing looked a little clumsy, and I don't think it would have shown up well on a billboard.
Valerie: This dress was the clear winner for me. I didn't like the loop-type construction on the butt, but I liked the vivacity of the collar and the neckline, and the dress was sporty and feminine at the same time. Admittedly, it might not have offered so many options for positions on a billboard, as Gretchen's garment did, but I thought it would be more arresting, less ambient.

Regarding Austin and Santino--Still completely worth it, still making me laugh out loud. It's sort of like watching your friends get silly, isn't it? I liked the garment they produced this week, but I sort of thought it was going to be long, didn't you? I was confused when it ended up being short.
I'm still a little on the fence about who Austin reminds me of, but I did have a sudden inspiration: Mr. Humphries.

PR: Fashion Crimes' Order of Magnitude

Imagine you're the judge in two cases of burglary. In one, the thief was dressed up as the Hamburglar, and made off with 1000 bucks from the bank. In the other, the burglar was dressed like an average man, and made off with 1000 bucks from the bank. Whom do you punish more harshly?
It's a trick question, of course. The way the crime was carried out doesn't matter--the actual damage done is equal. Would you give a lesser penalty to the Hamburglar man because he was zany, and you think he might be a fun guy out on the streets? No. He's a criminal, and all must be treated equally by the law.
It doesn't work that way in reality TV, of course, and I'll bet some of you spotted in this week's Project Runway judging comments a definite acknowledgment of "voting for TV"--keeping people on just for personality, even if their fashion crimes were far more egregious than those of someone who was auf'd. This is why McKell was sent home, and Jason and Casanova were kept, even though their fashion crimes were more unforgivable than hers (in my own opinion, naturally.)

I did do a little homework pre-show, and checked out the portfolios on mylifetime's PR website. Portfolios I liked: Gretchen, Ivy. Portfolios I didn't like: Casanova, Mondo. Then, as the show began, I could see personalities and aesthetics emerging, many that I instantly responded to, positively and negatively. Ivy's conceit was obvious, for instance (though of course they were setting up a fall for her in the editing). I also wondered if Casanova might actually be a bit of an idiot--when Project Runway tells you to take a garment out of your bag right before a challenge, wouldn't you assume it's going to be ripped up? Why choose D & G pants? Was he going to be okay with destroying them himself?

We see some changes in the workspace. I'm not sure how I feel about the Touchpads. I was glad to see some designers eschewing them; did anyone notice that the sketches some were doing on the Touchpads seemed, I don't know, soulless? They weren't as human, personable, or beautiful, and in fact struck me as generic. I'm all for advances in technology, but I'm not sure if this is really going to be a good value for some designers. I'm also curious as to how the Mood annex works, and how it was set up. If anyone has seen any discussion of this anywhere, please let me know.

Beyond this, it's business as usual.
AJ--80s goth and tinsel. That's not a bad thing, it just didn't strike me as all that special. Safely wearable, however.
Andy--The shoulders of Andy's garment reminded me of a PhD graduation gown. In fact, the whole cape was like "graduates gone wild." The back of the top was a nice surprise, though.
April--Gracious. Messy in a distracting, Mad Max way. Sometimes deconstructed is just destroyed. While I hated hearing so many of them playing the time card, I am actually interested to see if April is too much into one thing or if she has a bag of tricks ready.
Casanova--Speaking of disaster. This is my WTF dress of the week. It has a beachy quality to it, but when he said it wasn't vulgar, I did a double take. Really? But if you look in his portfolio, you'll see this is kind of par for hiscourse. Funny story--once, my dance friends and I wore Renaissanceish dresses, and M. had one with a jewel at the end of a V bodice. We called it the "pubic zirconia." And, looking at the photo of Casanova's garment, I can't help thinking the same thing. Anyway. I was intrigued with the translations going on with Nina Garcia. That was nice, I thought--but then Casanova's response was so insipid it seemed like he still didn't understand. How bad is his English really, I wonder?
Christopher--I'm not a big fan of halter dresses, which are severely overexposed right now, but I also thought the fabric here looked like drapes. I really didn't care for this look.
Gretchen--I was a little surprised that Gretchen won. I thought her top was a touch too blousy, and the neckline a bit dull, but at the same time I admired the drape and movement of the dress and I liked her little sleeve choice. Someone in the comments of Rate the Runway identified it as sophisticated, and that it was; I think it ultimately won for polish. I was actually glad to see a garment like this win--not short or tawdry, no cleavage, but still feminine.
Ivy--I liked Ivy's blouse; it was too short, yes, and not quite the right shape, but I completely disagreed with Kors' comment about it looking mangled. I enjoyed the structure of those ruffles. The pants though. I never did see the original pants, but I do concur that the pants were not fashion-forward.
Jason--Jason should have gone home. I didn't have a WTF moment with his dress because I could see where he was going from the get-go, and ultimately it just looked like a trash bag. No No NO. I totally agreed with the judges about this garment, but was astounded that they didn't find this criminal enough to oust. And he wasn't even that interesting. I am completely baffled, and I cry foul.
Kristin--I had a hard time seeing Kristin's garment, because her model's walk was crazy. But now, looking at the picture, I still don't understand it. Seriously. Someone explain this garment to me.
McKell--Poor McKell. I think she got kind of blindsided by the judges. When I first saw this garment, I thought it had a cute bottom half, and contrary to her opinion, I thought a fuller skirt was better for so short a garment. When I got a better look at it, I didn't like the denim top, finding the fabric to be cheap- and retro-looking (which was exacerbated by the hair). I thought Heidi overplayed it, though--the dress was not butt-ugly, and I can't really call this a fashion crime. Nor, it seems, can the commenters, and Tim. No one will ever be able to justify the judges' decision to me.
Michael C--Boring is the only thing I wrote on my notes. The pink blousy top and pleather skirt actually seemed kind of tarty to me.
Michael D--If you know anything about me at all, you can probably guess that I liked this satiny, blousy wrap dress in earthy shades. This was actually my favorite garment, though it wasn't as sophisticated as Gretchen's. It looked super comfy, and I would totally wear that.
Mondo--I hated this garment. I can't exactly explain why, and I didn't see what he originally had to work with, but in generaly I just don't like Mondo's aesthetic. It's garish and actually makes me feel unhappy to look at it.
Nicholas--I didn't realize until the judging commenced that the top of the gown was ribbing. That's when I said, "Oh dear." The shape of the gown had glamour, but the whole thing didn't move well and I had a flashback to someone's gown last season. The fit of the bodice was not well-constructed, and it looked a bit like he'd used heavy home decor fabric instead of occasional wear taffeta or whatever.
Peach--I thought this garment was kind of cute and simple, though I also thought there was too much going on with that knot in the back. I am a little concerned about Peach's fabric choices; I can see her going a little too chintzy. Her portfolio shows many cute little dresses, and I also wonder about her range. Her work looks a little homesewn (though since I'm a homesewer, I have a hard time using that as an epithet).
Sarah--I wrote down, "Garage couture." Exactly like an America's Next Top Model mechanic's outfit. Where would a real person wear this? It looked well constructed (and the collar looked like brocade, which I support), but it didn't look like a real person's garment. At the same time, I'm not sure that's an important consideration.
Valerie--I noticed fit issues with Valerie's outfit. It was also garish and rumpled.

As I said, poor McKell. Her dress was not a winner, but I was glad to hear Tim tacitly calling out the judges for their bad decision (unfortunately, mylifetime seems to have gone with video of Tim's critiques rather than having him blog--certainly hope they reconsider that, since his reaction to the judging is always interesting). I did wonder, if Casanova had been ousted, would it not have been his worst day ever, getting cut, and losing his expensive pants? But then, I also thought, anyone who spends over a thousand bucks on pants does NOT need money from PR to make a fashion line (a sentiment echoed by Nick Verreos--I swear I wrote it down first!). That's not a good investment for them. One final note, from Laura Bennett's blog: "Styling is the new sewing."

And while we're at it, let's talk about Austin and Santino--I hope you looked in your TV Guides and decided to DVR this, or stuck around to watch it. This is the type of realilty show I usually hate, except that it's about sewing, and it's more funny than dramatic. This episode was hilarious and involved a mercantile. How can you not love it? The mom's hair alone was worth the whole half hour. Oh, Texas.
Quick--without thinking, tell me who Austin Scarlett reminds me of. Especially with his precious hand gestures at the beginning. I can't figure it out.
I love Santino's laugh, and I have to say he looks well--not so gaunt as he once did.
The family seemed really accepting of the designers, as flamboyant as they are. It was nice to see Austin and Santino being so gracious. The show had a feel-good vibe that I appreciate. Fashionwise, I liked Austin's starter look better; his innovation of the lace combind with the straps was intriguing, and I'd have loved to see that finished look. For Santino's gingham look, well, the top looked messy, too unfinished, and the bottom a bit too poofy. That being said, the girl looked happy, and the dress was event-appropriate. Maybe a little too gimmicky? But appropriate.
I am definitely looking forward to this show, almost more than PR itself. I hope they can keep it up.

Home/Fabric/Spree

It's been a busy couple of days in Avaciousland.

I went home to spend a few days with my folks and go to a wedding. I traveled late at night Thursday, trying to get through a gauntlet of storms. We'd already had tornado sirens in BG, and contrary to usual form, I actually went to watch the clouds, and I distinctly saw some rotation. There was no thunder or lightning, just what my sister compares to The Neverending Story's The Nothing. Swirling black clouds. By the time I left town for Michigan, it had quieted down, and most of my trip was very peaceful in the dark.

At home, I made a few brief shopping trips and hung out with my folks, met the nice student who is working on home repair with my dad, had quite a chat with our neighbor, and sunbathed. I rode in my dad's new aerial lift, and my parents and I watched two railway-related films (through coincidence, not intention) and Sunday's Poirot, which we'd actually all seen before.

On Saturday, we went to my cousin Jim's wedding; it was a nice ceremony, not very long, and then the reception was at the University Club on campus at MSU. We sat at a table with a family with four children, and enjoyed their experience of the party. I made friends with the boy who sat next to me, and he presented me with two of his Silly Bandz, which actually complemented my dress, though I'm sure if I'd told him that he would have taken them right back. Their daughter and I share a first name, so we were instant friends, and there was also a set of twins. The wedding colors were white and red with pink accents, and, best of all, I could eat the dinner--salad, chicken, potatoes, and rolls, in a serving size that allowed one to leave room for cake. The bride and groom were very happy.

I got back in to BG on Monday, and made a decision. I'm a little impulsive sometimes about buying things, but at least this one will help me (maybe): Heretofore, my fabrics have been in boxes, baskets, and even plastic bags. The baskets have been in the closet, which seemed like a good place until I realized I can't see the fabrics, and the baskets are hard to pull out, thus I hardly ever see what I have. Meanwhile, they'd run out of space anyway, and other items pile up around the apartment. So, I bought some Cubeicals shelving units and plan to put the fabric in them, and put a nice drape over the front. This unit will go right out in the apartment, so I can see my fabric whenever I want. The other stuff that has been piling up, but that I don't need to see often, will go in the closet.

The problem with this excellent plan became evident when I pulled out the bottom basket, which is full of fabrics I've used before and smaller scraps. Some of the fabrics I've used I still have a substantial amount of, and some are just little scraps. I'm having to evaluate my system of keeping fabric scraps, and trying to decide what on earth I'd use them for. Some have prints I'm not sure I'd use again. Yet, if it's a silky fabric, it might be nice as a lining for a bag or something. I'm trying to find ways to use up fabric scraps, because it's really hard for me to throw away fabric.

Some fabrics I look at and wonder why I even bought them. One in particular I did actually make a shirt out of, which I wore once and can't bring myself to wear again. As I was looking at it, though, I thought it might be interesting to challenge myself to try to make something sculptural out of it--it's a rather boring and cheap-looking gray knit. I have some ideas about a pencil skirt with horizontally pleated panels.

Anyway, there is fabric absolutely strewn all over the floor in my apartment, waiting to be divided into stacks and refolded to be in uniform chunks. This is going to be a fairly big undertaking, and is keeping me from getting other things done, like reading the giant numbers of books I have strewn about the other apartment! Or actually doing sewing projects.

The funniest part about the trip out to Target to get the shelving was that there is a new TJ Maxx right next to the Target in Rossford. Oops. I stopped in there first and came out with two pairs of shoes and an interesting shawl collar cardigan, the collar of which is actually stand-up pleats that sort of curve to the neck's shape. I tried it on and even with a T-shirt and jeans it looked nice, but it will be great for professional clothes. Then, in Target, I wandered around and picked up a bunch of other bits and pieces. Honestly. Why do I shop so much? What is happening to me?

Slow it down, summer.

As much as I enjoy having the Naiad frock as the first thing you see, I can't leave it there forever.

Couple of things: Ladies and gents, start your fashionable engines. Project Runway starts on Lifetime on July 29 at 9 pm. I can't wait to see what this season's contestants will bring to the table. I hope they aren't as snarky or self-centered as this season's Top Cheftestants. And that goes for the judges, too. Last season's favoring of sound byte insults over constructive and thoughtful critique was a total drag. I want to see clothes, people.

If you're like me, your bosom size has gone up and down over your lifetime, and you may also, like me, have some poor bra choices in your past, bras you never wear and probably never will. I was looking up things to do with gently used or unused bras, and came upon this website: Bra Recyclers. There's a form you have to fill out, but you can ship them any of your clean bras that are in good condition. Consider this a plug to search through your bras and see if there are any a lady who can't afford proper support, or even fun support, might enjoy. Or, if you're feeling the need to give at a bigger level, consider hosting a bra drive. I was also thinking it might be fun to go to one of Victoria's Secrets big semi-annual sales and search through the clearance bins for bras to send. Maybe with a bunch of friends, where everyone picks three bras to send.

Finally, remember my red leather shoes? The awesome ones? Today I bought a trunk that is the same color leather. I've been needing a trunk for a while, to store presents that I buy fairly far in advance. Hobby Lobby always has cool trunks, and as I traipsed through the store, I saw 50 % off signs in that aisle. My eye was immediately captured by the red leather trunk, which I think is new--it wasn't there last week. At the checkout, the girl (who was very sweet) tried to tell me that the trunk, as a furniture item, was 30 % off. They were indeed 30 % off last week, but the blaring red signs said 50 % off decorative storage, and they were in the trunk aisle, which contains nothing BUT trunks. The signs didn't differentiate between "decor" and "furniture." I tried to explain to her, as gently as I could, that this was misleading, and suggested they move the signs, if they don't apply to anything in the aisle, though I acknowledged that I'd buy the trunk regardless because it is awesome. As I hauled the thing into my car I looked at my receipt and saw she'd given me the 50 % off.
I felt a little bad, like I'd bullied her, and I honestly would have bought the trunk full price. I'd tried to be polite about it, and explain why I was convinced they were half off. But I guess that's passive aggressive bullying. Anyway, I love Hobby Lobby, always finding something fun in there, and I'm not sorry I argued about it. I'm still not sure who was right. For all I know, she was mistaken. Regardless, the trunk is delightful.

In the rest of my world, I'm sewing a dress and knitting a sweater, and trying to finish up the seaQuest dvds by tomorrow, when they're due back. I'm not going to be able to finish a book that is due, and I don't think I can renew it. I've just overbooked my leisure activities in an effort to keep busy, even while I have a bunch of ideas in my head I have no time to work through. I just don't seem to be very good at planning my life right now!

The Naiad Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

The Naiad Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

I want this!
I secretly hope it's so unusual that not as many people will post links and I have a better shot of winning!

Morass

I wanted to take a few minutes to air a view that is unfashionable but of deep concern to me. Feel free to skip.
Tom Colicchio, in an interview on CNN about hunger, said this:
"There's a school of thought, this was about fifteen years ago, where kids are the clients coming into the school lunchroom, so let's make this look like a fast food line. That's what they tried to mimic and that's what the kids get. My feeling is yeah, the kids want that, but my seventeen year old will sit in front of the X-Box and not take a shower if I let him. We're adults. We're the ones who should teach the kids what's good to eat. "
This struck me because it is exactly how I feel about a lot of things concerning young people. Food, yes, but also student behavior and education.
In a way, I can compare what Colicchio said to my feelings on underage drinking. I hate, hate, hate it when parents say to their teens, "I don't want you to drink, but I know you'll do it anyway, so...be careful." Parents don't want to be caught out being permissive, but that's exactly what they're doing. They are conveying that they don't really care about the law and they don't actually care if their kids drink. I'd rather my message be clear and unequivocal for my kids: Don't do it. If they disobey me, it's a problem. These parents are making it so the kids can't actually disobey them no matter what they do.
But what really gets me is how the attitude conveyed above reaches our educational system. For instance, universities now are treating students like clients also, and trying to give them bells and whistles because it's what they want. Schools are adopting for themselves a permissive parenting style.
Sure, students are adults, and they deserve SOME of the privileges normally accorded to adults. But the law also views them as restricted adults, adults who do not in fact have ALL the rights and responsibilities of our culture. No drinking, no renting cars, etc. That means that they are still adults that are being nurtured by people with more experience of the world. It's our job to mentor these brand-new adults, and continue to give them discipline and limits as well as benefits and goals.
Colicchio puts his finger on what is beginning to bother me about education, not just at the college level but at all levels. We're trying to cram in all this new gadgetry and trying to make our lessons match the expectations of kids raised on World of Warcraft and reality TV. In essense, we're bringing our teaching to their attention spans, rather than the other way around. Whether it fits our personal teaching style or not, whether it suits the lesson material or not, I have been getting the message, albeit subtly, that kids, our clients, have to have their demands met.
Here's the thing: I don't believe all of this is best for the students. I see some of the changes being made, and I don't agree that all of them are wise. We're giving away our responsibility of determining, as educators, what is best. And when we give that away, we're not going to be able to get it back so easily; we'll lose our credibility to say, "No, that runs counter to what I know will help my students." We're also making the (documented) problems worse by refusing to address them and reverse them.
If students are coming into a university situation with a poor attention span and inability to focus on academic material, it seems wrong to me to sex up my teaching and make it more like this supposed learning style, as opposed to helping this student broaden his spectrum of learning and find the ability to learn in more than one way, in addition to correcting his attention span. I do believe that students learn in different ways, and that we should teach in a variety of methods to bring everybody in. But I also believe that some of the "styles" we are seeing now are actually disabilities, and we should be working to bring students up to par as learners, not just as information holders.
Universities right now are bending over backward to create new initiatives and special programs to bring in the student dollars. I understand the need to make money. I also admire many of these programs--learning communities, for instance. But I also perceive that these initiatives are beginning to crowd out the actual business of learning. If everything is special, nothing is. For now, the majority of classes are still taking place in a simple classroom with pen and paper work, lecturing combined with interaction, and perhaps a computer or two. But that's not the monetary emphasis any longer. Students come in expecting something much different, and they aren't prepared for the prosaic reality--a reality, I might add, that gets results. On the other side of that coin, student expectations are leading to this simpler form of classwork becoming more and more disrespected and replaced by the aforementioned bells and whistles. In effect, we're letting students determine what they should learn and how, rather than taking command as educated adults and researchers and determining that ourselves.
I will be the first to acknowledge that students-as-clients isn't all bad. I also recognize the drift of the economy that has put many schools in market-based binds. It's the trend that alarms me more than anything--that curious something-in-the-air that suggests a direction I can't get behind. The United States continues to fall further behind in education, despite spending more and more per student. It seems logical to me to wonder if we are forgetting about the educatioon part of education. It also makes me wonder if we are keeping students from feeling gratitude that they are even able to get educated at all, but that, the study of entitlement, is a whole other entry.
And I may be wrong; perhaps things will turn out for the best. But right now, I feel like we are letting students tell us our jobs, and that is wrong wrong wrong. Just as the parents are the adults who should be determing what goes in school lunches, so are teachers the adults with the expertise to determine how students should be shaped and how they should learn. It isn't the students' fault. We've given them that power. I think it's time we stop being "permissive educators" and take it back.

All according to (another) plan

I do have one more Twilight entry I want to do, but I've been doing a whole host of other things and haven't had time to get to it.

I'm the type of person who functions best when interested in a variety of somethings all at once. Maybe even mildly obsessed by those things. This is why I do so badly on vacation, and why my solo trips tend to involve a breakneck pace, like three major museums or hotspots in a day. It's not that I can't be quiet, but that my mind prefers to be seriously engaged while I am quiet, even if that isn't very restful. Finally, FINALLY, I got there in the last couple of days. So much so, though, that my well laid-out yesterday did not go at all like I thought it would.

I meant to go to Kroger, Goodwill, home, Ben Franklin, the post office, the library, the farmer's market, possibly Video Spectrum, and home yesterday. I ended up spending more time at Goodwill than I meant to. Then, my trip to Ben Franklin (where I went to buy a length of ribbon and an envelope) ended up in an hour's cavalcade, where I also bought eight skeins of yarn, knitting patterns, and more ribbon. By this time I was considerably laden down, so after my stop at the post office, I went to the farmer's market and the video store, had to go home to drop stuff off, and didn't get to the library until 6. It was a happy mess.

I had to laugh at myself because I'd arranged my carry bags to suit the order of the day, and ended up carrying heavy things I didn't need all day. Oh, well. What mattered more was that I was enjoying the day and keeping busy with good tasks. So what if I bought an apron and a cookie at the market instead of vegetables? So what if I walked out of the library with five books instead of the two I went in for? So what if I didn't actually watch the dvd I rented as I was finishing up my new dress, instead taking in some of my regular TV shows? It was a good day.

The dress I finished, as pictured, is one I'll really enjoy if I can find places to wear it. It is not as shiny as pictured, and neither am I. I had to take, like, 24 pictures with the timer to even come up with this one. I don't photograph well at midnight in my little apartment. My sister is much better at getting good fashion shots of herself.

I wish I could show you what the yarn I got looks like; it's sort of a peachy pink color, very delicate, and I think I found a sweater pattern that will work. I'm not convinced I understand the pattern, and there's part of it I want to change, but I have been planning this project for a while and was awaiting the right yarn and pattern. I'm a slow and unskilled knitter, but I do love yarn much the way I love fabric. If I like it, I'll buy it, regardless of any planned purpose.

I'm also doing quite a bit of research for a few other projects, and so things have been a little frenetic. Just the way I like 'em. Even so, I think I might devote much of this weekend to reading books in my sky chair, if it's not too hot. I'm a little overboard on books, so it seems like I should catch up a bit. I finally started Son of a Witch, for instance, the sequel to Wicked. I've had it since it came out...when I saw that there was a third part at the bookstore, I bought it and realized how far behind I am on Gregory Maguire. I also have a Dick Francis, a Miss Marple, the most recent David Sedaris, the herbal PDR, and three books on writing mysteries. And a Charlaine Harris belonging to my mother. And lots of other books I want to read. If you need me, I'll be with a cup of tea in some nook.

Third Floor:Bridal.

I am officially a little obsessed with this website.
I think I've mentioned this before, but I love the show Say Yes to the Dress. I also love looking at wedding dresses online. I also, at very random times, get great ideas for wedding favors or decorations. It's not at the point where I think wedding planning is my calling, and it's not to the point where, like so many ladies, I am planning my own wedding before I even have a boyfriend.
I just like looking at wedding stuff. The wedding industry, I think, is to some extent a racket--the various stores can charge what they like and do what they like and make mistakes and you have to deal with it because you're getting married. Yet there are a lot of great wedding businesses out there, and a lot of opportunities for DIYers. I find what people do creatively to be fascinating. I don't watch Bridezillas, and I don't watch Platinum Weddings--those aren't the kind of attitudes I want to enjoy. But I have a really soft place in my heart for independent, unique, and...loving wedding creation.
Take my sister's for instance--she made her dress, had a string quartet, and gave everyone chocolates from one of her husband's business associates as the favor. The details in their event spoke of what they are like as people, what their tastes are on an everyday basis--and those tastes are, of course, tasteful.
That's what this site, Ruffled, seems to celebrate. I love the small details that people come up with to make their events memorable, and I like the feelings of inspiration that gives me, even if I don't have an event myself.
Also, if I must be honest...I like how girly it makes me feel!

Today's Huh? Moment.

From CNN's article on energizing:
"9. To find the juice to de-clutter your surroundings: Picture a tidy space
Clutter is a great big drag on your energy -- and not just because of all the stuff taking up space. "So much of what ends up as clutter are tasks that we haven't finished or obligations we haven't been able to meet," says professional organizer Emily Wilska, founder of San Francisco--based The Organized Life. "Who wants to be in a space where there are constant reminders of things you should be doing or aspiring to?"
Wilska suggests mind-mapping to get motivated: Clip pictures from magazines and write down snippets or words that describe your goal -- "I want an organized living room so I can invite my girlfriends over for our book club." Then post them on the fridge, the bathroom mirror, or on your computer desktop as a reminder of where you're headed."

Um. Did this not just contradict itself completely?
Nothing will remind me faster that there are things I should be doing or aspiring to than pictures from a magazine of perfect rooms, with "goals" written on them. Who indeed wants to be in a space with constant reminders strewn about, especially if they are unrealistic reminders designed to nag? I know that I can learn to make lace from my lace bobbin kit sitting by my couch. I know that I can't have an immaculate living room with pretentious furniture and knick-knacks with no personality--and I wouldn't want to.
I admit I am a person with clutter. Lots of it. I have always lived in small spaces--small, boxlike bedroom, including storage of things that aren't mine; single dorm room with community bathroom across the hall; efficiency apartment. I also have a lot of stuff; I have a lot of clothes, but it also seems like I have more than I do because my closet is miniscule. When things are stressful, I have trouble keeping my spaces tidy, and I only really notice this when people come to visit.
I like my clutter. I like hidden storage, and I like for things to have a place, but I don't mind when my books aren't lined up straight, or when I have clothes to put away. Recently I've found that I like the look of a (halfassedly) made bed, even if I am not that keen on sleeping with my sheets and blankets that way, but that is one of few concessions to tidiness. I would like more space, but I'm not going crazy in my small, cluttered space with projects all over.
It's my stuff. I like it where it is.

I love Sofft

I interrupt this Twilight discussion to bring you my new shoe purchase.

I've mentioned before that I love Sofft, having fallen head over heels (though fortunately not literally) over my red T-straps. I noticed Dillard's had a few pairs of Soffts out on its 70 % off racks, and went searching in my size. Sure enough.

I did not hesitate. Not one second. I dropped my bags, untied my sandals, and made sure they fit, and then bought them. What a steal! They are black, as you can see, with a floral design stamped in the sides. They look best with jeans, though I am currently wearing them, as a test drive, with a long black skirt. I don't usually wear clogs because I turn my ankles in them (as I do with wedges, but not normal high heels), but these have a semi-normal heel, which makes all the difference. Hearts.

I had quite a shopping day Tuesday at Franklin Park. Having just gotten out my summer wardrobe, I was well aware that I didn't need more clothes. I unconsciously decided instead to look for accessories, which I hardly ever do. My sister is much better at that than I, and more discerning. But along the way, I picked up a cute clutch, some rings and a bracelet, and some other odds and ends. It was a smashing success. And these days, you can bring beverages into stores, so I wandered around with a cup of chai. Decadence.

I also had a weird moment as I was leaving Dillard's. I NEVER pay attention to the designer sections in department stores. I can't afford the stuff, even if it is excellent quality. But the Antonio Melani section is now right near the restroom, and my attention was arrested by this dress and this one. I'm not sure why--they seemed fun, and were a beautiful pale gold color. Ladylike and unobtrusively glamorous. I managed to escape before any salespeople found me and tried to influence me, because it wouldn't have taken much. Sometimes I tell myself, "I could make that," even if it isn't true!

Twilight, pt. 2

On a similar note to the partnering similarities, I was also struck by the sexual tension of closeness in Twilight. Sexual tension in itself is alluring; we often bemoan that moment in our favorite novels and TV shows when that thread between our favorite characters is suddenly and irrevocably loose, after it has been taut for aching ages.

But in Twilight, that taut thread isn’t just a smoldering substory, it’s almost the entire point. (In fact, this cause for Twilight’s success makes me tentative about reading the other stories, because I’ve read spoilers and plots that indicate it’s not such a theme.) This is about physicality, and it’s one for those with strong empathy.

Most of Twilight (as it seemed to me while I listened) took place in that tiny space between barely touching and touching, that breathless gap. In fact, fixating so closely on breath is in itself a good sensory trigger, since any indication of airlessness is immediately felt—you know how when you think about breathing you suddenly feel like you can’t breathe enough? That is Twilight. Consider all the mentions of smell, for instance, or forgetting to breathe. While a lot of the descriptions of smell were clunky, they at least maintain the connection to air, and the reader’s sensory memory of it.

Physical nearness, not quite touching, but close enough to raise hairs, plays a bigger role. A reader is better able to “feel” this than actual touching in a story. Touching is very specific to individuals, and harder to feel through empathy. We may not have been touched in the same way; we may not be able to relate to the touch being experienced, the textures and pressure of it. But if the characters in a story are NOT touching it’s easy to feel because, after all, the reader isn’t being touched either. It’s much easier to imagine almost being touched. It works for the same reason suspense in a horror film does—we are more afraid when the character can’t see the monster yet, because if there is an ax murderer near us, we can’t see him either. It’s the pressure of absence that builds up. I am in the camp that loves the torture of almost-there almost as much—and sometimes more—than the there.

Actually, I think this is part of the reason why the book appeals so much to women in my age group. Not many of us take the time to almost touch anymore with our significant others. We don’t take the time to torture each other with not touching or barely touching, to let our breath be taken away by it for ages. Edward running his nose along Bella’s jawline is particularly evocative to us because we can remember that painfully delicious moment when someone did that to us, and many of us miss it, at least at that extreme, extended level. The idea of women needing more foreplay than men is an old joke, but it is not so much about foreplay here as the enjoyment of the physical responses we get out of torturous nearness. It’s drawing out the “turning on” and making it the focus, making it never stop.

As I listened to the audio book, I found myself shaking my head and chuckling out loud at some of the descriptions (the reasons for which I’ll explain later). Yet I can’t deny I had a physical response to Twilight. I have a very strong empathetic memory, and as I mentioned I’m partial to the torture of touch and almost-touch. In that regard, at least, Twilight worked on me!

Twilight, pt. 1

As the school year ended, it was time to get back into the sewing room, which meant I needed an audio book. It so happened that I discovered Twilight on the shelf at the local library; I hadn’t read it yet, and was meaning to, so it seemed like an obvious fit. Half of my friends are obsessed with Twilight, and another quarter of them have read it, so I’m really the last to the table here, I know. I prefer that, in some ways, since enough time has passed that their impressions have faded out of my memory.

In our 1100/1110 courses, we teach a “Searching for Causes” essay—trying to uncover the best cause of a trend or phenomenon. One of my friends actually teaches the essay through the lens of Twilight’s popularity. The students don’t always believe that this is a real process people go through, but I had to laugh as I was listening to this book and, in my head, uncovering reasons that people are obsessed with this book, especially women of my age bracket.

Let me say that I’m not obsessed with it; I enjoyed the experience, and I will likely pursue the other audio books when they’re available (they’re all checked out at present). Still, I am not sure if I will see the movie or not, and I don’t feel compelled to buy anything. I’m not caught up in it as I was with, say, Harry Potter. At the same time, I can understand the allure from many perspectives, and as I said, I found enjoyment. I also experienced several other things at the same time this was going on that dovetailed with my Twilight foray. So, these next few blog entries are my reflections on Twilight.

As I was patchworking turtles together, examining my reactions to the book in progress, I realized that part of the attraction is the same reason why I like dance partnering.

No—really. I’ve written about this before. Partnering is the biggest demonstration of trust that I’ve experienced to date, requiring as it does being lifted into the air, perhaps tossed, perhaps flipped upside down. There is weight sharing and touching, often in places that otherwise would be completely inappropriate. It’s a fantasy, a confection. You aren’t really in love with your dance partner (probably), but you frequently pretend you are, and you are certainly in love with being picked up, embraced, touched, made to feel precious, airy, and even protected (those arms, after all, often the only thing that keeps your head from smashing into the floor). Of course, the reality is that partnering is difficult, requiring intense strength, control, and balance, and it isn’t as romantic in its beginning stages. But once everything is smoothed out, the fantasy is there.



I was reflecting on this recently while I was watching my favorite dance piece probably ever. Jiri Kylian’s piece Petit Mort is perfect: Simple in costume and staging, complex in musicality and arrangement of the body. When I see it, I stop what I am doing and stare. He uses the piano music to its best effect, eking out every nuance. And it is romantic. Title notwithstanding, the partnering in this piece is silky and sensuous. It is everything partnering should be; it also gives the man body positioning just as beautiful as the woman’s, which is rare. Usually in romantic ballets, the man is a set piece. Not so in Kylian’s work. He cradles and supports, but also makes his own body into an instrument of action and thus the bodies are a shape together, incalmo, as the Italian glassmakers say.

The shapes and the touching of Petit Mort were present in my mind as I listened to Twilight. In both, there is an evocation of closeness and breath that makes me sigh out of instinct. I am not saying that they are of equal quality—Petit Mort is genius and Twilight is merely entertaining. But the fantasy of Twlight is, after all, two bodies impelled through space, each compelling the other, just as the fantasy with Petit Mort is being a partner in that intricate rendering of sexuality through dance, being lifted physically and spiritually, and made utterly precious.

The Oh Dear Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

The Oh Dear Frock Grosgrain Giveaway
Cuteness! I got on to this blog via another friend, and I love popping in to see what frocks are appearing. I also love that they are identified as frocks!

You ever have one of those experiences where you've been thinking deeply about something for a while, and have come to a realization, and then you read that very same realization someplace else?

From CNN: "Consider a choice you have to make -- anything from which movie to see to which house to buy. Instead of weighing pros and cons intellectually, notice your physical response to each option. Pay attention to when your body tenses or relaxes."

I've been feeling a huge sense of dissatisfaction lately. I don't know how much of this is chemical and how much mental...how much health-related and how much life-related, in other words. But I have been trying to think about what would make it better, what direction I should go in. I've noticed that, while many ideas have flitted through my brain, nothing sounds good or right. I don't want to do anything somehow. I haven't hit on the right idea. And I can tell, I realized, because I get a feeling of "no" in the pit of my stomach, a sort of revolt, whenever an idea comes up, no matter how great it looks on the surface. I know part of it is just exhaustion and burn-out, but not all.

For instance, I was considering doing an online library studies masters. I was doing research in the programs available online, and I just felt depressed about it. I would love to work in a library, amidst the books I love, but doing so via one of these programs is just not striking me correctly. I don't know why. It seems like such a no-brainer. But my gut says no.

So, when I read that on CNN today, I had to laugh, because as much as I'm a pro-con lister, I have been focusing on my intuition lately to try to solve this problem. Consider my mind read.

PR: In which I was fully prepared to say "NO NO NO" and didn't have to.

First, from Tim's blog, I learned, "This is the last season in which Bryant Park will be center stage for New York Fashion Week. In spite of the fact that Bryant Park has been responsible for branding New York as "the Fashion Capital of the World," the New York City Parks Commissioner wants us OUT. His office maintains that Bryant Park is a public space, yet Fashion Week is an "invitation only" (i.e., private) event." Probably, most people knew this already, but I didn't, since I don't pay that much attention. Anyway, an interesting change, no? Evidently, Lincoln Center is the new site.

Now, throughout this whole show, I kept thinking "Don't let Emilio win." I am not usually like that; even when I don't care for a designer, and might feel less inclined to want him to win (like Siriano), I don't actively hate on him. This year was different. I'm just that done with him. I've liked some of his designs this season, but I'm just done with his arrogance. Even so, his collection was also my least favorite of the three, without the lenses of bias. And, unexpectedly, my favorite of the three was Mila. Let's see how it all shook out, shall we?

Mila
Top three looks:
Knit stripey dress--I love. I'd totally wear this. Very rocker chic but not in a scary way. It looks kind of cozy.
White tee with sweater--Some may call it plain, mundane, or boring, but the fact of the matter is I'd wear it. I love that sweater. It's very me.
Shiny dress--I know people disagree with me, but I really liked this dress on the runway. It's weird, but somehow the fishscalelike material really appeals to me. It's almost an updated flapper garment.
Bottom three looks:
"Round" coat--the first look out...I call it round because its silhouette is very round. I wasn't that interested in this garment, and it made me worry about the direction of her collection, temporarily.
Ripply blouson with short pants--The shorts were really not attractive to my eye. The blouson wasn't bad, actually, but it also wasn't that eye-catching.
Striped tunic with white tights--I don't hate this look; I didn't hate any looks, but the white tights here with the black boots really threw me off, and the tunic looked a touch sloppy.

General observations: I acknowledge that Mila didn't put out anything very surprising. You know what, though? I'm okay with that. Leggings aside, I actually liked the way she updated her style for this runway show, and her pieces were impeccable and wearable, with a wry edge to them. I had a hard time coming up with pieces I genuinely disliked in this collection, and ended up picking mostly ones that I was meh about. Her clothes looked comfortable, and I responded to this style as being the closest to my own, when I'm feeling a little badass. I congratulate Mila on finding some youth at last.

Seth Aaron
Top three looks:
Red dress with the leather trim--I was interested in the shape of the dress, but I hated the leggings. I'm pretty anti-leggings. I think I've mentioned that. But the dress was fun to look at.
Black and white striped dress--I loved the shape of this dress, and the party flavor. I would wear this immediately.
Yellow tartan dress/coat--This look was bold and surprising in a good way. I could never wear this color, but I liked the combination of a modern style with a tartan.
Bottom three looks:
Black "thorny" dress--To me, this looked like trash bags. In the upclose pictures, you can see that all those folds were lined in red tartan. But why? You couldn't see any of that. Up top, the bodice started doing something interesting, but I didn't care for it from the bust down.
Trench coat with tartan-striped leggings--Yuck. This was probably my least favorite look of SA's, and one of the least favorite overall. I can't bear those leggings. They kind of reminded me of Jeffrey Sebelia's taste.
Purple bunchy dress-- Another big miss. Love the color, hate the shape and the movement, or lack thereof.
General observations: I concurred with the judges that it was refreshing to see Seth Aaron reel it in without losing himself. Not all of his looks were tasteful, but they all had his distinctive stamp without being unwearable, as his clothes sometimes are. I think he proved to the judges that he can be realistic; at the same time, I hope he learned from and remembers Tim's advice from his home visit. Time to reflect is crucial. Seth Aaron sometimes doesn't give himself that time; he just churns work out. Sometimes that is great, and impulsiveness can help a designer, but other times it might prevent something bigger and more amazing from emerging. Impulse shouldn't stand in the way of evolution, and I think because Seth Aaron is so fast sometimes that happens with his work. He's won a lot of fans this season, though, so I bet he does well.

Emilio
Top three looks:
Red dress--Obviously, I'm a sucker for a red dress. It was very forties, even with the shoulder treatment.
Blue wrap coat--I like the kimonoesque styling of the coat. It looked a little Target to me, but I'd wear it. There's nothing wrong with Target.
Red turtleneck with blue sleeves--I liked the simple color blocking here, and it was a wearable garment without pretension or distraction. Probably my favorite of Emilio's pieces.
Bottom three looks:
Pea green coat--This was the first thing out, and I just could not get behind it. I noticed that a lot of looks seemed as though they had rounded shoulder pads underneath, and I can't stand that. It was paired with a dress the shape of which I liked, but I really don't care for his selfmade print. It looks from afar like an oddly colored animal print, which looked tacky.
Hideous dress under the red coat-- The red coat was cute, but then the model took it off and there was that ugly print with a bizarre pea green leather bottom or whatever it was. The dress looked tawdry.
Dark brown-green skirt and jacket with the puffed sleeves--Kind of reminded me of the snake people. The red gloves looked like dish gloves.
General observations: The judges commented on Emilio's sudden commercialness--they clearly didn't remember all those really simply shaped dresses he made in the beginning. They also called his collection at one point the most sophisticated, and I almost choked. That is not the adjective I would have selected. I was also interested that Kors was so excited about the gold dress--gold lame'? Really? It wasn't ugly by any stretch, but to me it looked a bit like a sci-fi costume. In sum, I was not impressed with this collection, and would have been disappointed had Emilio been my favorite. Since he was not, I prayed for him to lose.

I don't know if anyone stuck around to watch the half hour designer/model sit-down. Recently, my sister commented that PR on Lifetime gears toward viewers who want "lots of dramatic staring, sniping, and breathless suspense." That was sort of the whole point of the extra half hour. It was a lot of sniping and "apologizing." The dramatic pause for a commerical before Maya's dramatic "real" reason she left the show--the very same reason she explained while she was on the show--was ridiculous. More realistically dramatic was Jay's personal comments about Cerri (bad teeth and thick legs), provoked by her personal dislike of his style. Her comments weren't nice, to be sure, but his were below the belt and childish. He did not do himself any favors.

Well, that's all from me. Another season down.

PR: Home

It's true that I'm kind of a sucker for kids making up. I, for one, was happy to see Jay and Mila have a conversation and realize that, really, each is not as bad as the other thought. You get in pressure cookers sometimes, and you get on people's nerves, and you forget that your peers are human beings with feelings that deserve respect. It's good to remember and get rid of the negativity. Now if only Emilio could come down out of his little aerie and realize this also...
Speaking of Emilio, I read Tim's blog (eventually--my computer hates his blog's inability to load embedded videos), and I was pretty amazed at his overt animosity to Emilio. He can't stand the guy. Knowing the usual poise of Tim, to see cracks in the facade of this magnitude is really startling. He actually insists that the editing has been kind to him and Emilio. It makes me wonder how bad Emilio really is!
Moving on...I'm never that interested in the home visits. I watch them, but I don't especially find them illuminating. I confess I don't really have a lot of curiosity about the designers' lives. I could stand to see more critique of the fashions themselves; that being said, I was also surprised about how negative Tim was this year. Perhaps it's the editing, but he barely had any good things to say about anyone's collection. I didn't see any encouragement or positive reinforcement. Certainly there is need sometimes for exhortation, for upheaval, but at the same time, wouldn't you want to know what you were doing well, were you in the designers' shoes? It reminded me of my first workshop with Diane Wakoski, who is known as something of a bear in the classroom. My poem was dissected first, which meant it was the best of the day, but I also couldn't figure out why it was first, from what was said. I actually emailed her to ask her what the positives were, so I didn't destroy what was actually working. She thought I was challenging her authority, but really I just wanted to know, since I was a beginner! I kind of felt for the designers along the same lines.
Regarding Jay and Mila, I was ambivalent. I liked Jay's leather greaves and liked the silver top he made, which I would totally wear. I also liked the youth of his looks. However, I think Mila represents a perspective that is different from the other designers. I know people don't like her, but she seems really ready to put her design know-how to the test in making clothes as a business. I think that's why she ultimately got taken over Jay.
And, looking at their full collections side by side (if you'd care to do so), I think Mila was able to insert some young, punk edge to some of her looks, which shows a side of her we haven't seen yet. Interestingly, while her collection is mostly black and white, with some purple, Jay's is mostly gray, with some red, so the color argument is off the table for me. (Honestly, with all the black Siriano put together and won with, I don't know why they even care.)
Anyway, as I said several weeks ago, I do look foward to seeing the clothes on the runway, which often changes my mind about them, depending on the fluidity of the garments. We shall see!

PR: Circus Circus

Are you familiar with Xuxa? You should be--because most of the outfits put out on PR last night looked very much like what Xuxa would have worn during her kids' show here in the States in the 90s. Xuxa is a former Brazilian model-turned singer and kids' star. On her kids' shows, she's known for bright and wacky outfits, often including exaggerated coats. Thus, during the runway show last night, I was mightily distracted by thoughts that I was seeing repeats of things I'd seen in the early 90s as I was getting ready for school.

I also thought last night offered an interesting opportunity for psychological analysis. The designers were shown a variety of acts, yet four of them chose to fixate on the ringmaster. I couldn't help wondering if that was an expression of narcissism. They all chose the figure with a voice, the figure that controls everything. It seemed like they were all identifying themselves with that ringmaster. At the same time, it struck me as an uncreative choice: A dominant figure, with a fairly obvious choice of wardrobe, one that wouldn't require any effort to make into actual fashion, because everyone already wears coats. And yet, in my viewpoint most of them failed miserably.

Anthony: Anthony sure does love his flowy dresses, eh? Ordinarily I love a flowy dress, but I was disappointed in what Anthony turned out this week. I really didn't care for that sort of winged shoulder, and I spotted some hemming issues. The dress didn't look well made. I was excited that he chose something other than a coat to make, but I couldn't get behind such a floppy look. I was not surprised when Anthony was cut.
Emilio: How annoying. Emilio, one of the designers I now can't stand, put out the only outfit I actually liked this week. He took his inspiration and made a new creature out of it, which was the point of the challenge. I really liked that bodice on his dress and, for once, it wasn't too small. I did not care for the back of the look, which looked a bit like a circus tent bag, but I liked the shape and movement of the dress as a whole and he styled this model (the one who is usually overly made up) well. It was a look that was balanced. (Interestingly, Chris March hated this look with equal passion to my hatred of some others. Carol Hannah liked it. I can't get Tim's Take to work to tell you how he feels.)
Jay: I was glad that, for once, he was busted for making one standout piece and the rest just regular garments. Especially because, once again, he made pants in a shape I dislike. All in all I got more lion tamer than ringmaster out of this garment, and I thought the jacket too exaggerated. The placards were too big and it kind of reminded me of a dance costume for the Rockettes or the Nutcracker. Small fixes could have made this wearable (a darker color, less obvious placards and buttons), but I'm not sure I'd want to.
Mila: My mother and sister and I have been heard to lament each spring the arrival of lime green and hot pink as the only colors available in some clothing stores, and that's what I thought of when I saw this look. It takes skill to make a coat of this type, to be sure, but the look all together was hideous. Were those pink stretch pants? I want to like Mila, as the only female representative left, but even given the circus inspiration I couldn't get behind this.
Seth Aaron: SA committed one of my cardinal rules of fashion--in a wearable garment challenge, don't make things no woman ever would wear. My friends, I give you the impossible sleeves. A couple of designers have made sleeves like this before, and I HATE it. I mean, I literally detest it. It reminded me of the film Beetlejuice, when his arms stretch out to grab people. Seth Aaron has big ideas and usually impeccable creation skills, but when I see particularly the back of this look, which looks like a striped puffy parka somehow, my eyes want to scream. Too costumey by far.

In order to survive, Project Runway is going to have to come up with some way to ameliorate what seems to be the last-challenge blahs. In most previous seasons, they've had the same problem--the designers are so tired and so deprived of the outside world, they're pretty tapped out by the end and we end up getting either ridiculous or boring designs that speak well for nobody. Even giving the designers two days and 300 bucks for this challenge didn't help. When nearly everyone in every season is having the same problem, it's time to shake things up.

PR: Weirdest. Episode. Ever.

I allowed myself to watch (or semi-watch) Project Runway last night, since I was doing pretty well with essays, and I did a few short ones during commerical breaks. It's surprising that I got anything done, given the madness that ensued. It's like everything went crazy in one episode, and the producers just shrugged and said, "What else can we do to weird everyone out?"

First, I want to speak up in defense of Maya. I'm sure a lot of people will be down on her for abandoning her dream, giving up ("Quitters never win!" Thanks, Emilio.), not having enough self-confidence, whatever. Sure, many of us may have acted differently or made a different decision. But I think I know how she feels. I have been looking around at job listings lately, seeing what's out there, and I see lots of jobs that are interesting, and at which I might do very well, but for which I know I am completely unqualified without further training. This made me feel for her. Maya made a choice based on her growing knowledge of the industry that she learned she wasn't ready for. I can't fault her for that. She really could have gotten to Fashion Week. Maybe she wouldn't win, but she might have gotten all kinds of offers and accolades...and then what? If she wasn't ready, she might have had a meltdown and destroyed her career another way. I admire that she knows her limits, and refused to give in to pressure not to recognize them, even if she was one of my favorites. We all have to make our own way.

On another note, I have to pat myself on the back. I'm not that great at predicting what will happen in TV shows, but I totally knew the "red carpet client" was Heidi. Maybe that's not such a big deal, but the fact that I knew it last week during previews made me feel special when she popped in the door. For once, I got it right.

Here's something about the challenge, though--did anyone catch them actually saying which red carpet it was going to be? I didn't hear it, and I thought that would really change the challenge. Neither did anyone actually say which carpet they were designing for, which I thought was weird. That actually weirded me out more than many of the other blips. It was like we were missing a crucial anchor.

On to the fashion. I was disappointed that so few designers seemed to understand this challenge, or care about its parameters, though as I said, knowing what type of red carpet was meant might have been helpful. On the other hand, it made it easy to split up top and bottom designers:

Anthony: Anthony returns, and spins out a pretty nice dress. I liked the simplicity of it, and the drape, which, while it can look sloppy, was understated enough up top to be merely glamorous. That sort of drape is actually pretty popular, and coincidentally (since no one knew Jessica Alba would be on and be producing a co-win situation) in keeping with Jessica Alba's style. It wasn't, perhaps, chic enough for the Oscars, but it would be suitable for the Globes, I should think, or something similar.
Emilio: I used to like Emilio, and now I can't stand him. I didn't want to like his dress this week, but I have to admit it was well constructed. I think it might be a little dark for Heidi, but it was svelte, which is certainly appropriate. It also had the structure to be red carpet at a high level--you know those dresses are often built like wedding dresses, with a lot of hidden understructure. Emilio had the know-how to produce such a structure. This was my number 2 look this week. I preferred the winsomeness of Anthony's design.
Jay: Huh? Grammys maybe, or Kid's Choice awards. I thought it was awfully rich of the judges to comment on the shortness of Jonathan's design and not the tiny bust and shortness of Jay's. Whatever. It was too short and the bust was too tiny. The treatment of the textiles was pretty, but this is not a red carpet look. Also, Jay said he wanted to use color this time, and yet he chose gray and taupe and beige. It wasn't a bad dress, it just didn't seem to fit the challenge.
Jonathan: As much as I stick up for Jonathan, I have to say it--trainwreck. I didn't really like most elements of any of Jonathan's three dresses, and the main color of the final dress...that drab sort of dingy beige or whatever it is...was awful. It was pretty clear that he lost his way, that the confusion of responding to the judges got to him. I feel bad, because I think he has some good ideas, but he's very much in and out--sometimes bang on the money, sometimes trying to use Martian money. I'll miss him, though.
Mila: Another huh? moment. This looks like the kind of dress girls wore to the Winter Ball at my school, or even Homecoming--it's not as big a deal as prom, and all classes can go; you don't spend as much money on the dresses, they aren't as well constructed, and short, sportier ones are more popular. The textiles had potential, and it's a wearable dress, but not for a celebrity at a red carpet event. This was a bottom two look.
Seth Aaron: Someone on the web comments totally agreed with me--loved the back, hated the front. The back was nicely draped and pretty. The front looked bunchy and ill-fitting in the top. It didn't have a nice shape for the bust area. It's another wearable dress, more "expensive" than Mila's, but I still can't see it on the red carpet. Seth Aaron usually does a good job adapting his aesthetic to the task at hand, but it didn't work out this week. He didn't go far enough.

That's all this week. Next week, the final 4.