Project Runway gets it right (for a change) - WTF?

Ashley Nell Tipton (cast in this season's role of 'underdog') took home the top prize in Project Runway's Season 14 finale, and for once, the judges made the right decision.  They crowned the contestant with the least amount of attitude, cattiness and bitchiness, as they have in the past (i.e. Jeffrey, Christian, Gretchen, Irina).  For a refreshing change, none of the last four contestants had attitude problems.  No backstabbing, name-calling, or mean-spiritedness. 

The award could easily have gone to Kelly Dempsey (in the role of 'quirky girl'), Candace Cuoco (in the role of 'goth chick') or uber-sexy Edmund Newton (in the role of 'macho straight guy'), all of whom maintained a comfortable level of professionalism.  They concentrated on their craft instead of ripping apart one another. 

The win vindicates Ashley since her fellow contestants never gave her the credit she deserved.  After winning two challenges, she was the last one picked for the team challenge.  Heidi scolded them for that.  When asked during another challenge, all of the ones on the chopping block said Ashley should be eliminated.  When the judges were paring four down to three, they asked the contestants who should go to Fashion Week with them.  None of them chose Ashley.

Ashley had challenges on the runway last night that other contestants did not have to face - her models had breasts. Few of the other runway models had any curves at all.

Project Runway Season 14, Episode 7 - WTF?

Project Runway lost designer Jake Wall last night but not by elimination.  His beloved pet was ill and needed his immediate attention, so we can wish him well because so many of us have lost our cherished animals. A competition, even as one as coveted as this, is no match for being with a loved one at a critical time.

That didn't stop the judges from sending home the wrong person, for the unconventional materials challenge. Last night, the contestants had to choose electronic leftovers, such as PCB's, cameras, wiring, computers etc. for their fabric. 

For once I'm in partial agreement with the judges that they made the right choice for the winner: Kelly Dempsey, cast in the role of the quirky girl, previously played by Carrie Sleutskaya (Season 13), Miranda Levy (Season 12), Louise Black (Season 6) and so on.  Her dress looked amazing.

Ashley Nell keeps wowing the judges but came up the bride's maid again.

In the end, it was Designer/Bear Joe Poli sent home for a dress not nearly as hideous as Swapnil's:

 

WTF?

Project Runway - Episode 6 - WTF?

I may be as clueless as Designer Blake…wait a minute.  I take that back.  No one is as clueless as Designer Blake Patterson (Project Runway’s Season 14 version of Christian Sirriano and Mondo) but Heidi and company seemed to take leave of their taste levels and award the designer with the ugliest outfit.  Designer Merline Labissiere designed lingerie with black straps going every which way, no symmetry, and her model didn’t even look happy wearing it. 

 

 

 

That mess was favored over Designer Ashley’s much cuter and sexier lavender set.  Ashley’s model looked sexy and she knew it.  Ashley seems to be in a dead heat with Designer Edmond to be this year's overall winner.

I’m not one to say what’s sexy on a woman but at least I know where and what lady parts are, unlike Blake.  The judges did do it right and send him home last night.

Project Runway - WTF?

Only four episodes into the 14th season of Project Runway and already I'm asking WTF?  Last night's "iconic" dress episode challenged designers to take one of the many iconic looks and make it their own.  Tim mentioned the pencil skirt and the wrap dress as examples. 

So what the hell is this?  Designer Blake Patterson got the different meanings of 'drag' confused, and designed the iconic National Hot Rod Association's drag chute dress.  I'm sure many women love dresses that look like they're pulling a parachute behind them. 

Usually Nina Garcia rips a designer to shreds for poor construction, but this time, she acknowledged the construction was subpar and said it didn't matter. 

A pity, since most of the other designs were well-constructed and more beautiful.  Perhaps under those bright runway lights, some fabrics emit hallucinogens? 

Project Runway Wall of Weird

In the TV series "Smallville", the editor of the high school newspaper Chloe had a huge bulletin board where she posted all the weird things that had happened in Smallville since the meteor shower (Spoiler alert:  The meteor shower was fragments of the planet Krypton that came to Earth the same time as Superman's spaceship).  The season of Project Runway, they seem to constructing their own Wall of Weird.  I'm no expert on fashion but it seems they choose the ugliest (or one of the ugliest) designs each week.

Check out Amanda Valentine's fringe-crazy winning design.  Based on their past record, I expected them to go for Sean Kelly's disaster, which resembles Sandhya's first win.

Project Warehouse 13

Project Runway, Season 13 continues its weirdest season yet.  Designer Sandhya racked up her second win, only because she escaped elimination last week because of her immunity.  This week, the designers were challenged to create a look that could appear on the cover of Marie Claire magazine in the year 2034.

This is the winning design.  So in the future, women will be wearing shifts with pockets?  She looks like Queen Amidala in her underwear, after putting on make-up and before the wig. One of the runner-ups, Kristine put an ugly, quilted blanket over a mini-skirt with combat boots.  If this is the future of fashion, may heaven help us.

Project Runway Weird Season 13

The number 13, since the Templar Knights were betrayed on Friday the 13th, has been regarded as unlucky or having negative connotations.  That seems to be the case with the thirteenth season of Project Runway.  When designer Carrie Sleutskaya got eliminated last night, she said between tears she was confused, frustrated, and baffled by her losing design and by the winning one.  Everyone was surprised by designer Sandhya Garg's win last week. I have to admit I'm confused, too, by the winning dresses, if I can call them that.  

 Dishcloth material?

This is fashion?  It looks more like a 6th grade Arts and Crafts project.

I've never had an eye for fashion and I thought Project Runway would give me an insight to that world, but now I have no idea what fashion is.  Maybe tacky is 'in'?