Friday, November 30, 2007 by
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We have to say, this design is growing on us. So much so that we're prepared to go along with what seems to be the majority opinion that this outfit should have won.
Let's get one thing out of the way right off: that is some wonky tailoring going on there in the jacket. The pants seem to fit very well, but that jacket looks hung-up-wet to us.
Let's talk about Kit for a second, since we haven't really said much about her. As we all know, first impressions mean a lot and our first impression wasn't kind. We took one look at her Baby Jane drag and assumed that she'd be a bitch and an untalented one at that.
Hey, we have opinions. It's why you love us.
But so far, she's been fairly low-key and professional throughout the competition and we thought it was cute how well she got along with her adorable model. We reserve the right to say we were right all along about her potential bitchiness because that can change at any time, but untalented? No way.
She's got the goods to go to the end of this thing. She has that all-important "point of view," she has technical skills, she can style a look and she can - wonder of wonders - blend the innovative with the classic.
A fleece sports coat - even if the tailoring's not so great - is such a fantastic idea that we're a little blown away by it. We can't help but applaud her attempt to do something appropriate for the client's rather conservative needs, while also providing a look with a little twist.
The only difference between her shirt and Jack's is that Jack apparently used all the starch alloted to the designers. It's "just" a shirt, but it looks like it's put together well and unlike the fabric Jack used, it's telegenic. Of course it's almost exactly the shirt Tiki was wearing when he met them, but how far can you go in shirt designs for TV personalities?
Seriously, we're not sure why her presentation is so sloppy-looking but if she could have cleaned things up a bit, we think she could have easily walked away with the win on this one.
And PUT BELTS ON THESE GUYS, DESIGNERS. Seriously, was Tim asleep when he walked Ginny Barber through the room? He should have been all over the beltlessness going on this week. Bluefly does sell belts, right?
[Photo: Bravotv.com - Screencaps: Project RunGay]
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64 comments:
The mere fact that her shirt appeared to be a shirt and her trousers fit well should have made her a winner over the others, including Jack. Add on the fleece blazer and it seems like a lock. Tim Gunn did warn us that there was some messed-up judging this season....
I thought she was going to win, given Tiki's comments. And I think that had she spent a little time with the iron, her shirt would have been just as crisp looking as Jack's.
I loved the idea of a navy fleece jacket so much, I wish I had one. Tailored properly, I think that would be a big seller for men and women.
I like the idea of the fleece jacket more than the execution. In the end it really looks sloppy.
That model is GOWAGEUS!!!
Sorry guys, but a fleece sportcoat is not all that innovative. I had a fleece blazer in the early 90's from Liz Claiborne. It was tailered like a suit jacket but stretchy and comfy. I wish I still had it! Also, I am so sick of khaki pants and blue shirts/jackets. It looks like the lazy man's uniform. However, I do think Kit was more successful than most of the designers in construction and fit.
I couldn't figure out why this one didn't win simply because it sounded like Tiki liked it best - plus, it was a complete look (and you'd never see a Today Show host wearing a shirt with no jacket).
But the thing that perplexed me the most with this challenge (with practically everyone) was the lack of COLOR. Tiki said that he wasn't afraid of color and yet everyone was so conservative in their color choices.
The designers this season seem to be color challenged.
--Gotham Tomato
Uncle Nick got kicked off partly because he didn't give danny v a belt!!
I missed the first two shows, but based on this one, Kit reminds me a bit of Alison. And I thought she would win: even though I'm no fan of fleece, she did have a complete look and a concept; then there's the fact that the show was edited to suggest she'd win. And on top of that, I couldn't deal with the striped shirt that did win. But that's me.
But...why did her (yes, child, GOWACHUSS!) model walk down the runway like he was looking for someone's ass to kick?
I second that-- fleece has been used for jackets, on and off, since the 80's. They're always appealing in theory, but never hang very well, as demonstrated by Kit's effort.
Fleece can't be hemmed or pressed well, which is why successful fleece designs (such as the ubiquitous hoodie) feature ribbed trim and zippers.
i've seen plenty of fleece jackets but never a sports coat for a man. i thought it was a great idea.
-moira-
I kept yelling at the tv--Belts guys, belts! And what was up with all the badly tailored pants. I have made many a pair of pants and I am a very poor seamstress--(I make theater costumes) and pants just aren't that difficult plus if you make them for women you certainly know how to make them for men--why all the hand wringing and drama going on. . .good grief!
I keep waiting to love, love, love one of the designers this season, but I fear the fabulous Laura has set the bar too high.
However, I am love, love, loving the Rungay commentary.
I thought this was going to be the winner, too.
I was not impressed at all by this ensemble. It appeared sloppy and very casual looking. Not something you would wear on TV. It's something you would wear when going to the dump. She didn't deserve to win.
I couldn't understand why this didn't win over Jack's design: This was more a more innovative (although not necessarily original) way of meeting the requirements of the challenge, and Tiki seemed to like it best, and she made three pieces well. They weren't perfect but I thought good enough to outrank Jack's two. In the past the judge's have dinged people for not completing what they said they would do - Jack didn't get his final piece done. She accomplished a whole look that was more unexpected that Jack's.
i agree that i dont know why kit didnt win. i still dont get the big deal about jack's either. the joy of project runway :)
I think it's a great idea. Maybe I'll make one for DH. And that's saying something.
yeah, even though i have a few reservations about this outfit (the roller-coaster hem of the jacket, and the god-awful color of the pants), i don't think kit has been getting the credit she deserves. definitely better than jack's outfit.
maybe tiki liked jack's look as much as he like jack's outfit's look.
I agree that it was a creative twist on the classic, but I HATE HATE HATE that the jacket is like a mullett...shorter in the front than in the back. WTF?
And, I still don't like Kit. She's creative and has a point of view, yes, but that bitchiness is simmering under the surface. At least Jillian's is kind of out there in your face.
Oh, but wait!
http://www.simplicity.com/index.cfm?page=thumbnail.cfm&cat=1&type=0&sec=9&browTypeId=&StartRow=1
Check out 3708
They gave Uncle Nick all kinds of crap for not putting buttons on his jacket for Daniel V, but nobody mentioned anything about a one-button jacket on a man??? I'm sorry, but I thought the one button blazer was rather feminine. Like he was wearing his granny's old fleece sweater or something.
I guess Bluefly.com doesn't carry belts for men. Not a endorsement from the company. It totally missed the no belt thing when doing my PR recap. Good catch, guys!
"K said: maybe tiki liked jack's look as much as he like jack's outfit's look."
Bingo! And, we have a winner!
BTW, did anyone else notice that, on the Today Show yesterday, when Jack's interview was over, Al & Anne reached over to shake Jack's hand, but Hota, who was right next to him, just stood there with her hands planted firmly behind her?
--Gotham Tomato
I thought Kit had the win.
I agree that fleece can be difficult in that it doesn't exactly hold a shape, but I give Kit major props for trying something that was somewhat conservative but also a bit different (even if it's been done before, you don't see a lot of it around). The "mullet" cut of the jacket is growing on me - again, tweaking a standard a little bit. And I believe (based on the screen caps) it was lined which also shows some thought and technical skill.
And honestly, with what most men wear for "casual business attire" in my buidling, I was happy to see anything that didn't look like (a) Banana Republic or (b) Dockers and a polo.
and when I refer to Dockers, I mean any pleated chinos. When will my coworkers stop with the pleated casual trousers?! It's over! Get rid of them.
I agree, Divine Miss M. Most of the models, in fact, looked like they were trying to stomp right through the runway. Someone be a darling and educate me; is that the way male models are supposed to walk?
Neither Kit nor Jack got fleeced, the other designers did. These were the top two???? Are they all blind? I'd take Jillian, Chris or Victorya's (even though I hate her) over either of these.
The thing is that Tiki looked ridiculous on Today, just wearing a shirt with no tie or jacket. He looked totally out of place.
And the shirt was like *vibrating* or something, I had to keep taking my eyes off it, I was afraid I was going to get a migraine.
Anne
I thought Kit was going to be some sort of freak and am actually surprised how sweet and how talented she is.
Project Runway Canada is up on You Tube (S1E08P1). As always, it's completely riveting. I was shocked at who was auf'd.
Hopefully PR 4 will begin to "measure up" to it's northern cousin b/c right now, there's no comparision IMHO.
J. Crew sells a fleece blazer. It's the first hit if you google Vintage fleece blazer j. crew.
Also, Kit's website (kitpistol.com) is quite funny.
I've been watching a bit of PR Canada myself.
Iman is terrifying! Quite the bitch, and she also sounds like Count Drrrrracula.
Ideal as host, in other words.
I think this look is dull, boring, and reminiscent of the khaki pants and navy blazer that prep school boys wear. *yawn*
The most interesting designs were 'in the middle'. Bah!
Kit did a good job. In both design and construction. I believe the center front of the jacket is hiking because the facing is decreasing the stretchiness of the front compared to the back which is not lined. Anyway they probably photographed it at an angle to make it look bad (because she didn't win).
Most of the designers didn't use belts on the trousers because they didn't put on belt loops. I guess they made a conscious desision to eliminate them due to the time constraint.
I liked the look - I thought it would play well on Tiki on TV.
PS Sewing Siren: I LOVE when you post because you always talk about the hows of the construction...you're awesome!
Oh my god! From Kit's website:
"Ladies and gentlemen, try your best to understand that Kit Pistol is a self-luminous celestial body consisting of a mass of gas held together by its own gravity. Sometimes a star-bound life chooses you. Well, not you, but Kit Pistol."
Brilliant!!
This jacket had a weird shape to it with the hem longer in the back. Perhaps it was designed to cover Tiki's freakishly large ass, but it just looked strange.
I like the thought that she put into this and the fleece jacket was a clever twist, something that takes a potentially very boring, conservative look and gives it some edge. But that jacket was really badly tailored - the hem was uneven and it didn't even fit the model well. The sleeves were too short and it made him look like a schoolboy whose fierce growth spurt made him outgrow his school uniform mid-year. And the whole outfit looked like a rumpled mess.
Jillian was robbed. Can't believe she wasn't even in the final three. And there were some other looks that were more polished and far superior to the final three - Victorya's, Elisa's, even Rami's boring casual look was at least three well-made pieces. Maybe these were too casual for a tv personality but at least I wouldn't be ashamed to be seen in them.
Again, whenever I see Kit's outfit I see Ward Cleaver sitting on the couch reading the paper. What's the allure?
The ensemble was better tailored considering the competition (not saying much), but I saw better styling & innovation in Kevin's, Steven's, Chris', even Christian's vest was more interesting.
I just don't know.
Emma P.
Yes, Bluefly sells belts. And yes, Tiki said he wasn't afraid of color, but the only designer who went for it (Straight Kevin) got shot down.
I'm still waiting for screen shots before I make any decisions on who was 'robbed' The other designers (Chris, Jillian, etc.) don't get enough screen time to really tell what their outfits look like. Thank god for PRGay :)
Oh and all you Uncle Nick fans, check out PRC next week!
I agree casey, Laura has set the bar too high. It is like getting to see something totally fabulous, any other view is just going to be disappointing.
In regards to which design won and which didn't I didn't think Jack should have won, his garments looked well made (I disliked all the stripes), but it seemed the least ambitious. Though this is undoubtedly a difficult challenge given the fact that these designers don't do men's wear, many designers were able to achieve a great deal and create more than just pants and a shirt (though at least Jack made a shirt) so a designer such as Kit or Kevin (among the others with 3 piece looks) should have been recognized and declared a winner.
I would also like to add in her Nina Garcia's blog on bravotv.com mention that she wouldn't have chosen Jack as the winner, and would have chosen Kit.
Aside from the use of fleece, this was a pretty boring outfit and much more casual than I would ever expect to see on a TV host. That jacket is seriously too short for a tailored blazer and gives it a somewhat feminine look. Looks comfy though!
As I see it, Kit could have won had she pressed as she sewed. They have a good iron in the workroom, I know, because I have the same one. The problem with fleece is that, as many others have pointed out, is that it doesn't press. This would be part of why the hem looks wonky on that jacket. A little spray starch on that shirt and it would have looked very nice. Yes, her outfit was conservative and 'safe', but I thought it was good for this particular challenge.
Gotham Tomato -- your comment about Hoda made me go watch the video.
I live in New Orleans, where Hoda was one of the top news anchors in town for many years. She was extremely well loved, and very active in community work. As far as I know, no anti-gay bias at all.
So, I'm hoping that her not extending her hand was due to her earphone directing her to wrap it up quick.
telegenic??
I'll have to google that word!
I liked this look even though it was conservative (you can't tell she used fleece in the pictures). The tailoring did have some issues but in comparisson to some of the train wrecks sent down the runway she did a great job.
This should have won. Oh, well!
Of the three looks the judges scored the highest, Kit's was the one I thought would win. When I first saw the episode, I thought the jacket had a shawl collar which it clearly doesn't. I couldn't tell if the sleeves were too short or she just styled it with the full cuff out. I did think that cuff thing was odd, but kudos to her for doing and finishing 3 pieces.
Yeah, she was robbed.
I loved this outfit, it was simple, elegant, but with a twist.
I thought Kit's piece looked a little plain, until I found out that the jacket is actually fleece. In my opinion, she should have been the winner.
consisting of a mass of gas held together by its own gravity.
Dahling, I could not have said it better myself, although I might have said gravitas.
As to wondering why Kit's outfits look sloppy, have you looked at Kit?
"Ladies and gentlemen, try your best to understand that Kit Pistol is a self-luminous celestial body consisting of a mass of gas held together by its own gravity. Sometimes a star-bound life chooses you. Well, not you, but Kit Pistol."
G-d, how I wish I'd written that myself.
--Gotham Tomato
I agree! I totally thought she had the win, and I was shocked when they called Jack. Her look was much more interesting than his, even if I don't think a fleece sport coat would be the best choice for TV.
Bill said:
"When will my coworkers stop with the pleated casual trousers?! It's over! Get rid of them?"
Unfortunately, Bill, when they get rid of the bodies that require pleats!!!
Nina also thought she should win. Seriously, this is the perfect look for a jock.
-- desertwind
I think the judges would have given it to her but Tiki picked the one he wanted to wear.
I didn't like the fit on that jacket or the short-in-front-long-in-back cut. But, the fabrication was great and it looked pretty good. I agree she should have won.
Mmmm. I liked Steven's and Chris's outfits more. They had more edge than Kit's design, which, although well executed given the time constraints, was safe and preppy. Yeah, Chris's colors were dark, but I find black on black on a man highly attractive. The fleece thing has been done to death and it's too casual for a t.v. appearance.
Tlo I was thinking the same thing. In PR Canada Brian literally tells them "I hate that material coming down the runway. Get rid of it. NOW."....so why didn't Tim say "Belts? Anyone? Belts?"
It would have made a world of difference. LOVED Kits garments, just wish the jacket was a tiny bit longer and it seems like its longer in the back...
Kit looks like the movie version of Cindy Brady.
I didn't notice the lack of belts. You guys see everything! Love the screencaps by the way.
You know what I don't like about this one? The color of the pants. You might say khakis are khakis, but the color of these is so much more garish and cheap-looking somehow than, say, the color of Rami's coat or Christian's pants.
"Ladies and gentlemen, try your best to understand that Kit Pistol is a self-luminous celestial body consisting of a mass of gas held together by its own gravity. Sometimes a star-bound life chooses you. Well, not you, but Kit Pistol."
That's fucking brilliant.
I thought she deserved the win -- I liked Jack's outfit too, but I really thought her look was more complete. Was it kind of boring - well, sure - but look at the requirements - it's for the fucking Today show - not an after-party - boring is what you do. And she was totally dead-on about how it would appear on camera.
I've never seen her as bitchy in the slightest - I mean, I think she's sarcastic and can be funny and you know - bitchy like we're bitchy on this site, but I don't get the "this girl would suck to be around" vibe at all. Sweet P is the one that I want to punch in the mouth (how much of that is b/c she looks a bit too much like Betty from TC2 is unknown). And I thought it was sweet that she winked at Jillian and Chris as they went off stage -- like, it was really sweet like she was telling them -- "great job"
But bitches - when are we going to talk about that bag of crazy known as Elisa?! Making her model undress (and only down to underwear) while she hides herself in the back -- "I don't touch anyone but my boyfriend"? Bitch - do you think a tailor is supposed be like George Constanza's? Jesus Christ. At that point, I turned to MY boyfriend and said, "this girl is not faking - she's straight up bonkers."
Yeah, I wish Miss Kit had gotten a chance to talk about this one to the judges at some length - she should have won, of the ones that were left. Of course, all the interesting looks got sent to the Consolation Prize Room.
That was a great outfit, and Tiki Barber would've looked 10 times better in it than in Jack's boring Wall Street dude pants and shirt.
I had no great hopes of Kit, but I'm starting to reconsider.
You was robbed, girl!
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