Tuesday, January 15, 2008 by
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Ha! You'll just have to wait to hear what we think of Chris' dress! FAKEOUT, bitches!
This is kind of a stumble for our little robot, but it still had a lot going for it.
First, she chose some really stunning colors with which to work. In a week where we saw some rather drab, colorless dresses, hers stood out. Golf claps for that.
She also did some really interesting detail work with the various colors. Unfortunately, it didn't quite come off in the execution.
The fit on the bust is way off, giving her a deflated look, and the design on the cups, while interesting, does look a little bit like a pair of droopy, sad eyes looking at the floor.
We suspect the idea was to make her girls look bigger, but unfortunately, the effect achieved was exactly the opposite.
The dress moved absolutely beautifully on the runway. Lorenzo isn't crazy about the fishtail hem but Tom thinks it gives the lower half of the dress a little interest, because let's face it, the silhouette bordered on boring.
But the skirt was probably just a bit too full to be flattering. Interesting detail on the straps, though. We like how the lines continue into the skirt.
We hate that we sound so wishy-washy on this dress. We're all about the strongly held opinions, dammit! Then again, this is the only judgment made this week that we entirely agree with. Good enough to keep going, but not good enough to warrant further comment.
[Photo: Barbara Nitke/Bravotv.com - Screencaps: Project RunGay]
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89 comments:
This dress would be great at a prom. If it were 1980 and your date was Tony Minero.
I hated the bodice on this dress. Hated it. It looked like the evil boob fairy had stolen the girl's cleavage right out from under the dress.
What is it with the designers this week and teen-aged breasts? Do they really fear them that much?
Loved the colors, disappointed or uninspired by everything else. And would it have killed them to let the models wear some supportive undergarments? I don't care how young and supposedly perky "they" all are -- "they" needed some help in lifting and smoothing department (oh god, I sound like my grandmother)!
I liked the back and the color, but the boobage was horrendous.
I know one thing: Alex! is going to be mighty excited to see Jillian looking so Baby Houseman in that last screencap.
As for the dress: It missed for me, but her work has been consistantly good, so I'm glad she's still in.
--GothamTomato
Oh you bitches, making us wait!
Oh, I'll play. This was meh for me too, but I have to say, look at how darling Jilly looks! Cute dress and adorable figure.
She really had her "don't put Baby in a corner" dress on in those pics didn't she? Bless her heart. She is an unattractive fembot.
I, too, love the colors-- just wish Jillian had done something else with them. Fishtail in back? Love that, too. That bodice is a killer, though (and not in a good way), and for some reason the spaghetti straps looked off balance....like hanging a chandelier from a shoelace.
I hated this dress. This was another one when I saw it come down the runway, I thought this was bottom 3 material.
The boobs were hideous and the colors on this dress reminded me of the bottom of a pool. Atrocious.
When is this chick going home? I hope soon.
I like the style lines she has on the muslin (behind her on the dress form), but this is one of those where the idea didn't translate well to the fashion fabrics. And the continuation of the straps into the skirt: she did that in the weight loss challenge. Meh....
Overall, I did kind of like this though. The color was great, and the skirt was nice.
This dress was awful. The sad, downcast eyes for boobs is so funny and true.
ms thing needs to get it together.
Is this what they mean by peek-a-boo boobs?
We suspect the idea was to make her girls look bigger, but unfortunately, the effect achieved was exactly the opposite.
Agreed. Just like with the piping on the real woman challenge--she's trying to mitigate or enhance something, and gets the exact opposite effect.
I don't get what's so great about her, I really don't.
"anon said: Bless her heart. She is an unattractive fembot."
Actually, I think she's gorgeous. She is the girl I would have been totally jealous of, and wanted to look like, when I was in high school.
--GothamTomato
Well, I'll give it up to Jillian for her innovative POV...
However, this one was a little too 1988 Miami Golden Girls Blanche Devereaux "Meet me on the lanai" nightgown for my tastes.
Or maybe that's the vibe her model wanted for prom, I'm not sure.
Actually I thought the colors & flow as it came down the runway were very lovely. I did't notice the bodice.
Then I see the screencaps... oh my. (shaking my head)
I can't believe designers can't visualize what their designs would look like off the paper (like Christian & his 80s SJP jacket).
She's a hard worker for sure. It looks like it has about 45 styling seams and if you think thats easy -try it.
anon said: "Bless her heart. She is an unattractive fembot."
Really? I think she is super cute and has great style.
hahahahahaha. Yes, the detail on the front does look like "sad eyes." And it makes her poor funbags look so sad. The whole bodice is a train wreck.
And notice in that screen shot of Jillian with her client how her own dress has spaghetti straps? It just reinforces the notion that Jillian designs for herself and what she would personally wear.
I did not enjoy this look at all. But it didn't deserve an auf-ing. Like you said, passable.
Her "sad" drama is getting on my nerves almost as much as Ricky crying every week. Someone give that girl (and me) some coffee, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Was anyone else reminded of the prom dresses in Footloose?
I thought that our little fembot chose beautiful colors, too. It's too bad that the final product doesn't totally work-the bodice is just wrong. It does rather look as if there are eyes staring at one.
Love the reference to Baby Houseman! Nobody leaves Jillian in a corner!!
P.S. I must also applaud TLo for helping me to waste my workday in such delicious fashion!
Loved, LOVED, the colors on this dress, but, doesn't any designer this season know what to do with a bustline? Mama mia!
"Really? I think she is super cute and has great style"
I guess that is why everyone has different tastes then.
"sam said...the colors on this dress reminded me of the bottom of a pool."
Too funny!! I agree.
I'm with those who think Jillian is pretty. Not that it matters. On the whole, she's very, very talented. For this challenge, though, she produced a 1980s era bridesmaid's dress. Even the hair had that look.
Smile young lady in the dress! You're young and pretty and thin.
I loved the colors, but kind of felt like the dress reminded me of a nightgown.
I didn't like this dress. Tt REALLY reminded me of a dance recital outfit.
Sewing Siren said ...
"She's a hard worker for sure. It looks like it has about 45 styling seams and if you think thats easy -try it."
I love it when the sewing geeks weigh in. I really mean it. Thanks Sewing Siren and Sally and all of you who take the time to explain these things to those of us who don't sew (as much). Sometimes your input changes my whole view on a person's design.
She will be a great designer for the rich and thin. Her designs are beautiful IMO, but not for those among us who have any physical flaws whatsoever (I certainly couldn't wear any of her stuff).
I challenge Jillian to release her own video spoof ala Jack. She could do "Fame" and wear all her own outfits. In fact, that's what I'm going to have on a tape loop running through my head this afternoon.
Ok, I had asked this question below under the Rami posting, but since there is a new one now, no one is reading the old one. Sewing people see below:
"Sam said...
ok, could one of you sewing geeks please define draping for me. It appears to be used as a verb here, but I can only find a definition of it used as a noun at google. Please help, this word is thrown around so casually as if everyone knows what it means, but I have no idea. Thanks."
I liked this a lot better than Kit's dress but thought both were middle-of-the-pack efforts. Good enought to keep going but not deserving of a win.
Jillian does seem a bit low energy but I suspect that's because she's putting everything into her work. She doesn't waste time with the drama some of the other designers dish up, she just does the work (usually beautifully). That's why she's likely going to make it into the final 3 (or 4). But she doesn't make for a very entertaining reality tv star.
A minute detail, perhaps, but the lines on the back of the dress evoke the details on the dress she made in the "What the Skinny" challenge
Min said...
What is it with the designers this week and teen-aged breasts? Do they really fear them that much?
Actually I think it is the teen's mothers' boobs they fear! Make those girls look too sexy and Momma's chest is going to start heaving - and not in a good way.
Re the garment, loved the basic color, loved that it flowed like water on the catwalk. This was important as it allowed me to avert my eyes from the bodice - which seemed to be eyeing everyone in the room.
You know, funny thing about this dress... I just had my car at the dealership for a service bulletin regarding misaligned headlights.
Not a dress I would pick for prom night, although a skirt like that can make anyone look like they're a pretty good dancer.
Total failure.
And I don't care about how "consistent" her looks have been. Failure is Failure.
To employ an Olympics metaphore used in the Sweet P post, you can be the 10-year world record holder for the 100 yard dash, but trip at the starting line on the day of the race, cross the finish line last, and NO, you don't get the gold medal for your "consistent body of work."
Sheesh.
when i saw all that fabric on her table, i thought the bulk of her dress would be in the darker blue and got excited for her. the darker blue would have been perfect for a prom dress. but the lighter blue just washed the girl out. much too light for a formal evening party. and then she gave the girl saggy 70s boobies... she's lucky there were worse garments on the runway this week.
both jillian and kit (in the past) have made dresses that i thought would look at least marginally better if they had just inverted their usage of colors. dark fabric on the boobage, bright everywhere else. in my experience, that's the opposite of flattering.
and i don't know, i didn't even like the colors either. for some reason i just think seafoam green is a gross color to wear.
I just hate the fishtail, I do.
The downcast booby eyes just cracked me up, honestly, too bad she didn't make one of them wink.
But once again, I agree, not enough to get her aufed. And thankfully, not orange or red from Miss Jillian.
Sheesh, 3:51, I totally agree. Failure is failure.
On a side note, you have an interesting name. Never seen that before.
I actually thought THIS dress could have won, but there were those fit problems....
I have to say if she had more time to tweak it just a little this would have been my winner!
Love the colors so much. If the bodice were a bit different and better fitted, it would look great. Sadly, the boobage is kinda wonky. It's probably hard to build good boob support into a dress like that, and you'd need a special bra to work with that plunging back.
The back has a fooosh! and a shwaahhh! that would make Elisa proud.
NOW can we have the Chris comments....Pretty please?
Sam said...
Ok, I had asked this question below under the Rami posting, but since there is a new one now, no one is reading the old one. Sewing people see below:
"Sam said...
ok, could one of you sewing geeks please define draping for me. It appears to be used as a verb here, but I can only find a definition of it used as a noun at google. Please help, this word is thrown around so casually as if everyone knows what it means, but I have no idea. Thanks."
Sam, I'm not a sewing geek (I prefer tacky old hag) , but I can answer your question. Draping (the verb) is manipulating the fabric (usually muslin) on the dress form to achieve the style they have in their mind. That screen cap of Jillian with the dress form in the background has a 1/2 muslin draped on it.
The way the fabric hangs on a finished garment is also the drape. You can talk about the drape of a trouser leg for instance. But a finished garment being refered to as a "draped gown" is usually a grecian type with a lot of shirring and gathers and swags, like Rami's signature work.
Sewing siren,
Thank you so much for clearing that up for me. I totally understand now. Sorry for being ignorant, but I just had to know.
Sam
From the moment Jillian picked her fabrics, all I could think of was "under the sea." Like this is some sort of mermaid dress. the colors are lovely, and they work together, but it looks just too oceanic for me. and the spaghetti straps in the back reminded me of a swimsuit. water on the brain, obviously. And now you show it, what DID Jillian do with that poor girl's boobs? yikes to that bodice!
also: LOVE the Blanche Deveraux comparison - it's dead on!
You know, funny thing about this dress... I just had my car at the dealership for a service bulletin regarding misaligned headlights.
LOL! Good one, snf in va!
ROFLMAO!
When I saw this on the runway last week, my first thought was "She has eyes on her boobs!"
Anyone else remember a Saturday Night Live sketch about women who evolved eyes on their breasts so men would make eye contact with them? This dress totally made me think of that . . .
I live at the Trump International right at 59th and Columbus and there was a woman in the park today that had on this exact dress. Amazing.
madam ovary said...
I challenge Jillian to release her own video spoof ala Jack. She could do "Fame" and wear all her own outfits. In fact, that's what I'm going to have on a tape loop running through my head this afternoon.
YES!!! I've thought the same thing: Jillian is one of the Kids From Fame!
That photo of Jillian makes her look awfully "Jennifer Beals circa Flashdance." Give her an off-the-shoulder sweatshirt, and we're set!
Another bungled breast. That may have worked better on someone of greater cup size. But just a little weird.
Eric with a c, very hot pic of you....just sayin.
Far from unattractive fembot, I think Jillian is a beautiful woman! She is highly focused on her work and does not show her personality. But I have a strong feeling there is a storehouse of crazy lurking in there somewhere. I hope we get to see it!
The fit of the bodice was atrocious (tho i appreciate the undertaking) and the length was very unflattering, made the poor lithe little teen look very wide and stumpy. Jillian should've chose long or short and not tried to do both.
Loved the colors and the movement of the fabric though.
I didn't like the color. I thought it was kind of bottom of the pool type of green; not very sexy or formal enough.
Isn't this dress almost the same dress that got Katherine Gerdes auf'd in the Dog challenge last year?
I am greatly amused by all the "bottom of the pool" remarks, because that's a very evocative image. Granted, I didn't have a problem with the color, because I love greens and blue-greens, but I'm still averting my eyes from that dreadful bodice.
^^^ Juliann K. is right! Katherine's dress wasn't worth her aufing--and not just cause she's also from Funkytown.
While I love all the colors, I wish we could see more of them. With the sagginess in the bodice, it's hard to see the darker colors. A more substantial bodice would allow a better mix of color.
The layers of the skirt move nicely but don't do the wearer any favors, and I think the paneled construction of the skirt is perhaps too busy for it's own good, and adds an illusion of width (especially in the rear). Although her construction must be excellent, because it's hard to see all the seams in the pictures.
Well, I didn't really notice that bodice in the show, but now that I did, gosh, that's just awful... I did love how the outfit moved though, and the colors were great.
I think Jillian's kind of cute, just... robotic. xD
I thought she had a good idea, and picked some great fabrics, but didn't quite pull it all together. Overall I thought this was more interesting than Sweet P's, and certainly better than Ricky's piece'o'fug. It was 90% of a good dress. Her client needed a seriously padded bra to make it really work, or Jillian needed to rework the pieces on the bodice to avoid the wall-eyed boobage.
I wish they'd start designing the dresses with bras and supports in them. This one begged "cups" and a better fit. I thought the colors were unusual but also that it made the girl look a bit wan.
I noticed and hated the eye-boobs in the 2 seconds of screen time and put her in my bottom three. Now that I see the back straps detail (thanks TLo!), I might not have put it in the bottom, but still no winner. I'm also not a fan of the colors, but understand that they speak to a lot of people.
And no one likes a tease so cough up Sissybear!
I love Jillian's dress here. She wanted the colors to look like the inside of a jewelry box, and it kind of did... I thought the colors were perfect. Somehow the execution of the boob area didn't work out just right for me, but I applaud her for at least TRYING something new and interesting. Few of the others ever do that.
My first impression was "pretty color and nice for dancing." After looking at the close-up photos, the bodice reminded me of Renaissance paintings with women wearing dresses that made them have pancake boobs. Most unflattering for any occassion.
I had some reservations about Jillian even before the competition was underway. At the first challenge she was wearing what looked like a grown up (?) version of a toddler's playsuit. A twizzler dress followed by something that could be a costume for a middle-schooler's ballet recital.
Jillian is awfully sleepy. If she talks any slower they might run out of tape for the program. Maybe she needs have her thyroid checked or a transfusion after she's eliminated.
Again a dress that was much better from the back than the front. Yes! on the eyeballed bustline! The only thing missing was a huge spectacle dangling pendant necklace for "whimsy".
I love this dress. I love the color, the silhouette, the hem...everything about it. I really like Jillian's work. I think she's extremely talented.
Hi all...well actually, I had no opinion at all of this dress until the screen caps. (thanks TLo)
I have no forgiveness for the 'fit-age at the tit-age'.
I'm looking at the pics of Jillian's body and I'd bet money that she's studied ballet, or dance of some sort. As well, her client has a thin upper torso and slender arms.
Lt. Saavik..erm, I mean Jillian, should VERY well know how to fit an A-cup, especially if she's her own muse. (btw, I speak from the A-cup, ballet-girl side of the fence)
The moment she realized (did she?)that the bodice had one ounce of sag, she should have pulled the girl aside...told her it was SHOW time and would she please (with care & diplomacy) consider allowing Jillian to add a small poof of fabric at the inside-base of each cup.
Back in the day it was called "stuffing"...and now it's called a push-up bra and costs $42 at Victoria's Secret.
I did like the moving-water effect of the skirt, that's not easily done. The color on that model, along with the matronly bun-do...meh.
I'm not bored yet..tha' girl has skills if not facial movement. ;)
I don't think Jillian did this girl any favors with this dress. the color was pretty. that's about it. the bodice on this dress was soooo wrroooonnnngggg. this girl is in h.s. -- it takes work to make her boobs look saggy.
eh -- i'm over jillian.
but the bottom of the pool effect, for me, was more like she was making a Water Maiden costume. I love those colors, and I even love the bottom of the pool - but this looked like it was some kind of costume or set piece to represent UNDER WATER.
i think all the PR designers just hate breasts, for one reason or another.
The bust looks like it was made according to measurements taken over a bra with some padding. As a dressmaker, I frequently have to accomodate for that when fitting bust lines.
Jillian hates boobs. The fit of that bodice is horrible.
This dress makes the model look bottom heavy. That girl resembles a gigantic pear.
When I watched this come down the runway, all I could think was that pale green looked like something they'd line a casket with! What can I say, it was my first reaction.
I love the princess seaming in the bodice and waist, that had to be hard to do, but when people mention it's a good dance dress I think back to the discos I went to in the late 70's and I have to agree. But is this what people are wearing in the 21st Century?
BrianB
The first thing I thought about when I saw this dress was how weird her boobs looked! Jillian used beautiful colors, but her model's boobs look awful! This blog is so awesome. I wish I had known about it when I first started watching PR at season 2.
I agree with Patsy Stone and ya'll about her dress
Ugly ugly ugly. HATE it from the boobage up. Color too. HATE!
On the subject of prom gowns/dresses, just pick up a copy of one of the prom magazines at Barnes and Noble, and flip through it. A mixture of long and short, but lots of more sophisticated looks and some very rich colors.
I watched a rerun yesterday, and every time the poor girl stepped and swung her arm, especially on the right side, the fabric on the bodice bulged out hideously. Yeah, not a good fit.
It's Bonnie's dress!
With a better hem, of course.
Ok, I THOUGHT I liked this dress until I saw the screen caps. I think I was so enamored with how it moved down the runway I was razzle dazzled. Either that or the sad eye boobs hypnotized me....
OK TLO is bordering on cruel and unusual punishment making us wait this long for their the review of sissy bear's dress. Bring is on - please.
Lima Bean -
I love the real sewing gals input, too! Makes me appreciate the skills some of these folks have.
I wonder if the dress had been better if the bodice had fit a little better. At least she tried something interesting...the others seemed too BORING.
These designers aren't wowing me at all. In the previous seasons, you may have been irritated by behavior or not agreed about a look, but at least there were designers with LOOKS. They either won spectacularly or failed spectacularly. I feel like we're nitpicking over mediocrity....
Anonymous 10:44 PM said:
"The bust looks like it was made according to measurements taken over a bra with some padding. As a dressmaker, I frequently have to accomodate for that when fitting bust lines."
I think this is absolutely right! Didn't they show the designers taking measurements over their clothes in the beginning? I bet the girl wears a bra that gives her a different shape. It would be seriously awkward to tell a teenage girl that you need to measure them without a bra.
Loved the colors and detail, but it did cmoe off a bit nighty'ish.
If you look at the screen-cap of the dressform, you will see that the bust of the dress fits the dressform perfectly. Most dressforms are a B cup. This was not an easy dress to drape and/or sew. Gillian consistently sets high standards for herself. We haven't even seen Ricky, the lingerie specialist, do anything with this level of fit. It is very difficult to drape or draft fitted seamed cups to fit a woman's bust, especially if you are working on a generic form. And, believe me, dressforms have wonky boobage! No one bra fits every size, and this dress essentially had bra cups. Unfortunatly, the dressform and the young lady were not sized the same.
Perhaps, knowing Gillian, there was not enough time to alter the cups of the dress to fit the client.
An easy solution, and one that is common in hi-end clothing, would have been to insert boning or foam cups in the bust of the dress, to prevent deflation. I can't think of any bra that would work with that style of dress, without it looking tacky. I would hope that even teenagers would not want their bras showing at the prom...although visible strappage seems to be acceptable, even desirable, with younger people.
Foam cup inserts sewn into the dress would have smoothed out the cups and made the dress fit better. Knowing how self-conscious most teenagers are about this sort of thing, that would have been the way to go. Face it, once you are over 35, backless, halter dresses are much tougher to carry off, so wear them while you can! Clearly, this young lady enjoyed wearing her dress and walked with sass!
That said, I loved Gillian's dress. It was youthful and fresh and I appreciated the color gradations. I also recognize the skill that went into making it. It was one of the more advanced designs up there, not unlike some of the designs of Zac Posen.
It was full and long on the bottom, spare on top: I thought it didn't flatter her very well at all. The seams turned out very puckery, too, so really, I only liked its color.
Not great, but good colors and some pazazz.
Compared to most of the others, that's a "good" in my book.
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