Friday, January 25, 2008 by
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Honey, none of us needed to see that.
This, on the other hand, was a joy to behold - and a bit of a shock. We admit it, even after all this time and thousands of viewing hours, those little editor gremlins can still throw us off. This was super cute.
When she first mentioned she was making a denim wedding dress, we, to use the PR euphemism, wondered if she had "taste issues." Girl, the biker babes might love the idea of a country hoedown wedding, but you're crazy if you think Nina Garcia's going to do anything but vomit in Michael Kors' lap at the thought of it.
Sweet P, honey, what the FUCK are you wearing?
It's to the credit of both of them that Tim was able to steer her away from the idea (presumably, he knew they were going to spring the "retail" twist on them at the last minute) and she was smart enough to heed his advice. If she had sent a denim bridal gown down that runway, she more than likely would have received an automatic auf over it.
Instead, she sent this lovely, chic, simple, graphic dress down the runway and the judges rightfully swooned over it.
In our minds, this was probably the best candidate for the win. It was simple and classic enough for the Levi's brand, it would have been relatively easy to manufacture, and it even had a slightly retro '70s vibe that works well with denim.
The one major issue was in execution and we're a bit surprised the judges didn't mention it - although they probably did and it was edited out to heighten the who-will-win tension. Namely, the color blocking was off.
The pieces in the skirt don't line up with the pieces in the bodice and clearly, they were meant to. Those cups are a little wonky too.
Still, the choices she made as to which washes to use and how to use them were spot on. It may have had some execution issues but it was a beautifully designed dress.
We have to say, we're impressed with Sweet P. She was thrown off plenty of times early in the game, but she keeps getting better and better at it. Between this, the prom dress and the ready-to-wear she made last week, we're starting to really love her style and aesthetic. It gets a little annoying sometimes watching her flounder in the work room, but she positively glowed when the judges sent praise her way and we found it charming.
Nice going, biker chick.
[Photo: Barbara Nitke/Bravotv.com - Screencaps: Project RunGay]
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247 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 247 Newer› Newest»I've definitely warmed to Sweet P's aesthetic. Anyone have a website for her non-PR work?
Sweet P has learned the most important PR lesson of them all...always listen to Tim. If he says your dress is hippy dippy and a design disaster waiting to happen, your dress is hippy dippy and a design disaster waiting to happen.
Don't argue. Just fix it.
Is it easier for you boys to judge these things because you don't have to think "would *I* wear that?"
The more I see the screencaps, the more I think this dress is not so bad. It's SO not my taste (colorblock + denim, especially that really light wash, is just bad bad bad), but it does have a nice design. that dark block around the hem is what makes it, in my opinion.
Sweet P has actually done all right for herself, despite coming unglued at the drop of a pin. Her clothes strike me as eminently wearable - commercial may not always be a good thing, but in the real world, it's not too bad, either.
My choice for the win. It is a simple, modern take on denim. At the same time, it has a sensibility, (chic) vintage vibe to it. Paired with the right accessories, this can be a killah outfit.
Sweet P. took a while to get the hang of the game, but I'm starting to get charmed by her more and more at each episode.
"cb said...
Is it easier for you boys to judge these things because you don't have to think "would *I* wear that?"
Does Michael Kors or Tim Gunn wear them?
Oh, for fuck's sake!!
I cracked up when Sweet P showed us her dirty foot.
I've loved her from the start and I'm glad to see she's doing well. The judges don't care how much you lose it in the workroom. They only care about the end garment.
In our minds, this was probably the best candidate for the win.
I totally agree! I loved her dress. True that the color-blocking could have been better matched but I thought maybe it was just my quilter's instinct to want to see the seams matching.
I like Sweet P very much as a contestant. She doesn't put on any airs, and her work is getting better and better. That being said, I really was unimpressed by this particular dress. I think the cups looked so weird.
Ya gotta love "the P." Sweet P is adorable and her last 3 designs have been great. I hope she finds a successful niche in the fashion world.
I actually love all of the remaining designers in their own ways, well, except Ricky. His designs have all looked the same to me and they've all looked boring and so simple my 5 year old niece could have designed them.
It took me a little while to get past the faded denim (congenital dislike), but I ended up liking this dress quite a bit from a "Would I wear it?" standpoint.
Also, I realized that if I imagine it in a fabric other than denim (which is heavy for a dress IMO)it could be quite lovely....
Sweet P was VERY smart to heed Tim's advice. Now, if only she would de-frump herself a little...
Love, Love, Love it!
Sweet P is not only endearing, but she seems to have her pulse on what the PUBLIC wants & can afford.
I would definitely pay $150+ for this dress.
This was the winner, from what I can tell.
Love you guys!!! Thank you for this spot on review.
Sweetie definitely should have won over Ricky's dress.
I found it rather interesting that Ninagarciafashiondirectorofellemagazine said on her blog that she LIKED hippy dippy stuff! She even said that she was disappointed they didn't get to see a longer version of the dress, so I wonder if the wedding dress would have been not-so-badly received.
Sweet P was still right to listen to Tim Gunn, though.
This dress actually reminded me of a pair of bell bottoms I had in high school (circa 1976). It's cute, and I think it was a toss up with Ricky's for the win because, even though it was cute, it didn't say Levis 501. I think that was the deciding factor for them (or at least, for the guest judge).
I also saw the matching issues. It looked unintentionally asymetrical. That might have been helped with a belt to cover that waist seam.
Also, since the challenge was to make something iconic, the denim wash threw that off. Denim washes are not classic; they are more dated than standard blue denim. Standard dark blue denim, as a fabric, is never out of style, while different washes come and go continually.
Ricky's had the top stitching & button fly placket, which made it say Levi's. The thing that Ricky's dress had, that made it veer into the realm of, mmmm, not so sure, was the ruffle. The ruffle made it more youthful, but also dated (80's). But pairing it with the black boots was what made it seem tacky. Had he accesorized it with summer sandals, it would have looked very different.
I think both dresses are actually in the same taste range, but Ricky's said Levi's because of the detailing, and that's why he won.
The problem I have with both dresses though, is that they're strapless even though they are casual, and I have a problem with strapless casuals. If you are wearing either of these dresses & you are over an A cup, and want to wave your hands in the air like you just don't care, you will frighten the neighbors (and probably end up on YouTube).
--GothamTomato
As a human, Sweet P has been someone I've liked from the start - Imagine anyone else working with Elisa as effectively. I think perhaps her drawback on this show is that she doesn't have the Avant Garde aesthetic we're all looking for (face it, we all miss Jay deep down.) She'll never be a McQueen or a Westwood. I think she could do very well for herself developing a nice line of dresses for Macy's (or heck, even Target) that are cute and wearable.
And the dress looked great on TV.
"Ya gotta love "the P." Sweet P is adorable and her last 3 designs have been great."
THE P!!!!!!
Sweetie is adorable! And the "biker chic" vibe is so HOT!!
I like to imagine that she doesn't give a FUCK what anyone thinks of her.
Go P!!!!!
Given the retail twist, this was my choice for the win. It strikes me as the kind of dress you buy on a whim and it becomes a favorite over time.
Though I don't want to witness the kind of mental anguish that would go with Sweet P making it to Bryant Park, I do hope she can leverage her time on PR. Her stuff increasing seems cute and very wearable. There must be some labels that are looking for that.
could someone please confer with me that the LEVI's lady was a HOT MESS!!
was that her hair, or a frizzy scruncie? were those rolled-up shorts with her tights? despite the attempt at a "carefree 16 year-old, in 1993"- look, wasn't she actually about 50?
That was the scariest thing I saw in the entire competition.
-R
I thought the dress looked very cute coming down the runway, and it was nice to see a dress that wasn't all dark washes. She actually managed to make it about color as well as shape, which none of the other designers managed.
The commercials Bravo's running now make it look like she's in big trouble in the next episode. I suppose that could be deceptive editing, but as much as I like her, I have trouble imagining that she makes it to Bryant Park.
Also, she needs you boys to show her how to dress, so get on that, ok?
oh! sweet P! she was so precious standing their clutching her extravagantly tall model's arm, smiling, all aglow.
precious. i fell in love with my girl just a little bit there.
so . . . nothing about the tattooed Miss P and her remarks abouther husband?
one of the happy things about life is that surprises continue to happen. you just never know, and that's pretty kickass.
yay sweet P! shoulda won this one.
wait! did i say the dress was darling? 'twas. aside from flattening-to-pancakes the model's front-facing lady parts, the dress was darling.
and she did not use those nasty ass filthy jeans that are so wretched and disgusting. yay!
"you're crazy if you think Nina Garcia's going to do anything but vomit in Michael Kors' lap at the thought of it.'
Haha! Sweet P pulled off a real turnaround -- very impressive that she was able to transform that mess of the wedding gown into something sophisticated and chic. I'm not a fan of denim dresses or of light wash, but her look rose above the elements it was made from.
Yep, yep, yep! Spot on again.
Sweet P is still open to outside ideas. She doesn't design purely and stubbornly from the "inside" (Rami, Christian) but she is more affected by the energies around her. Including Tim's. Very wise.
Maybe this makes her wishy-washy and without perspective, but I don't think so. An artist should always stay open to the fickle and sometimes unexpected winds of change. Those people who can do this without sacrificing their base perspectives are the ones who have true staying power.
But, wtf was she wearing?
Love her gorgeous green eyes.
cb said... Is it easier for you boys to judge these things because you don't have to think "would *I* wear that?"
I'm a boy, and I ALWAYS think, "Would I wear that?" lol I don't honestly consider wearing it, but I certainly imagine what I wouuld wear if I was a woman. Of course, I also bought Victorya's vest and tried it on.
As for all the Sweet P comments re: how sweet and endearing she is - well, it just escapes me. Sorry to those that are fans. Her confused panics in the workroom irk me no end. And I'm all for letting your freak flag fly, but her "mutton dressed as lamb" personal style also chafes.
That said, I still thought this dress was fun and a great response to the challenge.
"precious. i fell in love with my girl just a little bit there."
*sigh* (wipes a tear) I've missed you this season Belle.
You opinion has been sorely missed.
PS - Did anybody else notice that Sweet P is apparently aging at an alarming rate? Two shows ago she was 44. Now she's 46.
And I'd like to echo Gothams observation and say THANK YOU SWEET P for having a brain in your head and listening to Tim. I am 150% convinced that he conferences with those judges before the runway show and says stuff like "I TOLD her that it wasn't working because she did ABC and I said she needed to consider DEF but she refuses to listen"....
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out......just a biker chick ;-)
bigassbelle said...front-facing lady parts...
See - that's just one reson why I missed you, Darlin'!
"jen in philly said...
I found it rather interesting that Ninagarciafashiondirectorofellemagazine said on her blog that she LIKED hippy dippy stuff! She even said that she was disappointed they didn't get to see a longer version of the dress, so I wonder if the wedding dress would have been not-so-badly received."
Well, she should like hippy-dippy because she is of the hippy-dippy age. It was hard to tell, exactly, from the editing, but that long dress looked voluminous & like it would have been closer to Victorya's coat than the dress she ended up with.
I get the feeling, from what Nina writes, that she likes playing the contrarian. Or, she may be saying that only because she likes to watch the designers squirm. Then again, she has put some mystifying things into that 'it shows a point of view' category.
--GothamTomato
she could not be cuter. love her people skillz. she seems like a mensch, you know?
and this was by far my favorite outfit. (ok, i liked christian's pants. or "pant" as the fashion people inexplicably singularly say. but that weird stomach-accentuating arc over the belly was loony-maternity and unwearable by non-models.) loved the semi-circles on the P's dress, the color, the 70s patchworky thing meets the fancy strapless silhouette -- adorable all over. and flattering to real bodies, unlike christian's work in general. yeah, i noted that the color blocks didn't line up, but whatever. no, she isn't high fashion, but she could be a cynthia rowley or a kate spade or a rebecca taylor. i totally get her aesthetic and i like it a lot. yay p! a golden shower of delightfulness!
Jen in Philly said, "I wonder if the wedding dress would have been not-so-badly received."
I think a long version of what she ended up with might have been okay, but what she had going at first, with the big dark section at the bottom, would have looked very different.
Crow Winters: nestdress.com
I like Sweet P. I thought the dress was cute, but nothing really special, like all the other LBDs in this challenge.
Note to future contestants on PR: If a major brand supplies a pile of their logo labels, rivets, buttons and other schmatta, USE THEM!
Yes I am glad you mentioned about the color blocking being off. But it was off to begin with even when it was still meant to be a wedding dress.
The perverse thing is I would have liked to see her make it work as a wedding dress. I know a denim wedding dress is so not marketable but the outrageousness of it appealed to me
Still I really liked how this came out
Frank
I thought this was a pretty dress and if I would wear a denim dress this would have been the one because I'm an old fart and not a size 2.
That having been said, this dress did not say "Levi's 501" to me. That may be why it didn't get the nod.
It appears to have been close, though, and they edited in Heidi's "good work" before the "you can leave the runway."
Congrats to Sweet P for listening to our Tim!
I thought this dress was just ok mostly because of the mismatched seams and colors in the color block. But the Duchess was right in that it did have the sliming 'voodoo' with the placement of the dark washes.
My favorite thing about this dress, however, was the fact that the length wasn't 3/4 of the way to cooterville.
JS
"Bill said: As for all the Sweet P comments re: how sweet and endearing she is - well, it just escapes me. Sorry to those that are fans. Her confused panics in the workroom irk me no end. And I'm all for letting your freak flag fly, but her "mutton dressed as lamb" personal style also chafes."
I have to guess that the 'mutton dressed as lamb' phrase means that you watch a lot of British TV??
(BTW, it escapes me as well).
--GothamTomato
Robert, Jillian stuck the LEVI'S red tag all over the right shoulder of her coat ... and almost got auf'ed for it.
Loved it.
Nest Dress She closed this business right before she tried out for PR. (As a small business owner, I can relate).
She also was on the design team of Bebe for many years.
Bill, for me, her panic attacks in the workroom and her rather unorthadox personal style do nothing to diminish the sweet and endearing quality of her character. She has very often been seen offering support and comfort, and arm around the shoulder, a kind word, to her fellow contestants.
I think it is precisely because she often seems so bemused and befuddled that people find her endeaing. When she tips over her dress form and falls sprawling to the floor saying "Man down! Houston, we have a problem ... "
it's hard not to smile.
-- Metropolitan Vegetable
I too was surprised that the judges didn't call her out on the mismatched panels, although Sweet P gets snaps for inspiring the best judge exchange in the history of ever.
All in all, a cute dress ... but I still think Ricky deserved the win. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for the styling.
Cooterville, JS? Sorry, that's not on my map. :)
Judging Sweet P on the way she looks is almost as bad as judging her on who she is friends with.
I love her style, her aesthetic, and her goofiness. She reminds me of my Mom.
While this dress may have been cute, it did not fulfill the challenge which was to capture the "spirit of the 501 legacy." This dress does nothing to draw attention to nor reference from the classic 501. It's a denim dress. A cute one. But it doesn't capture the spirit of Levi's 501s at all. She should have used double stitching or some of the other iconography of the 501.
Glad you pointed out Sweet Pea's outfit though. What was that? It looked like early 20th century bathing bloomers paired with a late 80's secretarial blouse. AWFUL! Designers who have difficulty dressing themselves probably shouldn't be trying to dress others. (Angela, that was for you.)
This is what Nina said:
"Sweet P’s dress was one of my favorites. I like how she used patchwork denim in a wise way by using it with a simple and classic shape. As the dress came down the runway I could see a woman pair it with high heel sandals and clutch bag for an evening outing or equally as cool paired with flip-flops and a straw bag for a casual afternoon shopping. I was disappointed that we were not able to see it in a longer version but think ultimately it would have made the silhouette more limiting. I love anything that even slightly resembles hippie chic!"
She likes hippie chic stuff? I'm surprised.
The boys have a ink to her blog if you want to read the whole thing.
I have a feeling that I like Sweet Pea in no small part because everybody seemed to expect her to be surly or aggressive as "tattooed biker chick" and she's obviously not.
Maybe she makes people question their stereotypes. But she's also shown a lot of talent, and now I genuinely want to see what she makes each challenge.
This dress was a happy surprise because it didn't look so good during Tim's visit.
If it had won (and it was a contender IMO), I might have briefly considered buying one, but I have nowhere to wear a strapless minidress (not to mention, strapless anything is too high maintainance for me).
The bust was a little wonky though. It looked like a 40DD bra from the Delta Burke line at Ross for Less.
the dress was verrrrry chic. although i do have to agree on the "What the FUCK are you wearing?!" when i saw her in that outfit, i wanted to (in the words of christian) throw up. i'm amazed that sooooo many designers on this show don't know how to dress. looking at sweet p in that outfit took me back to the wendy pepper days. mmhhm, not pretty. jillian always looks adorable, and christian too. sweet p, follow their examples.
great post, as always, fellas! :)
while I like sweet p’s dress, for the most part, my only other quibble—other than those already mentioned—is that the dark denim on the bottom looks like an arrow pointing to lea’s crotch. i know, i’m ridiculous, but it really does draw the eye that direction.
~~zoë
Sorry...the boys don't have an "ink," they have a "link" to her blog
Bill said: I'm all for letting your freak flag fly, but her "mutton dressed as lamb" personal style also chafes.
So funny. This was alway my mother's biggest fashion don't. That and not combing the back of one's hair and letting a man see you in your knee highs (or pop sox as we called them in England)
Ps love the P and the dress was adorable.
I loved this dress and was actually surprised when I saw it. When she said she was making a denim wedding dress I said, oh crap, bye-bye Sweet P. But then she listened to Tim (cough*Chris*cough) and made a wonderful dress.
I have always liked Sweet P, but she hasn't had her A game going for a while. But she really did it this time. I agree that this didn't win because it didn't have enough of a "Levis" look.
Way to go Sweet P, we may just be surprised at who goes to Bryant Park. Things are changing.
I like her styling choice of the long necklace -- kind of gave the impression of a halter-ish neckline, which was more flattering IMHO than the actual strapless look.
Jingles the Cat said:
"I love her style, her aesthetic, and her goofiness. She reminds me of my Mom."
LOL. A lot of people here would like to hang out with your Mom.
I've always liked Sweet P. She's a genuinely kind person who is uniquely herself - without New Age affectation, overweening egotism, or cutthroat deviousness. I love that she's able to take criticism and learn from her experiences.
I noticed the off-register color blocking immediately too. Dare I say that I find the slightly off-kilter waistline kinda interesting? It almost looks intentional-- doesn't spoil the graduated rainbow effect, and it also serves to define the waistline a bit.
I was prepared for the worst after hearing Tim's critique, but I gotta concur-- this was the most appealing garment to come down the runway. A charming (and highly flattering) homage to denim's heyday-- the 1970's.
I don't know about Sweet P's personal style. She has serious issues with dressing to impress. She looks waaay bad all the time. Bless her heart, why don't one of those fags pull her to the side and say, girl we gotta talk.
I would totally wear this and I would wear the last two things she made. Plus, I love her attitude. I don't think she has a mean bone in her body. Hopefully, this competition gives her more confidence. I think the way she is portrayed influences the way we view her clothes, when in fact, she is a competent dressmaker.
I agree with her personal clothing selection. There was one outfit that just looked frumpy and bizarre.
As for the dresses on her own site, they look perfect for the Silver Lake, mid to late twenties, artsy-cutesy-funky, non-profit organization job kind of crowd.
Her home video was great as well. Very engaging. This PR editing process has really honed all of their personalities toward a certain POV.
I loved the dress also and I would definitely wear it but only if it had straps.
Gretchen said: "she makes people question their stereotypes."
Bingo.
I think Sweet P is great. She is nice and sincere. She always seems bubbly. She is the true free spirit that many were saying Elisa was. I thought Elisa was an airhead.
Biker Chic! I really do love Sweet P. She's such a doll, and willing to learn.
Gotham Tomato said "If you are wearing either of these dresses & you are over an A cup, and want to wave your hands in the air like you just don't care, you will frighten the neighbors (and probably end up on YouTube)."
As an A cup girl I can assure you that neither dress would never stay up were I to wave my arms around, or even lift them. My only saving grace is that my neighbors would be too busy being shocked by how small my boobs are to be scared. Strapless dresses are no one's friend.
I liked the dress, and I LOVE how she listens to Tim...the others say, "Yeah, well, I like it." Seriously, is the man EVER WRONG? He told Chris that an element on his dress "seemed incongruous"...and then the judges said..."It doesn't fit with the rest of the dress." Der.
I find her freak-outs kind of annoying, but at least she IS freaking out...and not acting like a robot.
BTW, can't wait to talk about the Fembot....
-HCB
PS - Belle, glad you're back! Always love your comments.
For the record: I for one, have not "questioned my stereotypes" because of Sweet Pea. I never expected her to spit tobacco juice or to rough-up Tim Gunn. She's shown herself to be just about what I expected at first glance-- a person who's somewhat confused and prone to peer pressure.
Darling, when I first heard the words "Denim Wedding Dress" come out of our Dear P's mouth, I died a little inside.
I immediatlely had horrid flashbacks to Britney circa 2001: http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20057685_20057686_768809_16,00.html
Nice man candy though.
Thankfully Sweet P edited the heck out of it and made it SUPER cute, wearable and SLIMMING!! Always a good thing for the ladies.
She's definitely developing and evolving during this competition. Congrats!!
Aw c'mon ... that moment where Sweet P shows us her dirty foot was freakin' adorable.
I don't see her making it to the Top 3, but am to the point where I'll be very sad to see her go. She's the sweetness.
I like Sweet P. She's my age and temperament, but she hangs in there with the young'uns. The dress was cute, but nothing special.
Note to future PR contestants: If a major brand supplies labels, buttons, rivets and other schmatta that are closely tied to its corporate identity, USE THEM!
Count me in the "didn't like her at first but now she's growing on me" camp. I mean, the name itself ("Sweet P"?) and the tats...? I now adore her. Oh, and I liked the dress too.
And as an aside - what is it with the fact that so many in the fashion industry cannot dress themselves? It's not just SP; does Duchess ever wear anything but black? Ugh.
I just think she's adorable. I loved her dress (did notice the blocking being off even in the workroom when it seems it could have been corrected?). Anyhow, you're right, her dress really would have sold on Levi's. And I'm praising myself this morning because I mentally noted "those boys are gonna caption her dirty foot shot". For once, I got one! ;)
Good going Sweet P! I enjoy your flustered moments fwiw. :)
"anon said: As an A cup girl I can assure you that neither dress would never stay up were I to wave my arms around, or even lift them. My only saving grace is that my neighbors would be too busy being shocked by how small my boobs are to be scared."
Yep, you're right, about the arm waving, that is.
The top of this dress is actually exactly like the top of a bikini that my grandmother made me in 8th grade, from a Simplicity pattern. Same shape, build, everything the same. I was only an A cup then, and I could not move my arms at all while wearing it, without popping out. The only thing I could do in that bikini top was sunbathe in the backyard.
--GothamTomato
You two didn't even mention the necklace she made, or the fact that the shoes were spot in terms of accesories cohesion! Or... did she not make the necklace?...I don't know, but I assume that she did, since it looks like a bunch of buttons. But in a cute way.
I think Sweet P has really learned how to make her design aesthetic more sophisticated and that is what people are reacting to. And I really commend her, because she obviously has quite a bit of skill in design entire collections if she can step outside of herself to see what's "her" but also marketable and desirable, even. Her accomplishment with the ready-to-wear look is a better example of this, since she had to take her aesthetic, Rami's aesthetic, and the look of the avant garde dress into account to make the two looks cohesive, but this still works. I'm rooting for her to go far, and hope she does, because she strikes me as a "Kara" type of person.
It was her model, remember everyone wants her and Lea makes everything look nice.
Sweet P's outfit on the other hand was just Whack.
gotham hysterically said:
"If you are wearing either of these dresses & you are over an A cup, and want to wave your hands in the air like you just don't care, you will frighten the neighbors (and probably end up on YouTube)."
but really, miss tomato, isn't that the point of women's fashion? to constrict, hamper, control, prevent our unrestricted movement?
witness the stiletto-heeled come-fuck-me pump with which so many (me included) have been enchanted for so long.
that thing's not a shoe. it's an instrument of torture, and though i used to dance in those things all night long in my disco queen glory days, trying to keep my generous C's tucked inside that sequined tube top while waving my hands in the air yadda yadda yadda, the point was the look.**
if the look requires later bunion surgery or, in fact, causes one to risk arrest by failing to keep naughty parts well covered in public, we must remember that fashion is all and thus the sacrifice is worth it.
right? right?????
**and that look, God help me, included a feather boa. and a hat. :-)
***thanks y'all for saying hello. i've been around, but thank you, thank you :-)
Sadly, Freida, most people will simply refuse to question their own stereotypes, so that's not surprising.
For someone who is "prone to peer pressure," she has done remarkably well in every team challenge.
If she is "confused," she has done a wonderful job fooling the judges with her competancy.
This is an independent business woman, a successful career professional, an established designer. On this "reality show" she runs through the gauntlet of ridiculous obstacles, pressures and time constraints, and the Bravo editors package her as the "basket case".
If you buy into the stereotype character you are spoon fed every week through 6 minutes of edited footage, I'd have to say you are confused and prone to peer pressure
I loved this dress. I agree with others who said that if she had incorporated some unexpected detail evoking 501's she might have won. Might even have earned a "super-commercial!" from MK along with the slimming voodoo. I also loved the "You wanna see my foot" moment. I mean, come on, weren't we all just complaining about not getting enough personality in the editing? I love those little "lighten up" moments. I loved the laugh in her eyes when she said it. You know, like someone was actually having fun.
lima bean said...
PS - Did anybody else notice that Sweet P is apparently aging at an alarming rate? Two shows ago she was 44. Now she's 46.
Yes, that same goddam thing happened to me.
For the first time, I've seen a garment come down the runway that I WANT! Sweet P ... make me one of these dresses. STAT!
Um yes, no one is mentioning her wedding dress when she became betrothed to "Sage"? I couldn't totally make it out but she had some seriously high hair! They both, of course, were glowing (why does the term bong hit come to mind?).
I would have payed good money for Sweet P's design. I LOVED her dress!
"Freida said...
For the record: I for one, have not "questioned my stereotypes" because of Sweet Pea. I never expected her to spit tobacco juice or to rough-up Tim Gunn. She's shown herself to be just about what I expected at first glance-- a person who's somewhat confused and prone to peer pressure."
I agree. I think it is actually quite the reverse. There are sterotypes that have had undercurrents here this season, concerning other designers, but certainly not SweetP.
If anything, she has gotten more than the benefit of the doubt from her fans simply because of what she is. People relate to her because she is a middle-aged married, blonde woman, who comes across as easily flustered, and out of her depth, and there are those who relate to that.
--GothamTomato
When Sweet P said she’s making a wedding dress out of her denim I was like WHAT? Thank God she listened to Tim. Her dress is adorable and all my girlfriends said they would totally wear it.
I don't think Sweet P. will win this competition but she will gain oodles of clients who like her aesthetic and perhaps more importantly, just want to hang out with her.
You know, now that I really pay attention, none of the designers can dress them selves in a fashion forward way. They all look like crap. Maybe it's the show and lack of sleep.
Chris always has on that leopard top, Sweet P never has on sleeves, Ricky with those god-awful hats, Jillian looks like Mork from Ork, Rami looks like any guy off of the street and Christian-where to start with the Han Solo vests or the tacky boots. They all need help.
I dislike denim dresses with a passion, but this was chic. I'm just happy that she made it this far.
"sewing siren said: lima bean said...
PS - Did anybody else notice that Sweet P is apparently aging at an alarming rate? Two shows ago she was 44. Now she's 46.
Yes, that same goddam thing happened to me."
Happens to the best of us. But here's my theory: If you're going to lie about your age, you should always say you are older, rather than younger. Why? Because if, say, I claimed I was 35, people would think to themselves, boy, she really looks bad for 35. But if I said I was 55, they'd say, wow, you don't look it, what's your secret?! Much better.
(The only caveat here is if you say you're older, and they say nothing, as if you do look older).
--GothamTomato
My father once said that "once you turn 40, a year goes by every six months" which at first sounds like a Yogi Berra-ism, but really, once you turn 40, you realize it's true. Maybe that's why Sweet P is aging so fast? :)
I wonder why they didn't just give all the designers 6 yards of denim and some rivets, brass zippers, and buttons to work with? I think the results would have been more interesting. Making them use the existing garments severely limited what they could do. And the different colors of denim made it even worse.
The seams not matching on Sweet P's dress and the way the bust was fitted did not look right to me. But it did look pretty good on the runway. She did well to listen to Tim and rethink her design and that is a talent in its self..
I love sweet pea. you should check out her myspace photos she has some nice stuff in there all wearable for EVERYDAY women not just stick thin models.
This is the dress that should have won. I loved it. Even my husband who normally remains silent throughout the judging thought Ricky's dress sucked and that Sweet P created the best design.
My frustration with Sweet P is with her time management skills. Too much panic, which could do her in if she makes it through the remaining challenges.
"BigAssBelle said...
gotham hysterically said:
"If you are wearing either of these dresses & you are over an A cup, and want to wave your hands in the air like you just don't care, you will frighten the neighbors (and probably end up on YouTube)."
but really, miss tomato, isn't that the point of women's fashion? to constrict, hamper, control, prevent our unrestricted movement?
witness the stiletto-heeled come-fuck-me pump with which so many (me included) have been enchanted for so long. "
True, true. But I suppose that, as I've gotten older, I think more about the potential criminal charges that certain wardrobe malfuntions will bring. My parents would no longer be available to bail me out.
And isn't it one of the sad ironies of life that; just about the time those bunions set in, the jerk you attracted with those fuck me pumps, will be leaving you for a 22 year old? (Then again, that's an easy way to unload a couple hundred useless pounds).
--GothamTomato
"Sadly, Freida, most people will simply refuse to question their own stereotypes, so that's not surprising."
Au contraire! I readjust my stereotypes all the time! Why, just yesterday, I was disabused of the notion that every gay man in the country is hopelessly enthralled with that toothless crackhead Amy Winehouse, thanks to our hosts.
My new stereoptype holds that only stupid gay men worship Ms. Winehouse.
Sewing siren, I wondered the same thing myself. Watching Victorya with that seam ripper was painful. How much time did they waste pulling those garments apart that could have been spent in construction?
Sweet P is a good sport, and she's doing all the right things lately. However, I can't help but wince knowing she's not going to get past Rami for one of the top three slots. And really, I'm cringing at the idea of seeing an entire collection of nothing but that same boring draped look that did so well for him on the first challenge. Yes, it was chic then...but I'm beginning to think Rami is rather one-dimensional. With Sweet P, you get more than a bit of unpredictability, which is refreshing.
I don't see how she can put an entire collection together without Tim's constant presence. I did like this dress though, and found it more appealing than Ricky's.
just about the time those bunions set in, the jerk you attracted with those fuck me pumps, will be leaving you for a 22 year old? . . .
miss tomato, i adore you! i am happy that i met the love of my life post-stilettos and boa and hat and dancing.
but hell yes, let's wear those bunions proudly into our dotage, an ever-present reminder of foolish choices and misspent youth and wretched men now happily gone.
"Esmerelda eats knockwurst" gets my vote for best posting name I've seen in ages.
Sewing Siren said...
lima bean said...
PS - Did anybody else notice that Sweet P is apparently aging at an alarming rate? Two shows ago she was 44. Now she's 46.
Yes, that same goddam thing happened to me.
Oh, Sewing Siren, I just laughed so hard someone stuck their head in my office to check on me. Thanks for brightening the day.
Agreed, it would have been a better challenge if they had just been given denim and Levi rivets and labels to work with in the first place. Enough with the extra twists already. Maybe more of the designers personalities would come through if they weren't so exhausted.
Has anyone else seen the preview where Sweet P. is making this silver metallic hot pants/bikini top outfit and has a white feather boa nearby which Tim rips off blurting out something about Eva Gabor and Green Acres???
I really liked Sweet P's dress but how great would that look in black and white or another combination of colors.
I'd buy it in a minute!!
Sweet P started to grow on me during the prom challenge after she mentioned that she was a former Catholic school girl. I think she is prettier in real life than she comes across on the show and find myself continually wondering ok...you're a fashion designer. Why so freakin' frumpy??? Also...Note to designers (and to Sweet P): Sleeves (especially longer sleeves) are eventually a woman's best friend...tatoos or not.
Oh boy, if you are complaining about what Sweet P was wearing, I can't wait until you get to Jillian's b&w skirt from the runway day. It was making my eyes crossed and causing weird fuzzy lines on my TV!
Someone on TWoP had seen all the dresses on display at Levi HQ in San Fran--she said Sweet P's dress was fabulous in person--extremely flat seams and they were all top stitched to match the topstitching used on the jeans themselves.
somebody, I forget who, said:
Sweet P is still open to outside ideas. She doesn't design purely and stubbornly from the "inside" (Rami, Christian) but she is more affected by the energies around her. Including Tim's. Very wise.
Maybe this makes her wishy-washy and without perspective, but I don't think so.
For me, this is what I watch the show for. To see people get better and better, change (or at least tweak!) their aesthetic - LEARN something!!!
So although I'm not her biggest fan, I was very happy for her this week and felt that it was the best episode in a long time.
And if the washes and stuff weren't iconic Levis, then what were they doing there? Was it a test or something? Because I kind of don't get that.
Anne
Someone on TWoP had seen all the dresses on display at Levi HQ in San Fran--she said Sweet P's dress was fabulous in person--extremely flat seams and they were all top stitched to match the topstitching used on the jeans themselves.
I wonder, would it have just made the whole thing too much to put a button fly (even a short one) on the front of the dress, ending between the cups?
And was it the actual dresses the designers showed that are on display? Because they sure neatened up Ricky's to sell it on levis.com!
Anne
"Chic P" Love it!
I am no fan of denim anything, never mind denim dresses, but I would wear this dress in a New York minute. Loved it.
And so very smart of Sweet P to listen to Tim. She seems like one of the few that really listen well to constructive critism, instead of just insisting "but I love it this way."
I agree with you boys, despite her self doubts, she has impressed me the last few challenges.
Gotham Tomato said
"Happens to the best of us. But here's my theory: If you're going to lie about your age, you should always say you are older, rather than younger. Why? Because if, say, I claimed I was 35, people would think to themselves, boy, she really looks bad for 35. But if I said I was 55, they'd say, wow, you don't look it, what's your secret?! Much better.
(The only caveat here is if you say you're older, and they say nothing, as if you do look older)."
HA! So true. I knew I turned the corner when stating that I had a teenage daughter no longer elicited shock and awe. *sigh*
You know, seeing more stills of it, the light-wash demin doesn't bother me as much as I thought. I actually think that if she'd branded this more, she'd have won it. Maybe she'd have added some of those branding details if she hadn't used up time altering the dress, but we'll never know.
As far as the wearability of the strapless dress, I don't know, maybe I don't see it as a big issue because I'm a 36DDD and the type of foundation undergarment I have to wear to wear a strapless dress would never allow my chicotas to "pop out." I'd have to occasionally find a discreet opportunity to pull the dress up, but that's not such a big deal.
I don't see how she can put an entire collection together without Tim's constant presence.
Yeah, I worry that she would suffer from Michael Knight syndrome-- fabulous at editing things and producing nice-looking garments after stern advice from Tim, but liable to flail on her own.
I love Sweet P... but saddly what you said about what she was wearing is right on the money. I uttered the same words when I saw her outfit.
loved the dress -- actually wearable for many of women. maybe not as edgy as some but really striking. i'm glad she cut it off -- one thing that struck me about her making it long is that it most likely would have weighed a ton unless it was really lightweight denim (which it didn't look like to me). i can't imagine hauling around that much heavy fabric.
i really like sweet p -- i've liked her from the beginning although i wasn't too terribly impressed with her designs. i actually had picked her to be aufed a couple of challenges ago, but i'm glad she's stuck around... go sweet p!
What's the deal with the people who feel the need not only to put down others who don't like their favorite contestant but to find something psychologically wrong with them for doing so?
How about a little chacon a son gout around here?
Sweet P is unpredictable. I don't see her style. That is why she would be so much more interesting at Bryant Park than Rami (who just now bores me). She's goofy and we like that. She has a personality without having to sacrifice her colleagues to accomplish it. We like that too. It's just refreshing. I'm not even so bothered by here sense of personal style. She was more appealing to me than that drag queen Levi's marketeer. I'm sure that Nina and the Duchess had some words about her behind her back. Keep up the good work Sweet P!
i noticed Rami put his arm around her shoulders in a shot of the gang leaving Parson's, and it made me happy that there wasn't lingering bitterness from their pairing at the last challenge.
Off topic, yes, but i thought i'd share the warmfuzzies.
"sewing siren said: lima bean said...
PS - Did anybody else notice that Sweet P is apparently aging at an alarming rate? Two shows ago she was 44. Now she's 46.
Yes, that same goddam thing happened to me."
Thanks for the warning! (I'm 44.) And I thought Sweet P was always listed as 46 and Chris 44, but I may be wrong on that one.
let's wear those bunions proudly
Bunions cause not only knee but hip problems later in life. They also cause the 2nd and 3rd toes to begin to crossover.
I know. I had mine fixed by an orthopedic surgeon.
This was my favorite dress this episode, hands down. I hate denim and I would buy this dress. Sweet P was robbed!
GothamTomato said...
(Then again, that's an easy way to unload a couple hundred useless pounds).
I've been known to occasionally (oh, say once a month or so) refer to my DH as Albert Ross.
I thought this dress was really cute and the color blocking was terrific, even if there were some matching problems, which a belt would have hidden. I'm happy to see P starting to really blossom. Her prom dress, the RTW look and this one were great. Her outfit? My son and I were saying "WTF is she wearing???"
Yeah, you know you're not a young thing anymore when no one is surprised that your child is a teenager.
Definitely not the worst outfit on the runway! I actually liked it more than I thought I would (and I'm not sure why that's the case).
As for the Tomato's comment about SweetP being hippy dippy age, um, not quite. She'd need at least another 6 years on her to qualify.
It's a shame there were no shots of this dress from behind. I love how the circles wrap around the sides to the back. It gives it such a three-dimensional look.
Zoe: I didn't notice the crotch arrow until you mentioned it, but I had to laugh when I looked at it again. (Tangentially related: was I the only one who thought the detailing on Rami's skirt gave the model a suggestion of a penis? You have to be so careful what you do around crotches these days...)
I actually thought that the not-lined-up colorblock panels might be intentional. Then I remembered the shirt she made for the menswear challenge... okay, so it looks like "Measure twice, cut once" is not an adage that she heeds. Still love her.
someone said......that drag queen Levi's marketeer
What! She is no drag queen. Far from it. She looks more like a butch lesbian to me. No drag queen would look that wrong.
Definitely my favorite dress of the episode. I suspect the regular judges would have picked it for the win, but the Levi's judge probably insisted on something more 501-like.
Despite the tattooed arms and bad wardrobe, I'm finding Sweet P to be completely charming. The dirty foot moment was adorable, especially since it made me think of all the blog posters who used to complain about Elisa's feet. And seeing her beaming on the runway was great.
Uh-oh. Does this mean she's auf next?
"joan said: As for the Tomato's comment about SweetP being hippy dippy age, um, not quite. She'd need at least another 6 years on her to qualify."
She wasn't an adult, but she'd be able to remember it. Those styles lasted into the early 70's. She's about my age & I remember them well.
I also remember being a child and frustrated about wanting to wear those hippy-dippy styles, but not having my own money to buy them. The late 60's is likely imprinted on her, the way the late 80's is imprinted on Christian.
--GothamTomato
I'm sorry, but it looked like a really ugly pair of elephant bell jeans I had in 1973.
I was thinking that part of the reason the cups were weird and the top and bottom pieces didn't line up is because her model is so tweaky thin - no boobs or hips to fill the dress.
Remind me again why these girls are supposed to be "models" of the perfect female form?
all i meant by asking if it's easier for the guys to judge is - i keep getting tripped up over thinking about garments from "would I [could I] wear this?" I can almost see why Sweet P's dress (or Ricky's) is good, but I just find denim so ugly that I can't imagine wanting to wear this.
I also get tripped up by the obvious flaws - like the fact that, as gothamtomato said, if you're bigger than an A-cup, these dresses are NOT going to work.
so, query again: is it perhaps easier to more objectively judge the fashion of an item if your personal clothing needs and tastes are not an issue?
or maybe that objectivity just comes with time as a Fashion Observer/participant.
i didn't get much sleep last night after a wretched day - forgive me for sounding like a jackass!
cb, I know what you're talking about. Sometimes I find it to be a challenge to look at some of the garments without having the same thought. But I also find that it can be a good 'fall back' question to ask myself in cases like this.
Dr. Chiffon, It's what draws people back here. It's the reality TV show of blogs, and the comments might get snippy, but I don't think anyone takes anything personally.
And if they do, well, they can go over to that other, nicer, kinder blog, the "official" fan blog.
In the "Late 60's" she was 6 - 7 years old.
I DOUBT she was "impressed by the current fashions" at that age.
Fact is she simply wasn't of the "hippy-dippy" era like you claim. She is too young.
Caligula, you had jeans in 1973 that looked like a strapless dress?
Confusing.
Remind me again why these girls are supposed to be "models" of the perfect female form?
They're not. As TLO pointed out earlier, they're "genetic freaks," or as I see it, some (not all) are dabbling in a paddling pool of anorexia.
But I hear you. My girlfriend's daughter just spent 3 months at a psychiatric hospital for anorexia, and I'm very much aware of messages about body image, though I think her issue is more about how OCD manifested itself in her.
So, you want perfect female form? I think of Botticelli's Venus.
I love Sweet P. She's sweet and has worked very hard to prove herself as a designer.
She did a great job of pulling a design out of her ass.
I think it's a very cute dress that Sweet P and Tim made. And I liked the mismatched blocking, and thought maybe it was intentional. But is listening well enough to take her to Bryant Park? I don't think so.
Yeah, it was OK and cute. I agree with other posters in that it didn't say classic or 501 to me.
As for the P herself, I was all over her in the beginning. I have had a lot of biker friends on and off over the years, but she just never showed that "edge" that I've come to admire and had expected to see. Of course not everyone is the same, but her carriage and demeanor kind of remind me of the little twinkie boys that like to play dress-up in leather to loom butch for IML or Halloween. The look is not selling.
Anyway, she has a very sellable style if she continues to work at it.
so cute and so flattering.
still, i don't want to see what sweet P has to offer at bryant park... mostly because i think it will be pretty, safe, and boring.
I'm 43 and there was enough "hippy dippy" fashion going on in early 70's variety TV shows to imprint on plenty of people born up to the mid and later 60's.
Bob Mackie's craziness for Sonny & Cher and The Carol Burnett Show. The fashions on Tony Orlando & Dawn. Heck, I even remember Laugh-In. It all left a huge, groovy, mod, hippy dippy impression on me and plenty of my friends.
And my sister's Dawn dolls and Barbie dolls all had outfits inspired by current fashion. I dressed those dolls enough to remember a bunch of it.
Rami's dress appeals to me on an intellectual level; this one has an emotional appeal. I don't understand having distaste for light-wash denim. Sure, there's a reason to shudder over jeans made of light-wash denim, but the fabric itself? Color is color, and I like the light blue. The mix of washes made the dress more dynamic (and slimming, as the judges noted).
However, as much as I love how this turned out, I would have enjoyed seeing a denim wedding dress. Not this dress, but something more classic.
Oh... mindwarp, Bill. You're sending me into a tailspin of mod paisley prints, Peter Max towels with stars and moons and little ponytail holders with acrylic balls. I can even remember playing my sister's Carol King's Tapestry album over and over again. And wide whale cords? Yes, even those are coming back to me.
Really... this is the most addicting crowd. There MUST be a recovery group ...somewhere.
Aaack! too many comments to read in my last minutes of my lunch break!
I do want to say quickly though, I thought her showing her unappealingly dirty foot was rather appealing and adds a nice human touch. It's like when you are a kid and you show what is under your bandaid. It was cute.
And her dress was even cuter.
- Donna
lol - kanani, who would want to recover from this? It's fabulous!
Eh. I'm sorry, but it does nothing for me. Several times now, Sweet P has left herself short on projects when she has to deconstruct and start again. A little more time in thought before grabbing for the scissors, please.
I was so impressed with Christian (last week I wrote in comments how I was growing quite fond of the fierce little guy). I was truly puzzled. The judges saw the innovation and skill in his work; even seemed in awe, and yet....very puzzling, indeed. He truly was robbed of this win.
I was equally baffled over the route Jillian and Victorya chose in repeating that coat, and based on the comments of the judges, these contests were done in the sequence they are shown, so they knew they had just done that look.
I was talking to a friend while watching PR this past week, and I pointed out that working with denim can be a bitch. It throws the tension off your machine. It is a hard fabric to work with in terms of it's thickness/weight and unyieldingness...the things that makes certain jeans last over 100 years. So in part, I sympathized with Jillians "cuts", but....I thought she was playing out some other little psychodrama rather than occupational injuries, making me wonder why she is still in the competition if she can't deal with pressure and time constraints. How does she expect to survive in a career as difficult and demanding as the fashion industry?
Christian will mature. He's still very young, so I think his character and personality will change somewhat with maturity for the better. You cannot take his talent away. It's already in place. It will only grow stronger.
P.S. Do you think Sweet P has this tattoo on her arm:
http://www.wickedcoolgirls.com/stk212005.html
OK, new idea for a show. Get a group of these designers who can't dress themselves and put them together with Stacy London and Clinton Kelley. But instead of buying their new wardrobes they have to make them.
You're right, Bill.
It truly is.
Every single morsel...
Maybe I can apply for some sort of disability? I can't get ANY work done!
thank you for mentioning that the color blocking wasn't lined up... it was driving me criz-azy!
Hey Bill,
Just a quick question, in your pic which one is you?
P
Watching Sonny and Cher, Carol Burnett and Laugh In on the Boob Tube when you are 5 does NOT make you a hippy. Sorry, it just doesn't.
There is a world of difference between Bob Mackie and Haight Ashbury.
In August 1969, I hitch hiked 1300 miles to sit in a mud puddle for 4 days in Max Yasgurs dairy farm in a place called Bethel, NY, just south of another place called Woodstock. I was 18. That makes me 58.
Shine on, little sister.
the love? Seriously? I thought it was horrid. the mismatched color blocking made me twitch. And the shades of denim...oh, so "walnut-tanned baby boomer in white pumps." Of course, I'm no fan of denim outside the realm of jeans, with the occasional concession made for a jean jacket on a hip young thing anyway. And sick of sleeveless dresses to boot. But even barring that, I just couldn't feel the love for Sweet P's dress. And her early 80s girly-tie blouse...Well, she's too old to wear it ironically, and too young to just have it left over in her closet from her years as a broker. I like her, and I'm pulling for my 40+ sisters, but I'm not sure why she's still there.
I think that you DO notice fashion trends at a young age, especially if you have older sisters in the house.
Dear god, I knew the lyrics to every Joni Mitchell song by the time I was 10... living near New Hope Pa didn't hurt either, where there was a steady supply of GAR uniform jackets, fringed suede jackets and boots (I had a pair), tooled leather goods flea markets galore for vintage clothing.
So, while technically not of the hippy generation, I remember some of those trends very well.
I LOVE me some Sweet P! She can make the dress she's gonna kick yer ass in! Yours and hers!
"bill said: who would want to recover from this? It's fabulous!"
True. But, I fear that sometime soon, some TV reporter is going to show up on Tlo's doorstep to do a tabloid story about the cause for the serious drop in workplace productivity, and T&L are going to be named as the prime suspects. I just hope it's not Chris Hansen.
--GothamTomato
ANON said..."In August 1969, I hitch hiked 1300 miles to sit in a mud puddle for 4 days in Max Yasgurs dairy farm "
OMG-In August of 69, I was a fetus. I wasn't born until November and you were out doing stuff. You must be my mother's age.
Um...Is nobody going to comment on the awesome moment at the beginning of the show where Victorya keeps calling Sweet P by the wrong name (Kit), and poor little Sweet P just nicely says, "That's not my name!"
For me, that sealed it...Victorya needed to go.
"So, while technically not of the hippy generation, I remember some of those trends very well."
I remember them too!! From TV, and Movies. And pictures from my Mothers scrapbook. And a Textbook called "Fashion Trends of the 20th Century".
That doesn't make me a hippy. I'm 15. I understand the concept, I can describe the aesthetic, but I was in no way "of the hippy-dippy age."
Neither was Sweetie. When she was 18, John Travolta, Studio 54 and Rubik's Cube were the cultural zeitgeist ... not tie-dye, granny glasses and patchouli.
"snf in va said...
I think that you DO notice fashion trends at a young age, especially if you have older sisters in the house."
Totally agree & even without the older sisters. Any movement that shifts the pop culture of the day, (as much as the late 60's/early 70's did), is going to influence & imprint on anyone who lives through it - even if they were not yet an adult at the time, and were just observing from the sidelines.
Sometimes you hear people, now, complain about little girls clothing (and maybe some does go too far), but I remember often wanting styles that were not available for kids. I still covet those go-go boots I couldn't get!
--GothamTomato
Sweet P is sweet, and so is the dress!
@kanani: Telling another commenter that there is something psychologically wrong with them because they don't like the same contestant is the reason people come here?
Wow! That's amazing. All this time I thought it was because of TLo's wit.
It's also pretty surprising considering that I haven't seen that sort of thing here until this season. And I've been following Rungay from the beginning.
Bill said...
lol - kanani, who would want to recover from this? It's fabulous
I confess that I am starting to feeling a little sad that the season is almost over......
I really must learm to live in the moment.
Please do not mention the white go-go boots that I yearned for, but never got. And it's such a shame because they would have looked so lovely on the toothpick legs of a skinny little kid.
thank god for tim gunn. sweet p is smart to take his advice. and she's improved the most of all under his guidance.
i'm not as crazy about this dress as i was about her RTW. but she was on the right track and made some good choices. what takes this dress out of contention for me is the execution. the boobs don't fit right and, like you boys pointed out, the color blocking doesn't match up. but E for effort!
Jingles the Cat said...
I remember them too!! From TV, and Movies. And pictures from my Mothers scrapbook. And a Textbook called "Fashion Trends of the 20th Century".
No, dear, you don't remember them, you remember seeing pictures of them.
I think you missed my point...its entirely possible to be very young and to still have had an in-the-moment, as in 'lived through it too' experience with a fashion trend. You don't have to wait until you're 18 to be aware of what's going on around you.
So although I might have been too young to go to Yasgur's farm on my own, I did get some first hand exposure to the fashion trends of the time *while they were happening*.
But if you are only 15, that could explain your take on the subject. Now go be useful and do your homework or something.
"True. But, I fear that sometime soon, some TV reporter is going to show up on Tlo's doorstep to do a tabloid story about the cause for the serious drop in workplace productivity, and T&L are going to be named as the prime suspects. I just hope it's not Chris Hansen.
--GothamTomato"
That just made me choke out loud. In a good way.
Anonymous said...
Watching Sonny and Cher, Carol Burnett and Laugh In on the Boob Tube when you are 5 does NOT make you a hippy. Sorry, it just doesn't.
There is a world of difference between Bob Mackie and Haight Ashbury.
Absolutely true. But I was responding to talk of something being "hippy dippy," not being an actual "hippie." I never said I was one. My take on "hippy dippy" was that something was somewhat hippie-inspired or just kind of groovy.
Peace out.
p...I'm the one on the right with the blue T & shirt.
I. LOVE. YOU. GUYS.
I spend more of my time reading and responding to comments than reading the blog! (Although you two boys are fucking fabulous!)
Just deeeeeeee-lightful.
So thanks!!!
Along the lines of blatant stereotypes and after viewing Bill's photo I feel compelled to note "why are all the great looking guys GAY?".
(ok my fiance is a total hottie and he's hopefully straight, but still..;) )
"hopefully" tongue in cheek...he's definitely straight...ya know, trying on a little wit. ;) And YES, this blog and the commenters are totally addicting..a big THANK YOU to our hosts who make this all possible..sniff sniff...
"I just hope it's not Chris Hansen.
--GothamTomato"
LMAO.
katiecoo, you make me blush. If it's any consolation, the guy in the middle of the picture is straight (and single). His name is Jon Troast and he's an amazing singer/songwriter from Wisconsin.
He is an amazing talent and absolutely gorgeous in a very midwestern kind of way. He's a wonderful person and played a kick-ass concert in our living room back in November.
Now this is a dress that I could and would wear! It's so multi-purpose. Chris wanted to make a version of the little black dress that could be used in a variety of ways. I think SweetP captured the essence of that thought a bit more.
I'm enjoying the better zen in this thread today! The reminiscing of the good ol' days...ahhh. I was such a slave to bad fashion in the late 70's and early 80's. My kids love to show their friends pics of me from back then for amusement.
bill said:
p...I'm the one on the right with the blue T & shirt.
I thought you were the other guy! Aren't you bald? Isn't that why we couldn't go get our hair cut by the fabulous Tabitha together?
Anne
anne - the bald guy is my partner, Ed.
I couldn't go get my hair cut because my hair is about an inch long and reeeeally thin on top. Tabitha wouldn't have been able to do a darned thing with it...except maybe bleach it.
"The pieces in the skirt don't line up with the pieces in the bodice and clearly, they were meant to. Those cups are a little wonky too."
The color blocking wasn't lined up on either side of the front of the waist-line. I thought she had done that to bring a distinct line for the bodice and the waist.
Don't forget her sweater dress in the Awful Trends challenge!
The problem with this challenge is that it wasn't carefully thoughout.
There's "iconic" Levis 501 with the recognizable embellishments (the stitching; the red tag; the rivits & metal buttons) that should have been created from fresh fabric.
And then there's the "iconic" that comes when you re-purpose a favorite old pair of jeans or a jacket and the whole point is that they look home-made: cut-offs; skirts in mini or long hippie ones; vests, etc.)
Plus, they should've been told right away that the winning look might be manufactured.
Thanks for the link Bill (cite and talented!)...geez, another fabulous gay couple with a fabulous lifestyle. Concerts in the living room? What's next from this blog? New York Fashion Week hosting a main event in Gotham Tomatoe's veranda with all the big designers and PR players? (at least I get to live vicariously through all you fabulous cosmopolitan people...thank GOD).
:munching potato chips in my living room w/ Paula Dean in the backround:..fabulous! lol)
PS - I guess the main challenge with "icon" is: do I go for a whole new silhouette or do I reference past jean trends?
It would've been fun to see more takes on the pant.
katiecoo - we live in the burbs. We've learned to just make the fabulous happen. Jon Troast announced a "$100 Tour" (for a hundred bucks, he'd come play anywhere). We signed up and got on the eastern seaboard leg of his tour, invited 45 of our nearest and dearest, and 'poof' - fabulous evening.
He's launching another tour this spring. Write to him and see if you can host a concert wherever you might be.
And trust me, katiecoo, most nights we're parked on the couch in our sweats watching HGTV or Bravo with laundry going. Glam, glam, glam.
gotham tomato wrote:
"I still covet those go-go boots I couldn't get!"
Omigod, go-go boots, I'm having a flashback to fifth grade when we switched from Catholic school to public school in ... ahem ... 1966, ladies and ladies, and I wanted them sooooo badly and my mother would not get them for me.
I also went through an imitation Mary Quant dress phase (who didn't?) and a granny gown phase.
And yet I'm not old enough to be a hippie, they were all college age and older. sigh....
but you know, I never thought hippie boys were attractive, they always looked dirty and skinny. It's why I never have gotten into the retread of the look, even with better men's bodies generally.
ahh, reminiscing.....
Blogger Bill said...
the bald guy is my partner, Ed.
----------
Gee Bill--
I am glad someone asked--I thought Ed was Tom Colicchio of Top Chef (!)
It was in my top 3 ... maybe if she done some button fly detailing down one of the sides, it might have won the judges over. Great job of making denim look chic. Too bad nobody tried to do a redux on the denim pant suit!
I thought Jillian would have done overalls or the 1970's denim jumpsuit.
I'm going to venture out to say: I don't think you need to have lived in the late 60s to be a hippie. Isn't hippie more of an ideal, a way of being, than a historically-bound identity?
I've known quite a few hippie-kids in college (and a lot of hippy-dippy adults), and none of them were born before 1970. but they still were hippies.
and be nice to the 15 year old poster! I say props to that kid for writing an informed and intelligent post.
"anotherlaura said: I also went through an imitation Mary Quant dress phase (who didn't?)"
Mary Quant!!!! Oh, how I begged and pleaded for anything Mary Quant! But my mother always dressed me like a pre-historic Sloane Ranger, (plaid wool skirts & sweaters) in my sensible Buster Browns. Nowadays, that would be called child abuse.
It's why I still, to this day, hate plaid.
Oh, and Bill is definitely Groovy.
--GothamTomato
I lived in Woodstock, and Bethel is about 40 miles away. And boy, did I hear over & over about how someone hitchhiked thousands of miles to be there and somehow that gives them some kind of cred. What. Ever.
I was born in 1961 and I remember hippies. My brother is 10 years older, but really, saying that someone 6 or 7 years old couldn't remember hippies or other '60's cultural references is like saying a 6-year-old of today won't remember rappers.
And I also wore granny glasses, had gogo boots, fishnets, and a suede fringed jacket, just for the record.
Sewing Siren said...
I confess that I am starting to feeling a little sad that the season is almost over......
I really must learm to live in the moment.
Sigh. I knows how you feel. PR Canada on YouTube got me through the hiatus. Gawd, after seeing PRC-1, PR-4 looks so LAME. How we need Biddell, M-G and Lucien (with his fugly crocheted doily inserts and teensy artsy-fartsy hats) to liven up this borefest!
I'd like to see SweetP and Laura Bennett partnered up for a challenge.
Earth Mother vs. Tres Chic.
There would be a dramatic nervous breakdown somewhere.
My second choice would be Laura and Christian just to see how many seconds it would take for her to put him in his place.
I hitch hiked 1300 miles to sit in a mud puddle for 4 days in Max Yasgurs dairy farm
Well, I suppose this makes you hippie royalty.... Shall we toss daisies into your path?
I can relate to Bill. I was never a hippie, but you can't deny that even in the late 1960's there was a tremendous merchandising push influenced by them. We were raised in the ouvre of hippy dippy, Keep On Truckin' belt buckles, UV posters, flower power daisies, VW Bugs with pom pom balls glued to the headliner.
I remember watching Goldie Hawn on Laugh In.
And I hate to tell you all, but I now only wore white go-go boots, but also had a red crinkle patent leather trench coat, which today, would be DIVINE (my mother made mine).
By the way, back to SweetP.... she said she was influenced by Punk. In the 80's I wore white wrestling boots, a short denim skirt, and shocking pink hair. I remember seeing Exene, who now works for the LA Public Library and still writes her own music.
But yes, I miss the openness of this period. Today's neo-hippies can't compare.
" Kanani said...
And I hate to tell you all, but I now only wore white go-go boots, but also had a red crinkle patent leather trench coat, which today, would be DIVINE (my mother made mine)."
OMG!
My maxi-coat was purple!! A masterpiece of the "Wet Look" with some kind of goat fur collar....
I must have blocked that out...this is better than therapy.
Kanini -
"And I hate to tell you all, but I now only wore white go-go boots, but also had a red crinkle patent leather trench coat, which today, would be DIVINE (my mother made mine)."
You must have been spectacular!
And you were lucky in your birth to a woman who would make a red crinkle patent leather trench coat. I would not badmouth my mom, because she was an ace seamstress in my world (she made clothes for my Barbie - original red ponytail Barbie) but would not allow us to get into that sort of thing.
I never get any work done during PR because of this blog. It's a good thing the monitor faces away from the open door....
Hello? I'd like to apply for disability.
Certainly. What for?
I can't get any work done. I'm fixated by this blog.
Blog?
Yes, Project Rungay has taken over a significant part of my brain. Just this morning, Heidi's Left Breast was writing....
Heidi's Left Breast?
Yes, well, there was also Finding The Filth, Madam Ovary, and an oddly named poster called Bill...
So, how did you hurt yourself?
I turned on my computer and all these crazies were there! Even my accountant was talking about bigassbelle...
So this is a mental ailment?
I guess. Is there a cure?
Afraid not. You'll have to just collect unemployment like those who came before you. Project Rungay is NOT a disability.
Oooooh! I just saw Jack flex his pecs on his home video!
I'm beginning to think...can Sweet P possibly make it into the final 3? I think Rami and Christian are a shoo-in, with the wild card going to either Jillian or Chris (though I now have to consider the P as a dark horse contender).
"How we need Biddell, M-G and Lucien (with his fugly crocheted doily inserts and teensy artsy-fartsy hats) to liven up this borefest!"
No one knows what the fuck you are talking about.
This was my favorite too. I liked that from a distance, the fabric almost didn't look like denim. I loved the curves of the pieces. I agree on the bust and it may have been better suited on someone with a little bit of boobage.
Love your blog!
Another Laura
I to think, I was only ten! My mother was a dressmaker, so all my clothes were made, and I started sewing them myself when I was about 15. But back then, I yearned for anything bought from Macy's, which almost NEVER happened.
But yes, I remember the term "wet look" and "Maxi-coat." Funny, today the only thing with Maxi- affixed to it is a pad! And wet look, well, let's get our head out of the gutter, shall we?
Purple! So cool. Did you have knee high "wet look" boots as well?
I'm just trying to figure out how America got from the coolness of all of that to this (snore)
"Anonymous said...
No one knows what the fuck you are talking about."
Yes we do, angry person without high speed internet.
LOL! Yes, that poster was referring to Project Runway Canada only viewable via High Speed on Youtube (didn't see them all but they were great--although no one beats OUR judges IMO--Iman is classy but not as engaging as Heidi in my opinion).
Okay, I'm awfully late to the party but glad to be here. I loved Sweet P's foot shot, thought it was funny and endearing. Her dress was cute and youthful, although not a personal fan of the strapless. As someone else pointed out, Sweet P is always the first to offer comfort to others and express concern as she did when Jack had to leave. She seems more like the Earth Mother type than hippy or biker to me. And an Earth Mother/Bad Mommy smackdown might be kind of fun!
Regarding the whole 60's thing, I too was born in 1961 and wore proudly my white go-go boots, fishnet stockings (usually with a hole in the knee from the monkey bars), daisy power stickers on my guitar case (didn't actually play but cultivated the look), and quiana jersey halter dresses. I don't think I was of the hippy era but definitely developed my tastes before the late 70's disco era came into flower.
GothamTomato and Bill, you always make me smile; BigAssBelle, glad you're back; Jingles The Cat, I want to hang with your mom too: and Sewing Siren, "Yes, that same goddam thing happened to me" was hysterical. Thanks!
Me2
Anonymous said...
"How we need Biddell, M-G and Lucien (with his fugly crocheted doily inserts and teensy artsy-fartsy hats) to liven up this borefest!"
No one knows what the fuck you are talking about.
Yes we do. Maybe it's just you who doesn't know?
Me2 @ 8:41 PM,
re: late to the party...not to worry, I'm usually the 10th-to-the-last-post before the thread goes dead. (ha.)
I liked what you had to say...and yes, I too had a quiana jersey halter dress, in powder blue. (aside: I work with a 25 year old woman who inexplicably named her daughter Kiana...prounounced quiana. I haven't the heart to tell her the relation to the highly-flammable and dated fabric :)
re: Sweet P's dress. I loved it ...though as a bona fide A-cup, I would not consider purchasing it unless it had straps. Doesn't matter what size your 'girl's" are, having to hike-up your garment with every gesture is torture.
(also loved the dangle necklace and metal-accented sandals, I think the Pea used appropriate restraint there)
I'm a bit mystified as to why others here find denim to be 'difficult'. My 20 year-old Pfaff, with the appropriate needle can plow through the heaviest weave with ease. I may have to create a knock-off version of Chic Pea's dress for myself. :)
Can't wait for TLo to blog Rami's garment...I may go against the popular-flow, but I thought it was mis-matched and the skirt looked like the bottom of a fencing-bodice. (reference: coastalview.com/article_pics/041223_fencing.jpg)
Bring it on!
I agree Sweet P seems like a fantastic lady, and has certianly improved on the show as she went on.
Let's face it, she seemed like a mess the first several episodes, often being at the bottom. My goodness - that men's wear challenge for one! Yicks!
But she certainly has improved, and in my opinion, not until we saw the everyday dress she did on the Rami team.
This denim dress is very pretty! But it reminds me of my good old day's a bit. :)
I think Ricky's won because Levis wanted something that was obviously made from their jeans, as opposed to someone else's, and his had buttons with their name on them running all down the front. Sweet P's dress was pretttier, no doubt, but it could have been constructed from any brand.
Was anyone else sitting on their sofa watching them attack that denim like flies on shit thinking "aren't any of you just a little afraid of being told you need to use all of what you took"??
Re: Sweet P's perceived personality traits.....I am not one to presume I know anything about these people on a personal level based on what I have seen in a few of these 42 minute episodes but I will say this: though Sweet P seems like a enough nice person, it still bugs me how she was so "mean girl" with Elisa on the SJP challenge. The eye rolling to Tim behind Elisa's back....it rubbed me the wrong way from the jump.
Now after hearing about how her asshole buddy Jeffrey created a character last season down to quoting lines from some Bill Murray movie I am thinking "gee, I wonder if she took Peanut's advice and this Sweet P thing is just some attempt at a 'persona'?
THAT whole thing by the way is the most asinine idea I have ever heard. Wouldn't you think they had enough on their plate without having to worry about maintaining another character all the time???
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