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 201 – 247 of 247 Newer› Newest»Dearest Tomato, you are correct. The 60s and 70s do seem to have influenced The P. Being not as old as she, but not toooooo much younger, I did have fantasies of the hippy fashions lasting a little longer and maybe overshadowing disco trends. Alas, it was not to be and we had oodles of polyester replacing cotton. Platform shoes usurping sandals and Hush Puppies.
We won't even begin to discuss some of the horrors from the 80s. (Yes, I lived through them and still cringe at some of what I wore. Yikes!)
Interesting comments and a lovely atmosphere on this post, thanks everyone for an enjoyable read! :)
Thanks for the links to Sweet P.'s site, folks. Her stuff doesn't do anything for me, I must say, but it's not awful. And Sweets herself looks adorable in the bio section. However, she really should have had someone proofread the text before the site went live. Whatever would Tim say about her misplaced apostrophes? I shudder to think.
I liked-not-loved the demin dress. I did notice the mismatched blocking, and it irked me in the way that, well, an apostrophe stuck into a possesive "its" irks me. I tell myself that it's no big deal, lots of people do it, it's not as it usually obscures the meaning of a sentence, but still, it's hard to take the writer seriously. I guess that I have a similar reaction to Sweet P's designs -- some of them have been decent, even pretty, but something's always a bit off. Her garments often show execution problems, and she's never put out anything that looked really polished and professional to me (with the possible exception of her RTW dress). But I wish her well. Her demin dress was cute, and I liked it far better than I liked Ricky's.
Honestly, I think that dress is kinda fug and makes Lea look like Holly Hobby grown up. Sweet P's biggest problem is that she doesn't have an aesthetic. The only time she's done something great was when she could mimic someone else's aesthetic. She's very good at reinterpretting someone else's concepts (her best work, the RTW version of Rami's avant garde design, was really Sweet P's version of a Rami design), or taking input from Tim and implementing his suggestions, but coming up with consistent original design elements that would function as her signature style, well, she sucks at that. She strikes me as someone who do really well at one of those knock off design houses that reinterpret the work of popular designers at cheaper prices, or designing for one of the trickle down chain stores that produce their own versions of trends pulled from the runway. But I truly can't imagine her ever making a big mark in the business with her own label.
I think that the blue block that you said don't match were put that way on purpose. If you look at both sides in the screen capture, they are the same.
Love the blog!!
Hi thyrza,
re: I guess that I have a similar reaction to Sweet P's designs -- some of them have been decent, even pretty, but something's always a bit off.
I concur, yet am inclined to give a wide-latitude to the type of designer who is willing to modify...or as St. Tim would say 'mitigate', their original focus.
VictorYa is a perfect current example of someone who was inflexible in approaching a challenge. Badda-bing~~boot.
If your reality show challenge crams your POV into a box.....and you want to excel, knowing you're a middling-sew~er-architect....you adjust, like the Pea......or drape, stand with your legs crossed like you have to whiz..cough*Rami*cough ....and wax poetic about sophistication. (snicker. btw I do like Rami, just think he's had a free-pass)
I can't vouch for Sweet P in future situations, without Tim's august-advice, but she has repeatedly shown her willingness to "modify in the midst of chaos".
...admirable, says me, and far more interesting than another 'chip' dress.
Please judges, let Ricky go with dignity. It's time.
Good for her. This is the one dress that I would actually wear out of the bunch. It made the wig stand look like a walking stick, so I would imagine to would make me look a little thinner. Ok, I can dream...
She showed great reserve after listening to Tim's advice. He is usually right on the money. Although, I (a HUGE Tim fan) am begining to believe that he has certainly become a caricature of his former self. It appears that in every episode showing someone who disagrees with his advice or has issues with it, they are auffed or decide to change the whole look. It has been either been edited that way, or horrors of all horrors, even Tim has lost all hope on this season and has resigned to give the audience the sterotypical quotes in monotone-neither here nor there-careless canned responses to the contestant's designs. It's getting old and I am sad.
I would buy Sweet P's dress in a heartbeat, and I never buy short dresses.
Ricky's? To use the TLo language, "Meh."
Anonymous [7:42] said...
No one knows what the fuck you are talking about.
Dear ignorant, pottymouth Anonymous; as my post said, I was talking about PRC-1: Project Runway Canada, Season 1.
http://www.slice.ca/runway/
Bidell, M-G and Lucien were the finalists and a lot more interesting than this bunch of bores on PR-4.
My word! Sweet P looks completely different in her Bio pic on her web page. It's worth a look. Think that's her hubby?
http://www.nestdress.com/bio.html
Kanani said...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 didn't have matching boots, but I do remember owning a pair of purple suede clogs, and shoes that had rubber soles resembling used tire treads...
I seem to remember the "Maxi-whatever" styles coming on heels of "Mini-everything"...
My sister had a caramel colored coat (who needs real shearling when you can have a coat that's durabilty can be measured in half-lives?!?!) that was awesome too.
Most of my winter clothing was made of pin-wale corduroy, too.
Oh, and buffalo sandals....had to have a pair of those! And huaraches, and embroidered 'peasant' blouses....
I'm going to end up checking out the photo albums for a good laugh this weekend.
I stepped out of this party for a good while yesterday, but I have a comment. (I had to do actual work at work... I know, WTF?)
I always thought that people were more influenced by what was cool when they were cool; i.e., why you see a lot of people dressing like the style was when they were in their late teens, early twenties. I've certainly seen a lot of that in the less urban places I've lived (western PA, southern Wisconsin). And I myself was never influenced by what was cool when I was little. Age giveaway: as an 8-9-year-old, I thought the Like a Virgin era Madonna was trashtastic. On the other hand, I absolutely LOVED her pink dress in the video for Material Girl (only years later learning of the Monroe movie). To this day, I vastly prefer fashions of the 40s, 50s, and Kennedy-era 60s.
But maybe I'm just weird. No, that's a definitely.
Sweet P, like many designers and other people, really need to understand the importance of an up-to-date website. Her site says "coming soon in March 2007". Uh...that was a year ago darling, please update your site!
Jen in Philly--
Work? We don't work. We just rungay all day.
The 60's were a direct rebuttal to everything (the social mores, the restrictions) that the 40's and 50's were. In fact, if you want to go further into it, the 60's probably started with the Beatniks, who were underground 50's. So it was really cool to see a man in a dashiki, a woman wearing a caftan, people in tie-dye, aviator glasses, miniskirts, go-go boots & Pucci prints. I remember loving Twiggy, Peter Max, and when the Stones were fresh.
To me, what happened to fashion back then was nothing short of a total rebellion, a revolution.
And did anyone else have really long braids?
snf in VA --great memories. Yes, I remember maxi skirts. Do you remember Midi's?
Oh.... I'd love to see my daughter in a go-go boot. Shit. Today all they wear are tennis shoes. A shame! A shame!
And the dress was so slimming. Did you see how thin that model looked in it?
OMG, the "midi". hahaha!
Yup, had the long braids and a couple of midi-skirts, too.
And I agree...there was a spontaneity to fashion then that seems lacking now.
Late to the party - sigh!
kanani said...
I'm just trying to figure out how America got from the coolness of all of that to this (snore)...[the link didn't transfer, but it leads to a boring pink blazer]
You know, Kanani, this wouldn't be quite so bad if you got some fabric paint and either block printed or screen printed some interesting motif all over it, or added beads, changed the buttons, etc. Better to just shop vintage and used stores and alter to suit. (cheaper too.)
This discussion is giving me a lovely flashback! Having graduated high school in 1968, 45 miles east from San Francisco, I have fond memories of that period. (This is proof positive that I was not smoking anything.) The baby doll dresses, arrow straight long hair (finally in style) and mini skirts - often worn while riding a bicycle across campus the next fall. (sigh) I think the go-go boots were a little earlier, say '66 - not a look Rosie favored and she had the $.
And now a confession - I am wearing earth shoes. Again. Love to look at those Chase Me, Catch Me, Do Me shoes, but please -ouch!
kanani said:
Jen in Philly--
Work? We don't work. We just rungay all day.
I know, I know. I'll try to be better about that in the future. :)
The 60's were a direct rebuttal to everything (the social mores, the restrictions) that the 40's and 50's were.
Oh, I wasn't talking about social implications. The styles of the 40s and 50s are just the most aesthetically pleasing to me. And they happen to fit my body the best, which probably also has a lot to do with it.
I'm pretty much the opposite in social ideals of the 40s and 50s, though. I consider myself pretty liberal, and my profession is one that was not open to women of that era. I also refused to change my name when I got married, which, amazingly, pisses off a lot of people even in this day and age.
Stupidville said:
"Bidell, M-G and Lucien were the finalists and a lot more interesting than this bunch of bores on PR-4."
Wow. Maybe you should stop watching.
Pat said:
"Uh...that was a year ago darling, please update your site!"
UH, she's been a little BUSY ... darling. Since early '07 she's been preparing for and doing this television show called Project Runway on Bravo ... have you heard of it? Darling? And if she's showing at Bryant park in February ....
Darling.
Kanani ... can you say "Off Topic?"
We are here to chat about Project Runway, yes?
Kanani, you keep right on going. I've always enjoyed the conversations that start with PR and then run into fashion in general, fashion in our own lives, and bits of our own lives beyond fashion.
Actually, I thought the off-topic comment was more directed at me, but unintentionally directed at kanani because I quoted her.
By the way, Bill, I love the idea of you buying the Bitten vest and trying it on!
Thanks for the link to Sweet P's web site. Wow, I really didn't like ANYTHING in any of her collections. Not one thing. In fact I actively disliked most of it. It is TUB: Trashy Urban & Boring.
I love Sweet P as a person, though. This just tells me I better root for her to lose the next competition after Ricky gets eliminated.
Oh yip! Our own early fashion influences.
I loved "That Girls" hair.
Does anyone remember the opening sequence of "Petticoat Junction" with the white eyelet trim petticoats going over the water tower?
Glinda the Good's costume.
The Penny and Judy from "Lost in Space".
And the Black Canary from the comic books.
Oh yes, I can say Off Topic, but then... this really isn't.
How can you have a conversation about fashion without talking about the times?
I think the SweetP thing brought up the 60's, 70's. Since fashion is a reflection of the times we live in it's natural to bring up everything we wore or saw, and also the social influences. And Bill....I loved that your sister had DAWN dolls. How many people remember her!
And I think Sweet P's dress was an excellent example of taking a 60's idea (patchwork) and updating it to today's standards!
So there!
Earth Shoes?
Run!
Any girls wear marshmellow shoes or Chinese slippers? They were my shoes of choice in the late 70's!!
I spent a good part of the 80's in *shudder* Doc Martens...
OMG Kanani- EARTH SHOES!!
How butt ugly were those?? I totally had them!! They were the Birkenstocks of the 70's.
Speaking of Birkenstocks, my dh is an airline supervisor....checked The Bod in once for a flight, came home and proclaimed she had on "Jesus shoes". Took me a minute to figure out that he meant Birkenstocks.
I thought Birkenstocks were the ugliest shoes I had ever seen, then came those Teva sandals, now Uggs.
I definitely question Heidi's "taste level" since she's designed Birkenstocks.
I think the next challenge should involve making a macrame plant hanger.
"Sewing Siren said...
Oh yip! Our own early fashion influences.
I loved "That Girls" hair."
I wanted to be That Girl. As for the Earth Shoes: Nope. My theory of shoes has always been; if they don't make you taller, what's the point?
--GothamTomato
Anonymous 12:18, not only do I agree with you that sleeves can be a girl's best friend (even short sleeves) but bras can be an even bigger friend. Just sayin'
I thought Sweetie's dress was cute. Nothing I could wear (see about post about bras) but a nice looking dress that could have been made in many different fabrics.
She is obviously learning... "Ignore the Gunn at your peril"
Didn't P close out her business (nest) just before PR taped?
you are safe if you do something slimming...
you are auf if you do something that makes the rail thin models look "fat"
desert--
Yes, she closed Nest Dress just before trying out for PR.
It's not easy owning a small business. I completely and totally empathize with her.
On her site, it said her designs were sold at Urban Outfitters. That's a pretty dang good score!
I just viewed your webpage kanani..very interesting!
I love Sweet P - she should have won the Prom and Ready-to-wear. And I can't understand the judges love for Mango (aka Christian)....he is recalling his school days, when was that, last week? And his "perfect looking" pants made his model look like she was packing a penis. Not to mention his obsessive fixation with Dynasty level shoulder pads.
Favorite part of this episode is when victoria kept calling Sweet P , Kit. It was like she didn't even care who she was talking to.
Katiecoo
Stop by my blog anytime. Tomorrow's post will be about Julie Christie, Tim Gunn, Frank Schaeffer and The Housewives of OC.
i just ADORE it when Heidi says "Sweet P, You're In"
Speak it out loud. Drink when she says it!
I LOVED that dress! Can't believe Ricky's tacky little number won over this, or even Christian's reconstructed jeans.
The only reason she didn't win, as far as I'm concerned, is because her real prize is making the final 5, which is a heck of a lot more than making the final 6, since there's always a total dud in there, saved week after week by some insane decisions by an inebriated panel of judges. Not you Heidi, you always look perfectly straight... but you're married to a rocker, so maybe you just hide it better!
Kudos, Sweet P. But I do agree with the PR Gayboys: none of us needed to see your grimy foot.
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