Style Fix

Season 4 of Project Runway is moving along quickly! From 15 designer-contestants in the beginning, to 6 in the episode coming up, down to just 2 who will get to show their stuff in Fashion Week at Bryant Park.

With a rerun on TV this week, (and an assignment for Project Blog!) I’ve been inspired to work up a full recap of the season thus far, and a tiny peek into next week.

Episode 1: Sew Us What You Got

Taken into the open air of Bryant Park, the shows begins where it will later end. Almost immediately after they arrive in New York, the 15 designer-contestants must race to collect their material from three tents decked out with $50,000 worth of fabric. With no guidelines but to “wow the judges,� Rami first showed off his twist-and-drape skills for an early win. Despite kooky Elisa’s colorful butt train, forgettable Simone was the first to go.

Episode 2: I Started Crying

Also titled “Money Changes Everything,â€? this episode introduced us to Sarah Jessica Parker’s line Bitten. Working in teams of two the designers had to create a look for SJP using only $15. Victorya, partnered with Kevin, won, and got to see her jacket in Steve & Barry’s stores. Marion, leader of partner Steven, and the other contestant that I completely forgot about, created a hot mess and was told “ick. See you later … not!â€? by SJP (in politer words, of course).

Episode 3: Fashion Giant

*Ominous doom noise* Footballer twin Tiki Barber guest stars for the dreaded menswear challenge. Although most are pleased by the gender change of models, most struggle to complete a three-piece look. Jack won after ripping apart what he was wearing to use as a pattern. Faux-hawker Carmen finally gets off the show and thus off my nerves for sending her poor model out with just a scarf for a shirt.

Episode 4: Trendsetter

They each have to pick an out-of-date style (Jillian took overalls because she had a pair on), then team up with two others to collaboratively make a cohesive collection of three updated versions of their chosen looks. It was a hard judging week because even though Sweet p, Elisa, and Victorya were favorites, their teams did not work well together. In the end, Jillian won (whose laughing now?) and costumer Chris (temporarily) went home for his insane shoulder pads.

Episode 5: What’s the Skinny?

Women who have recently lost around 100 lbs. were this week’s models - and their pre-weight loss fave outfit was the material (plus $10 spending cash). Back in the workroom, Jack announced that he has a serious infection and must step down. Welcome back, gigglemaster Chris! Steven spends too much time pitying himself for getting the woman who brought her wedding dress that he never gets the creative juices going. He lost (even though Chris made his woman look like a sailor). Youthful Christian nabs his first win with a rocker-chic, cropped, short-sleeve jacket, and perfectly fit pants.

Episode 6: Eye Candy

Dumbest episode ever. Hershey’s was mega advertised, Elisa lost, Rami won, and I actually liked Chris (second picture).

Episode 7: What a Girl Wants

Ah, the prom dress one: this is definitely one to catch if you missed it. High school girls were brought in - uniforms, Jersey attitudes, and all - and given the chance to select whom would work on their dream prom getup. Christian is on the verge of strangling his diva-in-training by the end, Kevin gets nixed after deciding to leave the edges unfinished, and snobby Victorya won with a dress necklaced in chunky jewels (first picture shown here). Miraculously, for the second week in a row, Chris is my fave.

Episode 8: En Garde!

The task at hand: with a partner, create an avant-garde outfit inspired by a crazy hairstyle, and a ready-to-wear version. Drama! Sweet P rocked it, but the judges couldn’t give it to her because her partnership with Rami was a flop. Kit lost for finding inspiration in Little House on the Prairie. Ricky cried. Victorya and Jillian worked terribly together, but ended up with a killer jacket. Christian led Chris to a victory and a photo shoot with TRESemme featuring their ruffled layers.

Episode 9: Even Designers Get the Blues

Levi’s 501 asked the remaining seven to fashion an iconic look using only denim pants and jackets, and some white cotton. They had to run to grab as much material as they could, again. Victorya and Jillian made jackets, again (Vic went home for her cut-and-paste number). Ricky cried, again (though this time he won). Christian made perfectly fit pants, again. The only thing new was that Rami didn’t twist and drape fabric (but really, how could he with denim?).

This was my Project Blog entry. Will you vote for me? Please?

Want that episode teaser I mentioned? Click below for a tiny peek into next week …

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Did anyone else cry last night when realizing that Project Runway was a rerun? I retreated to the fetal position, sucking my thumb, crying out “why, oh Bravo!, why?”

But then I remembered that at least we’d still be having a Project Blog competition starting up today, and that it is down to the final three contestants!

The overall Project Blog winner gets a prize pack of awesome stuff, which includes:
An autographed picture of Jackie Warner, courtesy of Sky Sport and Spa

In the final weeks of Project Runway, I am still in Project Blog with fellow top three finalists Mark and Winnie.

It’s getting tense! So much so that Stress Less wants to help you calm down and relieve that end-of-competition tension with a few prizes including a squeezey ball and herbal tea (because it’s more relaxing than coffee) mug. As an added bonus, the winning commenter and writer this week will each receive a copy of The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook.

Hmm … the more that I think about it, I know someone who could really use these prizes. Maybe we should all cede the stress relievers to Runway designer Ricky (shown here).

Allison at BCSFrenzy tells you exactly how to win, plus she will dole out my next, and hopefully not last, writing topic for Project Blog on Thursday.

Stay tuned - I’m going to need your votes!

Miu Miu, a Prada line of clothing and accessories, revealed Kirsten Dunst as the face of the spring ad campaign, draping the cutesy, 25-year-old actress in their lush designs, and setting her up in a stripper/pole dancer/burlesque style shoot.

The photos look fabulous - two of my favorites are pictured here, and if you click on them you can view the rest - but they didn’t take Kirsten’s innocent, girly nature into consideration. We love the New Jersey-native because she giggles awkwardly and doesn’t seem to know how sexy she can be. I wish Miu Miu would have given us a little of that.

Hopefully, Coach gives us a touch of what we love about actress Kate Bosworth - her demure smile and quirky-colored eyes - when they reveal their spring 2008 ads featuring her this March.

Look for the skinny starlet’s Calvin Klein ads to come out first, though. Here’s a taste of the black and white CK shots.

calvin klein kate bosworth, coach kate bosworth, miu miu kirsten dunst, miu miu kristen dunst, celebrities in designer ads

Every fashion, gossip, and celebrity Web site is jamming up your Internet connection with slideshows of the handful of celebs that walked the red carpet at Sunday night’s SAG Awards (E! Fashion Police is always my fave). And since I like to be different, here, instead, is an adorable picture from the press conference and photo op for the 58th annual Sanremo Music Festival in Italy.

How stylish are these two international hotties?! On the left is 28-year-old, Hungarian-born actress and model Andrea Osvart. Bianca Guaccero, 25-year-old, Italian actress, is on the right.

Aren’t non-Americans attractive, fashionable, elegant, mature, and classy?

sanremo music festival, sag awards, international actresses

This weekend was the Miss America Pageant 2008. In the weeks preceding the beauty competition was the more entertaining show - TLC’s Miss America: Reality Check. The top 52 (the states plus D.C. and Virgin Islands) women were pitted against each other in competitions; forced to jump into a pool, thus messing up their hair and makeup; told that their hair looked like a helmet and their makeup was that of clowns; and given advice on their gowns, looks, walk, talk, and more (you gotta love reality TV).

The whole point was to update the pageant. Did it work? Let’s analyze.

1. See these earrings? They made appearances multiple times on multiple lobes in multiple neon colors during the reality show without being thrown back to the 1980s. They even made an appearance on the big night. Where were was the advice on the accessories, TLC? To find a picture I had to search 80s costumes!

2. Several girls who became faves during the reality series, weren’t even given a nod on the stage. Instead, those who refused to change instantly made it to the top. We still saw teased, sprayed hair; heard bad vocals and saw comical pointe dances; and were subjected to endless ice skater-ish, sequined, sheer dresses.

3. Their introductions were “modern.” There were movie quotes (Miss Washington asked us “How do you like those apples?”), attempts at jokes (Miss Georgia said that her state was the only place where you could have both a Southern accent and a college degree); slightly offense “oh my, did she just say that” moments (Miss Nevada thanked you for leaving your money in her state), and all around poor choices made.

4. And the pageant’s changes? Oh so corny! On stage there was a DJ that played beats instead of songs, and a losers’ party with dessert. Not to mention, if you watched it replayed after the live performance, they gave away who was going to win! More than one commercial told viewers who the winner was when there were still ten women in the running.

So while I appreciate the attempt, and was entertained by Reality Check, it did not work.

miss america reality check, miss america pageant 2008

Have you been following Heroes‘ star Hayden Panettiere’s legal troubles? She’s 18 and a Hollywood hottie, so it must be DUIs and drugs, right? Wrong! Miss “Save the Cheerleader” had Japanese officials after her when she paddled out with Save the Whales Again!, physically putting herself between whalers and their targets.

Hayden is the organization’s official spokes-chicadee and takes this job more serious than her award-winning roles. This Sunday, she is leading a rally against commercial whaling in Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.

Even one step more, Miss tiny-size is selling and auctioning several designer items (for less than their retail cost!) from her personal stash of stylish swag. The occasional hat, product, or other accessory pops up, but aside from those quickly moving finds, you’ll have to be a XS, 2/4, 24-25, or shoe size 5 to find something of hers that will fit. Regardless, it’s still worth checking out Panettiere’s Closet to see into her wardrobe.

Perhaps she will start allowing requests? Hey, Hayden, what size is this one shown here that you wore to the People Magazine’s Entertainment Tonight party in September? I’m sure it would fit me.

hayden pannetierre, hayden save the whales, hayden japan whales, buy haydens clothes

What is it about this dress? Sure, it’s cute. But after Jenny McCarthy wore it in black and Ali Larter wore it in white both in September, perhaps Paris should have gone a different route.

What do you think? Who did the dress look best on? What color would you rock? Or does it leave a bad taste in your mouth regardless of the celebrity or shade?

So the superstition goes that things - usually bad things, especially death - happen in threes. Last August and September the fashion world lost three greats with the sequential passings of Brooke Astor at 105, Dame Anita Roddick at 64, and Herb Gallen at 92.

Somehow, we accept death better when the person has lived a long life, and dies of (what we consider to be) natural causes.

I speak of death because within the past two weeks, two young, male actors have passed away.

At 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 22 Australian-born actor Heath Ledger was found dead in his Manhattan apartment. A housekeeper and masseuse entered and found him naked, lying on his bed, with unidentified pills nearby. The 28-year-old, award-winning Brokeback Mountain star had just completed filming as The Joker for the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight. Ledger and actress Michelle Williams, with whom he was once engaged, had a 2-year-old daughter, Matilda Rose. His work included his break-out role in 10 Thing I Hate About You, A Knight’s Tale, The Brothers Grimm, and more.

This sad news of Heath Ledger’s death comes exactly one week after the death of 25-year-old actor Brad Renfro. On Tuesday, January 15, Renfro was found dead in his Los Angeles apartment, after reportedly spending the previous night drinking with friends. Renfro starred in The Client at age 11, and had since acted in many movies including Apt Pupil, Sleepers, Ghost World, and The Informers which he has just finished filming. Like Ledger, Renfro also had a child, a 4-year-old son, Y. Renfro. Brad had been struggling with substance abuse, having served jail time for a DUI and heroin possesion. Cause of death is not yet determined.

Two fathers; two attractive actors with films releasing this year; two unnecessary, untimely, sad deaths. Hopefully, the superstition of death coming in threes proves to be a myth.

heath ledger death, brad renfro death

Here’s just a small taste of the Haute Couture that Christian Dior has been serving up in Paris, France this week. (Click for full-size hotness.)

Now this is what the Project Runway judges were hoping for when they challenged contestants to create something inspired and innovative last week! Hopefully, my faves Sweet P and Rami will step it up tomorrow evening.

Speaking of Project Runway … I am still going strong in Project Blog! Voting ends momentarily for this week, so we should know a winner soon. Last week, I came in second with my two-part picture slideshow.

Maybe I would have come in first had I used Smilebox which lets you create free slideshows with your photos and video, and has dozens of other cool features like e-cards, scrapbooks, and more!

I have seen some great fashion on the big screen recently. Two movies really jumped out, stylist-wise, and had me lusting after the characters’ wardrobes: 27 Dresses and P.S. I Love You.

Aside from the 27 outrageously tacky bride’s maids dresses, Katherine Heigl wears some fantastic looks in her latest film. Even her hair gives a classy, mature feel in a dozen different elegantly simple up- and down-dos. The outfit that really had me is seen here from only about the neck up. I couldn’t find a full-length photo of it, but now you know what to look for if you go see the movie. It cinched her waist, had a full just-below-the-knee skirt, and was a great color on her. Malin Akerman plays the little sister and, although she is definitely scantily clad, also wears some adorable dresses and fabulously bouncy hair styles.

Hilary Swank’s wardrobe cannot be captured in a few photos of her holiday love flick. Her New York character is given depth through amazing, drool-worthy high heels in every scene which she declares to be eBay finds. Most of her outfits are cocktail dresses with a feel caught somewhere between Audrey Hepburn and a perfectly primped housewife. In these movie stills you can see Hilary’s character’s layering and cold weather style.

I enjoyed both films’ stories, plotlines, acting, and all, but the fashion of these two chick flicks made them that much more memorable.

hilary swank, katherine heigl, 27 dresses, ps i love you, movie fashion, movie stills

I almost forgot to tell you what you can win by voting this week in Project Blog and leaving a comment on the BCSFrenzy post.

Week Eight’s Sponsor: The Humor-Blogs Network

Week Eight’s Prizes:

The reader who wins this week will have their choice between two books, and the blogger who wins this week will get the other book.

Read more about these comical books, and how to get the most opportunities to win.

Alright. All four final contestants have posted their entry for week eight in Project Blog. Right now, I’m lagging in third - which no longer gets points! Stop on over here to vote.

It really is the final four, everyone has a phenomenal entry. Here are all the contestants:

1. Kate, Babylune: “Hey Buddy! Can You Spare Some Eyeballs?� (link removed at blogger’s request - but you can still vote for Kate because she is awesome)
2. Winnie, Watching the View: “Dear Nancy Grace�
3. Sally, Style Fix: “Dear Designers: Please Impress Me�
4. Mark, Get Incensed: “This is Why You’re Not Hot�

Dear fashion designers:

As you prepare your fall fashion shows that will hit the Mercedes Benz New York runway in two weeks, we must beg of you: please, give us something good.

We do not want to wear feathers. We are not buying in to your attempt to sell us our grandmother’s fabric. We are not gladiators, and therefore do not want to wear gladiator sandals. We do not want to wear fur. We neither want to show our own panties nor see other women’s delicates through sheer pants.

It’s not that we hate you, designers (except you, Balenciaga, we do hate you). It’s just that lately, you have been letting us down. We have been disappointed by the last few seasons of failed attempts. We have been there - top designs or rags - but we (and you, we assume) are always more excited to see the former.

True, some of you are fairing better than others (New Zealand designers are kicking all of your butts), but none of you have sent us into a feverish flurry, trying to figure out how we could possibly afford your latest creation.

If you promise to try your best, and throw in a little extra effort, dear designers; then we promise to keep an open mind going into Fall Fashion Week 2008 coming up this February. We will even promise to humbly give you the praise that you deserve … should you earn it.

For some last minute inspiration, please find two good examples from Milan Fashion Week Menswear Autumn/Winter 2008 currently being held in Italy.

Thank you, fashion designers.

With great hope, we await.

This was my Project Blog entry. Will you vote for me?

You remember that little competition - Project Blog - for which I have been begging votes? Well it is down to just four contestants, now, and I am still in the running! With another episode of Project Runway hitting the air last night, there is another fresh assignment for Project Blog (assigned to us by Allison):

On this week’s episode of Project Runway, the contestants were teamed up and we learned that communication is everything. Communication is important in blogging too! This week, your challenge is a fun one … write a “Dear…â€? post. It can be to a reader, to a star in your field, to someone in your life, or to someone else!

Why am I going gung-ho for this competition? Well there are weekly prizes for you - leave a comment here for your chance to win - but there are goodies for the top blogger, too: