Project Runway: Season 8, Episode 5

WIN: Casanova
AUF'd: A.J.

Wow. Drama, drama, drama. I LOVED this episode! First of all, there is nothing better than an underdog succeeding. Second, everyone loves to see the bad guy go down and not only was Gretchen nearly eliminated, but Tim Gunn called her a "bully" and said she manipulated the other designers on her team! Oh, snap! Don't mess with the Gunn, friends!

As for the fashions, I completely agree with the judges on this one. Team "Luxe" was anything but. Their designs were frumpy, ill-fitting and booooo-ring! Team "Military & Lace" nailed it. With a textile like lace, their collection had the potential to be either very granny or very vulgar. They managed to make it look edgy and current. Also, they incorporated the military aspect in interesting and unique ways. It wasn't just your basic structured jacket looks with epaulettes and buttons down the front. They used chains instead of braided trim and buttons and studs in unexpected places- like down the side of Casanova's skinny pants.

Speakng of Casanova, I am SO happy for him! He has had a rough couple of weeks, but his look was truly beautiful. The funniest part of his diva-meltdown was the line, "And I'm getting fat!" His green sweater was an unfortunate choice and didn't do anything for his body, but that line was so over-the-top, I died laughing. And in the end, his look was a real stunner. It was one of the few designs that came down the runway and made me think, "Wow, that's hot." The pleating detail at the knee of his pants was beautiful and I thought his use of brass studs down the side was genius. It reminded me of a tuxedo stripe, but the fact that it was studs made it so much more innovative and edgy. Brilliant:

Honestly, team "Military & Lace" didn't have a single miss- everything worked together AND each designer managed to maintain their own individual point of view:

April- I'm so proud of April for this look. It's an amazing comeback after her diaper disaster last week.

Mondo- It's hard to see in this picture, but the shoulder detailing on this look was amazing.

Michael D- This is a lot of look, but I adore the chains draped over the arm. Very modern and unexpected.

Peach- Another underdog comeback! The top is amazing. I don't love the skirt because of the studs and chains, but I suppose she had to incorporate the military aspect somehow.

Valerie- I like that this look is white. It helped add a bit of lightness to the collection. But even more than her look, I was dying for Valerie's hairdo all throughout this episode! I have to find a way to style my hair that way- so cute!

I love how she tied the scarf. This was the best picture I could find of it, but trust me it was so much better from the back.

Ok, let's talk about the losing team. The judges were spot on: everything was boring, out of proportion and ill-fitting. As Michael D put it, "They have a garment called a grandpa sweater!" That really says it all. The ego on this team was just ridiculous. Between Ivy and Gretchen, this team looked like a bunch of jerks! Also, I wish Gretchen would just STOP TALKING! Her statement, "I don't think our collection looks like any of us and that's a Project Runway first." Well, guess what, Gretchen- just because it's a first, doesn't mean it's good! I feel like I have to show you all their looks so that you can see exactly what the judges are talking about:

I didn't label any of these by the designer who made them because it was so hard to keep track. They each made various pieces, but only Ivy made all the pieces in an entire look (3rd picture).

The best and worst part of the episode was Gretchen. Her ego was just ridiculous from the moment the challenge was presented, right up until the end. And then the way she said that she would not stand on the runway and throw anyone under the bus, yet as soon as things went really downhill, that's exactly what she did. It was horrible to watch because she was such a jerk. That really is the only word I can think of to describe her in this episode. Tim Gunn had an even better word- bully. I absolutely deplore the way they all treated Michael. Especially since his blouse (4th picture) was one of the only pieces in the collection that was beautiful. At least Tim Gunn let her have it at the end. I really wish she had gone home, but since she didn't, I really hope she has a lot more humility next week. At this point, she's the kind of person that no one wants to see win because she seems like such a terrible person. No one wants a bully and a jerk to win. I would have been happy to see her sent home this week after that display.

Do you think I'm being too hard on her? Is she really a nice person who just had a bad week? Or is she a manipulative bully? Leave a comment!

Fall Fashion Trends Continued: Alpine Attire

When someone asks me to write about fall fashion trends, I find I can either make a list of "top" looks for the coming season, or I can write individual posts elaborating on a specific trend. Lately, I've been doing the latter, so feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think of these long-winded posts. I've been trying to go into lots of detail to help you achieve the most successful version of these trends, but if you'd rather little nuggets, just let me know. I aim to please!

Anyway, we've covered military for both men and women and men's suiting, so I'd like to go back to covering both genders and talk about the newest fall/winter trend: alpine-inspired attire. Picture yourself in a cozy ski lodge with snow falling outside, a fire blazing inside, a mug of steamy hot chocolate and a good book. Just the idea of being up in the mountains in the winter is ideal, provided the power- or at the very least the heat- stays on.

When someone says "alpine inspired," I immediately think of bear skin rugs, thick woolen mittens, ski hats and those sweaters with deer and moose woven on the front. This falls alpine look pulls inspiration from all of those ideas, but in a modern and sleek manner.

Let's start with sweaters: they make a fabulous layering piece for both men and women. Yes, the reindeer and snowflake prints are "in," but that doesn't mean they have to be ugly or ill-fitting. If you like these kitsch-y designs for their sense of nostalgia, then go for it! But trust me when I say that there are tasteful, fitted versions out there. Right now they're a little harder to find, but as the months go by and the weather gets colder, they'll be out more and more. To help save you some shopping time, I found some suitable sweaters for both the guys and the gals out there:

7 for all Mankind Icelandic Sweater, 6pm, $93.15

Icewear Wool Sweater, Sierra Trading Post, $99.95

Energie Hayman Zip-up Cardigan Sweater, OptimusPrice, $298.99

Icelandic Wool Handknit Sweater, NordicStore, $196-$216

Reindeer Vest, Shop Say What, $25

Sierra Sweater, Amazon, $98.98

Some people aren't really into the prints on these sweaters, but even if you don't want to sport one, you can still look like a snow bunny in a lush cable-knit sweater instead:

Autumn Cashmere, Bluefly, $103

Icelandic Design Lansbury Sweater, Apparel Valley, $138

Chunky Blend Zip Cardigan, Fair Indigo, $22.25

Guys, I know you're not know bunnies- you're super hot ski dudes. Please don't be offended by the "snow bunny" remark. To make it up to you, I've found some amazing cable-knit sweaters for you:

Hand Knit Shawl Collar Cable Knit Sweater, Bloomingdale's, $265

Cable Knit Sweater, Buckle, $33.75

Cable Knit Sweater, Buckle, $13.50 (Discontinued- get it while you can!)

While sweaters are fabulous, they aren't the only "alpine" item out there. Remember what I said about the bear skin rug? Well, I don't think you should turn it into a trench coat, but I do think you should get on board the faux-fur express. Thanks to Rachel Zoe, faux fur is everywhere and the fur vest is a super chic way to participate in this trend:

BB Dakota Graham Faux Fur Vest, Revolve Clothing, $90

Juicy Couture Faux Fur Vest, Piperlime, $228

Gentlemen, I don't recommend fur vests for you. Not yet, anyway.

So, by now you're probably wondering, "How do I wear these bulky, alpine-inspired pieces and still look sleek and trim?" The answer is simple: if you wear a thick sweater or bulky fur piece, make sure all the other pieces in the outfit are slim and trim. Slender pants of all kinds are appropriate- skinny jeans, skinny cargo pants, skinny trousers, even thick woolen leggings under a longer sweater- all of these are appropriate. A fitted turtleneck, long sleeve tee or thin cashmere sweater underneath the fur vest will always be a winning look, too. Guys, wear a fitted straight-leg or boot-cut jean or a nice pair of wool trousers (flat front).

Now, let's not forget the accessories! For some, a sweater or vest is a bit too much and they might want to approach the alpine look with a little more subtlety. In that case, I recommend incorporating one alpine-themed accessory into an otherwise basic fall/winter outfit. Actually, the "one item" rule should apply to even the more substantial pieces, too. If you wear a reindeer sweater with furry boots and a ski hat and matching sweater, you'll just look like a cartoon. And now, for the accessories (my favorite part):

Smartwool Snowflake Scarf, Sierra Trading Post, $43.20

Nordic Peruvian Hat, Lids, $19.99

Faux Fur Lined Hat, Bravisa, $35.52

Naughty Monkey Faux Fur Boots, Zappos, $79.95

Lambswool Snowflake Winter Gloves, Fur Hat World, $24.95

The great thing about this trend is that you will likely have a few pieces already in your closet, but even if you don't, just one or two key statement pieces will work with your regular fall and winter wardrobe. A wool pencil skirt paired with an Icelandic sweater will be a perfect suit alternative for the office. Gentlemen, you can layer your Icelandic sweater over a button-front shirt and brightly colored tie and wear it with a suit or a pair of jeans- either look will be chic and put-together.

Let me know if you find any of these trends at bargain prices. Since it's a new trend, a lot of the great pieces will be in the high-end stores. After the trend has been around for a while, it will start to trickle down to the less-expensive shops. Let's cross our fingers and hope that happens soon!

Fall Fashion Trends Continued: Mens Suiting

I have had a request to post specifically about men's fall fashion trends. I've also been asked for tips on how to look current while utilixing items you may alreaedy own. For men, the answer is simple: break out your suits.

Suits are making quite a come-back right now since the direction of mens fashion is heading away from casual and into a more dapper, polished look. That doesn't mean your suit can't look casual, but I'll focus more on that in a bit. For starters, you need to make sure that the suits in your closet fit well. Flat-front, narrow fitting trousers are still popular. Hopefully you've picked up a few of those over the last few seasons. Jackets are also still a slim fit, which is nice, but the trend has moved on to incorporate broader shoulders. If your suits are newer, they are probably slim throughout, and that is still perfectly fine. If your suits are older, they are likely a bit more boxy through the chest and waist. If that is the case, I recommend you take them to a tailor and have them altered to fit a little closer to your body. If you've owned suits long enough to have participated in the double-breasted trend, break those out, too. But please have them altered as well. When double breasted jackets were popular previously, they looked like this:

Now, they look like this:

I'm sure you can see the difference, but you might have trouble pin-pointing exactly what has changed. For starters (and the most obvious), the cut is much slimmer. From under the arm all the way to the hem, the jacket hugs the body closely. To be sure a jacket fits you properly, check first that the shoulder seams rest right above the edge of your actual shoulder. Next, button the jacket. If the fabric pulls when it is buttoned, the jacket is too small. Look for jackets with vertical seaming in the front and the back because this allows a tailor plenty of options for where a jacket can be taken in. The other difference you may have noticed is that the lapels are more narrow which makes for a more streamlined look. Finally, the last difference is the length of the jacket- shorter is better right now, but not super short. You'd be amazed at the difference an inc or so can make- especially if you are not quite 6-feet tall. Generally speaking, double breasted jackets are harder to pull off if you aren't very tall. They can actually make you look even shorter. But with a slightly shorter jacket, even someone barely over 5-feet tall can still look good. In the older version of the double-breasted suit, the hem of the jacket is 3-4 inches longer than the hem of the sleeve. In the modern version, they fall at almost the same place. Here's another great modern version of the double breasted suit:

If you aren't interested in purchasing a new, double-breasted suit, but you have an older one in your closet, the alterations will definitely be worthwhile. For around $100 (or sometimes even less), you can have a jacket completely tailored- taken in from the chest down to the waist, length shortened, even higher button placement. Get an estimate from a reputable tailor. A few alterations can extend the life of an otherwise dated and un-usable suit.

The other popular suit trend for men this fall is the 3-piece suit. This goes along quite well with the elevation of menswear to more polished looks. I admit, I die for a man in a well-tailored 3-piece suit. It's so charming:

The guidelines for the jacket and pants remain the same as with any other suit- look for a slim, tailored fit. If the pants are pleated, they should be narrow pleats and the cut of the leg should still be narrow with slightly more room through the thighs. If you are a larger man, a small pleat will actually help the drape of the pants. If you are slender, flat-front is best. As for the vest, look for one that has a deep "V" when closed. The point of the "V" should be somewhere around the center of your sternum. Just like with women's clothing, a deep "V" neck helps create a long, slender line that is nearly always flattering.

Ok, now that you've gone through your closet and determined that yes, you do own a couple of great suits, the question becomes, "How do I wear them without looking like I'm in the same outfit all the time?" The answer is simple: break them up. This works especially well if you are trying to create a more casual appearance. The character of Will Shuester on "Glee" is always wearing great partial suit outfits:

Need ideas for breaking up your suit? How about you pair your suit jacket with jeans or corduroy pants? Same goes for your suit vest- wear it with jeans, cords, khakis, even a pair of dress pants from another (different color) suit. Put your vest over a button-front shirt with a tie OR without one. Roll the sleeves of the shirt. How about a t-shirt under an open button-front shirt and topped off with an open vest? That would be a super hot look. Layer your vest over a graphic tee shirt- the vest can be buttoned or not, depending on the vibe you're going for. Is your vest pin-striped? Pair it with a checkered shirt for a modern look of mixed prints. Pair your suit jacket with a graphic tee and dark wash jeans. Add a cool "man necklace" or a grommeted belt for a bit of edge. Wear your suit pants with a pair of Converse, and a leather jacket. The bottom line is this: get creative with it. Without purchasing a single new item, your entire look can get a complete update just by mixing and matching pieces in unexpected ways. Here is some more inspiration for you:

Finally, if you are interested in being REALLY trendy this fall, you'll sport a velvet suit coat. Follow all the same rules for fit as you would any other jacket and you'll look great. Before investing in an expensive, new coat, try to find a vintage one. You never know what kind of treasure you'll come across at your local Goodwill or Salvation Army, but also check out vintage and consignment shops. I'm personally a fan of rich jewel-tone velvet jackets, but if you aren't quite ready for such a bold statement, try a basic black, grey or chocolate brown:

Guys, feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions about how to look completely dashing this fall. And remember, the key to all menswear is the details. Pay attention to the small things and the overall picture will be perfect.