AUF'd: Double elimination!!! Jason AND Nicholas
What a tragic, hot mess of a runway show this week! It makes me nervous for this season to have seen SO many looks that were just awful. I'm amazed there weren't more in the bottom, but at least we can be satisfied with the surprise double elimination! Knowing the winner's look would appear on a billboard in Times Square, I'm shocked at the color pallates of SO many of the designers! There was black and grey and other drab, boring colors as far as they eye could see! Of course Valerie's red dress was in the top- it was one of only a couple of bold color choices! It was well-made and interesting, too and to be honest I was surprised she didn't win the challenge. Just look at the detail in this otherwise simple dress:
I love it, and given the color choice, I'm a little surprised that Gretchen won. Don't get me wrong- her look was pretty fabulous, but when I think of an eye-catching bill board in Times Square, navy isn't exactly the color I go for:
I agree with the judges that this look has a wide appeal to many age demographics and that the styling is flawless. I think the construction is impeccable and the way the neckline changes to be a deeper "V" is also interesting and well-done. I suppose Gretchen is the designer to beat at this point- two wins in a row!
The other top design was actually my favorite of them all. Mondo made a youthful outfit that sort of channeled Coco Chanel while also bringng an edgy, modern feel to the overall look. And of course, the silhouette on the skirt is my favorite:
I think that Mondo's picture was one of the best, too. It had so much life and movement and despite the color choice, it seemed vibrant and full of life. Great job, Mondo- I'm looking forward to seeing more of what you can do.
And now for the runway disasters. There were far too many to post here, so I'll focus on the designers who were auf'd:
Nicholas' look suffered from over-designing. The skirt with the seams and the pointed hemline, the blouse with the cool front and the open back, the cape- its all too much. He should have eliminated the cape, simplified the back of the top and stopped there. If the top wasn't so open in the back, it might have worked, but he needed to edit. But should he have been eliminated for that? Especially compared to Jason's monstrosity?
Even if it weren't held together with SAFETY PINS, this look would be an absolute train wreck. The concept of the dress just does not work and the styling is about as unflattering as it can be. I wholeheartedly agree with the judges that Jason should be auf'd for this look. I'm torn about Nicholas, though. I wonder what made them send him home as well, especially when there were plenty of other horrific looks going on. Thoughts? Opinions? Am I being too nice to Nicholas? Too hard on the other designers? Leave a comment!
This season so far it seems as if the judges are looking at the styling as well as the designs. I think it was definitely time for Jason to go.. both weeks for him were a HOT MESS! but I would have given Nicholas (sp?) another chance. I was surprised that the chick got kicked off last week. I liked her look but the judges thought the styling was off (Yea, I have to agree, I'll pass on the pink handbag .. but the dress was hot!)
ReplyDeleteMondo's look this week was nice, but I would have left that scarf thingy off the dress. It was a little distracting to me.
I'm with you on Valerie's being my favorite--everything from the color to the zipper in the front and the flattering (and slimming) pleating detail through the hips. Not to mention that it would look great on a billboard.
ReplyDeleteAnd I was shocked that Gretchen won again. I actually don't like her look at all--it reminds me of the jumpsuit Pussy Galore wore in Goldfinger...in 1964! I do like the asymmetric piping on the pockets, but beyond that, I just don't get it, even the styling. Her hair looks flat and reminds me of a Swiss milkmaid's bonnet, and the ankle boots that leave four inches of incredibly distracting skin are a poor choice, IMO. And I hate how the pant is cropped below the calf, visually cutting her height by a good 8 or 9 inches. A shorter woman could never pull that off.