Penelope

First, I just want to point out how much I absolutely adore Netflix's Watch it Now service. Now that I have a television I can hook up directly to my computer, I have watched quite a few hours of great movies and television without having to wait for a disc. My only complaint is that I have to run it in IE rather than Firefox.

Now that my fangirl moment is out of the way, I'll get to Penelope, after one brief tangent.

I'm currently enrolled in an editing class. Our current assignment is to cut a trailer for a film, so last week we watched several trailers and discussed how they were or were not successful. When the trailers for Penelope were coming on television, I thought I'd like to see it. It looked like a fun little whimsical fairy tale, and I just knew it would be a love story with a happy ending. Let's face it, I'm a sucker for a love story with a happy ending.

Now, in an attempt to find the trailers that I watched that made me want to see the film I just found the "extended trailer" which basically includes the entire plot of the film, and isn't nearly as fun and certainly wouldn't have made me want to go see the movie. If you have to give away the ending of your movie in the trailer, then how much faith do you have in your actual movie? Maybe film students are different from most viewers, but most people I know can tell if the trailer gives away the end and really resent it.

Anyway, all of that aside. I didn't watch that trailer until just now, and I did watch the good ones. So I watched the film the other night and I have to say I greatly enjoyed it. Don't get me wrong, the film had flaws, and some major ones at that. But I was willing to just let all of that go and enjoy the ride.

The biggest flaw, really, is the story. There's not enough of it there, and what is there isn't as well drawn as it could be. The film landed a huge coupe when they cast James McAvoy and they certainly underutilized him. In fact, almost every character is underdone. It's just not a character driven piece, in the end. I think that works against the film with current audiences, though I don't know that it was trying to be so much more than it was.

The problem is that once in a while, with a line here or there, a moment, an expression, the film transcends it's silly fairy tale treatment. When Penelope tries to explain to her mother how she's feeling, the writing becomes heartwrenching, if a little exposition heavy. I know I'm going to keep coming back to James McAvoy but in the end he has some of the finest acting I've ever seen. He says more with a pained look than some actors can in a whole monologue. And the end...I try not to spoil endings, but I must say that I think anybody who likes romance or love stories needs to watch the film, if for no other reason than to see the next to last scene.

I think that the art director and costume designer for the film deserve praise. They've created a setting that exists everywhere and nowhere at once. If the film is intended to be set in a specific place then I couldn't figure out where it was. It felt like New York City and London at the same time. Penelope's clothes were delightful, and everything looks beautiful. The only thing I can say is that Christina Ricci is almost too adorable in her pig nose, but I forgive everyone's overreaction to it as part of the sort of oversaturated screwball world that they live in.

It's a good little film. I think most people who like fairy tales, love stories, or quirky comedies will enjoy it. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to add everything James McAvoy has ever done to my queue.

Avant guard meets...surfer?

When you think of surfer girls and surf wear, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Wet suits? Bathing suits? Hibiscus flowers? That really annoying level of JoJo's Fashion Show?

How many of you thought "Avant Guarde fashion?" Nobody? Crickets?

I'm so completely baffled by the decision to pair the two ideas, and apparently so were the designers. In season four, the designers had to make an avant guard look, and then create a ready to wear look to compliment it, the two looks mostly complimented each other. You also got some astonishingly good fashion out of it. Even the dress that got a designer eliminated wasn't BAD, it just didn't fit.

Yet this group...this group turned out a lot of really weird stuff. Some boring, some downright weird, and none of it matched, really at all. What did their pairs of outfits have to do with each other? They didn't. Much like surf wear and avant guarde fashion.




Louise and Althea

What's really sad about this episode is that aside from a few key groups, I can't even remember who was paired together. I keep having to go back to the website to figure it out, but I guess that's what you get this early in the season.

Last week, I didn't like the fit of the bust on Althea's dress. This week, the fit is still really similar, so I think it's just one of her design trends. There's just something about that particular style and fit that makes the woman's chest look like an odd proportion. I don't understand why people think it's great, I guess because it shows off a lot of flesh? But in the end, it actually elongates that part of the chest, which I don't think is the intended result.

I also gave a pass last week to Christopher for the bubble skirt hem he did on the shirt he made. I won't do that with this bubble skirt hem, I still hate them.

In the end, while I like the color and the garment fits the challenge really well, it's just filled with sewing techniques that I've never liked, understood, or wanted to wear.

The avant guarde look is much nicer, and very well constructed. I find it very impressive, and beautiful. I don't think it takes enough chances to be really avant guard, but it's still nice.

But how does it even remotely relate to the first look? Look at them together, they don't even seem like they'd be in the same collection, let alone the same challenge.



Shirin and Carol Hannah

The surfer outfit was nice, I love the fabric. It really reminds me of the things that Uli made. The only thing I hesitate about is that I don't know if surfers actually wear teensy bikinis or if they prefer something with a little more coverage. Since they talked to the surfer girls, I'll presume that sometimes they wear more skimpy things. But in the end, solid effort, a little fun, and well done.

The avant guarde look...well, if you cover up the bottom third of the dress and pretend it isn't there, then it's really nice. The color is very pretty, the sweep around the shoulder, the braiding, all lovely.

The pouches at the bottom? Um...what was that about? They flopped around weirdly on the runway, they're large and cumbersome, and they don't really serve any purpose besides being large weird things on the bottom of the dress. And we're not going to go into what they remind me of.

But the big thing in the end? Again, what do these dresses have to do with each other? The colors don't match, the designs don't flow together. They're just two different dresses with two different inspirations and I wish that they could have kept everybody on the runway so that the judges could have called them to task for it.

Actually, why didn't the judges call them to task for not making the dresses work together? It was part of the challenge!




Christopher and Logan

Okay, okay. THESE two looks at least look like they belong in the same show, if not "inspired by" or anything. They're similar enough to be of the same aesthetic.

The top half of the model for the surf look is great. But while I realize this is a "surf inspired" look, I can't get over the idea of how much a surfer would probably hate wearing skinny pants like these. They look vastly uncomfortable, and as I pointed out time and time again during Christian's season, skinny pants are not flattering on anybody. They make you look funny, so please women of America and the world, stop wearing them.

No really, even if you're skinny they aren't right. They accentuate the wrong parts of the woman's body, they make her legs look strange, and just generally throw off the entire natural curve and proportion of a woman's body which is, in general, the entire thing most people find attractive about women.

While these aren't as bad as some I've seen, they certainly don't work for me.

I actually quite like the avant guarde look, because it's rather daring and fits the idea. It's on the edge, something that would be a good centerpiece to a collection even if it's not entirely wearable. I also like that it seems to be a very good blend of Christopher and Logan's styles. Actually, I think it's the best avant guarde look of the night because it certainly feels more risky, better made, and more demanding than Ra'mon's.




Qristyl and Epperson

I like the fabric for the casual dress, I like the top (though it's got a little of the same issue that I talked about with Althea. The problem isn't the tiny top so much as it is the long long straps until you get to the top, it makes that part look too long). But the bottom, I don't understand. It's gathered and flows strangely as the model walks down the runway and again, I just don't get it. I don't understand fashion. But I especially don't understand the level of this season's designers. Sure, I might not understand. But usually I'm not so completely baffled by the fall of the hemlines, even on PR. It's a topic that comes up for me several times and episode right now and I don't understand why.

As for the avant guarde...there are no words. Remember last season (was it last season, really? feels like years) when several designers made dresses out of this one particular brown fabric, and it was really hard to work with and looked pretty bad all around, and the two bottom outfits were made of the same fabric?

I think this might be made out of the same stuff.

Okay, I know it's not because I looked back at the old pictures and that brown was much lighter and shinier. But still, this is just...wrong. First, it looks more like a swimsuit than half the things that went down the runway. So, I guess in that sense it fit the challenge to mesh surf and avant guarde? But the bunches of fabric and how haphazard it looks just...what is it? What are they going for? What are they actually SAYING with this garment? Because I have no idea.

I wanted to like Qristyl and root for her, but I think I'm done.




Nicolas and Gordana

For the surf look, while it might not be my personal style, I get it and I like it. The workmanship is pretty amazing, and surprising. Actually, there was a lot of braiding and macrame this week, and I'm curious why. Is it something one of the surfers said? Anyway, it's still really nice, and it's light and open, so very beach-wear. The bottom also is very light and airy, and just feels appropriate for a beach cover-up, though it is a shade long. I'd rather see it show just a little more leg.

As for the other...

Well.

Color wise, I can see how the two relate together. In any other way, I don't really quite understand. And the blue lace body stocking...I mean, it even goes over her shoes! What in the world IS it? Who would have created that? Who, in a million years, would think that looks like anything other than trashy? If I cover up the bottom, and assume that the top flows into some sort of matching skirt (though I can't imagine what that could be) then it's not that bad. The collar and the design are interesting, at least a little inventive. But the stockings. I just can't imagine the stockings working anywhere on anyone.




Johnny and Irina

First, thank goodness that Irina was on the top of the runway for once. Girl needs to be given mad praise as soon as possible.

Second, Johnny's model has never looked more beautiful. She looks a bit like Sarah from the show Chuck, somehow. But I like it.

And I like their casual look. It's simple, but it's wearable, it's fun, and while the pockets of the skirt do a bit of an odd thing, in the end I think it might be the best surf look that was out on that runway. It just really looks like something a girl might throw on after surfing to go grab some lunch or a casual dinner.

While I don't see how the designs themselves really fit together, the avant guarde look was tied to it with color, which is more than some did. But I have to admit, I don't like it.

There's something about it that makes it look like the model is being pulled in two directions, like she twisted funny before she walked out on the runway and didn't have time to straighten the dress. The braiding on the top is a little off somehow, it's top heavy, though I can't explain exactly why. Maybe it's to do with the width of the strips or the tightness of the weave.

It just looks a little sloppy, a little half realized. I can't say that I'm a fan.




Mitchell and Ra'mon

I actually really adore this dress. If it had a lining instead of being sheer, and was for a dress challenge instead of a surf challenge, I would spend three paragraphs singing it's praises.

Instead, it's meant to be a surf challenge, and I don't see surf in this really. Sure, it's a bathing suit cover up. But the colors don't say sun and beaches to me. But I do like Ra'mon's story about the algae, so I guess I'll forgive it.

Now, I love the effect of the dye on the neoprene. I love the pattern that it makes, and I'd kind of like a laptop bag made out of the "print." But I can't say I loved the dress itself, especially not as much as the judges did. It's cute, and interesting. If it was the surf inspired part itself then it would be pretty good.

But avant guard? Really? It bunches in weird ways and when the model walks it just moved in an odd and stilted way (largely because it's neoprene and not being used as a formfitting fabric). But I just don't see it in the same positive light the judges did. I don't know who I would have given the win to aside from Ra'mon, because in the end his two looks were the only ones that were BOTH really well done. Not that they fit together in the slightest, but that's beside the point.

That said, the fact that he put it together in thirty minutes or so is really impressive so I won't be so harsh.

All that out of the way, to the drama. Mitchell made a huge mistake but at the same time, it was honorable and honest to not try to make himself out to have done more than he did. BUT, at the same time as that, the fact is that the only reason these came out as well as they did is because he didn't help, and I think we all know it.

I try hard not to be really harsh to these designers, and I realize I'm kind of picking on Mitchell a lot. But I just don't understand it, he seemed to show about the same amount of sewing ability that I have, and I'm really not cut out for PR.

For them to have the "follower" of the team win, and the "leader" lose, that isn't something that's happened before. But aside from Qristyl, I don't see any other way the elimination could have gone. And while they might say that they're only going to take into account the garment in front of them and not all their work, you know that they just finally gave up and said, "You know what, Mitchell isn't going to cut it."

As for the model drama, I have to say I now love the model who cried because she got chosen by her friend's designer (I can't learn any of the models names, I'm sorry models! But I'm barely keeping up with designers and cheftestants right now). But anyway, the emotion she showed for her friend was really heartfelt and it made me want to hug her, and her friend. I don't think she should have gone home anyway, she was very pretty and seemed kind, which I suppose isn't a requirement for a model but it's nice. But at the same time, I'm also glad Valerie didn't go home two challenges in a row, that would have been terrible!

I do like that they're back to their original antics of choosing models each week though. It was funny, one night the models were acting like that was such a new and weird idea and what in the world was happening, but that's the way it was first season and the designers jumped just about as often as they are this season.

I'm surprised at the girl who took the Arby's commercial instead of PR, but if they're still not getting paid for their appearance then I suppose I can't say much. But it seems to me that all other things being equal, PR would be a better way to actually elevate yourself and make yourself better known. It certainly has a larger following than Arby's. She did mention getting into SAG, which I found interesting because I'm pretty sure being in a single commercial won't get you into SAG, otherwise all the actors I've met who are so desperately trying to get in wouldn't be having so much trouble. But I guess I don't know the rules completely.

But then, why is a model trying to get into SAG? Is she really an actress and she started modeling to make more money until she broke into the business? Heck, a lot of full time actors I've known haven't even wanted to be in the guild, but that's a big long story that's far more political than I want to be. Anyway, she confuses me and we'll leave it at that. I liked Valerie (the one name I've learned) so I'm glad she's back.

As for Fatma and the other girl...The middle school called. They want their drama back.

Let's say it one more time: pregnant

So, would a drinking game for this episode be inappropriate? Because otherwise, drink every time somebody says pregnant. If you can afford that much alcohol.

While I enjoyed the challenge and thought it was rather interesting and really a challenge for the designers, was I the only one that thought that the little pillows they tied onto the models didn't even remotely resemble pregnant bellies? I could be wrong, but they seemed off. I always figured that was why those "sympathy bellies" were big things that took up the whole upper body, so it would look and feel more natural. I think with a more natural shape, Ra'mon's outfit wouldn't have been so bad. Bad, yes, but not SO bad.



I actually don't love this dress the way the judges do, even though I quite like the idea of it. My primary problem is that the top really is entirely too small. Not just because it wouldn't cover the woman's chest very well, but because it seems disproportionate. It seems to me like most women who talk about wanting to show off their "pregnancy curves" are talking about their breasts being bigger. And this wouldn't really compliment that very well.

My other problem is that at one point when the model turned around during the judges comments, you could see that the ribbon-y details on the top were ragged and frayed. If this was intentional, I don't like it. If this was unintentional, then I don't see why Althea wasn't called on that when Mitchell was (rightfully) raked over the coals for his bad craftsmanship. Maybe some of the other dresses were similarly ragged if you looked at them very close up, and maybe it as a trick of the angle. But in the end, I'm glad it didn't win, though I don't think it should have been top three either.

But my big reason for thinking it wasn't top three material is the bust. It's just not flattering, and it wouldn't be on a woman with a larger or a smaller chest.



I don't want to, but I kind of like Carol. She's quirky and kind of lovable. I don't love the jacket here, if I'm being honest, but I can see how it would fit somebody else's tastes. I love the color of the dress, and you'd think that it wouldn't work to have that swath of fabric under the belly, but it actually really does.

In the end, it's very cute and fun, and youthful. And there's not a lot of "youthful" going on in the maternity market.



This outfit is really cute, and I absolutely adore the color and fabric of the top. I would wear this if it was tailored just a little differently (for plus-sized girls rather than pregnant ones). This is also one of the few times I would ever actually like this type of hem, the whole "bubble skirt" idea usually turns me off almost instantly. But it works here, and the pleats work, and everything about it is great. I would put it in the top three.



I don't really enjoy this garment very much. The jacket is very bulky and looks uncomfortable and stiff. Then she takes it off and well, jumpsuits don't flatter many women. I have to admit, it's actually a better jumpsuit than any I've ever seen (remember the last jumpsuit of PR history, on Kara? Ugh). In the end, it actually is tailored well and does what it can to flatter the body shape. And that gorgeous cream color, all the fabric is so gorgeous this episode.

But it's still a jumpsuit. I agree with the judges, middle of the road. But it is better than quite a few things that walked the runway that night.



I like the bottom of this, with the layers and he flow. But I just don't like the straps on the halter, they don't look well made, or really well planned. It's like they are supposed to be symmetrical but got messed up.

The jacket is very cute, but I have to say that those leggings would probably not work on anyone that is sporting a real pregnant belly. I certainly don't have any first hand experience, but it seems to me that anything tight on your belly would be uncomfortable.



WHY was this dress not in the top three? This, Christopher, and Shirin should have been the top garments and there's no reason why they weren't. How absolutely and utterly gorgeous is this dress? I want it in every color. Though the beautiful blue fabric she chose is a large part of why it works, I could see it in a nice subtle pink too, or a green, even a purple. It's versatile, it's beautiful, it flows well, it would flatter a million body types, it's fun, it's flirty, it could be a day or evening outfit depending on how you styled it.

In short, it was almost the perfect answer to this challenge, and there was only one I would consider better and even THAT is hard for me to say. I don't understand even a little why Irina was overlooked AGAIN. Almost everyone agrees that her dress last week deserved recognition, if not the win. So why wasn't she praised this time?



There's really not a lot I can say about this dress. It's okay, it's interesting enough. I don't like the flower on the shoulder. But in the end, it's not that remarkable. I hope he's not trying to aim for the middle, because that never works out well.



I have the same thing to say about Logan's outfit. It's not bad. It's a different type of top for maternity (or at least, it seems that way to me). But how utterly boring is it? It's just very drab, and has nothing to make it stand out or be interesting. If it wasn't so early in the season, the judges never would have let this go without a comment.

Also, side note about the Models of the Runway: Fatma's obsession with Logan is just a little odd. Maybe he's the only straight male, I don't know, and I'm sure models get crushes on designers all the time, but she's being a little creepy about it. Or at least, the editing is making her seem that way.

/tangent.



On the one hand, I really love this. It's very cute, it's flirty, it's pretty and it has a lot of consideration for the woman wearing it. I love the color and the fabric, and taking the time to hand dye the lace is very ambitious.

On the other hand, it looks an awful lot like one of my favorite nightgowns. And again, I'm not a fan of the big bunch of fabric/flower on the shoulder. I tend to not like those, because for the most part they're so decorative that they actually are irritating when you really wear them.

I like this, but Christopher and Irina's were better.



As a student in a rather creative major who hangs out with a lot of people in other creative majors, I have to say I know a lot of people like Malvin, who are very much about the concept and following some sort of high minded idea. And often it is to the detriment of the finished product, because it's almost like Michael Kor's said last week, you start to wonder, "Am I not smart enough to get this?" But in the end, you are smart enough, they're just intentionally being a little bit pretentious.

That said, he did have a concept, and he did stick to it, and he did make something that is at least wearable, even if it's not flattering. As the women pointed out, if the woman wearing it had already given birth and was carrying her baby in the sling, then it would actually be considered cute and interesting, I think.

Maybe it should have been in the bottom two, I do agree with that. But Malvin should still be there because at least he has a brain and he's unafraid to use it, take risks, and fail.



I said this last week and I will say it again: Mitchell does not deserve to be on Project Runway. He absolutely should have gone home this week and there is NO excuse for it in the end. The man apparently can't sew, can't handle a time crunch, has no idea what a woman wants, despite his own claims, and made an intensely sloppy and slobby garment that I don't think any pregnant woman would every wear, unless she was basically throwing on the equivalent of a sweatsuit so that she could grab the mail. At least Malvin had some interesting details and his was well made. This is a mess, this is so much of a mess that I wish Michael Kors had been there so he could have had a quotable quip to insult it.

When Heidi said that it looked like she made those shorts, I wanted to yell back "Me too!" Because I could have made this, and it would have looked about like this.

It's ridiculous, and I cannot even fathom why he was allowed to stay after sending this down the runway.

I'm also highly amused that the models feel the same way I do, and while Fatma's anger at being picked by Mitchell was so unprofessional that I doubt she'll stay in the competition long (well, I'd never pick her) at the same time, at least I'm not alone in my bafflement.

Also, how harsh is it that the model said that Mitchell "did the best he could?" Wow, that's so much of a Southern backhanded compliment she should have added "Bless his heart."



There's something about Nicolas' garments that just seem ill-tailored. I don't know what it is, but they don't seem like they quite fit. And they're boring and use a very dark palette for somebody who calls himself the "feather prince." It's just...dull and boring.



I love the color and fabric (again) of this dress, and I think it's very well done. I'm glad Qristyl toned it down a bit and made something classy, here's hoping she keeps on that track. But I hope she doesn't continue to just be happy being safe.



In high school, I was in color guard. If you weren't in it, basically we were the kids (all girls at my school) who spun flags and tossed them in the air during the marching band's halftime show.

I mention this, because Ra'Mon's dress looks like you should put it on a six foot pole and spin it. The swirls, the color patterns, all of it is the exact same type of thing that we would use because the patterns were big and bold, would be seen from the press box, and would create a cool effect when spun in a circle.

That is not the type of thing a person would want to WEAR.

That said, the colors are really great and compliment each other well. And I think that Heidi's observation that it was flattering from the front was spot on.

Actually, most of their comments were spot on. It did look like a bowling bag (though, really, that comment almost hit drinking game proportions too). And it was like having a big arrow pointing and saying "here is the baby."

So in the end, it was worth pointing out to him what went wrong with it, but he rightfully got to stay, since he was trying something new and maybe he didn't achieve it perfectly, but he at least made something serviceable.



Last year, I spent the entire summer and winter trying to find a new winter coat. Mine was rather old, I'd had it for three years and while it was warm and cute, it was also lavender which wasn't really that professional and didn't go with a lot of things.

My point is, I spent MONTHS trying to find the right coat, and it was really annoying because I wanted something cute, warm, and that would go with a lot of things. But something still a little fun and young looking.

I tell you this story because I managed to find a coat, and I love it. One of my favorite things was that when it arrived I found out that the coat I had ordered had this adorable pink lining. Now, I'm not a pink person, but this surprise touch of color made me really love this coat.

Which is why I wholeheartedly and undoubtedly want the coat that Shirin made in this episode. I want two of it, so that when the first wears out I have another in reserve and I don't have to go on another hunt for the perfect coat. The lining, the fit, everything about it was fabulous.

There is no question in my mind that this is the best garment that walked down that runway this week. Or last week. The color is beautiful (again) and I love the detail on the waist. I would wear this in a heartbeat. The dress is lovely, and alone it would have been a contender for the win. But when you add that lovely coat on top of it, it's an absolutely stunning effort. I really want Shirin to make this available to the public. I don't even care that it's maternity.