Wednesday, November 3, 2010

TV! Project Runway

Okay, I've been putting this off for days, because I have never been so upset by a television show in my life. Gretchen won Project Runway. With brown handknit granny panties and slimy looking green leather. The argument was that her clothes are more sellable. Not more innovative. Not more creative. Not more interesting. Sellable. Like Kohl's misses department. In a sad sad town on the border of Despairville.
I could go on and on and on for paragraphs and paragraphs about the reasons for my disappointment. No point. Here's what it boils down to for me. After the show was over, I tried to remember each designer's collection. I could remember four of Andy's. I could remember every single one of Mondo's, each look. The only look of Gretchen's that I could remember was the blazer/granny panty/pimp hat look that we'd seen in the preview the week before. If I can't remember it, I don't want to wear it, and I sure as all heck do not want to pay designer prices for it. Or sale prices. Or ninety day deferred billing on QVC.
In keeping with the spirit of happy denial, let's look at Mondo's clothes. They make me smile.
You know why this works? The pairing of the different patterns. Plus, these are separates that you could actually wear in the real world. And that bag! WANT! And those shoes!

This look echoes the look before it cohesively. The shorts are rich and unexpected. You can't see the design on the shoulders of the blouse, but it's amazing!

Oh, my fab sugar skull tee from heaven. How I love you! You can buy a simplified version of this tee from Mondo's Etsy shop here. I'm still holding out for a version of the bag from the first look, though. The leggings are groovy.

This was his eleventh look from the week before, and the skirt is divine. He needed this pop of turquoise in the collection, and the pattern on the shirt cuffs is fab. And the shoes!

How sweet is this? This bubble dress in this print is fresh and young and exciting, especially paired with these tights. Love the yellow pop on the shoes, too, with the little pink belt.

This is one of his weaker looks in terms of design. It's a tank with a pair of shorts, but still cohesive and happy.

Seriously, who else could make plaid pants this hip? The pattern is exactly matched, and the model's legs look thirty feet long. Another fantastic tee! And that little jacket is yummy. You can take this look apart, and wear all of these pieces on their own, mixed in with things you already have. It's versatile, lively and beautifully made.

Okay, I have to admit that I don't dig this skirt. I get that it ties into the metallic shorts in look two, while the polka dot top echoes the final gown. The skirt fits badly, though, especially from a side view. Also, I'm not crazy about his necklace choices in some of these looks. That top is sweet, though.
See, I am objective.

LOVE! SERIOUSLY! YUM!
(not so objective)

And the gown that most likely cost him the show. Kors and Nina told Mondo in the preview the week before to change this dress and tone down his styling. Mondo loved this dress and his styling. He didn't change a thing.
This dress is wonderful, and I will likely remember it twenty years from now. Why? It has great visual impact and it's full of joy.
So, in my alternate universe, where things are as they ought to be, Mondo won.
Don't even get me started on politics this morning. . .

2 comments:

  1. Darn it! I really hated her designs! I was for Mondo all the way!

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  2. It actually really depressed me. I was bummed that Gretchen won, bummed that Mondo didn't, and bummed that Andy's collection was so blah after he'd been so darn interesting most of the season. Utterly disappointing finale :(

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