PR Episode 4: My Hat Is Decidedly NOT Off to these Designers!

I just watched Thursday night's Project Runway, and have come to this conclusion:

Apparently I have no idea what fashion is.


I could not believe my eyes.  What these designers could have done, the potential here, contrasted with what they did -- to call it disappointing would be an understatement.

Here is my rundown -- my not-so-humble opinion:

You can find this photo at here at BloggingProjectRunway.
You can find the individual looks here at Lifetime TV/Project Runway.

1.  Great idea with the shape, but what's with all this puffiness?  The lines of the hat were so sleek and clean.  This had such potential for a jacket and skirt, lots of very clean edges.  And out with the dots already!  How about a deep solid charcoal grey?

2.  I loved this one and give it high marks.  Maybe do a bit less with the sleeve.  But it's very sleek.  Great color, too.

3.  Huh?  If she was going for resort wear, a bright yellow would have been gorgeous in a georgette.  Maybe a halter neckline dress/swimsuit cover-up to reference the pointed top of the hat.  Lots of gathering from the neck, lots of volume hitting about mid-thigh.

4.  Nice.  However, I would have shortened it just a bit and gone with one shoulder.  And in a bright bluish teal.

5.  I loved this.  I thought it should have won.  Beautifully interpreted.

6. What in the world?  I get that the lightness referenced the feathers, but really?  I think something much more structured in a deep, rich chocolate brown would have been SO much better.  An exaggerated shoulder, very pointy, along with a wide-leg pant would have been really nice here.  HATED those boots.

7.  Well, here I thought she got the colour right, at least.  But this was a rose-shaped hat -- it should have been a playful summer sundress.  I did like the play of cream on white.  I would like to have seen ruffles and something peasant-like, off the shoulder.  At least a puffy sleeve.

8.  This designer went home, and I think the fail came not with the design but with the black colour and the construction, which was deplorable.  I wish she had done this in a bright lime green, with the accents in both orange and fuschia.  I confess that I did like the design.

9.  This thing just looks anti-hat to me, and it won.  The hat had such beautiful curve, and I would like to have seen something with straight lines -- not all these fluttery points.  It doesn't have to be heavy to be structured.  This dress didn't complement the hat, it competed with it.  Harmonious?  Clearly Michael Kors has a different opinion.  I'm conflicted on the colour choice.  I think I would like to have seen something more truly nude colored, with a peach tint.  And some kind of keyhole neckline with a lot of straight vertical line.

10.  The judges loved this.  I HATE IT.  Can I say that enough times?  I HATE IT!  It's corrugated box meets broomstick skirt!  And the colour!  For me, what would have made this absolutely stunning would have been a deep espresso wrapped kimono with a wide-legged pant, both in linen.  Slanted lines and the jacket with a simple, clean, tab closure. This would have meshed beautifully with an Asian-inspired interpretation.  It's a box on a hankerchief.  What a waste!

11.  OK, this guy is just out of his mind with this design.  I look at this and I am physically dizzy.  This look has entirely too many things happening.  He had this very avant-garde red hat that looked kind of like a sophisticated sideways jellyfish.  I would have taken the vest and referenced the tails by pintucking (or appliqueing) the vest with three lines down from the armhole at a slant toward the vest points.  Then I would have done a skirt with lots of bustled volume in the back, probably short in the front.  And all in gold with black lining.

12.  This one is a tough one.  There is such an interplay going on in the hat of pointy against circular, black against white.  I would have simplified the whole thing by doing a square neck, darted bodice that comes to the waist, and then an exaggerated, wide a-line skirt -- like an inverted triangle coming to the waist, and then a triangle on the bottom.  I think going short was a good idea.  As for color, I did like the pink.  But pale, baby pink.

13.  No, no, no, no, no!  What a mess!  The dress had nothing to do with the mask, and the bolero/shrug just looked like an afterthought.  She should have gone with a bright yellow or green loose tank in a chiffon, over a black ankle jean.  Or follow the shrug/zipper idea with a bright lycra top over the jeans.

These designers didn't let those hats speak.  They are works of art; the clothes should have also been works of art that complemented the hats.  I get that you can only do so much in the limited amount of time.  But the work that did go into the designs presented could have easily accomplished any of the suggestions.  None of these hats warranted elaborate ornamentation or complicated lines.

So, teams next week!  Hmmm, I'll be interested to see how that goes!  It's so hard for us to see the personalities and form opinions, and then hear these judges just go to town on the designs alone.  We hate to see the meanies win!  But it is about the most talented one winning, and it is entirely subjective, so there you go.

Your opinions?  Do share!

10.