Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Project Runway Gets Bitten!

The lovely Sarah Jessica Parker was the surprise style icon for whom the designers would be working on tonight's episode of Project Runway. And she really did look lovely--she was fresh, modern, and also incredibly kind to the contestants.

The designers' task this week was to create a two-piece outfit for Bitten, SJP's affordably priced line for Steve & Barry's. (As an aside, the reviews for Bitten have been mixed. My entirely unprofessional opinion is that both a keen eye and a willingness to try at least one, maybe two sizes larger than usual are absolute prerequisites for a successful Bitten shopping experience. After some trial and error, I stumbled upon two winners-- a wool funnel neck pea coat in eggplant and a fitted corduroy blazer in olive. At $20 each, I've already gotten my money's worth.)

I wasn't totally wowed by the winning design--a rather complicated black (or was it smoky gray?) dress with a long necktie/bow/distraction attached at the collar. The dress was paired with a cropped, plaid racerback vest. I actually preferred the dress/cape combo designed by Elisa, the eccentric multimedia artist. On the other hand, I did agree with the judges' decision about the losing design. While I can see where this design may have been headed, the wannabe bohemian dress definitely looked more like an itchy blanket than a fashionable and affordable garment that would appeal to a wide range of women. Heidi Klum commented that it looked like it came from someone's basement. Or a trash can. That was harsh, I thought. But not entirely inaccurate.

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