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Project Runway?

BlueHerons

By BlueHerons,
in Cruise Fashions & Beauty

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cruisemom42 Great Review Rare

cruisemom42

Posted
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I have read her books -- I got them at my local library. They are pretty basic, and what I did not care for was that the illustrations are all paintings -- cartoons, actually -- of unrealistically shaped female forms. I like photos of actual clothes, on actual people, even if they are models, who certainly have what many consider unrealistic female forms, too, but that is another matter...

 

Much of what Garcia writes someone with common sense and an eye for personal style probably already knows, and the problem with fashion books, in my opinion, is how quickly they can become obsolete. In spite of Garcia's attempt to write "timeless" books, they definitely seem dated.

 

Of course you know you can get a good feel for the books by using the "look inside" feature on Amazon. If you like what you see, I would suggest borrowing them or buying them used, for cheap.

 

Personally, I would recommend Kelly and London's Dress your Best, in which they recommend various outfits for people of all shapes and sizes (men, too.) A really fun, helpful book that is a pleasure to look at, as they do a bang-up job in virtually every case, and though the book is not new, it does not feel dated yet, to me. It was published in 2005; I bought it used years ago, and I still consult it today.

 

Sam Saboura's Real Style is pretty good, too, because he dresses real women with "real" bodies, and real body issues. I also really enjoy Trinny Woodall and Susanna Constantine's books, especially What Not to Wear and What You Wear can Change your Life. They are funny and quite helpful -- again, "real" women, real issues.

 

None of these books is about high fashion -- just good style for everyday life.

 

 

Thanks for your take. I've looked at some of the other books you recommend. I guess I'm not looking so much for "real style" (I've got a pretty good handle on my own figure flaws and fixes) but more "inspirational style" and her take on what is fashionable and what is classic.

 

"Oh No She Didn't" was horrible, not just in how mean and snarky it was, but I disagreed with some of what was said. For example, no French manicures because that is what the girls at Hustler are wearing. Really? So if Hustler girls start wearing business suits I should stop wearing those too? Also I thought "no colored suits" was too far reaching. I agree that suits with pants should be neutral tones like blue, black or gray, but a skirt suit can look very nice in burgundy red, dark purple or jade green.

 

It almost seemed like it was written by a different person. I was really disappointed.

 

Wow, good to know. I think Clinton is snarky enough on the show, I don't think I'd want to know if he is worse in print!

 

And yes, I had read the disappointing reviews of Tim Gunn's books before, which is a shame. He's great in his role on PR, but when they tried to do a show with his own POV on dressing, he just couldn't "make it work." ;)

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SeaBunny

SeaBunny

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Maybe I should look for some of these to get over the newspaper article I read awhile back that still has me fuming. It was about age appropriate clothes for over 50 -- no jewel tones, no pastels, no white or black; just earth tones. It struck me as ageist in the extreme. Like, if you're over 50, make sure you're as invisible as possible because "we" don't want to look at you.

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vjmatty

vjmatty

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Maybe I should look for some of these to get over the newspaper article I read awhile back that still has me fuming. It was about age appropriate clothes for over 50 -- no jewel tones, no pastels, no white or black; just earth tones. It struck me as ageist in the extreme. Like, if you're over 50, make sure you're as invisible as possible because "we" don't want to look at you.

 

Wow, that completely disregards your skin tone and hair color.... like "Color Me Beautiful" just gets thrown out the window after 50. I don't remember reading that in the book. :mad:

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Scrapnana "Live from...." Rare

Scrapnana

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Maybe I should look for some of these to get over the newspaper article I read awhile back that still has me fuming. It was about age appropriate clothes for over 50 -- no jewel tones, no pastels, no white or black; just earth tones. It struck me as ageist in the extreme. Like, if you're over 50, make sure you're as invisible as possible because "we" don't want to look at you.

 

Well I am going to be the one wearing all of those "nos" until they put me in the back of the hearse (maybe even then;)).

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SeaBunny

SeaBunny

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Wow, that completely disregards your skin tone and hair color.... like "Color Me Beautiful" just gets thrown out the window after 50. I don't remember reading that in the book. :mad:

 

It was a newspaper article. Not locally written and I don't remember the source. It was so obviously ageist.

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Happy ks

Happy ks

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It was interesting to see the winner...that's something my daughter would wear, only in black. I didn't mind the win, it was stylish and different, definitely nothing I'd ever wear. I did love the dress with the letter written on it, just gorgeous and so original with that idea.

 

I really thought it would be the redhead going home this week, I wasn't at all impressed with her work.

 

It was so sweet of Tim Gunn to do the save this week. I shed a few tears myself. I do think his decision was because he sees potential in the guy, not just emotional.

 

For the life of me, I cannot remember a single contestant name this morning. And I've had my coffee :rolleyes:. Maybe next week.

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boopsahoy

boopsahoy

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The other two of the top three looks were ones that could be worn by real people in real settings. The winning outfit would only be at home on a catwalk. They kept saying it was "editorial" (which must be a synonym for strange).

 

I just didn't find the winning outfit HIGH FASHION.

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bellababe70

bellababe70

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I actually loved Alexandrea's outfit, it was a good win IMO ... While Jeffery's was beautiful with the hamdwriting that middle panel of nude was completely see thru, which, to me is not wearable. I really really loved Alexander's dress also, I would not have minded his being a win, it was so beautifully made.

I don't know if it's a personality thing but I would have loved to see Ken cut and totally loved Tim Gunn's save.

 

Sent from my SPH-D710VMUB using Forums mobile app

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boopsahoy

boopsahoy

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I enjoyed watching Ken squirm being in the bottom while Alexandria was in the top after he was so snarky with her the week before. The faces he threw her way were priceless.

 

I agree. he made nasty comments about her all show. I wanted him out, his outfit was uninspired to say the least. It certainly wasn't high fashion and had barely any work in it. I was shocked when he was safe!

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cruisemom42 Great Review Rare

cruisemom42

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While I did find the "letter" dress beautifully made and a lovely piece, I didn't think it was all that original. Designers have been featuring items with handwriting on them for quite a while. Here's one from Karl Lagerfeld, for example:

 

http://www.polyvore.com/karl_lagerfeld_dora_handwriting_print/thing?id=60299510

 

At the risk of sounding cold, I'm kind of "over" hearing about all the backstories and the hardships of each contestant. I think they should be judged solely on what they've made, not on the touching story that goes along with it.

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SeagoingMom

SeagoingMom

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At the risk of sounding cold, I'm kind of "over" hearing about all the backstories and the hardships of each contestant. I think they should be judged solely on what they've made, not on the touching story that goes along with it.

I wouldn't worry about sounding cold -- this is the cutthroat fashion industry we are taking about!

 

But I do agree with your perspective. I think it was Justin's personality and very possibly his handicap which caused Tim to rescue him. Except for the black/blue flowy gown in Eposode 2 (and even possibly including that one), Justin's designs looked to me like high school home ec class or discount sale rack garments. Not very flattering, not well constructed, definitely not high fashion and not particularly wearable either.

 

The only other reason I think Tim rescued him could have been that he (Tim) was so taken by the creativity of Justin's gluey lace technique, that he wanted to see what else creative Justin would come up with if allowed to stay. But I don't think Justin will survive much longer. If he hasn't yet "shone", he probably never will. No one should be waiting to "step up their game" -- they should all have been at their best from the get-go, as several have been! After all, the season is halfway over.

 

However, I do get it that fashion design is a lot about salesmanship, and I appreciate that the designers take advantage of that in every way they can, including tugging at the heartstrings of the judges. I don't feel that Justin has done this, but Jeremy did in this episode (6). However, I personally did not think Jeremy needed to. I thought, as the judges seemed to, that his garment stood on its own merits -- no saccharine story necessary.

 

But we all have seen designers pull themselves out of a hole each season by telling a good story -- sometimes one they made up on the fly at the last minute, which seemed to bear no resemblance to, and even contradicted, everything they seemed to have been saying before the runway show. The judges encourage, even demand this, in asking the designers to "explain" their garments, and talk about their "point of view."

The designers are selling themselves to the judges as much as they are selling their garments.

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cruisemom42 Great Review Rare

cruisemom42

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The only other reason I think Tim rescued him could have been that he (Tim) was so taken by the creativity of Justin's gluey lace technique, that he wanted to see what else creative Justin would come up with if allowed to stay. But I don't think Justin will survive much longer. If he hasn't yet "shone", he probably never will. No one should be waiting to "step up their game" -- they should all have been at their best from the get-go, as several have been! After all, the season is halfway over.

 

However, I do get it that fashion design is a lot about salesmanship, and I appreciate that the designers take advantage of that in every way they can, including tugging at the heartstrings of the judges. I don't feel that Justin has done this, but Jeremy did in this episode (6). However, I personally did not think Jeremy needed to. I thought, as the judges seemed to, that his garment stood on its own merits -- no saccharine story necessary.

 

But we all have seen designers pull themselves out of a hole each season by telling a good story -- sometimes one they made up on the fly at the last minute, which seemed to bear no resemblance to, and even contradicted, everything they seemed to have been saying before the runway show. The judges encourage, even demand this, in asking the designers to "explain" their garments, and talk about their "point of view."

The designers are selling themselves to the judges as much as they are selling their garments.

 

Good points. I suspect Tim also used his "save" in part because he felt a wee bit guilty for encourging Justin with his glue gun lace craft project.

 

And yes, I vividly recall Santino saving his butt several times with a great song and dance about a badly sewn (or even unfinished) garment.

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Scrapnana "Live from...." Rare

Scrapnana

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Good points. I suspect Tim also used his "save" in part because he felt a wee bit guilty for encourging Justin with his glue gun lace craft project.

 

Although I think you are right about this, I still think Karen's was the worst. That poor model looked like she was wearing an ugly sack.

 

Although Kate's was in the safe category, I thought it was horrid. The judges always complain when the designers make the model look bulgy. Kate made hers look 9 months pregnant.

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Alter Ego

Alter Ego

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Although I think you are right about this, I still think Karen's was the worst. That poor model looked like she was wearing an ugly sack.

 

Although Kate's was in the safe category, I thought it was horrid. The judges always complain when the designers make the model look bulgy. Kate made hers look 9 months pregnant.

 

 

I agree that it should have been Karen going home. I was not necessarily happy with Tim using his save for the reasons SeagoingMom cited. Justin won't get much farther; but now the save is gone for a truly good designer that may just have a bad week.

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boopsahoy

boopsahoy

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I agree that it should have been Karen going home. I was not necessarily happy with Tim using his save for the reasons SeagoingMom cited. Justin won't get much farther; but now the save is gone for a truly good designer that may just have a bad week.

 

I didn't love Karens design but there was a ton of work in it. I think Ken should have gone, his dress wasn't a runway dress. Looked like a dress that was mis-sewn (that chest "thing") on a sale rack to me.

 

I think that Kates dress was ok. Yes extremely poufy but I think it was sooo poofy it came off as high fashion to me.

 

I loved Jeremys dress though. It looked high fashion but also wearable in real life.

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