Sunday, January 28, 2007
sewing
I'm really tired of trying to find clothes that fit and that I like and that aren't dowdy. I'm not a size two (lol) nor twenty-something or even thirty-something (heh) but lots of clothes I see would be fine except they're only made for young and small people. How about sewing? Years ago, I sewed a lot and made a few outfits. Being short-waisted, though, dress tops bloused too much and waistbands fell at my hips. Plus it was when a-line types of neat and prim clothes were all the rage. Styles too unforgiving for a neophyte seamstress. These days there's more of a sense of playfulness and less structure in designs. Maybe Project Runway is having an impact. Anyway, I'm going to look into this. Sewing machines are versatile and capable, I hear, without being as cumbersome as the old full-table Singers. Recommendations or advice, anyone?

Labels: ,

Permalink | 0 comment(s) | posted by jau at 10:56 AM

Wednesday, October 18, 2006
project bumway
First, let me say that I enjoyed the Project Runway season. Watching energetic people snag some fabric for $100 or $200 and then design and make a garment in twenty-four hours never got boring and impressed me every week. But I found the finale frustrating. Michael had won viewers over hook line and sinker but seemed to run out of steam after quite the creative mid-season burst; his so-called safari collection was disjointed and a bit dull. Although Ule avoided having only her familiar flowy colorful things in the final collection, there weren't enough to raise it enough but I predict she will open a store - or already has - and will be a huge success with wearable and pretty dresses. Mawkish, rude and crude Jeffrey brought his mohawk-haired girlfriend and baby (yes, the baby has a mohawk, too) and pranced around in his ugly tatoos and boots. I have seen and could buy every one of his so-called designs in the Village with no trouble, even some in Wal-Mart with selective purchases, yet the judges continued to fall all over themselves saying how clever they thought his work to be. Meanwhile Laura wore a smashing maternity dress and shrug sweater while presenting an elegantly designed and made collection that seemed to me to run the others out of town. I also predict Laura will be a huge success making clothing for clientele who want unique and fabulous clothes.

I never understood the judges' dislike for Laura nor their delight with Jeffrey. From the outset it felt as if they wanted to 'auf' Laura but her work was too meticulously put together. Laura never made clothes before except for herself (!) whereas many of the others, and all the other finalists, had done some professional design work and Jeffrey has a business in L.A. designing punkwear. For some reason the judges liked Jeffrey despite unoriginal and uninteresting designs, going over budget and breaking a rule (which last must have frosted Keith just a tad). Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I was disappointed tonight.

Labels: ,

Permalink | 0 comment(s) | posted by jau at 11:22 PM

Wednesday, September 27, 2006
runaway runway
We're coming down to the wire with Project Runway tonight, two more shows to go. There are four in the running: Laura, Michael, Ule and Jeffrey. I am at a loss to know who will win the whole kit and kaboodle since it's hard to tell whether they want to toss it to a wearable designer or a fashionista. Jeffrey is the 'bad boy' of the bunch, complete with neck tatoos and atrocious playing-with-other skills. Some of his designs have been amusing but don't seem to me to be anywhere near as fabulous as he says they are or as know-it-all judge Nina Garcia (fashion editor of Elle) constantly remarks. If he wins, it will be a blow to civility and talent. Laura is the mother superior, which is an odd role in a fashion design show, but she's also way holier than thou or thee or me or anyone else, and her designs are 1950s Vassar, much too prim for 2006 taste, it seems to me. Her sewing and assembly skills are amazing but I'm not sure if putting-together should carry this particular day. Ule's clothes are always lovely flowy charming concoctions - and she has the most upbeat attitude in the world, but everything is almost always the same, varying only by color and neckline. With any breadth, she might be The One because I think people would buy her clothing in a heartbeat. I wish the judges could have seen beyond Kayne's backwoods twang and Allison's slight tentativeness; it would have made a much more interesting finale. Anyway, Michael has been the most inventive and creative thus far. Plus, he seems so interested and eager, which is very appealing. None of his designs has been the same as another and there's always a touch of something new and fresh in everything he does. It would be a real kick to see him win. Update: All four advanced to the 12-outfit finals. Next week: a wrap party.

Labels: , ,

Permalink | 0 comment(s) | posted by jau at 5:24 PM

Tuesday, August 29, 2006
disgruntled
I feel discombobulated and at sixes and sevens today, to use an old-fashioned colloquialism. The weather is part of the problem: it's been raining off and on for a day less than a week and I'm sick of it. No doubt I should invest in one of those lamps but I'd much prefer this incessant grayness to just stop. I seem to always feel a bit of a let down after several days of visitors even though I'm happy that they (came and) left. I'm distressed about the whole media thing with arresting John Karr without any discernible factual reason to do so (confessions of a crackpot being neither factual nor dependable reasons). I'm distressed that I didn't get my French homework done on time even though the instructor is away until Thursday and perfectly glad to accept it then. I'm annoyed by my hair being too long to be short and too short to be long (you know how that is) and not something I can do much about since my favorite stylist is the one who wrecked it this time. It's annoying that Blogger is still not running smoothly (it took 20 minutes to load the template a minute (ha) ago and although it's a bit better than yesterday I mean, come one, shut us out for whatever time it takes to fix it but don't leave it like this. Maybe Runway's episode tomorrow will perk me up. Or tonight's dinner of bowtie pasta. Something will. Hey, aren't you glad I shared?

Labels: , , ,

Permalink | 1 comment(s) | posted by jau at 6:15 PM

Thursday, July 27, 2006
project runway
I feel as if I've become a pop culture maven this year, watching American Idol, My Fair Brady and other things VH1, The Closer, etc., eagerly watching reruns of Seinfeld and Sex in the City, etc... and now I've discovered Project Runway. It's eye candy, of course (the 'star' is Heidi Flum, need I say more), but the surprise for me is that it's completely engrossing, lots of fun, and quite a study of human nature and creativity. Last night's 48-hour assignment was to (1) dream up a story about what's going on with some woman and her dog, (2) make a dress for the woman and (3) make something complementary for the dog. Hilarious dogs, by the way. The results were amazing. Catch a repeat if you possibly can.

Labels: , ,

Permalink | 3 comment(s) | posted by jau at 10:46 AM