Rachel Zoe is the Worst Boss!

Well, it's almost time for the Rachel Zoe Project. I have been really enjoying this season, but last week was a bit of a let-down. No fashion weeks, fashion shoots or styling sessions with stars, lol! I really like the whole styling aspect, and my favorite is searching for the perfect dress for each individual celebrity. This time we got Rachel diagnosed with vertigo, convalescing at home and pulling out jewelry for a special charity auction, and a good demonstration of how NOT to manage your employees!

I don't know why this conflict struck such a chord for me, but it really bothered the heck out of me for a least a day or two. Zoe informs her associates, Brad and Taylor, that she can take both of them to Paris fashion week. Then, she realizes that they will need to do three jobs that week so one of the associates must stay. She says she hates conflict and wants to make everyone happy, so she proceeds to try really hard to make everyone VERY unhappy and cause a BIG conflict out of what is essentially an everyday situation in her business.

Zoe sends an email to Brad and Taylor saying they need to decide who can't go. Brad ignores it, Taylor can't get him to talk about it, but apparently Zoe is expecting Brad to step up and offer not to go since Taylor is the senior one and should go. Uh, hello, has she not noticed that Brad thrives on fashion shows, getting his pic taken with celebrities, meeting designers....he eats that stuff up. He isn't going to offer not to go, are you kidding me?

When he doesn't man up, Taylor clues Brad into what Zoe is up to, and Brad is furious and insulted. I can't say I blame him. He calls Zoe, who doesn't have time to talk with him. Taylor ends up being instructed by Zoe to decide, and she lets Brad go.

Ridiculous! Zoe has a chance to make up to Taylor for all her stress and annoyances, such as being dragged to New York fashion week but having to work hard the whole time and then pulling a gazillion outfits for a photoshoot that did not require it because Zoe forgot to tell Taylor....oh, and of course how about the promises Zoe has made and not produced on, making Taylor even more super-grumpy than normal.

Zoe then misses yet another chance to set things right when she finally talks with Brad, who tells her he is unhappy with how the whole thing was handled. You know that Zoe really wants to take Brad, with whom she can gossip and shop and pick out outfits!

So, tonight we get to go to Paris with Zoe and Brad while Taylor stays home and toils on difficult problems. And apparently, Zoe is having chest pains. Yawn.

Uh, I love the Rachel Zoe Project, and obviously Zoe is very talented and creative or she wouldn't have become this uber-stylist. But she is the major source of all the vaunted stress and drama that is supposedly making her sick!

Well, hopefully we will get to see some excellent fashion and maybe meet Mr. Armani and Karl Lagerfeld!

Glitter with a Work Look??

I don't think that glittery polish or nail art are really "me." I tend to like rich, creme polishes in deep or dark colors with some occasional pale or bright colors, and I have gotten where I like shimmery polishes in really pretty colors. Especially shimmers that have a base color and a different color shimmer. Ooh! Ah!

I have seen some nail art that I have liked, though. And, the furor over glittery polish has also seduced me a bit...to the point where I have gotten a bit obsessed with it. I never would have thought I would be seeking glittery polishes. This is where the drugstore thing comes in. I haven't found as much crazy drugstore glitter as I had hoped, but cheap is the best way to try something I didn't really think was for me.

I've gotten to thinking, though. Why not a purely glitter polish in a dark or neutral color with a work-casual outfit? I am thinking of a brown fall or winter outfit that is a monochromatic look of browns....light or golden brown in all one shade or similar shades, then with matching nails of glitter!! No crazy multicolor glitter peaking out of regular nail polish, but just a smooth crust of brown metallic glitter on the nail. Perhaps the same thing with dark red, dark gray, or navy/midnight blue. The idea is to add an additional texture to a monochomatic look.

To imagine my idea of glitter polish, think of taking some glue and putting it thinly and evenly over the entire nail. Then, take some pink glitter and shake it gently and evenly onto the nail. Shake to remove excess. And there you go:


Psych! Obviously, I didn't do that with glue and glitter, but used a drugstore find from Milani: "Disco Lights." This glitter polish pictured has just the pink glitter, the sort of monochromatic glitter look I am going for in a more neutral tone.

Why not put this one with a gray outfit? Oversize or belted grey cardigan, gray wool pants, gray suede shoes and handbag, and soft pink tailored button down. AND pink glitter nails!! It would add texture and a wee bit of bling to an otherwise attractive but very conservative outfit, just as a metallic handbag would.


See? (I am paying homage to my beloved, dead Prescriptives makeup line whose fall campaign had a pinstripes and pearls theme).

Okay, you probably wouldn't want to hire me as your stylist, but I have now stated my fall fashion style mission. I already have China Glaze "Ruby Pumps" which is a classic red glittery polish, and so fun! "Ruby Pumps" contains glitter, but I want a look that IS glitter. Two polishes I ahve been eyeing are from the Lippman Fall 2009 collection, Ruby Red Slippers (glitter and SEQUINS! how cool is that) and Superstar (a brownish glitter). See examples of them on the finger at All Lacquered Up.

Have mission. Will shop.

Nail Polish Addicts Anonymous Here I Come!

When a handbag addict decides what bag to carry based on what nail polish she is wearing, does it mean she has a new addiction to contend with? Today I have the gorgeous Essie "It's Genius" on my fingertips, and so I pulled the perfect handbag out from storage: my large Hug Me in wine pebbled glossy from Belen Echandia.



Look at that gorgeous leatha!! It's a grapey, pinkey, purpley shade of wine. I'm not sure what color the nail polish is...purple or magenta or pink....but it's a beautiful match for my beautiful bag!! And even though it was up in the eighties (Fahrenheit) today, it's the perfect summer to fall transition color, I've decided.

Project Runway Season Six, Episode Three: Surfer Girl Look!

I was over a week late in writing this, but I am making an effort to get my Project Runway blog posts going. I wrote this before I watched the Thursday episode, and I will be following up quickly with a post on that episode.

"Rumble on the Runway"

Well, with this episode we had a historic first for Project Runway. The winner and loser came from the same two-person team!!!

Episode Three is a major “product placement” episode----the inevitable “Garnier challenge” where the Garnier guy will work with everyone to create the perfect hair look. The hair-styling aspect does not seem to get in the way or have much to do with challenge, though. The challenge is to interview some surfer girls and come up with a look inspired by them.

Of course, we get a cute Tim Gunn moment on the beach where he appears in sunglasses, suit, and flip flops! "Only at the beach," he says.

Oddly, though, a second look challenge is later sprung on everyone: create an avant garde look based on the first look. Avant garde doesn’t have a whole lot to do with a surfer girl look. Is it a look for an avant garde surfer, or just a weird way to make the challenge stressful? The other avant garde surprise came in season 4, where the avant garde look was very clearly supposed to be based on the first, commercial look, was a pretty successful challenge. This one was a bit wacky.

At any rate, I’m glad they waited until the third episode for the group challenge….I hate group challenges (probably not as much as the designers!). I mean, something unfair and stupid always happens, and how can the judges sort through it based on the runway show??

So, let's break it down:

Not only does Shirin have immunity, she gets to be a team leader and pick first. Sweet! She chooses Carol Hannah. So we have the two talented young women with fluffy hair in ponytails working together, and I think they should be a great team. Their idea is a dress that turns into a swimsuit (surprise, something convertible from Shirin!).

Carol Hannah also has the model drama: her model, the red-haired Erica featured some in the first episode of "Models of the Runway," has to leave to film a commercial and won’t make the fitting. Carol Hannah reluctantly has to let her go and get a new model because the fitting is crucial. Of course, we’ll learn more about the model’s side during “Models."

Ra’mon is somewhat deflated by his being near the bottom during the last challenge, while poor Mitchell starts the show seeming completely flummoxed and does not get much better. “I wanted to work with someone [who] could carry me on this challenge,” he says, and thus chooses Ra’mon. Ramon feels he has a giant bulls-eye on his face and needs to step in and provide some leadership, however reluctantly.

Right off the bat, Mitchell bitches that Ra'mon has picked out ugly things and that they are going to be in trouble. Hmm, I think that Mitchell's talking as team leader about what Ra'mon picked out does not bode well.

I really don’t know how Mitchell manages not to do anything?? At least as Ra’mon gets more and more frustrated, at least the two are not blowing up at each other, allowing Ra’mon to pull a new dress out of his a$$ at the last minute!! I’m sorry not to see his wetsuit-look come to fruition, but Tim is taken aback at how the Grecian goddess look and wetsuit jumpsuit do not go together at all, and they decide to ditch the wetsuit look. The last-minute dress is cute, if not exactly….avant garde?

I forgot the blond Ohio chick in my first post. Althea. Oops. I had thought she definitely seemed to like herself very much. I have been pleasantly surprised at her designs, though. Her pregnancy challenge gown was great (in spite of the too-small “cups”), and she does have potential. She chooses Louise Black because Louise was in the top last time. I am not sure the two have anything in common, though.

Their looks are fine. They present a cute little red mini tulip-skirt dress with some black and white trim…and small cups! Althea's signature, it seems. Their avant garde look wasn’t very related but was interesting…a strapless gown with a bunch of zippers at the top and a train of flamenco ruffles for the skirt. I would have liked to get more of a look at it and some insight on how they came up with it.

Poor Qrystal: she chooses quiet, unassuming Epperson because she thinks he’s a good designer, and he immediately starts disagreeing with her and bossing her around in an annoying, quiet way. Qrystal’s response is puzzlement and indignation: “I’m not no damn student!” She needs to give Epperson the hand (as in, the one you tell someone to talk to) and assert herself somehow, but her protestations make her seem sensitive and insulted rather than strong and effective. I am not sure what she should do. She may just not be able to assert herself appropriately. At any rate, it was an “oil and water” pairing that was disaster from beginning to end.

Well, in my first post I also forgot Johnny Meth. Johnny is the character who has a past to overcome in the form of a meth addiction, and has a melt-down during the first challenge but snaps out of it suddenly after Tim Gunn delivers some concern and platitudes. I think that would probably work for me, too!! I didn’t particularly like---or understand how the judges liked---what he did in episode 1, but it was nice enough to see him triumph.

He is left with Irina, the last to get picked for the challenge. They seem to work together well, though. They are going for effortless Bohemian chic, and their looks are okay. I liked the macramé back of their everyday look. The avant garde look seemed quite messy, but I guess it went with the other look since the gown features oversize macramé. It was interesting.

Nicolas (straight-haired, pretentious guy, Mar-QUESA!) chooses Jordana. Nicolas is excited about bringing back the wrap-around pant, plus they will have a macramé bathing suit, which Jordana executes. She is a little unsettled but trusts Nicholas with his avant garde look. Her explanation that it is kind of a mermaid look is rather plausible.

Logan chooses Christopher, who seems very honored or something. Not a whole lot is shown of them until their looks appear on the runway. The casual look is decent, with long pants and a top over a bathing suit top. And a big floppy hat that Logan made. The avant garde gown seems to marry Logan's rocker with Christopher's volume....according to Christopher. It's a gown with a huge puffy layered skirt and a fitted corset top. It looks kind of costumey, like "I am an avant garde costume!"

Judgment Time

Unfortunately, no Michael Kors this time. Boo!! The panel consists of Heidi, Max Azria, Nina Garcia, and Rachel Bilson (who besides being an actress from California, is doing some kind of fashion design).

Shirin and Carol Hannah, Althea and Louise, and Logan and Christopher get to leave the stage because their scores qualified them to move to the next challenge. Thus, we don't learn much about their looks.

Nicolas and Jordana are stunned to learn they were among the lowest scoring designers. It looks like Jordana is going to give someone hell instead of leaving the stage when Heidi requests to talk to the top scorers first.

Top Scorers

Johnny and Irina’s looks were at the top. I have to say, the macramé theme and the overall look did go together. Rachel liked the casual look the best of all the looks. I liked the handbag!

Ra'mon and Mitchell are stunned to make the top two. Rmon starts off explaining his inspiration, and Heidi jumps on that. Mitchell is put on the spot and can only stutter about having made the bathing suit, which no one even knows exists. Then Ra'mon calmly explains his frustrations, and Mitchell actually admits he did not do a whole lot. I have to give him credit for being honest.

The neoprene in this so-called avant garde look makes Nina giddy: “thank you…GOD….for neoprene!” Wow, that’s quite an endorsement, I’ll have to look up exactly what neoprene is. I liked the dress, too, but thought the skirt had a rumple in the front. Very cool use of the dye, with 35 minutes to runway-time, and the back is super cute.

Time to rake the lower scorers over the coals.

Nicholas and Jordana:

I agree the halter top was well made and the pants were kind of sloppy. While I didn’t like the avant garde look personally, I did think it was avant garde enough, reflected Nicholas’s sensibilities, and mimicked the lacy and frothy water of ocean waves. (I’ve gazed down from cliffs at waves crashing on the beach at Torrey Pines in California, and have thought that the foam on the waves was just like lace, and how cool to design something that could capture that. What that would be, I don’t know….literal imitation is never a good idea in fashion!)

Um, but back to the designs on the show, it seems Nicholas and Jordana aren’t completely done-for in the judge’s eyes. The judges hate the sexiness and garters of the look but Nina said that overall look all together with the hair and makeup was good. So, the judges saw potential there.

Qrystle and Epperson:

Their beach look is fairly cute. Well-made and not so terrible. The avant grade thing is monstrous. Nina says “I mean, what is this??” and that kind of sums things up. I really can't describe it....it’s like…a brown bathing suit with some stuff on it?

The interview is a big bitchfest. Epperson comes across as smug and obnoxious, and Qrystal just lets it all out and doesn’t do herself any favors. I think they are both weak, and I predict neither one will be around much longer.

So, the result: Ra’mon is the winner!! And, Mitchell is the loser. Three strikes, and all that. I think that is was time for Mitchell to go. He had already given up from the beginning of the show, whereas R’mon took his low scoring experience from the last show and worked hard and fought back to stay in the game. I look forward to seeing what he will do in future shows!!

I Got Four Minutes of My Life Back! Bananas!!

In celebration of getting to see last week's AND this week's Runway tonight, I am watching the first episode of this season's Rachel Zoe Project. As I start watching, I am thinking, I don't remember this! Then I realize: the first 4 minutes that didn't record last week! I blogged about that, and I have forgotten completely, lol!! That helps set the stage.

Watching the Golden Globes gowns coming down the red carpet, I am just completely ga-ga all over again! What a fun show and guilty pleasure!

I am fascinated in general with stylists and styling. I learned the role of styling when first watching Project Runway, and hearing the judges talk about how well a look is styled (or not).

I think that reading about top stylists in magazines and getting their take on things is really interesting. While one can go on and on about different celebrities' styles all one wants, the real story is that someone who really knows what he or she is doing is working hard to find the right look or style for that client.

It's interesting to see celebrities like Nicole Richie bringing out their own lines of jewelry and clothes, and being admired for their styles. In reality, Rachel Zoe worked with Nicole Richie over a time period to help her develop that style! I find the whole process of searching for the perfect gown and look for each individual client really fascinating on "The Rachel Zoe Project." While I am not sure I really think there needs to be a "Rachel Zoe brand," one cannot help but admit that she knows what she's doing and is very successful at it.

In the meantime, thinking about one's own style and self-expression, and "styling one's self," is a real-life take-away from the glitz and glamour that is presented on the show.

Now, I am going to go watch episode two of Project Runway----finally!!

Alert Stephen Colbert, Because I'm Putting Lifetime on Notice!!!

I seem to be having some TiVo management issues lately, and on Monday I realized that for the second time, the second episode of Runway had gotten deleted. No prob, I'll just pick up the next showing, I thought...wait a MINUTE! Excuse me! The second episode was not on again this week until THURSDAY NIGHT?! Hello, Lifetime, if you really want to have this show, you will have to realize that one has to watch each episode several times, or if you miss it the first time, be able to catch it before the next new episode. Hmm, does Lifetime have some kind of satellite Lifetime 2 channel that might have it? This is beyond frustrating, people!

So, it seems like the approach for the first two shows is to eliminate the crazy designers first. Well, for the first episode, I was kind of routing for the Georgia guy not to lose...I didn't want to see another Southerner get the boot after the first challenge (like the girl from Alabama who didn't know what auf Wiedersehen meant, geez). As I was starting to watch the first episode for the second time, though, I wished that Ari hadn't gotten cut first. At least...until I got a little ways in with Ari chirping "hello garment what do you want to be?" Then the outfits to wear in a tent with water purification systems. I don't understand what that is about. Uh, no. Got to go! Well, she was cute and had cute little colorful outfits and would have been worth some on-air zaniness for the producers to milk. But no, dispatched efficiently.

The whole "my model was too big" thing with Georgia guy (I'm not going to bother learning names for some of these guys until I know they are staying, lol!) was a bit irksome. It occurred to me at the time that a truly savvy person would have at least stressed how great and gorgeous the model was while making the excuse of having received the wrong measurements. Not gallant or chivalrous at all for a Southern boy. Stu-pid! And Heidi was absolutely right, you would never just take some measurements as gospel and make a tiny garment, you would allow for adjustments once you had the fitting with the model. Duh! This girl walked naked for you on the runway, and when you didn't choose her again you even made another comment about the model problem.

So, here is the starting line-up and my thoughts and predictions, based on having seen the first episode fairly thoroughly and the second episode just once (yes, I'm glaring at you, Lifetime!)

The Losers

1. Ari - gone. I kind of liked her geodesic dome idea with the hood, although it was crappily made and not relevant to a challenge about creating a red carpet look. And if the only goal in doing the challenge was to be true to yourself, then why bother even trying to get on the show? The point is to compete, or at least try to meet the actual challenge. She was a good sport about losing, though. Godspeed, Ari.

2. Mitchell - okay, I remember his name. What was that weird thing he was making, anyway? A Victorian smocked rainbow thing? This garment did not bear much of a resemblance to a red carpet look, although it was decidedly interesting. And come on, Nina, after seeing this weird see-through thang....you wanted to see what else he could do? What?!

I enjoyed Heidi's strong rebuke of him as he scraped by again, when egg-guy got the boot...

3. - Surprisingly, I hadn't started hating Malvern ETA: (OOPS! Malvin), with his "Oh I don't want to deprive anyone of my design" (Oh thank heavens!), and there just isn't any "Vocab" for his designs yet. His first design, in spite of the lack of words invented to describe it, was actually pretty nice, from what I saw of it. I think that first piece was why I didn't expect him to leave the second episode. But a crazy literal interpretation of an egg and chicken thing...uh, okay, Malvin, honey, think about it. Why would a gorgeous model who wants something fashionable to wear while pregnant want something with "chicken thighs?!"

This is a competition, people! You are given a brief, you are not just there to do whatever the hell you want.

4. Qristal ETA: (OOPS! Well, I got the Q spelling right of Qrystle) - she's definitely nice and unassuming. "Plus sexy" instead of plus size, cute! The first gown, though...um, nice design, love the purple, but that multicolor situation on the front: not so much, girl! I don't quite know yet where she is going to go, but I'm not sure she is belonging?

Don't Know Yet:

5. Epperson - his first piece was rather dramatic and showy. Very interesting potential. What I remember of his pregnancy challenge outfit was fugliness, though...

6. Pretentious straight-haired boy (ETA: oops, Nicholas) - "I made a gown for Mar-CHESA!" Well, he does sound like he has an interesting resume. Um, what is his name? So, I am interested to see what he will do on the show. But I don't remember what he did the second show. Grr.

7. Marina? Minna? ETA: (OOPS! Irina) - I liked her instantly because she designs and makes handbags. I hated her instantly because she carries a little dog around in them. And it looks like a poodle. Just kidding! Sort of. Her first gown was okay. Slinky.

8. Logan - Is he the self-proclaimed-every-chance-he-gets straight guy??
Is "If the limo breaks down I'll pop the hood myself" code for that or something?

9. Goga Lady - The lady from Croatia with the shop in Charleston. She is likable, but I don't remember now what she designed.

The Contenders

10. Shirin - Her designs caught my eye during her intro on the first episode. I love the idea of convertibility (when it is not stupid) in clothing. I liked her first challenge dress, but wasn't sure it was a red carpet situation. I did think she deserved the win for the second challenge. She seems strong.

11. Louise Black - the one from Texas, with the bob and who likes vintage. I've seen her somewhere before. Not literally, but she is a certain stereotype. I'm interested to see what she will do to follow up her decent pregnancy challenge lingerie-dress thingie.

12. Pixie-girl (ETA: Carol Hannah). Shoot, I don't remember her name. But I thought her fairy dresses looked cute. As a Southerner, she seems like she is not a dumbass, and that she has a reason to be there. I'm looking at you, Mitchell, and the aforementioned Alabama girl from the earlier season.

13. The guy who won the first episode. The one who is making a theme out of the "I didn't have formal training but I deserve to be here." At least when he and the Croatian lady were discussing not having training while they were in the workroom, they sounded genuine and not whiny or bitchy or chip-on-the-shouldery about it. I liked his dress from the first challenge, and I hope he feels validated and will get down to it and do some good stuff.

14. They guy with the bowling ball dress. Geez, I really need to look up the names. His first dress was great. I was worried, though, when they told him not to be afraid to make it edgy. You can't go into the second challenge thinking, okay, got to make it edgy, etc. Try to do as well as you did in the first challenge so your a$ will stay on the show!!

Which brings me back to Mitchell: telling the guy the dress looks like a bowling ball, prompting complete meltdown, then "Oh it doesn't look bad from here!" Um, stop doing fugly work and then you can pull the passive-aggressive "reassuring" thing.

I don't remember who else is no this show, and I will tune in tonight and find out!! (ETA: oops, sorry Althea and crystal meth guy!). And, I will get my TiVo act together so I can blog Project Runway. I also need to catch up by reading my favorite re-cappers and following the unparalled "Blogging Project Runway." (The only recap I read was Jay McCarroll on the first episode....the Ari being a Sam Ronson lookalike comment, and that should have made Lindsey Lohan like her better, was hilarious!) I generally like to watch the episodes and get my own feel for things, first, though.

That's right. Lifetime: you're on notice!!!

Summer Ain’t Over ‘Til I Say It’s Over!

I read recently that August was a transitional month from summer to fall. Well, I originally come from the Deep South where summer goes on into September, so I was a little surprised by that statement. In addition, I now live in the eastern United States where summer took a while to get cranked up and going. August has had the hottest temperatures of the summer, so summer is still going strong, I’m afraid.

Of course, I do understand the “transitional” statement---as a lover of fall fashion, I am ready to get my August and September fashion mags at the beginning of the summer. I am no lover of hot weather, and I start my fall planning in July and August. My reaction to the whole transitional thing right now is just that I am not ready to stop wearing my summer handbags and accessories. For me, September is the true transitional month.

How will we know when summer has ended, then? Is it a mere date on a calendar? Here are the new rules I am currently working out:

1. If the temperatures are still in the nineties (Fahrenheit), it’s still summer.
2. It it stays in the seventies (Fahrenheit) during the night, it’s still summer. Seventies are great during the day, but during the night, most uncomfortable.
3. If you’re going about your business buying nail polishes like crazy when suddenly you are stranded in a huge 30-minute thunderstorm that only takes a few seconds to flood everything, it’s summer, totally.
4. If you are not ready to stop wearing turquoise, aqua, orange, cobalt, bright purple, and fuchsia leather handbags, then I’m afraid it’s still summer.

Fashion seems to be cooperating with the freaky weather this year, with so many brights and neons showing up all over the place for fall. Beauty bloggers and Youtubers seem a bit surprised to be reviewing nail polish collections that contain brown, black, berries, and lively neons. Perhaps we can give the neons a go in September before getting into our customary jewel tones, browns, and grays. Maybe by October, we can welcome fall in a timely fashion. At least, those of us on the East Coast….with treasured summer handbag collections.

Shut it Down! It's Rachel Zoe Season 2

I was looking forward to season 2 of the Rachel Zoe project, and since my TiVo has been busily recording the re-runs I just blithely took for granted that the new show would record. I look up at 10:04 and notice....the little red light is not on!! Ohhhh nooooo! I missed the first 4 minutes, but it was an awesome show full of fashion suspense and ooh-and-ahh moments. I was psyched that there was plenty of Brad ("oh my god is that my boyfriend?") and not too much of the tiresome Taylor whining. Fun!! This show was the Golden Globes, and next week it's the Oscars!! Fun!