Sew it Begins aka Pants out of Pants

Season 8 is back and Heidi is ready with a new do.

This season, they're going for 90 minute episodes, and got rid of the terrible Models of the Runway show. (Did anyone besides Heidi watch that show???) For an extra half hour, I was hoping to get a little more of the construction process, maybe see more of the designers, because when there's so many, you don't get to see everybody, and when there are less, you know them better and want to see more of them. There was a tiny bit more of that, and more Tim Gunn- always a plus- but there were also additions that we didn't need; more of the hair and makeup time (yawn!) and more of the "behind the scenes" with the designers when they're waiting for the results of their peers (yawn!). The opening felt like there were more time to learn more about the designers and they meet up Real World style before they make it to Grand Central (instead of Bryant Park). Besides that, Tim and Heidi "dished" a bit on the designers, but there wasn't anything eye-opening. McKell has a newborn baby, so Heidi thinks she must "want this very bad". Thanks Heidi. There was also a bit more of the judging process, but last night's was a bit of a joke, so I almost felt like the producers told them, "Hey we want to keep these characters on, so please justify why you're keeping them on, kthxbye".

The designers arrive before Mr. Gunn and Frau Klum with their luggage still with them. Yeah, you should know something is up. Then they are told that they are still in the audition process and they are not all going to be on the show. Welllll yeah someone gets kicked off every show, even the FIRST episode, so since when are they supposed to feel safe anyway? The designers panic and already they seem like a bunch of whiners.

They are told to take one item out of their luggage to use in a design. Gee, what would you pick from your luggage to incorporate into a design? I know, my $1,070 jeans THAT I'VE NEVER WORN. The designers are told sadistically by Heidi, that they need to pass the item to their neighbor to use. More whining from the designers and only 5 hours to complete the look! One or more designers were going to be kicked off, so the designers were quivering in their boots. With only 5 hours to work on their looks, you can imagine the stress levels and necessary short cuts that were taken...ahem, staples. I'm amazed Tim could still get around to chat with them during that time. Some people really went for it and completely took apart the garment, and some, well.....some made Pants out of Pants.

As for the group, we have the older one, the younger one, the over-confident one, the Puerto Rican guy who goes by only Casanova, and enough gay boys to keep this show going. The straight guy that keeps reminding you that he's straight by saying how tough he is and how distracted he is by boobies....and then sews with a corset utility belt (ok, how cool was that? I WANT). Then there are the forgettable ones. At this early stage it's hard to keep track of all the designers.

The models are taken to hair and makeup and some of the designers have probably not had the opportunity before to use professional hair and makeup teams with their designs. I'm sure I would be just as bewildered as Peach!

This week's guest judge is Selma Blair. Michael and Nina are back. They showed a lot more of the designer reactions to the show and gave us subtitles so we could know what they were commenting on. As soon as the one girl watching the runway show said the bag was "perfect" for the look, didn't we all KNOW it was gonna get called out as b-a-d!

Let's "Carry on" shall we? 17 designers on a super shiny runway to judge!

The designers that were automatically "IN"

A.J.Well, this is something I would love to rock and would have loved to see in the top, but I know it's too costumey for the judges, but it didn't go so far that the judges called him out on it. Well played A.J.

AndyAndy channeled a little Christian Siriano for his look. I almost thought the judges were going to love or hate this, but again it was safe. I'm amazed he could put this whole look together in 5 hours! He will be one to watch so far. Love the back of this look!

Christopher He went with a good game plan for the first challenge: Do something simple and safe, not too hideous but cover the bases and let the frantic designers over-work and fail on their own!

Kristin

She got Mondo's kilt, and did something you wouldn't expect to do with it. However, I think the bottom portion is just too heavy a look. I thought I was watching the potato sack challenge.

Michael C.

I like how the top is constructed, and I'm certainly not against the skirt per se, but it's bordering on streetwalker. I'm also unsure of what she's carrying, I didn't see her wear it.


Michael D.
Eh. Similar game plan, make it safe and not too hideous and slip past the first elimination. It's not bad but for some reason I'm thinking the elves in Lord of the Rings would love this.

MondoMondo had the green jacket. I'm almost surprised this didn't get called out on the styling, since it was such an important thing to the judges this episode. The way he mixed the green with the print made the girl look pretty wide.

Peach
Clean, well made look in 5 hours, she's in for sure. Very fresh looking. It remains to be seen how much this "hells to the yeah" older designer does in the future.

SarahI like this. It seemed a tad uncomfortable to wear...but maybe that's just me. Love the overall look. Simple and young.

ValerieThe boob flaps bother me and it seems like there is a LOT going on here. However, you can see that she should be on the show and it seems like she can crank things out pretty quickly.

Winner was Gretchen:

They thought it was sophisticated, great styling and Selma Blair loved it. I'm not sold on it as the winner, also it was called the clear winner, no one else made it to the top. I'm bored, let's move on to the bottoms.

AprilApril's look was intriguing coming down the runway, and from far away it looked kind of cool! Upon closer inspection, it did look terribly unfinished. But hey....5 hours? I wonder what they could have done in a full day. April claimed she wanted it to look unfinished. Nina said she looked like an "80's street walker".

Nicholas
Judges thought it was boring. I thought this should have been safe. Yeah not exciting but he really went for something that would look beautiful. He was so cute and seemed like he was so intent on staying on the show during judging and I was rooting for him instantly.

Casanova

"Odd". "Mother of the bride belly dancer". "Sexaholic conservative".
"Pole dancer in Dubai". Michael Kors covered it. Carry on.

IvyPants out of pants. Ivy had Peach's pants and she didn't do much with them, and then makes some loose maternity style top. The hoop earring just killed Michael Kors. Nina just bitch slapped Ivy's ego. Ivy has already started talking in the third person, and with how much they showed her on camera I knew she was not going to be kicked off.


Jason
After Heidi called this out as what she wears when she gets her hair did, that's all I can see now. Jason had the luxury of getting a decent amount of fabric from a kimono and he turns the freakin thing backwards and staples it and ties a sash around it? I guess he knew that his hat* would protect him and he was right. Selma sort of defended the outfit, but perhaps she figured he would be auf'd and she wouldn't be too mean.

Obviously he should have been kicked off and was obviously saved because he's more of a character. I guess we shall see what happens next week. Epic fail.

*Jason said in the beginning of the episode he would intimidate the competition with his hat like Roman soldiers. No lie. An army hat you ask? No, a bowler hat.

McKell
McKell is the one that "really wanted it" according to Heidi because she left a 9 month old baby at home. Sadly, she is the one to first be auf'd. Was this the worse design on the runway? No. Was it the worst constructed? No. Was McKell enough of a "character" to stay? No. There you go.

Judges what do you think?
"Disco apron" with "side cleavage". -Michael
"Butt ugly"- Heidi

Ouch.

It's always tough to be the first one kicked off and McKell's face when she saw that the judges threatened to kick others off but didn't was super sad. Tim Gunn had actually liked the look but admitted that it didn't fit the model well and the styling was off.

Auf weidersehen McKell.