Project Runway Junior: Over The Overlay

By CJ Bomb

Hello all! I’m so very sorry for the late recap, but had some stuff go down on the home front I had to deal with. But, better late than never! This show is such a delightful escape from reality that I’m happy to be back writing. So here we go…..

The alarm goes off in the workroom and the kiddos head out to the street wondering what’s going on. A fire truck pulls up and out pour some good-looking NYC firemen aaaannnnnnnd…..Hannah! Wearing a silver jean jumpsuit, once again proving that very beautiful people can look silly and making me feel slightly better about myself. I worked in publishing in NYC years ago and always had to listen to my co-worker, a Miss Ellen Sue Stein, wax poetic in her strong Queens accent about how good-looking firemen are. Ellen Sue if you are out there, I validate your observations.

This is a “fiery” challenge because it involves firemen and is sponsored by Takis chips. Chips that have more sodium in one bag than a child should consume in a week. Needless to say, they are delicious, yet a weird choice for a sponsor. The designers are terrified they are going to have to do menswear when it is announced to their great relief that the challenge is a date night look for the firemen’s significant others. Tim reminds them that they are working for clients so they have to marry their own aesthetics with the clients tastes and wishes. Molly sums it up: you have to make something you both like. This is usually a tough challenge for the adults, I can’t wait to see how the kids handle it. Sewing for someone who is not 5’11” and 118 pounds always seems to prove a challenge for designers. Learn this lesson now kiddos….there are a lot more of us “normal sized” women out there, and we shop. Oh, and learn to cut on the bias. Trust me on this one.

Hawwaa’s client is fair-skinned and doesn’t like showing too much. She would like something classy. Her husband wants to see skin. Molly’s client wants a form-fitting dress and she is going to do something flattering, clean and comfortable. Allie’s client would like to have something she could wear to a show. Allie has never BEEN on a date, but has a good idea what you are supposed to wear on one. Chris has never been on a date either, let alone with a woman he says, and is a bit flummoxed by his client’s, um, endowments. She also hates prints. Uh-oh. He convinces her to go with just one. Awesome Tieler is making a round bodice with a bustier connected to a pencil skirt that will be sleek and sexy. Chelsea’s client is a very interesting woman who apparently has a hedgehog in her live animal collection (is it possible to be a crazy hedgehog lady?) so she is ready to push the envelope. Izzy’s client loves bohemian style maxi dresses and the color red. Izzy assures her clients it’s going to be awesome because she has won before and they should feel very confident in her abilities. Izzy is giving me a little Tracy Flick vibe this episode. Cartier asks her clients cleavage or covered? She gets a very emphatic “cleavage” response. This is way outside her comfort zone. It will be very interesting to see how she handles it.

The designers hit “Mini-Mood” which is great because the clients can approve fabric choices. Allie is doing a floral overlay on a striped dress which the client thinks is very adventurous. Chris is trying very hard to sell his client on plaid but she is not into it. They compromise with a plum fabric and lace overlay. Cartier has picked a red neoprene because that’s what was available in that color.

The Workroom

Awesome Tieler asks everyone if they are nervous designing for actual clients. Izzy says at first she was, but not anymore. OVERCONFIDENCE ALERT……FORESHADOWING!!!! Tieler tells Cartier that red is the color of desire and dominance. She adds, it’s also the color of fire trucks. Way to be literal Cartier. Chris strolls around doing the best Tim Gunn imitation since Santino acted out Tim asking Andree to hit Red Lobster. He asks Tieler if he feels his pink dress is an advertisement for Pepto Bismol. Tieler tells him to go to hell, while laughing of course.

Tim’s Critique

The client couples come back in and Tim is there to do his critique with them present. Tim takes one look at Chris’s dress and asks is there any way in the world anyone would know this was Chris’s look. It’s a basic pretty dress you can get at Saks. Or Gunne Saxe. He decides to do a graphic leather belt and jacket to make it more him. Hawwaa has made a Hawwaa dress with an edge and the polka dots are growing on the client. Tim can tell it IS a Hawwaa dress and apparently it’s a good thing. The ever-confident Izzy is proudly showing her “cool boho” dress to Tim. He tells her to ditch the black under-skirt and stick with red.

Tieler looks like he’s making my prom dress from 1987. That was the last time I wore pink. It was Laura Ashley, I……I don’t want to talk about it. Tim worries there isn’t enough design, but the client LOVES it. Tim thinks Cartier’s dress is too simple and the client agrees. He notes that when he walked in he saw it from across the room, inverted and was quite taken with it. They turn it inside out and it turns out Cartier has given the seams little butterfly cuts (I’m assuming to give the neoprene more movement) and it does in fact, look cool. Tim saves the day, but Cartier is not sure and even a little freaked out. She realizes he is right and quickly warms to the idea. Tim is happy with Chelsea’s weird cat-eye look and tells her to carry on. Allie…..oh Allie. Allie has covered a dress with curtains from 1974. He tells her it’s not flattering and “grandma-y”. She decides to ditch the skirt overlay and turn it into a robe overlay. I’m worried for Allie. Tim thinks the dress Molly is doing is too basic and she is ALSO going to do an overlay in the form of a skirt. Tim chants, “Overlay, Overlay, Overlay.” This does seem to be the trend here.

Izzy is waaayyyyyy too confident for her belted mummuu while Cartier feels the opposite for her inverted body-con look. Izzy decides to ignore Tim’s advice and keep her black skirt. FORESHADOWING ALERT. Cartier thinks her dress has gone from basic to weird and she is worried but she loves it. Tieler loves it too. He gives it an 11 out of 10. Allie is trying very hard to focus, but everyone is being very LOUD. And eating Takis. Weirdest sponsor ever. Awesome Tieler’s zipper breaks, but he sews his model in and it looks fine. Izzy is getting on my last nerve tonight.

The Runway

Hannah has dialed it back and looks normal for runway. I’m also glad Aya stopped trying too hard. No more side-braids please. Christian and Kelly look like their normal, cool, funky selves.

Molly’s look is adorable and cool. She did an overlay right. The client’s body looks awesome.

I love you Tieler, but I hate this color with the heat of a thousand suns. The dress is simple yet impeccable.

Chris’s jacket is cute, but I’m not sure about the batman belt with the Gunne Saxe dress.

Chelsea’s outfit would look cool on a 5’11” 118 lb model. Her client does not have those dimensions. (Nor do most of us)

Allie’s weird robe overlay has me worried for her.

The cut-outs on Hawwaa’s dress make it a sexier take on her normal look, but this is too junior for her client.

What I wrote for Izzy: Mrs. Roeper gone wrong. Izzy says she’s not used to working with “regular people”. LAST. NERVE. GONE.

Cartier? WHO KNEW??? SEX BOMB!!! This is awesome.

My top three are Molly, Awesome Tieler and Cartier for the win. My bottom three are Chelsea, Izzy and poor Allie with Izzy going home.

The Judges

Hawwaa and Chelsea are safe and Chelsea is disappointed because she feels she had a winning look. Hawwaa tells her to take a seat and be happy she’s safe. She SHOULD be happy she’s not up there because if I was judging she would be in the bottom.

The judges love Tieler’s look. Aya says it’s beautiful and fits perfectly. Christian says it’s sophisticated and Hannah loves the bustier and shoulder. Kelly thinks it’s departure from everything he has shown which is good. She loves it.

Hannah thinks Chris’s dress is pretty, but that’s it. Aya says there isn’t enough design in the look. Christian thinks it’s too safe but Kelly praises him for doing a great job with the client’s wishes.

The judges all want to BE Rosemary, Cartier’s client. This woman has a “normal” body (right Izzy?) and looks FABULOUS. They all fell in love with her when she walked the runway. Kelly thinks it’s hot and fearless and she looks like a “modern day Betty Boop”. Christian says that even though they have seen outer seams done a lot, they have never seen them like this and he’s feeling hot and spicy. Aya calls it inspiring.

Christian tells Izzy her dress is flowy but messy and uninspiring. Kelly says the dimensions are off because of the overlay and the black skirt underneath. Aya likes the look but thinks it’s too safe and I think Aya is smoking something.

Kelly bemoans the fact that the best part of Allie’s look is covered. Aya just thinks it’s a robe on top of a dress. Christian thinks it’s too safe.

Kelly thinks Molly’s look is the most fashion forward look on the runway. The client reveals the overlay it detachable and the judges FREAK OUT. Hannah calls her color-blocking “smart”. Aya thinks she both pushed both the client and herself in a good way.

The winner is CARTIER!. Allie is auf’ed because she is not as adventurous as Izzy. Grrrrr. Allie cries. Kelly cries. Everyone cries. Tim tells Allie she is an amazing individual with beautiful qualities of character. She exits graciously, sad that she is leaving, but happy for the experience and that she made so many friends. Girl, you are 14. You are going on to great things.

I will be back for the next episode TONIGHT; hopefully, with the lovely Leslie in tow. Xoxoxoxo.