‘Project Runway’ Plays Button, Button

It was button, button, who’s got the button, on this week’s episode of Project Runway. Not only did people toss buttons into a fish bowl in order to vote for their favorite, there was also a lot of button-pushing going on between the designers. But this isn’t a personality contest, is it? It’s about design and it used to be about the ability to sew, but it’s looking like that’s not a requirement this year. Let’s take a look at what went down the runway.

NEITHER HERE NOR THERE

April, Andy, Ivy, Gretchen and Casanova were all sent through without comments and I’m surprised at that. Once again, I thought Andy did an amazing job of putting together a trendy, original look. He took a bridesmaid gown and turned it into a bustier and short set. April turned out a matching silhouette, a black, form-fitting dress with a very interesting neckline. They both dyed their fabrics but apparently that’s not worth anything to the judges, either.

Ivy and Casanova were also thinking with one mind as they both turned their gowns into clam-digger pants with a flowy top. Ivy’s white pants weren’t a very good fit but the gold, belted top was cute. Trouble was, I kept seeing Tori Spelling when her model was on the runway.

Casanova kept the color in the pants and his were better tailored. He paired it with an off-the-shoulder, gold blouse that looked better on the runway than it does in this photo.

ON THE BOTTOM

Peach, Valerie and Michael D landed in the bottom and I’m sad for one of them. Actually, I really feel bad for the poor women who had to stand there and be told they looked “unfortunate.” Talk about awkward. The judges said that Michael D’s model looked better in her original gown and I so don’t agree. Yes, he could have stayed with the original pink color but seeing as he was working with a plus-size lady like me, I think he gave her a fun dress and the little jacket he added for the runway was a nice touch.

Valerie’s model, on the other hand, looked like a girl from the Russian swimteam trying to dress up for a party. The dress made the woman look huge on top and not in a good way. The color-blocking was odd. Michael Kors said something about a nursing grandmom and I’m not sure if he meant nursing, as in the occupation, or the other kind of nursing. Either way, not good.

Peach’s dress looked like pieces from three outfits from three different women. She ruined the skirt by accident, so that never came out right. Michael Kors called the top a Holly Hobbie halter with dinner napkins sticking out. And then there was that ruffle that went all the way around the waist. No woman wants a ruffle sitting on her butt. I wish I had a photo to show you but it was so awful, Lifetime didn’t offer one in the photo array for this week.

LIFE ON TOP

Much to everyone’s surprise Michael C landed in the top with Mondo and Christopher. Mondo won the button challenge but obviously that didn’t count for much since he didn’t win the week. He should have. His dress was genius. He took a horrible, Pepto-Bismol pink, shiny gown and turned it into a trendy, tailored dress. He’s magic. Really.

Christopher also did good with a brown, patterned dress that had an interesting swoosh to the top. He gets extra points because he picked his dress and model because the color was a good match to her. Then, she chickened out and he was given a new model with a drab, brown gown and he had to start all over. Even though he defended Gretchen this week, I still like Christopher and think he could be the dark horse that wins it all.

Finally, we have Michael C and his little black dress with the lace top. I thought for sure the judges would slam him for the length, which was barely there and the lace, which is old fashioned, but he cast some kind of spell over them and won. Hard to believe, isn’t it? I like the guy and I still don’t think he deserved the win. It should have gone to Mondo.

The last photo is Gretchen’s design. She wasn’t in the top three but I know how much she’d hate being featured next to Michael C, so I’m putting her pic here. Button, button — who’s pushing the buttons now?

Did the right person win? And what do you think of all this drama on this season of Project Runway?