We're Here! We're Queer! Pander to us!

Darlings, The New York Observer has a little article out examining the Lifetime move and what it means when the network that proclaims itself "Television for Women" takes over a show with a huge gay audience. Because they are wise, they turned to a loudmouthed expert:

"But nearly everyone else, it seemed, was not thrilled. The network better known for showing Golden Girls reruns and made-for-TV movies that usually involved some combination of a woman being stalked, a serial killer and/or a cheating/abusive husband was, not to put too fine a point on it, simply too Middle America for Project Runway fans.

“The thing that concerns us is that they talk about the show in terms of it being a women’s show,” said Tom Fitzgerald, 41, one-half of the blogging team behind the popular Project Rungay blog, which obsessively chronicles every episode as well as any and all behind-the-scenes gossip. “And we’re living proof that that’s not entirely the case. It has a very large gay viewership. It has a very large straight viewership that likes the fact that it’s an urban, intelligent, creative reality show. Our hope is that they don’t forget that.”

And we still hope that. Writer Doree Shafrir (shoutout, girl!) does a good job of laying out the case that Lifetime is in the middle of a rebranding strategy and that they already HAVE gay programming in the form of Carson Kressley's How to Look Good Naked. Respectfully, we have to disagree on the latter. How to Look Good Naked is COMPLETELY a woman's show. That it has a flamboyant gay host doesn't really negate that. We love a good makeover show as much as the next gays, but Kressley's show is built entirely around making woman with body issues feel better about themselves. There's nothing wrong with that but it's not about to make us give up our Stacey and Clinton, who, while only 50% homosexual, nonetheless make for a VERY gay viewing experience.

And then there's this:

“We would love for them to watch [Project Runway ] on Lifetime, too!” said Meredith Wagner, Lifetime’s executive vice president of public affairs and corporate communications. “Our door is open. As I said, we’re inclusive. And we want them. We hope they’ll come! The show’s not going to change.” That being said, it’s hard not to feel like gay men are being treated like fag hags—they’re an accessory in the new Lifetime, around for camp value and being able to tell you if your butt looks big, but with no programming revolving around them.

“We really love women,” said Ms. Wagner. “And we care about women. We put them first.”

Hey, we love women too. It's just that we're getting a distinct "Oh, you gays can sit over here and watch" vibe from that last quote. We hope we're wrong on that.

Hard Working Man

Well, Rami may not have won Project Runway, but he's working that tight little ass like he did.

First up, the Spring/Summer 2008 collection that he put together at the same time he was doing his Fall 2008 Bryant Park collection for Project Runway:













It's very L.A. Simple shapes and silhouettes with little embellishment but draping galore. There are some pretty looks here. We still kinda wish he'd move into a different color palette, though.

Plus, his exposure on PR has made him quite the hot little commodity on the red carpet:

It seems like at least once a week, some little starlet is wearing a Kashou in front of photographers. Good for him. We don't completely get behind his aesthetic, but if there's one thing it is, it's red carpet-ready.

And finally, for all of you Kashou Nuts out there who want to own a piece of the man, there's this:

"Project Runway finalist Rami Kashou, will design an exclusive look for the one year anniversary show of Scoop Style on HSN. The show will air on May 15th at 1:30am-2:00am and 10pm-12am. Kashou will make a special appearance on that day, which follows two consecutive Scoop Style on HSN sell-out shows. Kashou’s dress highlights the designer’s draping expertise with a rayon-blend fabric, available in black, rich peacock, lime pop and vintage sea foam for $280.00."

Save those quarters now, ladies! You could be draped Rami-style!

[Photos: RamiKashou.com]

The Accessories Wall: Gladiator Sandals

It's not the hottest trend going but it looks to be heading into its 3rd or 4th season: the gladiator sandal.

Here's Heidi last summer in an absolutely HIDEOUS pair from Balenciaga:

If Elvis had been a drag queen, these would have had a very special place in his over-taxed heart.

We think there's such a wide range of what falls under "gladiator sandal" that we, shockingly, can't form an opinion as to whether we like them or not. So many of them tend toward gaudy, bondage-inspired monstrosities that we more often than not wrinkle our widdle noses in disapproval.


Then there are the less-obtrusive looking pairs, which we think are more flattering. But there's just something about them that prevents us from loving them. Even in simpler pairs like the ones Heidi's wearing here, they tend to cause the eye to go down immediately. The shoe IS the outfit. Gladiator sandals work best when the wearer shows a decent length of leg and because they can be something of an overpowering shoe, we often see ladies wearing some fairly toned-down, even plain outfits with them.


The effect can be a little bottom-heavy. SJP's also wearing Balenciaga here and while we have to say that from an aesthetic point of view, the shoes are pretty fabulous, we still can't help thinking they look like too much shoe - especially with the outfit Sarah Jessica's wearing here.


[Photos: celebutopia.net]

Princess and Nina on Ugly Betty Sneak Peek

CAGEMATCH!

The claws have been UNSHEATHED, y'all!



"David Bowie's supermodel wife Iman has reportedly hit out at colleague Heidi Klum - claiming she is far more qualified to host reality show Project Runway. Klum fronts the U.S. version of the show while Iman introduces the Canadian contest.

The 52-year-old Somali-born model insist her resume is far more impressive, and makes her a far more appropriate representative of the fashion industry.

She says, "Definitely Heidi and I come from two different places. I'm not belittling Heidi Klum, but I have been in fashion much more than she has. Not to toot my own horn, but I have been one of the best runway girls."

"I know clothes, and I know about working hand in hand with designers, I mean, I've worked with Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, John Galliano. Yves St Laurent - he created a whole collection for me. Tom Ford, Valentino. Versace. Jean Paul Gaultier. Thierry Mugler... I could go on and on."

*GASP*

THROWDOWN, BITCHES!

Which one's it gonna be:


The Somalian Siren,



Or the Teutonic Titwillow?

Personally, our money's on Iman.

[Photos: David Ferrua/Slice.ca]

Let's start the week off by handing out advice no one asked for, shall we?

So darlings, we were recently perusing Bravo press releases (as we are prone to do), when we stumbled upon this:

"TIM GUNN'S GUIDE TO STYLE (Season 2)

The second season of Bravo's "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style," hosted by Tim Gunn, will premiere later this year. Each episode will chronicle one person's fashion dilemmas and introduce the answer to all their troubles – Gunn himself, with his inimitable style, propensity for coaching and encyclopedic expertise in fashion. With his tutelage, deserving folks in need of some change will get the makeover of a lifetime from the man Entertainment Weekly called "a major arbiter of style." After joining the Bravo line-up in the fourth quarter of 2007, "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style" marked triple digit increases for its Thursday 10 p.m. time period, up 113 percent among adults 18-49 and up 92 percent in total viewers versus fourth quarter of 2006. "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style" is produced by Stone & Company Entertainment, with Scott Stone and Sarah-Jane Cohen serving as executive producers."

Notice anything missing from that? Here, we'll give you a hint:



Can it be, poodles? Is Miss Webb NOT returning to Tim's show?

Darlings, you know us. We just hate to be the judgmental sort, but if this is true, it can only be a good thing for the show. No one was rooting for Tim's show to succeed more than us and for a time, we even thought the casting of Veronica Webb as his sidekick-in-style could only be looked at as a good thing. From the minute the show was announced, we felt that it would need someone on the side to loosen Tim up, play to his strengths and cover any weaknesses he had to get things to run smoothly. A savvy female with a fashion background and a personality would make the perfect foil to counter Tim's fussier, more professorial style.


Unfortunately, Veronica didn't turn out to be the foil we'd hoped for. For one, despite the relative cuteness of the dress in the above pics, her wardrobe on the show was jaw-droppingly AWFUL. First rule of the makeover show, the host(s) need to always look impeccable (See: London, Stacey). Half the outfits Veronica wore made her look like she lost a bet.

Second, we don't know what happened to her, since she'd previously always seemed comfortable and easy to watch on camera, but on Tim's show she came off a little hard and cold and her reactions with Tim seemed a bit forced. No chemistry.

Third, we asked for an interview and she never responded, but that has NOTHING to do with our work here today, kittens.

Bravo, you know you want our advice, so let's not play coy here, shall we? You already have the perfect co-host on hand for Tim.

Here, we'll give you another hint:



We hear she's open to job offers at the moment.



Come on, how perfect would that be? She's got the fashion chops and the on-camera experience, she's popular, she's looking at career options at the moment, and it's a way for the network to hold on to some of that Project Runway fabulosity that they spent so much time and money cultivating. PLUS, she and Tim have history and we think they'd work well together.

Just don't make her go through anyone's underwear drawer. Nina's far too fabulous to be handling someone's discount granny panties.

UPDATE: [Via MiamiHerald.com] "I'm not coming back for Season 2. Tim will be back, though. I'm doing a show for BBC World called Living Style." Thanks Lilithcat/Bia.

[Photos: Bravotv.com - Screencap: Project RunGay]

Connections, Darlings!

Poodles, if you're in the market for a mannequin or dress form (we know there's a ton of designers and home sewers in our ranks), our newest advertiser, Mannequin Madness, just told us that from now until May 25th, they're offering 20% off any of their products to Project RunGay readers. Just let them know you're one of the in crowd when you visit their site.

Red Carpet Runway

The NY Daily News has a rundown of some of your favorite Project Runway designers and how many of them are designing for celebrities and private clients (ever notice how Santino's always "in talks" with someone but never actually seems to make anything?), with a special focus on everyone's favorite sissy bear.


"With his infectious laugh and creative use of human hair, March became a star of "Project Runway's" fourth season. "Cry-Baby" producer Elan McAllister loved his clothes, and when the series aired a photo from his application portfolio, she knew she had to meet him.


The picture featured March dressed as Tracy Turnblad, the lead character in John Waters' movie "Hairspray." And it just so happens "Cry-Baby" is the latest Waters film to get the Broadway treatment. "



"I figured he could design something beautiful that still captured the spirit of the show," McAllister says. At their first meeting, she said she wanted to look glamorous at the theater and flamboyant at the after-party.

In response, March blended goth colors and loads of safety pins with a wrap that tastefully conceals the flair. "She's a bit of a wild child, but she also has to be sitting in the theater during the show, and meet with celebrities and cameras," he says. "So this is sleek and sophisticated with a bit of a twist."

March says McAllister was a "fantastic" client, though not everyone who calls him is ideal. "A lot of times, people are simply interested in seeing me because I was on television," he says. "They have this impression of me as a magical unicorn that has stepped out of the TV."

He adds, "Those are the requests that aren't interesting to me. You get a feel for whether a person is really interested in your work."


(Click on thumbnail for larger image)

The dress is nice. Not spectacular or anything, but nice enough. He really goes for that goth thing, doesn't he? We have to wonder how comfortable such a dress would be for sitting in the theater, though.

[Photos: Countess/WireImage - Screencap: Project RunGay]

In or Out: Iman

Iman arrives at the 7th Annual Tribeca Film Festival - Vanity Fair Party in New York City, New York.



Dear Iman,

Give your gays a raise.

Worshipfully,
Not Your Gays

Heidi, if you're reading this, THIS is how it's done. It's tasteful and appropriate, the print and color are gorgeous and flatter her, and the hair, makeup and shoes are perfect.

Our only criticism (come on, you knew we had to come up with SOMETHING) is that it doesn't seem to flatter her figure that much. At 52, she's still model skinny but the dress gives her something of a thick-waisted look.

Still, it's only a minor criticism because the overall effect is stunning.

EDIT: And because Iman is the quintessential Diva, it's appropriate that we also FINALLY have a new Dames and Divas Deathmatch on T Lo today! Go vote!

[Photos: WireImage]

The Accessories Wall: The Mr. T Look

Darlings, let's take a look at accessories trends, shall we?

It's not the newest trend on the block, but we're seeing more and more of it: women wearing about 20 pounds of necklace. To wit:




We're not crazy about it. Whatever happened to the old adage of taking one thing off before you walk out the door? Don't get us wrong, we love big chunky jewelry as much as the next queen, but Sarah and Nina are looking a little weighed down here, wouldn't you say? We hope they're taking their calcium supplements or they're both gonna wind up hunch-backed after a couple of nights out looking like this.

At least Nina's look is a little unified. Sarah looks like her house was on fire and she grabbed every necklace she owns before running out the door.

What do you say, ladies? Too much, just enough, or more, more, more?

[Photos: WireImage]

Judging the Judges: Fall 2008 Bridal Collections

Darlings, it's that time of year again, when young women get to realize their lifelong dream of arguing with their mothers over flower arrangements and caterers. Yes, it's bridal season and what better way to observe it than to listen to two queens rip the gowns?

Three of Project Runway's former guest judges have recently shown their bridal collections and we've got the goods.

Badgley Mischka





Feh. There's a sort of plain-jane sameness going on here. We're definitely of the camp that says that the less frippery and Disney-princess embellishments, the better, but aside from the third dress, we're not sold on this collection.



Monique Lhuillier





These, we like. There are a range of silhouettes and styles here. We especially like dresses one and two. Four and five are just a little too doily-like for our tastes. Three looks a little too Harlow and the bodice on six looks like a foundation garment.



Vera Wang









Number four is a harlot!

We've criticized Vera for things in the past, but one area where she simply can't be ripped is the bridal dress. She does it better than just about anybody else.

That's not to say we love all of these. Number two is outrageously unflattering. We like the touches of black on five and six. Also like the coat version on seven. We've seen eight plenty of times before and nine looks like the aforementioned Disney princess. Ten has just a little too much going on.

And you bitches? What do you all think? A girl in a bridal gown is practically an invitation to be judgmental, so let's hear it.

[Photos: Getty Images - Videos: Courtesy of brides.com - Slideshow: Project RunGay]