'Nista

Project Runway's Kenley: Rip-off Artist?

So, I am obsessed with Project Runway for a few reasons:

1) It's focus is fashion, and I love fashion.

2) It allows you to witness part of the creative process that goes into making clothing.

3) It champions talent, rather than just being another reality show that feeds our voyeristic needs by following a bunch of drunken kids around.

4) It has Tim Gunn.

So I couldn't wait to see last night's finale. I prayed Leanne would win because I love her aesthetic and I like her attitude. I prayed that Kenley would lose because I don't think there's anything too special about her designs—mostly because she re-creates fashions I've already seen and then denies it—and her attitude is pretty stinky. I mean, who gets mad at Tim Gun? 

So, I was pleased when Kenley lost. And, in true Kenley form, she griped and moaned and called "consipiracy"..and when the judges told her, quite bluntly, that she had ripped off not only Alexander McQueen, but also Balenciaga, her retort of "I'm sick and tired of you telling me I am ripping people off! This is like the fourth time you've accused me of it and I'm sick of it!" was completely classic bratty Kenley. Because, I even knew she had ripped off Alexander McQueen, and as was also made clear, ALL fashion editors would know. 

Because my friends and husband (yes, he loves the show) aren't in the fashion industry, I thought I'd send them the referenced designs so they could draw their own conclusions. And, while I'm at it, I thought I'd share them with you too.

RIP-OFF CASE NO. 1: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, FALL 2008

Alexander's version of a pheasant-flocked dress (via style.com)...

...and Kenley's rather inferior version.

RIP-OFF CASE NO. 2: BALENCIAGA, SPRING 2008

Nicolas Ghesquiere's painted floral pompom frock for Balenciaga (via style.com)...

Kenley's eerily similar floral painted pompom dress.

I rest my case.

I Know You're Looking at Her Hair...

Yikes! Apparently, if you wash your hair with Pantene "con pro vitaminas" (which, if my seven years of sort of learning Spanish serves me correctly, means "Pantene with pro vitamins"), you suddenly grow big chi-chis. I'm not really sure who was behind this ad campaign, but HE is obviously a genius...

...except that Pantene is usually used by females, which means the advertisement should cater to the likes of women. Last I heard, when seeking a great shampoo and conditioner, women sought attributes such as "shine" and "health" for their hair, not "shine" and "robust-y health" for their rack.

Also, the girls' hair looks straggly...as if they haven't brushed their mangy manes for a week, let alone washed them.

I am completely flabbergasted by this ad. 

The Best Laid Plans...

I took a blog hiatus, not really because I needed to, but rather because blogging has been at the absolute end of my list of things to do everyday, after pulling my fingernails out and going to the gym (which, regarding the former, I hope to never do, and regarding the latter, I hope to do, but haven't been). Yes, blogging seems to not be high up on my list of priorities, perhaps because I write and edit all day, everyday, and just don't have enough left in me to spew nonsense that nobody really reads anyway.

As Pinkisthenewblog.com's Trent would say, "Le sigh."

I tried posting twice the other day, and both times the post got lost. Poof! Evaporated into cyberspace. Needless to say, I was more pissed than Sarah Palin at an anti-gun rally.

But, the funny things is, I like the idea of blogging, even if it is a narcissistic way of self-promotion. Anybody can be a blogger, of course, but you have to have that certain spunk or wit that keeps them coming back. You also need to know "search word optimization," which I know nothing about, and don't care to know about, which is probably why my readership is a paltry ZERO.

I can see how blogging—the type where you post at least 10 posts a day—can be extremely time consuming, to the point that it becomes your JOB or a CHORE. I am so wrapped up in my real job, that such as thing as blogging—or even reading fashion magazines for my own enjoyment—become chores. I'm two months behind on my reading schedule of fashion magazines, I think, in large part because I read and write so much fashion and beauty prose everyday that it just seems like more work to read Vogue or Allure.

Anyway, it's my intent to post at least one post everyday (possibly excluding weekends, because I usually catch up on the sleep my body and brain deprive me of during the weeknights). Let's see if I can do it.

If I can't, well, then...le sigh.

Back on the Blogging Wagon

So, I realized I may be overextending myself...just a bit. I work full-time for a hair/beauty magazine, part-time for a nail magazine, a tiny bit of time for a dayspa magazine, and freelance for a beauty blogging website, and twice a year (January + June) I become SLAMMED with work because of in-depth trend pieces and photo shoots and what not. I found myself completely burnt out on Friday after wrapping a shoot, and realized how ridiculously hard it is to keep up with this blog on account of my limited time. But, I'll try and keep at it. I just needed a break from it all.

I did come across this, though. It's always nice when I take a decent photograph. Though my eye looks a tad wonky. Whatever.

Do Your Own Work!

Source: Marvel Comics/Paramount

I just received a press blast from a PR agency. In it, they use an email interview I just conducted--and have not even published yet--throughout the whole press release! The nerve! I, of course, called them up, called them out, and then chewed them out. I mean, seriously? Really?

The whole thing went down like this: I received one of those not too interesting press releases that said the head of the hair department for Ironman was using their client's products on set. No biggie. There was a canned quote. But, I thought I could make more of a story out of it, so I requested an interview with the lady. She was too busy filming for a phone interview, but was more than happy to do an interview my email. So I typed up a list of handy dandy questions, shot them over the PR people and waited for the response. Two days later, I had an email filled with fabulous quotes that would make for an equally fabulous story, and I set to work writing up the piece.

It's been a week now; my story is turned in and has gone through initial edits. And then, lo and behold, I look at my email and to my surprise, there is my interview, smattered throughout a press release. If I'm receiving it, then other media outlets are receiving the same blast as well. Not only is this absolutely wrong and dishonest, but I don't know how they're going to clean up their mess. I asked for a retraction email, and that they police all media outlets they sent it to so that nobody prints any of it. We'll see what happens.

To say the least, I am ready to put my dukes up and fight it out.