Thursday, August 20, 2009

Thrifty Thursday: It's Chic to Be Cheap {24}

Hooked On: Project Runway

"In difficult times, fashion is always outrageous." -Elsa Schiaparelli

Something "fierce" is returning to television tonight.

I am not a fashionista, but I've enjoyed clothes since I was a teenager: wearing them, buying them, reading about them, and thinking about them. I might not know always be able to fit in them, but I like fashion just the same.

While I don't enjoy reality programs that feature contestants eating spiders or jumping off of giant inflatables, I do enjoy the ones that showcase creative competition.

I love the intricate choreography on So You Think You Can Dance (and, to some degree, Dancing with the Stars). I enjoy watching interior designers battle it out to construct rooms decorated with items from a grocery store on HGTV's Design Star. And I really really get a kick out of the fashion designers on Project Runway putting together lovely (and sometimes hideous) ensembles to hit the runway.

I am so thankful that my faithful TiVo can download all of these wonderful shows and save them for me to watch after the kids are in bed. I sit in shock, amusement, and bewilderment as Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, and Nina Garcia judge the designers' work. And I fast-forward through all the commercials.

I read in the paper recently that this season Project Runway moves from New York to Los Angeles, which I am a little weirded out by. When I think of fashion, I always think New York, and Parsons The New School for Design was such a great back drop for the show. I was hoping to get a shot of it at this year's Girls' Trip to NYC, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.

It's so much fun to hear style guru Tim Gunn issue a challenge to the designers, and see them rise to the occasion. Gunn's "make it work" motto can apply to so many things besides fashion. It took me hours just to create a straight table runner, so I can't imagine coming up with an outfit made from auto parts and actually making it look good. (One contestant made a dress out of woven seat belts, and it was to die for!)

So where does the thrifty part come in?

Since I no longer work outside the home, and I have two small children (who are so much cuter to dress!), I can't afford to go crazy in J. Crew anymore. I can get my fashion fix drooling over heavenly cocktail dresses (and laughing at a designer who wants to use "leathuh" on everything) on TV, and then go to Target and spend $15 on a new top.

I can make that work.

Project Runway premieres the new season tonight at 10 pm (ET) on Lifetime. Don't expect to see pieces you'd pick up at Macy's. Most of the designs are pure fantasy, and that's what makes this show so much fun!

{To see what everyone else is "Hooked On" this week, please visit Julia at Hooked on Houses. She hosts a fun fun blog party each week, and allows other bloggers to link up and share what's making them smile. Thank you, Julia!}

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17 comments:

  1. Candace Olson(en) on Divine Design is my favorite. I love the cooking competition! I love clothes and shopping, but sadly, my clothes wear me; I don't wear them.

    I so enjoyed your post!

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  2. I LOVE that show! Something about the creativity in making something beautiful (or ugly) from fabric and thread is facinating! Always makes me want to get creative myself, mostly w/ my yarn & crochet hook, I'm a closet granny, yes, I know...

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  3. I'm a big Project Runway fan - can not wait!!

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  4. I'm a big Project Runway fan - can not wait!!

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  5. Oh thanks for reminding me. I need to set my dvr. I love Project Runway too!!

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  6. I love Project Runway! And Design Star! And Top Chef! And apparently I have no life and am living vicariously through reality show contestants :) Anyway, thanks for the reminder...I'll have to find it when it rebroadcasts.

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  7. I'm so excited for ProjRun to be back and I'm watching the All-Star Challenge as I type this counting down the minutes. Thanks for sharing your great post!

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  8. A dress made out of woven seatbelts sounds pretty crazy -- but super-creative!! And like you said, creativity is one of the best things about shows like this and Design Star :-)

    Kelly @ DesignTies

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  9. Love the Runway. I'm with you on watching it sans the commercials. Tim Gunn just tickles me.

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  10. I saw the first three seasons, my BFF has just watched the last two seasons, lol I guess I need to catch up. I think it's a great show.

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  11. Thanks for the heads up. There are so many shows I like to watch now, I can't keep up with the schedule. Love PR!

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  12. OMG I love that show! Love, love, love it! I can even get dh to watch it with me! What? Yes, that's right! The manly man will sit down and watch PR with me. We like to analyze the designs (and the designers). It's great fun. Since we're not in the States and AFN is currently running the previous season, I am anxiously awaiting it to upload to tvshack so I can watch it. Hurrah for tv on the internet!

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  13. Arrghh... I went to sleep just before it started and we don't have a DVR. I hope that Lifetime repeats it this week. I've been looking forward to Project Runway for a long time.

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  14. I am a Project Runway junkie :) I could watch that show and the re-runs for hours!So far I'm rooting for Christopher!:)

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  15. Big P.R. fan here! Loved the first episode -- though I'm not yet sure of L.A. as the venue and as a Parsons grad I miss seeing my school! However, it's an interesting group and it will be fun to see how the L.A. hook changes things. Good to mix it up a bit, no? Fun post.

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  16. Hmmm...I've never seen this show. I don't have cable. Well actually, right now I only have 2 channels at all. Fox and the Spanish channel...sorry I can't offer anything worthwhile about this topic!

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