MTV decided to give Styl’d no promotional budget as we seem to see 101 commercials for Jersey Shore every week, but NONE for Sty’d. What’s up with that?! At any rate, because of this, I have yet to find the show on my dial and randomly ran across it tonight (btw, it possibly airs at 9pm CST on Saturday nights).

Photo: Zuma Image

My thoughts? Not good. The show seems very, very staged, and we’re talking Keeping Up with the Kardashians-style. We have a group of guys and gals who are vying for a spot to be a junior stylist represented by MMA Management. We saw Julie Weiss, an A-list celeb stylist, who has a very similar look to The Hills’ Kristin Cavallari. This one character, Tara, is driving me nuts. She’s catty, full of excuses and insane for airing her dirty laundry whenever she wants! Yikes! I don’t think anyone gets booted from the show, they just all stay put until the end when one is selected.

After a day of working with Sean Kingston and some chick from the Disney Channel, the group heads back to meet with their boss. What happens? Tara (the brunette) gets into it WITH the boss and makes tons of rude remarks which leads the boss to come after her and say, “I may be tiny, but I can throw down!” Uh…OK? MTV is falling on its face with this lousy fashion reality show. I think they could really do well with a show of this variety if it were done in a real way. Of course when it comes to reality TV, what is “real?”

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While we’re all looking forward to the return of RuPaul’s Drag Race, I didn’t expect to find THIS in my inbox! Ru has outdone herself spoofing Sarah Palin’s Going Rouge book cover with her own version dubbed Going Vogue.

Photo: logoonline.com

I was in pain the first time I saw Sarah’s book cover. Love her or hate her, the cover is pure cheeseball and the red windbreaker has GOT to go! I love Ru’s hairdo, glasses and hideous jacket as well as the tagline, “No Experience Required.” RuPaul’s Drag Race is back on Logo this February, so stay tuned to style-television.com for preview clips and Drag Race news.

What’s On Style-Television.com:
Dress like a Real Housewife of Orange County
First look at Sex & the City 2 movie poster
Russell Simmons coming to reality television
Whitney Port loves Enjoy hair products
Kelly Cutrone coming to Bravo with reality show

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Launch My Line episode 3 recap
Original Air Date: 12/16/2009

Last week, Eric stole the judges with his sheer caftan. This week, Dean and Dan say it’s time to buckle down and create pieces people will want to buy. This disappoints Vanessa who feels the judges just aren’t getting her. Frankly, the audience isn’t getting her and her space age looks either.

Bravo Photo: Trae Patton

The Challenge
This week the designers have to create a one piece outfit that isn’t a dress. Vanessa is excited about creating a jumpsuit (yet again!). There are picnic baskets and each designer chooses one. Inside are produce, oats, dried fruit and even insects. Patrick has a mouse! Dean and Dan bring out all kinds of exotic animals. The designers have food for their assigned animal. Marilyn is with the tarantula! Eric sticks with the toucan, as he’s given the option of switching animals since he won last week’s challenge. Patrick is incorporating the head of the snake into his look.

In the Workroom
The designers return to the workroom to show and tell with their experts. Vanessa is doing a romper/jumpsuit incorporating fur of some sort. Merle is having issues incorporating the tortoise. Louanna is also going with a jumpsuit that’s fluid and drapey. Patrick is taking the snake and creating an asymmetrical green dress, which seems like a good direction. Again, Marilyn is having some communication problems with her expert, but decides to take a chance with Coco’s suggestion of a batwing sleeve.

When the trim room is opened, Kathy makes a mad dash for zebra fabric and many of the designers are going for faux fur to enhance their outfits. Kathy’s partner saves her and suggests sticking with a black dress and incorporating the zebra in a less literal way.

Dean and Dan come by to check on the designers and their progress. Akiko is getting a little fed up with Kevin, and I don’t blame her. Dean and Dan point out that the designers should refrain from being too literal with their inspiration. I like Marilyn’s idea of the exposed skin, taken from the tarantula shedding its own skin. Eric doesn’t want to go overboard, and Kathy’s pantsuit is coming along beautifully. I am not liking the zebra belt of the shot of red, as black, red and a neutral is a great palette, but incredibly overdone.

Kathy’s sage bugs Merle, so it’s blown out. And it looks like that’s about where the drama ends on this show. Merle is annoying me in that she always has “critiques” for the other designers, yet spends little time making her own things exceptional. Bor-ing!

On the Runway

Patrick – Over the top.

Merle – Not that great, and she seems to think so.

Vanessa – I really like this!

Kevin – Very, very cool. Not for every figure, but it’s great on the model.

Eric – Oh hell no. That’s just wrong.

Marilyn – Very chic and gorgeous.

Kathy – This came out very cool. I would have liked a different contrasting color (maybe bright yellow or an electric blue), but it’s good overall.

Louanna – Kind of cool, but I’m not feeling the cinched legs.

The Verdict

Merle, Eric and Louanna are declared safe. Patrick tells the judging panel that he and Roberto aren’t feeling each other and they don’t seem too nuts over his literal interpretation of the snake. Stephanie loves Kathy’s dress and the twins call it current. Vanessa is misunderstood once again. Stephanie doesn’t understand how Kevin’s jumpsuit fits with the rest of his collection, but she does love the jumpsuit itself.

Kathy and Marilyn are named the top two designers, and Kathy is the winner of the challenge. This leaves Patrick, Vanessa and Kevin in the bottom three. Kevin is booted and he’s stumped on why, but I’m not sure why. The guy doesn’t really have a knack for this, the ode to his daughter is adorable.

Next week the designers are wowed by the models and a few designers continue to disappoint the judges.

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Last week, Eric surprised us all, winning the beachwear challenge. Merle seems to be the favorite of many, but her designs are leaving a lot to be desired. Tonight’s inspiration? Exotic animals! I think this is going to be a really cool challenge, but I have a feeling the garments are going to be genius or a total nightmare.

Remember Launch My Line moves to 10pm EST now that Top Chef is dunzo.

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I know we aren’t very far into the series on Bravo, Launch My Line, but do you already have a favorite? Among the Twitter crowd and my circle of friends, it seems fashion journalist Merle is the favorite. Why? I’m not sure! I think people like her dry personality and the fact that she made a few jabs at other designers. I’m not sure how this is appealing, but it seems to take off with the audience.

Bravo Photo: Trae Patton

My personal favorite at the moment is L. Marilyn. I think she has enough experience as a consumer to know what the every day, working woman wants out of a clothing line, and I also think she has the brains to see through the branding portion of the label. Thing with Merle is I haven’t been too impressed with her designs. The let’s-use-this-as-that concept is kind of lame and won’t translate to every challenge.

Who is your favorite on Launch My Line?

Follow @StyleTelevision on Twitter and subscribe to style-television.com for the best of fashion on TV

More Launch My Line on style-televison.com:
Random thoughts on Launch My Line
Bravo debuts Launch My Line
Dean and Dan Caten of Dsquared2 to host Launch My Line

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Style-television.com has randomly selected two winners for the holiday giveaway conducted last week.

Photo: Nepali by TDM Designs

Winning the adorable apron from Carolyn’s Kitchen is @piperpearlpage who recently delivered holiday cookies to her son’s class in heels (love it!) and receiving the Nepali by TDM Designs scarf is @iheartheels, who loves wearing scarves with a maxi dress. Thanks to everyone who entered the holiday giveaways here at style-television.com and keep your eyes peeled for a few exciting contests in the spring.

Follow @StyleTelevision on Twitter

What’s On style-television.com:
Launch My Line episode 2 recap
Random thoughts on Launch My Line – sound off!
Russell Simmons enters the world of reality TV
Isaac Mizrahi hits QVC
Kelly Cutrone and company coming to Bravo

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Being back in the States for the holidays, I’m catching up on one of my favorite trash-tastic reality TV shows, The Real Housewives of Orange County. While I love to see the girls gab and chat, I can’t say I’ve ever been a fan of their style. Who would want to?

Bravo Photo: Kelsey McNeal

Drapey tops that are too low for a “mature” women, skimpy dresses and bedazzled loungewear aren’t really my idea of what’s cool or chic. I would think others think the same, no?

Apparently not, since the show has it’s own fashion line now. A quick Google search led to nothing, so I’m not sure where the clothes are sold, which is a good thing. I’m anxious to take a look at the price points of this Real Housewife of Orange County. I have a feeling it’s going to be incredibly affordable in order to appeal to the masses, or it’s going to be incredibly overpriced. Of course like Dolly Parton says, “It’s expensive to look this cheap!” I think the housewives know a thing or two about that.

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We all saw Eric win episode 2 of Launch My Line. The challenge involved creating a look for the beach and Eric went the typical route creating a sheer print caftan with a bedazzling butterfly at the center.

Bravo Photo: Trae Patton

Was it innovative Not really. I’m afraid Dsquared2’s flamboyant taste is going to drive this show into the ground. I had no problem with week 1’s winner from Louanna (a darling asymmetrical cocktail number), but this latest winning design was kind of tacky.

What do you think of Eric’s design for week 2?

More Launch My Line

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They’re baaack! Just when you thought you could kick off your Manolos, the girls of Sex & the City are back. I guess at this point, I should probably refer to them as ladies and not girls, no? At any rate, the Sex & the City 2 movie poster was released yesterday. While I’m afraid they’re jumping the shark with the sequel, I can’t lie and say I won’t be in line on opening day.

Photo: Zuma Image

The poster has a slight Lady Gaga-Bad Romance-video vibe. I’m not sure if it’s the white and silver, Carrie’s big aviators or what, but the minute I saw it, I was reminded of the video. You can check out the Sex & the City 2 movie poster here. Let me know what you think and if you plan on seeing SATC 2 when it hits theaters next year.

Don’t forget, we have on more day for Style-Television.com’s holiday giveaways! Enter to win a Carolyn’s Kitchen apron or a Nepali by TDM Designs scarf (and feel free to enter for both!) by following @StyleTelevision on Twitter and leaving a comment. The contests will close tomorrow night at midnight and the winner will be announced next week.

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Launch My Line episode 2 recap
Original Air Date: 12/09/2009

Yowza! The new episode takes off with Roberto telling Lisa (and the rest of the group) that the dress that won was a Calvin Klein dress. Yikes. Dsquared2 sit there stumped, and the rest of the designers look like they’re in disbelief over his allegations. I mean, let’s keep it real. It was a simple, draped dress with an asymmetrical hemline. Sleek and chic, but hardly groundbreaking. That said, I think this show, more than Project Runway and The Fashion Show, is about creating real clothes that would move in a store. Her dress, at the end of the day, WOULD sell in a store.

Photo: Trae Patton

The Challenge

Because Joanna the last challenge, she gets to choose what order the designers choose their fabrics. Orange is the color of the week, and because the challenge involves creating a look for the beach, they’re headed to Venice Beach for inspiration. Only the designers are going to the beach, no experts. By the way, if you’re confused, the established/working designers are considered the “experts,” while the wannabe designers are referred to as designers or professionals.

In the Workroom

Animosity is strong between Coco and L. Marilyn. I don’t know which way this relationship is going to go. I see it as leading them both down a terrible path and nothing constructive coming from this experience. Nearly everyone is making a caftan of some sort. The trend forecaster that visited the group mentioned butterflies, and it looks like everyone taking that direction literally. Since caftans are pretty much only suitable on Rachel Zoe, I don’t know how the judging panel is going to react.

Dean and Dan make the rounds to check out the looks, and Kevin Black has this bizarre philosophy about forgetting Paris and some other nonsense. Kathy Rose yaps on and on about “energy” and plans on having tentacles on her design. I’m kind of confused why Coco is on this show. She isn’t into it. Roberto and Patrick bicker (which leads to Roberto ripping off Patrick’s logo!) and architect David Applebaum is all over the place when it comes to design. I really thought he would excel at this.

On the Runway

Patrick – Glam and wearable.

Vanessa – Hot mess. OMG, terrible.

Louanna – A little too simple.

Kathy – Nice concept, but a bit ugly when worn.

L. Marilyn – I’m not a fan.

David – Super darling.

Merle – Nice, but kind of werid.

Eric – Sassy and wearable.

Kevin – Very cool, especially the top!

The Verdict

Kathy is grilled for choosing a kimono for the beach (I agree). David says his one-piece is an ode to 0ld Hollywood. He loses me when he says the faux swimsuit is made of wool. The panel loves Eric’s design and he does a great job of relating the beach look to the look he presented last week. Dsquared2 give Vanessa some precious advice – “know when to say when!” Merle and Eric are at the top, with Eric taking the big win for this week’s challenge.

This puts David, Vanessa and Kathy in the bottom three. David is given the boot for fear that he would turn out a sad, somber collection full of dreary shades.

While I see the judges’ point, I think the wool swimsuit was sweet compared to the Lady Gaga-worthy getup Vanessa turned out and Kathy’s hideous tentacle-inspired kimono.

What do you think of the verdict on this week’s episode of Launch My Line?

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