DWTS-Season 8:The Semi Finals Critique

Satin Stitches | May 12, 2009 | there are 0 comments

Jivingly Fun Costumes!

It is the Semi-finals on Dancing With the Stars this week. When you look at dancing skills, you know that we are missing one of the best couples with Lil Kim and Derek being voted off. But by now, we know that Reality television shows are popularity contests, after all.

This week has been recapping the highs and lows, and especially the best dances, both Ballroom and Latin, for all 4 semi-finalists. It was a nice chance to see some of my favorite and least favorite costumes!

This weeks 8 costumes were fun to see, as usual. Randall and his crew do an incredible job, yet another week!

It was godet night for the Ballroom dancers. Do you know what a godet is? According to the dictionary, it is a triangular shaped piece of fabric that is inserted into a garment to create extra fullness. Actually, it can be a rectangle or a half circle, not just a triangle. Take note of the sectioned-in pieces of black and white print, inserted between the black sequins in Melissas Quickstep dress that added flair. Also, the sections of fabric in Cheryls elegant, traditional white feathered and rhinestoned Waltz gown, and the godets in Chelsies minty-aqua Viennese Waltz gown. The godet is a very versatile pattern piece that I love to work with.

Nice Back!

Not So Nice Back!

My Least Favorite Costumes Tonight!

Unfortunately, it was also a nude-orange elastic strap night, for too many of the costumes, again this week. Why? What is the draw to use this unfortunate strap? What was that weird section on the side of Melissas dress? Check out the picture and note that it really ruins the line of the dress, and then it has that nasty, supposedly invisible strap right there. Too weird, and not very attractive. A classier option would have been to use a real, interesting strap or set of straps.

Look at Cheryls beautiful back. Do you see any weird nude-orange elastics across it? No. It looks beautiful. You know, I am not against the use of all security straps, but those that could be replaced with a nice fabric or rhinestone banding. A top floating in midair, with no real straps, just the supposedly invisible straps, is disconcerting, not to mention, weird.

And after some contemplation as to why I take issue with these straps so much, this week, I have a definitive answer.

To me, it is a cop-out to not figure out how to make an attractive cut that fits, and stays in place, or come up with an attractive strap that blends with the rest of the costume. This is part of it.

Another part? I pride myself on striving to design solo dance costumes that could walk the Red Carpet, and look as stunning as any evening gown. In the real world, costume design is thought of as the poor cousin to regular fashion design. I always strive to overcome this thought process. To me, a dress with elastic is a costume. A dress with a rhinestoned strap is a gown.

To me, it looks amateurish to not be able to complete a design in its totality. I know that the DWTS costume designer, Randall, is not amateurish, so why are there so many nude-orange elastic straps?

OK, back to my critique!

My favorite girls costume was Shawns black lace Argentine Tango costume, with purple rhinestones. It was a glitzy, classic and classy, flattering costume that was very pleasing to the eye. It had a beautiful, low back and front, and scalloped lace edges to the neckline. Marks accompanying outfit was a bit overdone, but at least not boring.

I also loved Melissas pailette-beaded fringe-decorated Cha Cha costume despite the strap issues, Shawns polka dot Jive costume along with her partners polka dotted finery, I also loved. Cheryls gown, again, was so classy. Cheryls purple Salsa costume was a tribute to my all-time favorite costume, Bob Mackie. Both of Cherlys costumes were trimmed with fabulous feathers!

The costumes I hated this week, were worn by Chelsie. Both of them. Her ballroom gown-the design was pretty good. But there were fit issues. The mesh upper bodice was too loose, it was not nice and snug, it got bunchy. The rhinestone-studded belt must have been too loose, as it slit around her waist. The buckle started in the front, but one shot showed her with the buckle somewhere else. I assume it twisted around to the back?

Then, her Latin costume had too many, uncoordinated colors in it. A good rule when combining colors is that they need to be the same intensity, or brightness. The mint-aqua charmeuse skirt ruffle layer just did not go with the other ruffle colors very well. Then in the close up, there were other colors in some sort of appliques on the bodice, that did not match the skirt ruffles. And I will not even mention the strap issue. Oops. Then Ty wore a copy of the shirt that Gilles wore, in a different color. Hmm. Just not the same!

But all in all, the costuming was a treat for the eyes. I am enjoying the results show right now, hoping that the best dancers get voted on to the Finals!