Last night's episode of Project Runway was a huge step up for home girl Leanne Marshall, who last week found herself in the bottom two after creating a garment that the judges felt "had too many ideas." (No thanks to her model, by the way, who totally turned on her during the judging. Check out this un-aired clip of Leanne giving her a talking to, and rightly threatening to trade her at the next opportunity. Do it, Leanne, she has bad hair anyway.)

This week, Leanne dialed it way back, and created a look that showed restraint while maintaining her signature in an exquisitely scalloped skirt with a simple draped top--Heidi Klum declared that she would wear it "in a heartbeat," while guest judge Sandra Bernhard expressed disbelief that she could have finished so poorly just one challenge away. Leanne didn't win, but she essentially got second place, with the camera panning back and forth between her and Kenley's look, a risky montage of busy print and lopsided tulle with a short skirt and high neck that seemed to initially put off everyone, including Tim Gunn, who, when he went in to check on the designers' progress, fretted that the fabric combination threatened to be too costume-y, and judge Michael Kors, who teased that you could wear it if you had a goiter on one side of your body. Nonetheless, they convinced each other to make Kenley the winner. The loser, meanwhile, was Emily, whose dress was admittedly crappy--a one-armed LBD with a giant caterpillar of cha cha ruffles that cut straight across her boobs and down her torso to end on the right edge of the model's crotch. But the dress I most disagreed with the judges on was Terri's dress with pants look accentuated with ridiculous clown sleeves. Terri kept saying she was going for a graffiti inspired street look and Bernhard even said it looked like something a girl who carried a knife would wear, none of which I read in this high-knecked bonbon hands thingy.

Leanne's outfit was hands down the best. Maybe not the riskiest, but as far as what most stylish women are going to wear, come on:

It's subtle yet remarkable, classy and edgy, and she made it in one day. I think she's going to New York.

The annual Junk to Funk "trashion show" is scheduled for November 15 at the Wonder Ballroom, but submissions are already being called--the deadline is October 15. Now in its third year, its message of promoting sustainability in design has been for the most part heard, with a fleet of Portland apparel and accessory designers who use re-purposed materials for all or part of their work, but it's a fun event and a great opportunity to create something resourceful and theatrical. Check out some photos from last year's runway, then take a peep in the nearest dumpster. Ah, nothing like a nice big whiff of inspiration.

I've been a skinny jean fan for a while--since as far back as 2005! It's been soooo long I'm getting kind of bored. Plus I think it's about time for the fashion pendulum swing back to bootcut (Prada showed some flared trousers this season and Prada's like the NOAA for fashion).
I'm not talking about the bootcut jeans of yore, which were ass-crack low and too wide in the leg. The nouveau bootcut has a slimmer (but not tight) thigh, and a higher waist. Great for athletic guys (read: guys who have more muscle than a 12-year old girl).
They're not the easiest jeans to find. Local 35 is testing a style from Nudie Jeans. Here they are on Local 35 owner Justin Machus:

Cute, right?

Okay, so when I picked up the print edition this morning, I was completely delighted to see the cover. The Best of 1988 is a brilliant concpet (and, no, I didn't have anything to do with it). Hilarious.
Inspired, I decided to do some research and find the best of fashion, 1988. After a few pages that really missed the mark (hello, leg warmers were totally out by 1984!), I found this piece on the New York Times site. It's an entire article devoted to the fashion year 1988, written in 1988 so you know it's authentic and not nostalgic reimagining. My fave quote:

Everyone needs pockets today, especially in coats.

The Pouf, Christian Lacroix's misunderstood masterpiece

I love, love the summertime as fiercely as the next sun-deprived Portlander, but a few peeks into what fall has in store still make my pulse quicken a bit in anticipation of the rich textures that the colder months demand. One of this is Reif, the work of Lindsey Reif (you may remember her earlier lines love, ginger and if you're really OG, Lucy in the Sky Designs. Here's a sneak peek for now, items will be in store (locally at Olio United and Foundation Garments) in September. Tell your boys, too. My favorite pieces from fall's collection are the jackets, a slim bomber for the boys and a hooded trench that showcases what youre wearing underneath with its split front hem.