Project Doll Runway

Neohealy
This look, particularly its color scheme looks a bit 80's, but in the way that seems to be "in" right now. Using the roll of tulle was very clever, but we wish the skirt had a few more layers to it. A handmade shirt would have been better, and would allowed more freedom in the design, because we're not sure that an ordinary tshirt is the best choice for the rest of the outfit. The t-shirt design is really cute, but we think it might have looked neater with a different method, like tshirt transfer paper or puffy paint. Still, the details, like the suspenders, purse and rhinestones added a lot to the outfit, and show a great deal of potential!


Kittycatalina
This outfit is a little uneven, but has some really great aspects going for it.. The shirt is very nice, fits well, and looks very wearable. The vest, on the other hand, is a little too bulky and doesn't seem to fit well. The yellow could have been a little bit brighter, without looking like rainbow throw up, but we do like how the parts of the design stayed with black and white and grey. The pants look like they fit really well and the cuff was a nice touch, but the pocket is placed peculiarly, way too low for most cargo pants and inconvenient to dig down into.

seaflower
This is definitely an improvement on the original, but the judges wonder if some fashions of the 1900's were just too...much for the modern eye. Past research indicates super thick collars were in fashion at the time, but here, it overwhelms the dress, and looks out of scale. We're also not sure that iridescent blue/violet fabric existed in the 1900's but that's never seemed to stop AG before. The underwear was a great addition, though, and might have even made the original better! The full skirt works well here. We also adore the sleeves, and like the use of the same color ribbon or fabric strips for accents.

heritage4
This is a design that you could definitely recognize the inspiration from, without it being even remotely similar. The references to the original were used to great effect. We love the skirt, particularly the top, so much that we wish it weren't covered up by shirt! We also wonder if a slightly darker shade would have complemented the red better, but that might also just be photo issues. We're a bit more torn on the top, though, and think the knit fabric looks a bit too casual for the skirt, though the shape and shade work really well. The silver beads are a great touch though, that add a lot of class to it.


ljcatfeather
The skirt is a really interesting piece, and such a great color. Hand-dyeing it was a great idea, and really paid off. While the final product looks really nice and wearable, the judges do wonder if the skirt took up too much time. Some details, like the ribbon on the shirt and even the shirt length, seem a bit uneven and messy. Likewise, the shrug has a bit of an odd fit in the arms that is a result of making it one piece, instead of separate pieces for the bodice and the arms. We also wish it was slightly more referential to the original look, even in terms of color or the shirt style. Still, the designer took their time in photographing it, and the final outfit does look very nice together and wearable. We just wish we could have seen the same high skill level and attention to detail that was shown in the skirt in the rest of the pieces.

jchappa
The judges never would have guessed that pink would have made an AG outfit better, but this palette was a definitely an improvement, particularly the yellow. While we do like the empire waist of the dress, we think a different shape might have been better, this seems like it could use something to hold it up. We also think the lace cardigan was an interesting choice and very nicely designed, but wonder if a 10-13 year old would wear it any more than the original jacket. It doesn't seem like it would provide much warmth, and still looks a little matronly. The judges disagreed a bit on how well the hairclip worked with the rest of the outfit and the use of buttons, but did agree that adding the accessory was a nice touch.

Holley
We think the shirt is a much better color and fabric for Ruthie, but it fits strangely and looks a bit lopsided. That might be just the way it works with the shorts, and why Nicki's meet top, which was a similar style, was that peculiar unitard-thing. While including the hat was a good way of referencing the original, we think this style looks a bit too young. We do like the decorative stitch on the collar, though, and it seems very "Ruthie" and the belt loops, though a small detail, were a great choice and really make the shorts look realistic.

the1butterfly
The way the designer uses black here, or more accurately, white and purple with black, was ingenious. The stars pop out and add a lot of character, while the purple accents it well. We understand your hatred of animal prints, but wonder what zebra might have looked like as the fabric under the lighting. It could have added to the effect. We do really like the theory with the lighting bolts, but we're not sure how well they work in practice, since they rely so heavily on movement. We also think they clash with the stars a bit. Choosing one or the other might have worked better, and lighting bolt-shapes in the bodice wouldn't have relied on movement as much. Still, this is a much more innovative design than original and took some interesting chances.

allicapri
On a technical level, this is fantastic. The vest fits well, there were great color choices, and it is more practical than the original outfit for the intended activity. It just looks a lot like the Wilderness Outfit, with a striped shirt, brown pants, and vest. We think one way to change it up a bit, while still referencing the original is to include some more "southwest" elements. While a leather vest might be over the top, one more decorative than for warmth could have done a lot. A third color could also have livened it up a bit.

numberonekitty
This was a hotly debated outfit for the judges. We love the design, and the historical research really shows, but it somehow seems more suited to Kit than Ruthie. A fuller dress, like the historical inspiration, might have been better. We also love the collar, thinking it's a wonderful design and definitely an improvement on the original, but wish it was slightly more accurate to the illustration, which seems to go down to the waistline, instead of right under the arms. Despite that, this was a great color choice, for Ruthie, and vastly superior to the original.

Gomunk
This a key example of where the more photos, the better. The finished seams on the inside look very nice and show a true sign of a professional! We wish would have seen more of the designer, particularly in the jackets. It looks unfinished without buttons, and that was a lost opportunity for personality, but even contrast stitching or other decorative details might have helped. Lots of denim was a good choice for the 90's, though, and the pants seem to fit very well. The collar on the jacket, which can be tricky, also looks very nice.

Childthursday/ciFairfield
The designer made no effort to hide the fact that this was a bit of a rush job, and the judges can't help but wonder how it might have turned out other wise. The blouse is very, very nice, particuarly the pintucks and fullness of the sleeves. The design falls apart at the dress though the trim is still very nicely done. The skirt is really uneven, and the bodice needs to be taken in drastically. It's a fuller bodice, but not that full. Still, the judges can tell there was a good foundation. The inspiration was interesting and the fabric choice is better than the original. We also like how she retained the original colors, but flipped them, putting the pink stripes on top of plain white.

prncssme
This design seems to consider the intended wearer a lot more than the original. Green looks fantastic on Felicity, and this fabric is very nice. The bodice is still a bit busy though, eliminating the buttons/jewels might have helped tone it down a but. We also wish she had more of a cap, for properness; the feather is not quite enough. Still, the polonaise option shows a great attention to detail, not to mention versatility, and historical accuracy. It was a great choice to add that.


Curiouser
This is a much better shape than the original, the skirt looks a lot fuller and the longer length works well, while the vest adds a lot to the simple t-shirt. Making the skirt into a broomstick skirt was also a really good choice. But, we do think there might be too much green going on. A second color, even white, would have downplayed it a bit. There's also not a lot do with music, which was the original point of the outfit. We do really like the piecework in the skirt, though, and the placement of the graphic in the t-shirt.