"Project Runway All Stars" Interview & Inspired Look: Maxis For Moms

Was last week’s episode of Project Runway All Stars a strange one or what? I thought that using the flag from one of the countries found at the United Nations as an inspiration object was a cool concept, but it seemed to prove troublesome for most of the designers.

I don’t know what it was about this week that made it hit home that we are nearing the end, but as I was preparing for my Thursday night TV ritual, I was a bit sad. I’ve watched most of the Project Runway seasons, but this one has been particularly special because it’s made me sit down and take some “me” time, which has been pretty vital to maintaining my sanity the last few months.

Being pregnant and running after my Energizer Bunny of a toddler has been exhausting to say the least and having those couple of hours each week where I make it a point to simply relax and enjoy PR has been lovely.

So, I was particularly sorry to see the designers struggle with this challenge. I’m happiest when I have lots of eye candy to drool over and I definitely wasn’ t in love with the majority of the designs that I saw walk the runway in the latest episode. The exception to that rule was Mondo. I would have thrown on his black maxi dress with the cutout back in a second! Who’s with me?

I don’t think I would have felt comfortable rockin’ Mila’s asymmetrical creation, but then again, I didn’t expect her to go home for it either. I totally expected Jerrell or Austin to be sent packing. When I chatted with Mila last week, she agreed with me. She said, “I usually am able to look at things objectively and accept when my design sucks. I know my design was not so great on the Broadway challenge. I feel like Austin could have been eliminated before me this week. I feel like Jerell certainly could have gone before me. Honestly, I was shocked.” When asked what she thought of the judges’ critiques of her design, she responded, “The judges didn't appreciate my risk taking. I think my design was too conceptual for them.”

Not only was Mila’s elimination a bit controversial, but so was her time in general on PR All Stars. Much was made of her issues with the way certain other designers helped one another. She had this to say about that particular controversy… “ I feel like they wanted to create a story out of that. It's unfortunate that people might have thought that I was jealous or a sourpuss about the camaraderie. I wouldn't ask anyone to finish my garment for me. That’s not my work ethic. It is a competition. There’s a big difference between finishing a garment and helping someone with a little last minute touch.”

I’ll definitely miss seeing Mila’s edgy creations each week and there’s one other little thing about her that I’ll miss…How fabulous was her lipstick? I, of course, HAD to ask her what kind she wears and she says the shade she gets asked the most about is the flame-orange hue. In case you’re curious about her pout like I was…The flame-orange lippie is Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Orange. You can bet your booties that I’ll be trying it on ASAP to see if it looks half as good on me!

For my PR inspired look this week, I chose Mondo’s design again. I’m a sucker for a good maxi dress and a basic black one like this Topshop number can be styled in SO many ways! It’s a wardrobe staple for this mama! So, how would you wear it?

Outfit Details: Nine West clutch {$69.00}, Topshop sandals {$50.00} (a similar pair with more size options can be found here), Topshop maxi dress {$55.00}, Guess hoop earrings {$20.00}, OPI polish {$5.50}

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