S14.E06: Lace To The Finish

[stanleyk]

UGH. For me, the word "panty" (or "panties") is like the word "moist" for some people. I can handle "moist." I enjoy a really moist cupcake, for example. (LOL.) But the word "panties" drives me NUTS. I don't know why. I just don't like the word. It sounds obnoxious to me. It's got kind of a nasal sound to it and overall it sounds childish to me, like some word someone created to avoid saying other words. It's just weird and annoying and kind of dumb-sounding and I hate it. When I refer to my lingerie, I say "bras and underwear." If I had my way, the word "panties" would fade into obscurity as some never-used-again, out of date piece of language.

 

YES. A MILLION TIMES YES. I abohor the word "panties" and refuse to use it. Underwear. It's all underwear to me. I also get a vaguely misogynistic vibe from the word that I can't entirely explain - like women are little children who need cutesy names for things, or such delicate flowers that their underwear needs a baby name. I don't know. I FEEL WHAT I FEEL.

 

[Gbb]

They seem to want to stigmitize Ashley in a way, even if in the guise of defending her, placating her, etc.

i hate that...it is like the judges are treating her weight as a disability. And she obviously has issues with it, which will make working in mainstream fashion difficult. I did not mind her look but did not get a plus vibe, especially.

 

Maybe so, but I thought Ashley was very clear and well-spoken in her first talking head she said (in so many words) "Okay, I had a bit of a pity party over the group thing but time to put on the big girl panties and get back to work."

 

I don't see her as wallowing in "poor me" at all, just that she got knocked off-balance, reacted emotionally and then shook it off and moved past it. 

[meep.meep]

 

I'm a woman, not a "dude" (I know you meant no offense, but it's just way too close to dudebro for me:) and -- sarcasm in my previous Mom Whore comment aside -- I do think Heidi perpetuates the idea that a woman's body is only good for being "whored" out (in quotes because whores are fantasy objects, not sex workers -- which I guess also places Heidi in pimp camp -- seller and user?) Anyway, her esthetic never runs to empowering sexual imagery, but to seeing the female body as an object to be consumed.

 

I think this is an enormous stretch that isn't supported by anything we have seen of Heidi Klum.  She started as a model but has used her success there to become a pretty successful business person.  This line is lingerie. By its nature, lingerie reveals the woman's body.  If Zac Posen had a lingerie line, would you reach the same conclusions about him?   The other line of hers that we've seen was athletic wear.  Where is the "pimping" in the hoodies and yoga pants?

[anonymiss]

This episode has been better in the past with better designers.

 

Of course Whitebread--I mean Lindsay--made a diaper lingerie set fit for the Bingo crowd. How was she middle-of-the-road safe and not Ashley?

 

That was the mouthiest guest judge in history.

 

If the content is good, that's not "mouthy" to me, that's knowledgeable. I liked that Bella Thorne didn't just sit there and look pretty like a lot of vapid celebs they bring on. She gave excellent critique and was a pleasant surprise to myself and Heidi.

 

Swapnil's bottom wasn't made well. It didn't fit his model and wasn't sitting flat when seen from the side. It was the sexiest most dramatic look from this less talented group, though.

 

Princess Blakey should have kept his original design. I don't know why he scrapped it. Maybe Heidi got in his head too much.

 

I coveted Heidi's gladiator heels.

Edited September 11, 2015 by anonymiss

[Gbb]

What an awkward pose. She looks either freezing or bound...

 

I think she has to pee...

[FormerMod-a1]

Panty/Panties is just short for Underpants, right?  Like Bra is short for Brassiere?  ::shrug:: Doesn't bother me, but then again neither does "moist".

 

Also, I thought Underwear referred to all things worn under your clothes, not just the panties (sorry couldn't resist).  Dictionary definition.

[sinkwriter]

Underpants is a stupid-sounding word, too.  (LOL.)  Underpants, panties... it just sounds juvenile to me. Like you're talking to a little kid. Yuck.

Edited September 11, 2015 by sinkwriter

[film noire]

I think this is an enormous stretch that isn't supported by anything we have seen of Heidi Klum.  She started as a model but has used her success there to become a pretty successful business person.  This line is lingerie. By its nature, lingerie reveals the woman's body.  If Zac Posen had a lingerie line, would you reach the same conclusions about him?  

 

Briefly (we can PM if you want, don't want to derail the thread); yes, lingerie does reveal a woman's body, but there are ways to do that which highlight/play off the sexual agency of the woman wearing that lingerie -- I don't see that in Heidi's esthetic -- and lingerie aside, over the years of the show, she has often preferred less well made/less interesting work because it spoke to that. And yes, if Posen consistently did the same, I'd happily call him a pimp -- but I have to say that Posen (even though I still don't like him as a judge) has a wider eye than Heidi. 

Edited September 11, 2015 by film noire

[Julia]

I kind of like to say drawers. It amuses me.

This is actually the third thread where I've run into the discussion of the commodification of the female body today. I love this place...

Edited September 11, 2015 by Julia

[tpplay]

I spent most of the time the show was on thinking, 

 

"Man, Heidi just gets more narcissistic and meaner every week.  Oh.  And skinnier."

 

And,

 

"Pretty soon there will be no scenes in the workroom.  All the scenes will be about hair and make-up."  That product placement stuff is just eating this show up."

[Empress1]

YES. A MILLION TIMES YES. I abohor the word "panties" and refuse to use it. Underwear. It's all underwear to me. I also get a vaguely misogynistic vibe from the word that I can't entirely explain - like women are little children who need cutesy names for things, or such delicate flowers that their underwear needs a baby name. I don't know. I FEEL WHAT I FEEL.

I completely agree about the word "panties." It's not a sexy-sounding word to me at all; it feels like a really juvenile word. Hearing it (or the singular "panty") over and over and OVER last night was driving me crazy. Joseph had a talking head where he said the word "panty" like six times and I legit muted the TV.

 

I say underwear, bottoms, undies, and drawers (pronounced "draws"). The latter two are said jokingly, usually when a person is in their underwear in an inappropriate way, like "Why are her undies showing?" I'm pretty sure I posted in the Hollywood Divas thread about a person on that show who showed up to a reception in her drawers (she wore a completely sheer maxi skirt over her underwear).

[lorikauai]

With regard to the anatomical terminology: I did my best to teach my children the correct words for vulva/vagina but my 9 yr old daughter refuses to use either and calls the whole area "the front butt". Sigh. I can forgive misnaming but Blake has no excuse for not knowing where women's parts are and how to support/flatter them. If you are squeamish about that then you need to reconsider your career choice. 

[izabella]

If the product placement were actually allowing the challenges to be more than one day, I could accept them. But, they aren't.  They're making more money for the show at the expense of the designers and the audience.  It pisses me off that this show has devolved to stupid stunts, and one day challenges.

[Pattycake2]

I thought Swapnil's had too many straps.  Had he removed half of them, it would have been very nice.  I actually liked Jakes and didn't find it "mumsy".  For crying out loud, what do Heidi and Nina think women actually wear?   Merline's reminded me of the bras from the 20's and 30's.  Women were out of corsets, but designers hadn't figured out about support yet.  

 

[Broderbits]

If we're hatin' on words, I can't stand "boobs". Even the word "tits" is preferable if you don't want to call them breasts. 

 

Just for laughs I tried to picture Nina wearing any of these concoctions. This exercise will vastly improve future episodes when she starts pontificating about fashion.

[RedheadZombie]

Personally, I feel Ashley was robbed.  Her bra was cute and the only one I could wear (I'm a DD), her panties were cute, and her cover up was the only true cover up - and it was adorable.  I was very irritated by the guest judge criticizing Ashley's bra band.  Listen missy - when you have real boobs and you're above a C, little straps a millimeter wide, and a one inch band are useless.  Plus, skinny straps tend to cut into your shoulder.   I thought the entire set was adorable, and when you can even get a gay man to say - Yummy, me likie - you did something right.

 

I had to giggle at Swapnil flat out calling his bra "bondage", then suggesting it's something to be worn on the wedding night.  I guess the BDSM crowd may want to be bound into their bra, but it doesn't appeal to me.

 

Did anyone catch Joseph saying:  "The panty relaxed a little bit"?  That means in only two days, the panties elastic was going.  I can't believe that made it past editing and Heidi!

 

And speaking of models, since when do the models, Jakes model specifically, dictate what they will wear or not model?

 

Apparently, she also spent some time whining to Jake about her love life.  She doesn't sound very professional.  Runway models are used to being pawed, and having to undress and re-dress in a crowd, and with male or female assistants.  She's not going to be successful with this kind of attitude.

 

That was the mouthiest guest judge in history.

 

I had never seen her before, and fast forwarded through her introduction.  When I got a look at her - hello breasts!  I think that's the most cleavage I've ever seen on this show. So I somehow thought she was something like a burlesque dancer.  Then when I heard her name, I thought - stage name, maybe she's in porn? I realize it was a stupid assumption, but she was so bold and exposed, it made sense to me.  Imagine my surprise when I googled her, and read that her name actually is Bella Thorne, and she's only seventeen!

[zxy556575]

And here I was mentally applauding the show for allowing the models to use their cover ups on the runway -- usually they make sure to include several shots of various butt cheeks walking away. That is, until we were treated to the Photographic Encyclopedia of Mons Veneris. Oy.

 

Blake doesn't just find women's bodies to be icky, he evidently can't even abide the thought of lingerie fabric. "Ew, ew, ew." Compare that to a real designer like Mizrahi's love for (and frequent groping of) breasts. And we all know how Posen gets right up in there.

 

All told, this group of designers is pretty woeful.

Edited September 11, 2015 by lordonia

[sinkwriter]

 

With regard to the anatomical terminology: I did my best to teach my children the correct words for vulva/vagina but my 9 yr old daughter refuses to use either and calls the whole area "the front butt". Sigh.

 

LOL, lorikauai! "The front butt." That's classic.

[Julia]

Blake doesn't just find women's bodies to be icky, he evidently can't even abide the thought of lingerie fabric. "Ew, ew, ew."

Except for last week when he practically curled up in Ashley's breasts like a sleepy kitten in the green room.

[Bebecat]

Blake was like a kindergarten child giggling over the word "poop". He has some serious issues.

[BananaRama]

IMO this was the worst PR challenge ever. I get why Heidi added, "add your signature, personal style to it" in order to make it more of a challenge, but I think anything that can be done with underwear has been done. So I figured we would see lingerie that we have seen before or items that are original but not practical, and that is what we got. That's why they loved Swapnil's - it was original and cool like him - but who wants the top of her bra to be up by her throat? And I'm guessing that's why Merline won. Merline's outfit had a lot of lines and "scaffolding" that an architect would design.

[gingerormaryann]

The episode was spoilt early on when TH Candice said that no one thinks Merline is a threat.  She really is quite insufferable, although I'm sure she'll say she was taken out of context.

 

As for Jake's model, someone upthread mentioned the Wedding Challenge from S1.  In that Challenge, the models specifically were the clients so they had the right to demand what their dresses looked like.  Remember Jay and the infamous Morgan?  In this challenge, the model was that, a model and she had no business telling the designer what to do or what she liked.

 

Who was that designer a few seasons back who said he hated breasts?  At least Blake smiled about it, but that designer was really serious.

 

And I also agree that the prejoratives for Heidi, by another female no less, are very much out of line.

[BananaRama]

I was impressed by guest judge Bella Thorne.  She made thoughtful critiques.

[shimarella]

FRONT BUTT. I love it. 

 

I was prepared to be entertained by this episode and I was...the poor knowledge that many designers appeared to have about lady parts and how to best showcase them in pretty and/or functional things was staggering. I think they would have been more creative given a) more time and b) the strong factor that they had to design to Heidi's tastes, which are very Vegas party girl, for lack of a better phrase. 

 

I have noticed that cage panties and strappy bras have become very popular in the mainstream stores these days, and I'm not sure why. As a burlesque performer, I get it. Its sexy but then again, its all coming off in 5 minutes or less, and we generally use materials that will flatter us and hold up to movement. I dont wear those kinds of underpinnings for daily life. Hell, i wont even buy a strappy swimsuit because I dont want bizarre tan lines. All this to say that I also feel like a lot of those cage details are super played out and not at all fashion forward.

 

I was amazed that Jake's model refused to wear his original design and insisted on more coverage. They get to do that? I thought Heidi was the client. In any case, those side straps are indeed really hard to make to fit flatteringly. I pray to the universe whenever I wear a pole dance costume that has those pesky side cutouts because you never know if show night is when everything spills out the sides. Kelly's cover up was very cute and even though I didnt care for her color choices, I thought the look was strong. Swapnil's did not look difficult to put on...you could tell from the back that it was a pretty basic setup even if the front looked fussy. Maybe if he had pitched it as a set for boudoir photography ( including the drape) it would have gone over better, but it still wasn't a winning look. I think Ashley got robbed because hers was well made and marketable. Merline's looked dreadful. I think I yelled OH HELL NAW as it drooped down the runway. Even with the "fix" on the website I can't see anyone wearing it out. And for $60? Nope. It might make a cute costume but I think I know several burlesque designers who could make that better. 

 

Wow that guest judge was 17??? I did enjoy her constructive and firm yet nice critiques very much. I did miss the rationale for having her be the guest though?

Edited September 11, 2015 by shimarella

[anonymiss]

Wow that guest judge was 17??? I did enjoy her constructive and firm yet nice critiques very much. I did miss the rationale for having her be the guest though?

I think it's the same for Kiernan Shipka or any of the actors they bring on the show.

[film noire]

.

 

And I also agree that the prejoratives for Heidi, by another female no less, are very much out of line.

 

I'm assuming this is for me; again, I'm not a female (not just, that is; I'm more than my ability to produce eggs).  I'm a woman. And I have very strong feelings about people who see women as disposable commodities and promote that image. I've been respectful (imo, could be wrong) in my disagreement with people taking issue with me, and I'd like the same treatment in return. I have a name on this board, and I'd really appreciate you either referring to me by that name (or quoting the part of whichever comment you disagree with -- really, anything other than erasing me, while talking *about* me, and calling me a nameless  female). Thanks.

 

eta:

 

My quibble is that maybe it was too restrictive, and instead of including only bras and panties, it had been expanded to include any longerie.

 

I would have preferred that, too -- the cynic in me thinks it was to avoid having to provide enough luxe fabric for teddies, camisoles, tap pants, nightgowns, peignoir sets,  etc. 

Edited September 11, 2015 by film noire

[backgroundnoise]

I did like this challenge because it had a specific design requirement.  I get so tired of the make-an-outfit-of-your-choice ones.  It was also practical in the sense that design houses do continue to try to come up different bras and panties (sorry, it just goes with "bras"), even if they are just variations on a theme. 

 

My quibble is that maybe it was too restrictive, and instead of including only bras and panties, it had been expanded to include any longerie.

[Nutjob]

I'm just sad we didn't get lederhosen and deer makeup.

 

Blake's poor model, having to flop down the runway like that because he left her with absolutely no support. The fit of that bra would have had Michael Kors whipping out the term "vulgar" in about two seconds.

[TheSoundkeeper]

As for Jake's model, someone upthread mentioned the Wedding Challenge from S1.  In that Challenge, the models specifically were the clients so they had the right to demand what their dresses looked like.  Remember Jay and the infamous Morgan?  In this challenge, the model was that, a model and she had no business telling the designer what to do or what she liked.

The question (paraphrased) was "Since when do the models get to dictate what they will wear?" and I was answering that somewhat tongue-in-cheek - should have included a smiley b/c Olga was particularly... well, particular. I also remember the Season 4 prom challenge when Christian needed to assert himself as the designer and didn't, and nearly went home for it. (Yes, that was also a client-as-model episode.) Maybe Jake did attempt to convince his model to wear something with less coverage and we didn't see it, or just decided he didn't have time to do so or didn't want to tick her off because he might be working with her again. This is where I want to know more about how the models and designers are paired up each episode!

[sinkwriter]

 

I'm just sad we didn't get lederhosen and deer makeup.

 

I really do miss the entertainment that was Santino.

[piedmontgirl]

Ashley should have won. That is all.

[Honey]

I'm just grateful that they managed to find some synonyms for "panty".  if not, I would have gone around the bend like I do every time I hear a Victoria's Secret ad.  Somehow it seems impossible to say that word without a salacious gasp.

 

Is it possible they're trying to spread the wins around a bit so they don't end up looking like Ashley, Swapnil and a bunch of cannon fodder?

Then this should make you completely go off the deep end......"Moist panties"......

 

Hahahaha..........Sorry, that was evil.  ;)

[greenbean]

I thought Swapnil's was one of the worst, it was overworked. Even he thought it would be in the bottom. I'm surprised so many like that look.

 

But then I do like Merline's. It was the most different and creative imo. I can see why it won. She took a risk and from the produced pictures here, it worked. I like it.

 

I also liked Lindsey's. Loved the colour, it was really cute and well made.

 

Then obviously Ashley, very well done. Her model is hot.

[AwesomO4000]

It won't work for a woman without breasts either. When you don't have any volume, the bottom band on bras tends to just ride up your chest and up over the bottom of your breast, cutting into it. When the bra cups are cut straight across the bottom, it's a real problem. Even when I wore a 32A, I'd have to get underwire so that the bottom of the cup area was curve shaped. I'm loving the current trend of curve shaped bras in stretch fabrics from Danskin and others.

 

What an awkward pose. She looks either freezing or bound...

 

As slothgirl above said, it's not too difficult when you don't have a lot of breast and you're wearing a non-underwire or non-curved support bra for it to ride right up and over your boobs. Trust me, I've had that happen before and it is not fun... basically your only options are to pull it back down or go with your boobs half hanging out and your bra bunched up until you can make a hasty retreat. The model is likely standing like that because she's afraid to move too much. ; ) If she put her arms up over her head, as say she was letting down some hair, that bra would likely ride up in no time.

 

slothgirl, my current go to bra is a Danskin "sport bra." It's the first time in a while I don't have to have an underwire, it doesn't smush my boobs, and it has nice wide straps - it clasps in the front. Unfortunately I'm just at that size where underwire bras usually have small straps and only one or two clasps in back - which I hate. I want a wider strap, but usually those don't start until size D, and I'm now a B or C, depending on the bra. So, I pretty much don't agree with Heidi's "more boob, less bra." Even for "sexy time" bras, usually at my age, small straps = unsexy lines on my skin. Even my underwear I prefer big, because 1) they don't show pantie lines under my jeans 2) they keep my skin from getting "jeans lines", and 3) no lines / marks on my skin when I take them off.

 

So I'm suspecting that the underwear designs on this episode reflect more what women think are sexy for themselves, which likely explains why some of the men's underwear designs looked different. ; ) A little bit of a stereotype I would guess, but interestingly, I often tend to agree with the typical what guys find is sexy myself.

Edited September 12, 2015 by AwesomO4000

[DeniseB]

 

No, that's not the vagina, you can't see the vagina unless you are using a speculum.  That is all.  Thank you.

 

They know that. They just like to say "vagina".

 

[Ketzel]

The episode was spoilt early on when TH Candice said that no one thinks Merline is a threat.  She really is quite insufferable, although I'm sure she'll say she was taken out of context.

Yeah, I can just imagine the context:

Producer: So I guess Merline's singing in the workroom can be kind of irritating, huh?

Candice: Oh, it's not so bad. She'll stop if you ask her. Of course, none of the designers consider Merline a threat to Taylor Swift.

Edited September 11, 2015 by Ketzel

[lark37]

 

I will be at my table for one with not liking Kelly's. I thought the fit was good, but I hated the colors. I hated the colors even more with the leopard cover-up. I could see Kelly design aesthetic in it. Since I am not a fan of her design style it did not work for me.

 

I will join you at your table if you'll get a table for two.  I really haven't liked much of anything that Kelly has designed so far.  Then again, I don't get her personal style at all.  It looks like a combination of 80's meets Jersey Shore.  She seems really sweet but the bra colors and patterns seemed over the top to me, and I hate hate hate leopard print.  I didn't really like any of the lingerie.  If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be Lindsey's, as I liked the peach and blue and I love a tap pant, boy short type undie!

 

I really did like Jake's bra except for the double open straps on the sides.  I used to be about 40 pounds heavier, and even now that I'm within my normal weight range, I still can't imagine wearing a bra that allows any type of side boob fat to bulge out.  Back when I had the extra weight on my body, I looked for bras with extra side coverage.  

 

Merline's was different, not practical, but different, but then again, lots of the bras weren't practical for wearing.  I can see why the judges went with Merline's though.  It was a twist on a classic black bra and panty set.

[DeniseB]

 

Thongs are idiotic, anyway. The last think I want in underwear at any time is floss up my ass.

 

LOL. I'm an old lady with a big butt who's only ever worn granny panties, even when I was young and thin. I can't look at bikinis without wanting to yank them up or thongs without wanting to pull them out of my crack. Are people really comfortable in these things?

Edited September 11, 2015 by DeniseB

[ChelseaNH]

In this challenge, the model was that, a model and she had no business telling the designer what to do or what she liked.

 

In the Season 2 lingerie challenge, Marla's model Cara was quite vocal about what she would and wouldn't wear.  There was a lot of "honey, you're a model, shut up and wear what you're told" from the commentary, as I recall.  But Cara was kind of a pill about it.

[millennium]

 

Yeah, Blake's comment was totally stupid in the context. "I don't design for breasts! I don't even look at women's undergarments!" What - he's never looked at a fashion magazine in his life? Aside from revealing his totally limited design skills (as if he were proud of it) to the dress-making master Posen, he managed to dis both Heidi and Nina with his "cute" commentary, with absolutely no apparent awareness of what he was actually saying.

 

This show occasionally throws people into the competition who really shouldn't be there, presumably "just to see what happens."  I'm concurrently watching Season 10 on Hulu.   In a word, Kooan.   Maybe Blake was a similar casting choice.

[pasdetrois]

 

I kind of like to say drawers. It amuses me.

My very southern mother and her sister used to say "step-ins."

 

We say "draws" when we are being silly.

 

 

my 9 yr old daughter refuses to use either and calls the whole area "the front butt".

 

We say "back seat" for butt. In my family, "butt" was considered very common. (I don't think that - again, this was all generated by an Edwardian-minded mama.)

 

I can't stand the word "tit_ _ e" (for breast). I can't even type it and now I've freaked myself out by even thinking about it.

 

"Moist panties" - laughing very hard at this one.

Edited September 11, 2015 by pasdetrois

[qtpye]

In the immortal words of Tom and Lorenzo (who used to be know as projectrungay) the whole challenge was flawed from the start...because everyone has to pretend that Heidi has taste.  Yes, she is an incredibly beautiful former supermodel who has made a fortune on her looks, but she is the epitome of tacky.

 

My guess is that most of the designers understood this and that is why we had high cut eighties panties and thongs with barely there bras.  The designers knew with a choice between classy or trashy, Miss Klum will always pick the latter (or more appropriately for this challenge, assy).

[Kyliedawg]

in tl/dr news-am now obsessed with the fact that nina can't be arsed to get up from her chair to look at any of the best/worst looks up close...

yet this week she got up to marvel at jake's "scallop details"........!

[beaker73]

So is Nina calling all the shots now? Merlene's bra was atrocious and horribly made. I cannot understand how she won. I think Kelly belonged in the top 3 for sure. On a happier note--Blake got auf'd. Good riddance, Princess.

[Julia]

I was amazed that Jake's model refused to wear his original design and insisted on more coverage. They get to do that?

Well, (gross generalization alert), scratch a dude who gets passive-aggressive around pushy women and as often as not you'll find a dude who can be played neatly by someone who's willing to play the wounded sparrow.

Not that I know either of those people. Just saying, in general.

Edited September 11, 2015 by Julia

[Bebecat]

Heidi may have tacky taste...but I still love her.

[Honey]

LOL. I'm an old lady with a big butt who's only ever worn granny panties, even when I was young and thin. I can't look at bikinis without wanting to yank them up or thongs without wanting to pull them out of my crack. Are people really comfortable in these things?

I like them and think they're comfortable.  I wear a lot of tight leggings and I hate VPL.

[Feline Queen]

Yes, the models were wearing nude-colored thongs and tape over their nipples.

 

I didn't care for Swapnil's bra. Too complicated. He could've eliminated half of the straps and it would've been better. I thought the bottom matched close enough to make it look like a set. They didn't have to be the exact same. It's not supposed to be Garanimal's The Lingerie Edition. 

 

The straps on Merline's bra had the same issues as Jake's ... they'd create bands of fat. And the panties had the same seam problem as Laurie's ... even if it was supposed to be intentional.  

 

The bra is selling for $65 and the panties for $30. But I agree with the people who said it doesn't complement Heidi's existing line. It looks more like it belongs on the Fredrick's of Hollywood site. 

 

Glad Blake went home because his schtick was wearing thin. And please, take an anatomy class so you know where the pubis mound is located. Thank you. 

Edited September 12, 2015 by Feline Goddess

[candall]

[soapbox]

 

I'm one of those humorless, hardcore, unapologetic feminists and I have nothing but the sunshine of my warm approval for people who say "vagina," even when they're using the word incorrectly.

 

My whole life I've heard female genitalia referred to by terms that were usually either infantile or horribly degrading.  For awhile I worked intake in a doctor's office where older women would go into paroxysms of embarrassment, mumble something about "my treasure" and make vague fluttery hand gestures at waist level.  Too many little girls have grown up without much middle ground between the wee-wee/nu-nu option and that insulting list of slurs.

 

So I think it's great that a connotation-free anatomical term is becoming a common vocabulary word and as a first step, vagina correlates with penis, so fine.  Vulva and labia are hovering on the edge of public awareness; it's just a matter of time.

 

(In another hundred years, maybe everyone will be fully cognizant and able to talk openly about the clitoris.  The world will be magic.)

 

[/soapbox]

[MortysCleaningLady]

My 36 Cs cried at both the winner and the losers.  My winners were four: Kelly (great look and coverup), Ashley (knows how to lift and lock, therefore reducing pain and stretching), Joseph (Mumsy and madam is totally my wheelhouse (I've been called the Talbots posterchild more than once) and Swapnil (if I'm taking it all off straps can be cute).

 

I was so puzzled by Kelly missing the top three and I assumed (mistakenly) that Laurie was in the top (cute bra, acceptable cover-up) instead of Merline. 

 

And seriously, Swapnil better win it all.  His always the bridesmaid, never the bride status might put him in jeopardy when he tries to please the judges with crud.