When you look up reality TV on Wikipedia, at the bottom of the page it says, “See Also: Low Culture.” Umm, what? Low culture, Wikipedia? You think because I sit around on holidays watching Dance Moms marathons and almost every night I have a huge list of reality shows clogging up my DVR that I’m low culture? Excuse me, but I watch Top Chef. Gourmet Food=High Culture. I have also seen a few episodes of Work of Art. Art is high culture, wouldn’t you say, Mr. Wikipedia Man?

So obviously I admit to watching reality TV, and I’m totally not ashamed. But there are some reality stars that I am a little ashamed to admit that I love. I’m not talking about Spencer and Heidi or Omarosa; I actually do hate them. These are stars that I really love, but would probably lie about any day of the week (except the days I’m given a lie detector test).

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The holiday seasons are all about eating too many dips, spending way too much money on frenemy gifts, and watching Elf on repeat. This year we’re prepared to take the stress and the frustration out of holiday gift giving by giving you the ultimate gift guides to buying the perfect presents for your favorite people (and we’re splitting into 3 different price ranges so you can choose the gift based on how much you actually like the person!). So set this series as your favorite because all week we’re bringing you the best.

We all have that friend, you know, the one who has the perfect outfit for every occasion. The one whose wardrobe makes your mouth water. The one whose every outfit looks like it stepped out of the pages of Vogue. She spends hours studying fashion magazines and style blogs and would rather be shopping than anywhere else. She knows exactly what she wants and exactly how to make it happen. Style is her sixth sense. So how do you even attempt to go about buying a present for someone with that type of shopping experience?

You get her something else to add to her fabulous wardrobe.

I’ve done some fashion magazine studying myself these last few days and found you ladies the perfect gifts for your fashion forward friends. Not only are all of these items absolutely on trend, but they’re also absolutely affordable, and any one of them would be a welcome addition to a fashionista’s wardrobe.

Get even more gift giving inspiration in CollegeCandy’s Holiday Central!

Yes, my friends, it’s finally time for Project Runway Season 7 to start!

While Project Runway’s first season on Lifetime was a bit of a bust, big changes were made to bring season 7 back to its former Bravo glory. The competition has left sunny L.A. and returned to its home at Parson’s in New York. And, thank god, Nina and Michael will return as permanent fixtures on the judging panel, as opposed to their less than consistent visits last season.

Having the team back together in addition to some pretty stiff competitors means that this season of Project Runway might just be as fierce as season 5, which produced none other than everyone’s favorite petite-designer (and hot tranny mess), Christian Siriano.

So, yes, I am more than excited to get this season started. I’ve got my fresh-baked brownies in my lap and my best friend by my side. As the beautiful Heidi Klum would say, let’s start the show!

10 PM: Yay! Welcome back to NYC. Janeane is already putting me to sleep. Snoozefest.

10:01: Wait, we’re one minute in and Janeane already started crying??

10:02: I think I’m in love with Anthony. “I don’t really care for Miss America.” This fag-hag is one happy camper.

10:03: OMG Jesse’s fulltime job is playing Pirate Jack Sparrow? I need him in my life. Apparently Jonathan does, too; they were totes flirting it up.

10:05: Totally misread Amy. She’s def not the bitch; she’s got some serious talent!

10:06: Why does Heidi look hotter and skinner than me when she’s PREGNANT? Girlfriend looks gooood in leopard.

10:07: Janeane – seriously, girl – I know it’s your first time in NY, but can you just try and act a little less small-town-girl-in-a-big-city? It’s not becoming.

10:09: FIRST CHALLENGE!! Designers have to race, elbow and fight for fabric to design whatever defines them as stylists. There’s nothing like watching drama queens fight for prints. At least they didn’t make them run a couple hundred yards like Season 4 when big Chris got stuck with the ugly stuff cuz he couldn’t move fast enough.

10:16: Hellloooo, HP product placement! Although, those computers are pretty sweet. I guess it’s better than the Macy’s accessory wall, the Garnier hair salon and Loreal makup room.

10:17: Why must the models always look like they haven’t eaten a carb since the 20th century?

10:20: Is Ping making a Snuggie with a matching swim cap?

10:21: Shocking, Janeane is making a boring, little black dress. And Tim doesn’t like it. And she’s crying again.

10:23: Did Tim choose his tie to match the workroom walls? Not that I’m surprised; that Tim is always thinking about the deets.

10:24: Jeaneane Cry Count: 4 times. 24 minutes (and that’s including a commercial break). Get it together, girl!

10:30: Jesus has cursed himself with confidence. Whenever designers say they are gonna be in the top three, they end up getting skewered by Michael Kors witticisms. Way to go, Jesus!

10:32: “Designers! 5 minuuuuutes.” How does Tim have that voice? I just don’t understand it. I can’t look at him and not think about Santino and Andre. “Andreeee, why do you have to embarrass me in front of my co-workers at the Red Lobsterrrr?”

10:36: Is it just me, or did that Chef Boyardee commercial look sorta good? God, I feel stoned right now.

10:38: Nicole Richie is a judge! Damn, she looks so much better with dark hair.

10:40: Why is everything ugly? Jay’s dress looks like the girl needs to do a little trimming downtown, Ping’s dress was….er…what the hell was that? Mila’s dress just walked out of Ann Taylor. At least Amy and Anthony can design. Their stuff was the only stuff that stood out.

10:44: I’m LOVING Anthony’s dress. Why are the designers being so mean? And why does it look like Nicole Richie hasn’t slept in weeks? Clearly something’s wrong with her since she loves that plaid, “punk rock” mess by Seth Aaron. It looks like it belongs at Hot Topic.

10:45: WTF is Ping saying? And why do all the designers like it? What? Nicole Richie claims she’d wear that? NICOLE RICHIE WOULD NOT WEAR THAT THING! What the hell is going on here?

10:50: Seriously, are these judges on drugs? How on earth does anyone think that Ping’s harem-panted-snuggie was one of the best designs of the night? What about Amy’s design? Hell, even Janeane created something more appealing than that mess. I feel like I’m in an alternate universe.

10:56: Wait, really? Emilio won? And Christiane lost?! Seriously, what is happening here? Do I suddenly have terrible taste in fashion, or are you confused too?

"This worries me...."

Well, it took an entire season but after going home with the top 3 designers – Meana Irina, Giggles Hannah and Hometown Althea –  I think I’m finally invested in Project Runway. Though that might have nothing to do with what the girls are actually working on and more to do with watching Tim Gunn first in a flowery apron and then trying to work that old elevator in Althea’s building. Seriously, seeing the fear in his eyes as he stepped into that death-trap really made all the time I invested in this season worth it.

I mean, really, who says, “Gads!”?

Those Lifetime people really shoveled a lot of sh*t into last night’s one-hour episode. First Tim goes home to check in on the contestants, then the contestants come to New York, then they get feedback from Tim AND Nina AND Michael AND Heidi, then they do a model casting, then they get assigned a 13^th look and then Carol Hannah gets stuck with Christopher. Oh, and she’s barfy.

Whew. I get tired just thinking about it all. But I’m also super excited by everyone’s collections – yes, even Irina. But that might only be because I think her dog is super cute and I’m like a puddle of goo in the face of a little white fluff ball. Although I do think her whole t-shirt-under-something-chic idea rocks (even if I did do a fist-pump of joy when Tim made her re-do them all). What can I say? The girl’s got just as much talent as ‘tude. And that’s a lot.

Althea’s collection is a little different than I expected of her (did anyone expect her to go home and watch a lot of Sci-fi??), but I still sorta dig it. And I don’t care what Tim thinks about that sequined jacket-y thing; Althea made that a year ago and sequins are all the rage now. Either she can see into the future or homegirl is a fashion genius.

And then there’s Carol Hannah, whose collection -despite the fact that I find the designer herself highly annoying – might be my favorite. When she said she was inspired by Duke University I was expecting to see something more along the lines of beer pong and comfy sweats for class. But she obviously sees a college campus differently than I do because she’s making some really beautiful and elegant gowns.

Honestly, I’m not normally a tutu girl (something about being the fat girl in dance class scarred me for life), but I would kill to wear that giant tutu-gone-runway to something. Anything. New Year’s?

I have no idea how things are gonna go down next week. Everyone seem to have one stiletto in the weeds right now (except for Carol Hannah who is elbow deep in there), so who will be able to pull it out on the runway? (Note: am I the only one who gets gross mental images when using the term “pull it out”? Yes? OK….) I can finally say I’m excited to find out. My money’s on Althea.

What do you think?

And homegirl sure knows how to make a faux fur vest. That thing was gorgeous. Although I might be biased considering it was a blustery 38 degrees and rainy when I got home last night. But, still, I wanted to make Irina my new BFF and cozy up inside that vest until April. Or, in the Midwest, July.

But, and there’s always a but, Irina is a big, fat bitch. She’s arrogant, she’s mean, she’s judgmental….and just like 40% of the girls in my high school. The girls I gave the finger to as I pulled out of the parking lot that last day and swore never to see again. The girls who pretend to be confident only to cover up some raging insecurity. Perhaps Irina hates the annoying way she talks? Or she was on the flag team in high school and never got over it?

I don’t know, but she’s a cold-hearted snake.

Although, I guess you can’t totally fault this girl for the things she says. She’s kinda like Kanye (minus the whole Hennessey thing); she is simply saying what everyone else is thinking. And maybe if she was a bit wittier in her insults (a la Michael Kors) we wouldn’t care who she was talking smack about.

And we all know there is plenty of smack to be talked with some of these designers.

I mean, let’s be honest here – Christopher’s frock (the only term that can be used to describe it) looked like a leftover from that Western costume challenge. And Nikolas’s little “Grecian get-up” looked more “Charlotte Russe attempts workwear” than “I’m going to eat some feta on the beach and then rub oil on a six-packed Greek god.” Come on, Nikolas – who wears suit pants in Greece?

Who wears pants at all?

But I do feel bad for weirdo Nikolas. I get that his look was about as appropriate for Greece as my giant blinging Jewish star was for the county fair I went to, but could you imagine losing to….this?

It’s like the time my friend chose our sober roommate as her beer pong partner over me. Like, for real? Her? She’s drinking water! I’m the beer pong CHAMPION.

Oh wait – sorry. Got lost in my thoughts there for a second. Back to that thing Christopher sent down the runway. Really, Chris? We sacrificed Ra’Mon for a Little House on the Prarie dress paired with some unfortunate wedges? I shoulda known a man with a super skinny beard thing could never be trusted in fashion.

P.S. If Althea doesn’t win this entire competition I’ll eat my shoe. Not one of my new pairs of pumps, mind you, but maybe an old pair of Converse. That girl is GOOD.

Perhaps that’s why the producers decided to bring in Bob Mackie and Christina Aguilera last night. Maybe a little sequins would liven things up a bit?

Too bad it didn’t work. I mean, absolutely nothing about this challenge worked. The designers were instructed to take some inspiration from Mr. Mackie and go all out on a stage design for Christina Aguilera. CHRISTINA FREAKING AGUILERA. A woman known for her strong voice and her awesomely choreographed shows.

Not a woman known for living in a cave and tearing meat from dead animal carcasses with her teeth, Logan.

And not a woman who is currently retired and heading to the Assisted Living Annual Ball, Jordana.

I’d like to think that in a subconscious homage to their good friend Epperson, the designers misunderstood Tim Gunn’s assignment. Maybe they were struck dumb by all of Bob Mackie’s brilliance and instead of hearing “Christina” they heard “Junior Prom in the Midwest”? All that sparkle. All that glitz. Seriously, I walked away for a minute to grab a snack during the show and missed the part where the designers got their assignment. When I came back in and saw what everyone was picking up at Mood, I thought this was a crossover event with TLC’s Toddlers in Tiaras.

It was just bad. Almost as bad as Irina’s bitchy attitude. Almost. That girl is one big biznatch. And that ice skating costume she made? Hurl.

Considering the star power on the judging panel (and the fact that Nina Garcia was finally back!), one would think the runway would be spectacular, over the top and amazing. But what did we get? Dresses. A lot of dresses. Long dresses. Dresses that would be good for the MTV VMA red carpet… or the ice-capades. Not dresses that Christina would rock on stage during her international tour. While I loved some of the designs (mainly Althea’s and Nikolas’s….even though that “man” drives me insane) I didn’t really see Christina on stage in any of them, including Carol Hannah’s winning design. Was it beautiful? Absolutely. But could Christina sing “Candyman” in that thing? No way.

At least we all agreed that Shirin’s dress was a piece of crap. If it were a little shorter, it might be able to pass as some sort of sexy French Maid get-up, but as is stands, it just looks like a clearance item at David’s Bridal. And that is not a good thing.

Honestly, the only thing worth watching on this episode was Christina. Not because I love her, but because she totally messed up a common saying and no one could correct her. Because she’s Christina. It’s “A for Effort,” woman. Giving an E for Effort isn’t going to make weepy Christopher feel better about those sequined booty shorts.

Project Runway is finally coming back tomorrow night. They’ve kept us waiting for-freaking-ever and now it’s all coming back in a MAJOR way.

…with a few slight changes.

The show will still have supermodel Heidi Klum, fashion designer Michael Kors, and Elle fashion director Nina Garcia returning as judges, as well as the additional guest judge each episode. But after five seasons in pedestrian-friendly New York, the hit reality competition for aspiring fashion designers has moved to both a new city, car-jammed Los Angeles at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, and a new network, Lifetime. And now that the lawsuits between the Weinstein Company, NBC Universal (owner of Bravo), and Lifetime are thankfully over, we can enjoy our fashion porn in peace once again.

Like most, I was a little peeved when PR left Bravo, but the new star-studded L.A. setting has provided some amazing new opportunities: major guest judges such as Christina Aguilera, Eva Longoria Parker, Rebecca Romijn, and Lindsay Lohan and some fresh inspirations for new challenges. As Michael Kors has hinted, ”L.A. can be the most laid-back and the most glamorous. It’s the land of bikinis and gowns.” As such, this season the designers will take on challenges centered on the beach and the red carpet, and also create garments as a tribute to movies and Hollywood.

I am still not quite over the fact that I have to watch Lifetime (the same network my mom boasts as her fav), but I gotta say: I’m really excited to see what this new season has to offer.

Like the brand-new spin-off called “Models of the Runway,” which will air after the show. Unlike seasons past – when the model competition was complete BS – we’ll be getting a behind-the-scenes look at the fashion competition from the models’ perspective. The show will follow 16 models competing to be paired with the winning designer of “Project Runway” for a $25,000 cash prize from L’Oreal Skin Genesis and a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine.

But wait, there’s more! In honor of the big return, there will even be a 2 hour all-star challenge, featuring previous Project Runway contestants competing for a big-ass prize, airing before the season premiere! Do you miss Jeffrey Sebelia? Santino Rice? Uli? (God, I miss Uli!) You can get them all in one place for a delicious 120 minutes of goodness.

Yeah, that’s like 5 full hours of Project Runway heaven. In one night. After a full year with nothing but reruns. Talk about making a comeback. Let’s just hope this binge goes better than my first kegstand after 3 months without drinking… Seriously, as I grabbed onto the sides of that barrel of Keystone, a little Tim Gunn appeared over my shoulder and said “I’m concerned.”

God, I missed him.

Join Brithny every Friday morning as she breaks down all Project Runway drama. Auf Wiedersehen!

And tonight it seems the pressure has finally gotten to Jerell. The dude hit the crazy wall and kept on running. I mean he was talking to fruit and syrup. And he wore a shirt so low that I kept seeing his nips. And that straw hat? What is with him and the hats? Is he channeling Justin Bobby?

But Jerell isn’t the only one goin’ batsh*t insane; it seems that I may be going crazy myself. For a brief moment I actually felt bad for Kenley. No, not because she left her tulle or because her dress looked like something that was more appropriate for the Drag Challenge; I felt bad cuz the girl is an outsider (and I always feel bad for outsiders!).

The poor girl grew up on a tugboat. It’s not her fault she’s a disrespectful and arrogant bitch; whom has she ever interacted with besides a bunch of seamen?

But don’t worry; as soon as that biatch started talkin’ sh*t about the other designers I turned off my feelings and moved on. She sucks and I couldn’t wait to see what the judges thought of her scaley stripper dress.

The challenge on tonight’s episode was to take inspiration from some flowers in the NY Botanical Garden and make a gown. It seemed easy enough, but everyone seemed to jack it up on the runway.

But while the dresses were meh (besides Jerell’s – his was pretty fab) the drama was THE BOMB. I couldn’t tell if they were in a boxing ring or on a runway. It was that good. First Kenley gets criticized (as she damn well should of with that monstrosity), to which she tries to put Heidi in her place. And what happens? A good ol’ verbal bitch slap courtesy of Nina Garcia, that’s what. Then, in one of the most cliché moves in reality TV, the judges asked everyone who they would take to Fashion Week.

And everyone left Kenley back in 1955.

Awwww daaaaaamn.

Sucks to be Kenley. Too bad the judges didn’t really listen to anyone and let all the designers go home to prep for the main event. Which is good, I guess, because my home girl Korto was also on the chopping block for her orange pageant dress and I totes have her pegged as the season winner.

And I guess I do sorta wanna see what kinda mess Kenley brings back to NY for the finale, because, unlike everyone else in the world, I haven’t peeked at the pics yet!

Can’t wait for next week. Go Korto, go!

Other things Lauren wants: the BlueFly accessories wall in her bedroom, a lunch date with Heidi Klum and for Suede to stop freaking speaking in third person.

But let’s get back to the show (and first person).

This week’s challenge was twofold. Not only would the designers be using eco friendly fabrics, but the models would be purchasing them. Oooooo. I am sure that threw a little wrench in everyone’s plans, but didn’t really become an issue for anyone except Stella. Not because the model came back with some hideous fabric, but because the model came back without leather.

Stella LOVES leather. She would make anything in leather! She would make pants in leather, hats in leather, dresses in leather. If only leather wasn’t the WORST THING FOR THE PLANET, Stella. I mean, seriously. Leather is not only a major fashion mistake (unless you are going to a Bon Jovi concert), it just totally goes against everything this challenge is about.

So, anyhoo….the designers start doing their thang with the stuff and some random shite goes down. Some people almost can’t finish their garments, some people are still making up words (enough with the ‘icious…seriously), some people think others are copying them and Tim Gunn thinks one designers dress has the potential to be a HOT MESS. Yes, he actually said that. He totes misses Christian!

It is eventually time for the Runway, which is going to be judged by Natalie Portman! Love her. So cute. And her vegan shoe line is perfection! Ugh! I just want to hug her

STOP READING IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED YET! I hate nothing more than spoilers (except people who confuse their, there, and they’re), so I will not ruin the show for you if you were out late getting’ some bootay and haven’t had a chance to fire up the DVR yet!

The runway was exciting as usual. There are still way too many designers to really get into all the designs and comments, so Lauren is just going to summarize the judges’ reactions to the top three and bottom three here (Sorry, got back into that 3rd person stuff again):

Kenley: So chic, beautiful. Everyone loooooves it.

Wesley: Short/shiny/tight…trampy.

Stella: So great that you took a nice, flowy fabric and made it look all edgy/hard/80’s punk

Korto: The dress looks inside out and has butt fins.

Suede: Everyone loved it! The tutu was awesome! Suede is the maaaan.

Leanne: The dress looks like something from Arts and Crafts.

And, once again, I cannot believe who won. Yes, Suede’s dress was innovative, but I just can’t imagine popping onto BlueFly today and purchasing that mess. It had a freaking TUTU. When was the last time you got to wear a tutu to a party? Don’t remember? I do. It was my bat mitzvah. In 1995. I can’t wait to see how much they charge for that thing.

Oh and boring Wesley went home. I am sad cuz he seemed like a fabulous gay man, but his dress was bad news bears (and he was really boring), so no loss here.

Back next week for some more fun and, hopefully, some sort of challenge that involves animal byproducts for our good friend, Stella!

I missed the actual premiere, but caught it on my DVR, which is better anyway…no commercials! Anyways, like every year, the first episode kicked off with us meeting the new designers. I could write my feelings about all of them, but instead I will let you learn about them here. It is a lot less biased (because I am a judgemental bitch)…and there also happen to be just too many for me to remember.

After unpacking their things in their lovely new apartments (girls in one, a large group of gay men – and one straight guy who wants EVERYONE to know it by talking about his daughters – in the other) the designers head up to the roof for a party with Tim and Heidi. Champagne is opened, people talk and everyone tries to impress Ms. Heidi Klum.

And then they have their first challenge: The Gristedes challenge.

Yeah, yeah…that was all exciting and fun. Building clothes out of food! But even more amazing? Austin Scarlet as the guest judge! In a fabulous fedora-ey thingy. Fierce.

So, Tim sets the designers off and they run Super-Market-Sweep Style through the aisles to get all the materials they need for their Grocery Couture. Also known as table cloths. Because that is basically what everyone got. Not the most innovative group of designers, no?

They keep shopping until Tim gets on the loudspeaker and reels em back in. Sidenote: Could you imagine having Tim Gunn announce the specials at your local market? “Sale on Mac and Cheese. Make it work!”

So, the rest of the show was pretty typical for a season premiere. Lots of people making jokes about things from seasons past (“MAKE IT WORK!! HAHAHAHAH”), lots of people freaking out (“I am gonna go home. These trash bags look like TRASH!”), an over-the-top-addicted-to-tanning designer trying to create his own words (“GIRLICIOUS! So…icious!”), and, of course, lots of well-done product placement (TreSemme! Bluefly! L’oreal!)

And then the runway. You can check out (and rate!) all the looks here, but we will just get to the point. Some of that sh*t was dreadful. And some of that sh*t was awesome. (I will not list who one just in case you missed the show…but starting next week, I will spoil it for all you lazies!) I don’t agree with who won, but I do agree with who lost and fully enjoy the fact that some of these designers look crazy. And some will most definitely have breakdowns throughout the season. And one of them (Blayne) will probably get kicked off the show for skipping a runway to hit L.A. Tan.