July 28, 2011 - 6:48pm
LIVE BLOG: CBS presents the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
BY JAMIE BLOCK AND CAROLYN KLARECKI
Well, everyone, it’s the most wonderful time of the year once again: The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is here. The show took place at The Armory in NYC on Nov. 19, but only now does the general public get to see it in all its bombastic glory. And while we watch the models walk the walk down this year’s sparkly V-shaped runway, we’ll be talking the talk, mocking the mock and most likely gawking the gawk along with you.
Stay tuned all hour for our keen observations, and feel free to submit some of your own on the comments page. Or you can just tell us how we need to learn more fashion terms, which we undoubtedly do. The angels take flight on the small screen at 10 p.m. on CBS, and you can almost smell the glitter in the air already. So hold your popcorn bag next to the TV, people, ’cause things are about to heat up.
10:02 — Jamie: What better way to start off than with clips from a trashy reality challenge? None! This is gonna be the most epic mix of trashy and classy ever!
10:03 — Carolyn: I don't know whether or not to watch the hot pink lingerie or the lime green glow sticks and Black Eyed Peas.
10:06 — Jamie: I’m loving what they’re doing with the set. This feels straight out of a “Tron” game set in a metropolis. But these random cuts to backstage are odd. Almost as odd as the gold porcupine they just interviewed.
10:10 — Carolyn: Leave it to Heidi Klum to turn this into an opportunity for her to host another fashion-based reality show. And I'm not a fan of the runway. Elaborate surroundings detract from the clothes, plus the V-shape keeps people in the audience from seeing both sides of the garment, but I suppose that's not really the point.
10:10 — Jamie: This appeal to “Next Top Model” fans with the model search is really wearing on my patience. But they cut to break with Phoenix’s “1901,” so they’re sort of redeemed. OMG a Victoria’s Secret commercial! Shocking!
10:14 — Carolyn: I really like the backstage footage. It shows how chaotic the production is. These shows are great because the models can be more personable and wave to the audience. I don't get the background dancing bell hops though...
10:17 — Jamie: The choreography in the background is a little too Cirque de Soleil for my tastes. And the quick-cutting camera is making it hard to get too good of a look at any one garment. The Harlequin is out in its multi-million dollar glory. It’s kind of a let-down. They could make that with fake stones and it would sell for like 20 bucks.
10:18 — Carolyn: Worn by Marisa Miller, this year's fantasy bra is worth $3 million, which is the cheapest it has been since 1997. Damn this recession!
10:19 — Jamie: If you’re showing up in a pink track suit, the place at which you’re arriving should not be called “boot camp.” This is reality trash, and I’m saying that as a usual reality fan.
10:22 — Jamie: Commercial break. So far I’m disappointed with how little actual show we’ve seen. Hopefully it picks up. And yeah, that fantasy bra is that cheap for a reason, and I don’t mean the economy.
10:26 — Carolyn: Here's the "free love" themed segment of the show. What says "flower power" more than peace-sign covered angel wings?
10:27 — Jamie: My personal favorite angel, Behati, is sporting the bra and hippie wings shown at the top of this post. I am in love. However, they just paired it with an odd Wonder Woman-esque patriotism outfit, and I do not associate hippies with overzealous America-praising.
10:29 — Carolyn: When you're watching a full-length skirt made out of balloons come down the runway, you have to wonder if this is even lingerie anymore. But I loved all the colors and we need to remember this is an avant garde show.
10:30 — Jamie: Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t they usually avoid the convention “ain’t I cute” butt shake? Oh crap, we’re back to a model search segment.
10:31 — Carolyn: They really should have just had Tyra do this reality show segment with all her experience. I love Miranda Kerr, but she isn't good when it comes to reality show hosting.
10:35 — Jamie: Black Eyed Peas are back on stage again. It feels like it was only half an hour ago that … oh wait, it was just half an hour. There’s really just not enough happening on stage right now, though. It’s very sparse. The most engaging shot was the peek at models dancing along backstage. They seem into it.
10:36 — Carolyn: Commercial break after pretty much no fashion show content ... at least Fergie's outfit looked nice.
10:39 — Jamie: I can’t help but notice this commercial advertised Victoria’s Secret bras as a great gift “This Christmas.” Chanukah is sooner, you know.
10:40 — Carolyn: Hey, Jamie! Who are you rooting for to win the Victoria's Secret model challenge and walk the runway tonight!? Jamie Lee or Kylie?
10:43 — Jamie: Oh most definitely Kylie. First of all, I think she’s prettier. Second of all, she has my favorite amount of first names.
10:44 — Carolyn: No way, Jamie Lee is definitely prettier and clearly not as ditzy... but not by much.
10:47 — Carolyn: Heidi Klum got a grand entrance to dramatic music and applause. This is clearly a celeb driven evening. Forest themed lingerie is taking the stage.
10:47 — Jamie: Heidi Klum looks absolutely amazing, even if her outfit is overdone with the white dandelion-esque fuzz.
10:49 — Carolyn: Doutzen Kroes is absolutely adorable. This portion is what the whole show should've been. Everything has mellowed out. We're getting nice, long looks at the lingerie.
10:50 — Jamie: This “Little Red Riding Hood” outfit is completely changing how I interpret that story. It also feels somewhat out of place with the more nature-based aesthetic of the rest of this part of the show.
10:53 — Carolyn: They just announced the winner of the 2009 Victoria's Secret Model search and after the world's longest dramatic pause, Heidi unceremoniously gave it to Kylie. Darn it.
10:55 — Jamie: The good news: Kylie won the model challenge. The bad news: A mime holding balloons just floated into the sky. There’s a choir on stage now. It’s like I’m watching “Glee.” Unfortunately, cutting to the choir is detracting from the lingerie coverage again.
10:56 — Carolyn: This segment is featuring more classic styles of lingerie with touches of "Vegas showgirl" elements.
10:57 — Carolyn: Poor Kylie went through all the drama of reality competition to get 15 seconds of fame on a runway. She looks absolutely elated though and who can blame her? That's an experience I might enter a reality competition for.
11:00 — Jamie: The crowd is going downright ballistic for the finale. And with good reason. There’s just such a high energy to the room right now. I wish they’d shown the crowd more. And that’s a wrap, folks. It was fun, it was reality trash, it was high fashion and it was exhausting. Hope those of you watching out there had fun too.
