DWTS “Who Wore it Better”? – The Pre-Season 15 All-Star Edition, Part II!
So at long-last, we have EVERYONE’s pictures, since Kirstie & Sabrina’s were released last week. We can definitely see the chosen color pattern for this season was blue, purple, and various shades of black, white, and silver – and after going through all these pictures with a fine-toothed comb, I can see that the costume department has been extra busy hacking apart, dying, and generally futzing around with pretty much any costume they can get their hands on. The few costumes that seemed to escape the carnage probably could have stood to be altered a bit…needless to say, I’m becoming progressively less impressed with the costumes as the post-Randall seasons wear on. Randall, are you out there? If so, can you please come back and slap the clowns in the costume department across the face with a raw trout and tell them to quit acting a fool? 🙁
Anywho, if you’d like to repeat the magic of part I, you can check it out here. And be kind, kids – this particular edition was an absolute betch to put together. 😛
Battle of the black, see-through lace asymmetrical dress with silver bra/season 3 Emmitt & Cheryl vs. season 15 Emmitt & Cheryl: Emmitt & Cheryl’s season 3 promo photo vs. Emmitt & Cheryl’s season 15 promo photo vs. Cheryl’s cha-cha with Chris in season 12
Courtney: This one had me stumped for the longest time – and as I found with a lot of the costumes in this half of the pre-season 15 edition, I just happened to stumble upon the ditto whilst looking for other stuff 😛 Praise the lord for happy accidents! Anywho, I think what throws me in Emmitt & Cheryl’s all-star promo photo is that he seems very laid back and happy-go-lucky – and she’s giving us this smoldering sexpot look. Needless to say, there is a bit of a disconnect – which is why I like their season 3 promo photo better. And I actually like her dress in her cha-cha with Chris better than I thought – maybe the pearls make it seem less…salacious. 😛 And the tousled hair with the tinsel was a fun touch.
Heidi: Heh – their promo has cognitive dissonance written all over it. 🙂 I also like the version in the dance with Chris and I can’t quite put my finger on why. You’re probably right about the pearls – but they are also very odd, considering the underlying style of the dress. Just all around weirdness. 🙂 I, too, liked Cheryl before her Kardashianification. Clearly spending too much time with those girls, she is. 🙂
The verdict: Hangin’ out with the Kardashians is baaaad, mmmkay?
Battle of the beaded black Latin dress with the plunging neckline/Apolo & Julianne vs. Apolo & Karina: Apolo & Julianne’s season 4 promo photo vs. Apolo & Karina’s season 15 promo photo vs. Kym’s paso doble to the theme from Shaft in the season 14 finale
Heidi: I can see that the Apolo/Julianne vs. Apolo/Karina is going to be very challenging. On that part, I have to see them dance – but in the pap videos, Apolo/Karina look cute. And tight. 🙂 That said, I think I like his *picture* with Julianne better. He looks too bulky in the one with Karina – and it’s all muscle I’m sure. The dress…this dress has been an “issue” to say the least. 😉 I’m going to have to go with Karina, since it doesn’t seem right on Kym for some reason. Hmmm…
Courtney: I effing hate this dress…and it has absolutely NOTHING to do with how it looks on Karina. Heidi understands 😛 I thought (well, WE thought) we were finished with this blasted edition of WWIB, and then curiousity struck me and I decided I just had to go browse around on the DWTS Makeup Team Facebook page to try and find the name of this one brand of skincare they use. So I’m putzing through all the pictures, and then there it is: this blasted dress. THIS is the dress Karina’s wearing – not the one I initially thought. Fiddlesticks. So we had to redo it – like we had to redo a bunch of them. *sigh* Anyway, I guess I like it better on Karina – since I thought that damn Shaft dance was crap.
The verdict: This dress sucks. At least the ladies are pretty 😛
Battle of the black, sparkly ruched dress/Helio & Julianne vs. Helio & Chelsie: Helio & Julianne’s season 5 promo photo vs. Helio & Chelsie’s season 15 promo photo vs. one of the dancers in the Selena Gomez performance in season 14
Courtney: First of all, everyone thank Heidi for the screen cap of the dancer in the Selena Gomez number – it was the best one we could get, given how fast those gals were moving! Secondly – why did they stick Chelsie with such a bland costume??? Costumes created specifically for pro dances and guest performances are usually decidedly un-fancy, since the costume department has little to no time leftover each week after creating all of the couples’ costumes. Couldn’t they have at least let her ditto one of her own costumes? Oh well. Since I make no secret of the fact that I strongly dislike flats/low heels/going barefoot in any sort of dance on the show, I obviously like the dress better on Chelsie than the chick from the Selena performance – even though it’s still kind of a boring dress. Helio looks exactly the same in both pictures to me 😛 Guess I’ll go with the Julianne pic, for the simple reason that her dress is a bit more exciting to look at than Chelsie’s.
Heidi: It’s an Helio mannequin!! Same pose, they just changed his clothes like a big Ken/Helio doll. Sure, Julianne and Chelsie are in different positions, but look at Helio! 🙂 Maybe he could make the shoot so they just photoshopped the tux off and Chelsie in. 🙂 As for the dress – yes it is boring, but it’s infinitely cuter on Chelsie than it is on random dancer girl. Lord, you’ve got me hating those shoes now, too, Court. Ugly.
The verdict: Chelsie carries off “bland” well.
Battle of the short, black, pleather-y Latin dress/Sabrina & Mark vs. Sabrina & Louis: Sabrina & Mark’s season 5 promo photo vs. Sabrina & Louis’ season 15 promo photo vs. Chelsie’s team cha-cha with Romeo in season 12
Heidi: “Vote for US Cuz you wanted US on the show!!!” So Cheetalicious. :::rolls eyes::: Why, yes, I am over them already, why do you ask? 😉 I like this dress better on Sabrina, that said – although that could just be the photography because Sabrina isn’t all washed out. And I’m sorry, but the original dress is just AWFUL. Good lord. That has Cheesecake Awards written all over it.
Courtney: Is it just me, or is Sabrina’s hair almost exactly the same as it was 5 years ago? Even down to the way she parts it. Rather mundane observation, I know 😛 Unfortunately I just don’t have a whole lot to say about this costume – like Chelsie’s, it just strikes me as kinda bland. Like they just kinda threw it together to fit the color scheme or something – and they just happened to pick this one because Sabrina & Chelsie have similar builds. I guess when it comes down to it, though, I like this season’s better than her season 5 costume – at least it doesn’t scream “Yep, I’m a Cheetah Girl!!! Get it???!!”
The verdict: We get it – you’re a Cheetah girl.
Battle of the purple corsetted Latin dress/Shawn & Mark vs. Shawn & Derek: Shawn & Mark’s season 8 promo photo vs. Shawn & Derek’s season 15 promo photo vs. Hope’s Argentine tango with Maks in season 13
Courtney: Somebody prolly made a big ol’ mess in the costume department dying this one 😛 Yes kids, believe it or not, they hacked Hope’s dress, dipped it in dye, and threw some mesh overlay on top to create Shawn’s dress – and I must say, I think it’s an improvement. There were more than a few of Hope’s costumes that I didn’t particularly care for in season 13, but the thing I hated about this one was that it was just so SHAPELESS – for the love of god, give the poor girl some corsetting so we can see she has a waist…or at least some boob pads. Thankfully, they seemed to do a good bit of tailoring for Shawn – the overall cut is more flattering. And certainly more flattering than red, doodle-y thing they had her wearing in her first promo pic!
Heidi: Do you know the suffering I endured to get screencaps of Hope in that gawdawful costume?? That was the week where she was really bitchy and mean, as I recall. Ick. That dress is just nasty too – much better re-worked and on Shawn. On Shawn? Cute. On Hope?? Really mean streetwalker who is in the mood to CUT YOU if you look at her sideways. We won’t talk about the streamers dress that Shawn’s in with Mark. Nope. Although Mark’s face is exactly the same in the Shawn pic as it is in the Sabrina pic. 🙂
Courtney: I just realized what the red streamer dress in the first pic reminds me of: those Martians on Sesame Street that just say “yip yip”.
The verdict: Hope could look physically gorgeous in this dress and we’d still probably find it ugly, just because she was wearing it – and scowling bitterly.
Battle of the billowy white halter gown/Pam & Damian vs. Pam & Tristan: Pam & Damian’s season 10 promo picture vs. Pam & Tristan’s season 15 promo picture vs. Kym’s Viennese waltz with David in season 13
Heidi: I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Pam all the way!! Love that picture of her and Tristan. I didn’t think anyone could beat She of the Awesome Boobage, but Pam does it very subtly. Damian!! Your thumb!! This is a family show!! :::snerk:::
Courtney: *giggle* I had forgotten how funny Damian & Pam’s promo pic was – he looks like he’s fighting the urge to squeeze her boob or motorboat her or something. At least Tristan’s a little more subtle – although that is one Irishman who looks a wee bit too happy to be standing in such close proximity to Pam 😛 But I must say – I think the vulnerability Pam’s conveying in her pic with Tristan is kind of refreshing. The billowy white dress, the doe-eyed look, all snuggled up to Tristan – makes me think she may be going for a “softer” look this season than the sexpot that we saw in season 10. And while I loved this gauzy white gown on Kym – I dig the Marilyn Monroe vibe Pam gives it 🙂
The verdict: Meeeeeeeoooooowwww.
Battle of the bright purple, fringed & sparkly dress/season 12 Kirstie & Maks vs. season 15 Kirstie & Maks: Kirstie & Maks’ season 12 promo picture vs. Kirstie & Maks’ season 15 promo picture vs. Kirstie & Maks’ WTA cha-cha in season 12
Courtney: First of all, DAMN YOU KIRSTIE FOR HIDING BEHIND MAKS!!! As cute as that pose is, it drove me nuts because I couldn’t see your dress – until someone was kind enough to tweet me an individual pic where I can actually see what you’re wearing. And while I didn’t recognize it at first, and thought it could have been a re-dyed version of your “Forget You” cha-cha cha dress. Then whilst googling something else, I stumbled upon it, and realized why I didn’t recognize it: it was from *dun dun DUNNNN!!!* the dreaed “winner take all” cha-cha in season 12 than no one except Chelsea had a hope and a prayer of winning. No wonder it left a bad taste in my mouth 🙁 But at least it’s a pretty color that flatters you, Kirstie – takes the edge off of that damn dance for me 🙂
Heidi: I like Kirstie with the darker hair and I think that color – the purple – is great on her in both hair colors. Much better than the longer black dress – although that one is pretty too. I got nothing snarky to add. I’m very disappointed in myself. 🙂
The verdict: Purple suits Kirstie…even if the WTA cha-cha didn’t.
“The verdict: Hangin’ out with the Kardashians is baaaad, mmmkay?” and “It’s an Helio mannequin!!”
LOLLL! Omg, serious advice to fans: don’t drink anything while reading this or your keyboard will be wet very shortly.
Seriously, great job Girls and rare form as always. So funny. Love these and thanks for all the work put into it.
This has to be one of the funniest things you’ve both written yet. omggg lolllllllll
THANK YOU 🙂 OMG Girls You Have Outdone Yourselves this Time! These are hilarious!!
The Pamela critique was sensational… MEOW!!
To late Vogue, I was already drinking my coffee while reading… Cleanup in Aisle 7… LOL
WWIB is one of my favorite things about PureDWTS! I can imagine the work you gals go through and I thank you very, very much. I actually agree with most of it!
That being said, I really liked Shawn in her red dress. I love the colour on her and it just kinda says ‘ballroom dancing’ to me more than the purple corset which, to me, says “cabaret”. She looks great in both pics though. 🙂
Thanks! As always, a great and funny read!
I love the picture of Pam with Tristan, even if the cleavage of the dress is very low, she looks very classy compared to some other (Cheryl and Peta for example) and I, too, think that the darker hair and the shorter dress suit Kirstie better.
Yeah, even though the fringe of Shawn’s red dress is Muppet-y, I love the pic of her and Mark and I think it’s one of the best DWTS promo shots ever.
This version of WWIB went through several stages. There was the initial merge stage, then the “oh fuck” re-do stage, then the “premature ah, done” stage, to me laughing hysterically when Courtney is screaming in frustration over finding the correct dress for Karina. Ya know, you get to the point where you just have to laugh. Far more frustrating for Courtney, I think, as she’s the one who goes looking for dresses. I just screen cap and merge.
As for Shawn’s purple corset thing versus the red dress?? I really didn’t think of this at the time we wrote this, but it seems to me that Shawn is making a bit of a statement – “I’m not a little kid any more.” It’s something she and Derek both have mentioned a few times. I think we might be a bit surprised by young Shawn. 🙂
Let’s put it this way: I hope I don’t have to do another one of these editions for a loooooong time. 🙂
Well, yeah of course that’s the Shawn storyboard. All of the couples are going to have their “statement” and her obvious story is the transformation from youngster to young woman. Just like the Gilles “story” is going to be him looking for the mirrorball trophy cause he was so close and lost it, and Bristol is going to prove the haters wrong, and Kelly is going to “prove” that she can hang with the later champions, etc, etc. That’s why I don’t take Gilles comments too seriously – it’s probably somewhat true, but at the same time I’m sure that’s the way the producers want to spin it.
Nah, Fig, you give the producers WAY too much credit as masters of Machiavelli. All that stuff is TRUE – there is no need to storyboard it at this stage. And the producers don’t control every single thing that comes out of the dancers mouths. They can’t – they want these people on the show. Now, when the show is on the air they may take advantage of what the celebs have been saying and use it, but I don’t think they have the ability to put words in the celebs mouths more than a week before the show comes on the air.
Gilles is just acting too desperate – it’s on him, not the producers.
Great job ladies, and thanks for all the pain and suffering you went through to do this for us!
Helio mannequin – priceless! Still, I love Julianne and Helio’s promo pic shot; it’s so old Hollywood dance movie.
The red doodles on Shawn’s promo dress with Mark are so distracting. They’re all I see when I try to look at that picture.
Great biceps on Damian, but he looks gobsmacked; and bless him, he never totally lost that deer-in-the-headlights look. Just by comparing their expressions, I’d say Tristan will handle *snicker* Pamela better.
Cheryl looked ten times better in her first photo with Emmitt. I really wish she’d keep her hair short and sassy. To me, it’s so much more flattering on her. Liked her expression and outfit better, too.
Overall, I don’t particularly care for any of the gowns for this season’s promo pics. I guess the white one on Pamela is okay, but the rest are dull and/or poor fitting.
Thank you SO MUCH for putting this together! My goodness, what a ton of work! Great job.
Bravo to the Pure girls for another wonderful, impressive edition! Loved it!
I think Pamela’s dress is the same one that Elisabetta wore for her Pre season photoshoot.
Thanks for this, ladies!
@Cameron – Negative, ghostrider. Ruled that one out early on – take a look at the bodice of that dress. Wayyy different than this one, which is a halter.
And thanks everyone for the kind words 🙂 Glad you enjoy this one – because it may be awhile before I do another one. This one was a nightmare…lol
After I look at it again, they are definitely not the same. I swear I am going blind these days haha