Pay attention to the first couple videos since they will be a jumping off point for a future post. The last half of the video, I mean. And have I mentioned lately how much I adore Tom Bergeron??

Do David and Jennifer have an unfair advantage?

Possible Controversy? Apparently not.

Erin talks about Season 11, Florence Henderson – blast from the past.

Tony talks to Extra about DWTS and Audrina – he thinks he has a shot at winning.

The Insider

It’s widely variable, from what I can see.

First, the press conference that Marianya so thoughtfully transcribed.

Watch with Kristin, from E!:

Warning: David Hasselhoff Thinks Dancing With the Stars Is a Dating Show
We just chatted up the new “stars” of Dancing With the Stars after last night’s big cast announcement and have some things you must know. Like, for starters, not only is Sarah Palin herself expected in the audience (unless she can see the stage from Alaska?) to cheer on her daughter Bristol, but David Hasselhoff’s partner should be afraid—very afraid…

Unless she’s totally crushing on The Hoff!

‘Cause apparently he is crushing on her. Big time.

We can’t yet reveal who David’s partner is, but he does tell us the first thing he did when he was cast on the show: He asked his daughters whether she’s single.

Damn. Wish I would have thought of that “seeing the stage from Alaska” crack. GOOD ONE.

E! has paparazzi video! Take note of who is with Mark and who remains amazingly, shockingly SILENT.

Here’s an excerpt of the article that goes with E! video:

Bristol Palin, though, did make it to the party, and she left her baby Tripp at home.

But that doesn’t mean he won’t be seen on the set. “She’s bringing him to set with her Tuesday for the first time,” a source tells me.

And get this: Bristol, who’s paired with Mark Ballas, supposedly drove herself all the way to from Wasilla to Los Angeles with her baby in tow.

“She’s actually a very sweet girl,” one insider says.

Audrina Patridge was one of the last people to leave to the party and stayed behind to hang with her partner Tony Dovolani and Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

While Audrina’s probably a little easier to handle than Tony’s last partner, Kate Gosselin, insiders are already pegging Audrina as “the new Kim Kardashian.” As in, she looks hot in skimpy costumes but can’t really dance.

I recommend reading the whole articles since I may not include something you want to see.

Here’s a new category for Courtney…from MTV:

‘Dancing With The Stars’ Carries On Tradition Of Casting MTV Stars
New castmembers the Situation and Audrina Patridge join the ranks of Steve-O, Kelly Osbourne and Drew Lachey.

While we won’t know how Patridge or the Situation will fair until the first step is executed when the show premieres in three weeks, they both have a lot to live up to. MTV stars repeatedly show up as castmembers on “Dancing With the Stars,” and while their level of success has been mixed, they always leave an impression.

One of them even won once. Drew Lachey, the former member of 98 Degrees and a staple on the hit MTV reality show “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica,” took home the mirror-ball trophy back in February of 2006. In the finals, Lachey narrowly beat out Jerry Rice (the former NFL wide receiver and a big fan favorite) and Stacy Keibler (a former WWE performer who has a bit of MTV history of her own — she appeared on the wrestling promotion’s “Heat” show on MTV at the beginning of the decade).

Niecy talks to MTV about the new cast:

‘Dancing With The Stars’ Alum Sizes Up Bristol Palin, The Situation
‘The Situation seems very disciplined,’ Niecy Nash tells MTV News of the ‘Jersey Shore’ star’s famous abs.
MTV News caught up with last season’s sassy comic relief, Niecy Nash, who offered a few thoughts on the new castmembers — namely Palin and “Jersey Shore” standout Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino.

” ‘Dancing With the Stars’ is the hardest and most fun thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “I will tell you, for people who are untrained, it is a challenge.”

Nash added that if Sorrentino’s dedication to his famous stomach muscles is any indication, he might have the stamina to stay on the show for a while. “The Situation seems very disciplined,” Nash said. “You gotta do something to get 45 abs. So maybe he has what it takes to stick with it.”

Nash worried that juggling long rehearsals and taking care of baby Tripp could prove to be a challenge for Bristol.

“Bristol, you know, she’s been through a lot,” Nash said of Sarah Palin’s 20-year-old daughter. “It might be hard on her. But, you know, if you could get together with Levi [Johnston], you ought to be able to do anything,” she joked.

The Wall Street Journal! They handicap the race for the mirrorball and make a few good points. Click to read all of it.

Bristol Palin, Florence Henderson, Margaret Cho, Kurt Warner, Kyle Massey and the New Cast of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 11: Who Will Win?

Most of the contestants on the new season of “Dancing with the Stars” aren’t really stars, of course, but “Dancing with the Formerly Notable” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. ABC recently announced the new cast for the coming season of the show and it includes such semi-famous folks as Bristol Palin, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, David Hasselhoff, Florence Henderson, Audrina Patridge, Margaret Cho, Kurt Warner, Kyle Massey, and Jennifer Grey. The 11th season of the show begins on September 20. Who will will? Here’s Speakeasy’s pre-season analysis:

Entertainment Weekly scopes out the competition with a slideshow:

‘Dancing With the Stars’: Sizing Up the New Cast
Who’s got the inside track on ballroom glory this fall? See our scouting reports, weigh in by voting in our polls

MIKE ”THE SITUATION” SORRENTINO
Occupation: Having spectacular abs on reality smash Jersey Shore
Outlook: The Sitch has definitely found his niche — said spectacular abs will benefit him at least as much on Dancing as it does on Shore. Even better, he’ll come with his own spray tan.

The Washington Post

Bristol Palin’s next step: The next edition of ‘Dancing With the Stars’

The teenager joins mom Sarah, who has a reality series on TLC debuting in November, and Bristol’s baby-daddy Levi Johnston, who is shopping around a reality series in which he runs for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.

Bristol is going to dance circles around Mom and Levi in the ratings: “Dancing” has recently become an “American Idol”-esque ratings behemoth, thanks to some very savvy casting.

ABC made the “Dancing” Season 11 cast announcement Monday night during two interludes in a two-hour episode of “Bachelor Pad,” in which a bevy of hot men and women make a mockery of the abstinence that Bristol is all about these days, in order to win a $250,000 purse.

Hehehehe…..

You be the judge. Brooke, Derek, Maks and Cheryl were all at the Entertainment Tonight Emmy Party last night and spoke to TV Guide. Tony was there too, but didn’t warrant a mention, apparently.  Brooke Burke is either spilling the beans or is Miss Red Herring herself.  Oh, and Maks? Forgotten Erin so soon? Dude, please tell me you were joking.

Burke, a former winner, admitted “all the rumors seem to be true” regarding the new cast. Most notably, there has been a huge buzz surroundingDWTS‘ most controversial rumored cast member,Jersey Shore‘s Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino. When asked why the show’s producers are interested in Sorrentino, Burke pondered, “I think last season kind of proved reality shows and tabloids play a big part of it. Casting is a big part of the success of the show. Everybody seems to be talking more about The Situation than anybody else. I guess it makes sense.”

Chmerkovskiy told TV Guide Magazine he does not care who his new partner is as long as it’s “somebody young, fit, athletic, and really nice.”

He doesn’t ask for much, does he?

So apparently I might be onto something with my typecasting theories, because it seems like a lot of you are also trying to deduce from the absolutely CRAZY amount of rumors flying around who might be fulfilling each type…and honestly, at this point, I have no clue what to believe But that’s the fun of DWTS, right?

If the majority of what’s being reported is true (doubtful), then it looks to me like they might actually skip some types this season (haven’t heard any major reports about soap stars or hosts);  but if they’re leaking only a few actual celeb participants and the rest are red herrings, then we might get few suprises thrown in and have a more “well-rounded” cast.  But enough general speculation – on with the rest of the types!

The Teen Idol

Previous examples: Joey McIntyre, Aaron Carter, Donny Osmond, Lance Bass, Mel B., Joey Fatone, Drew Lachey, Joey Lawrence, Ian Ziering, Cody Linley, Sabrina Bryan, Mario Lopez

Advantages: If sales of Tiger Beat are any indicator, the teenyboppers will come out in full force to support their favorite heartthrobs/idols.  Being young & good-lookin’ sure doesn’t hurt! Many also have the added advantage of having a decent dance background, especially if they were part of a musical act.

Disadvantages: Youth can also have its disadvantages – as in immaturity.  What some might call “youthful exuberance”, others might call “immaturity” or “attention deficit disorder” – poor Cody Linley had a hard time sitting still! Emotional immaturity (a la Aaron Carter’s post-rumba meltdown in the confessional) can be especially off-putting.

Possible candidates this season: Looks like Brandy is our best guess. 

The Host

Previous examples: Jerry Springer, Brooke Burke, Leeza Gibbons, Mario Lopez, Kenny Mayne, Lisa Rinna, Tucker Carlson, Mark Dacascos, Rocco DiSpirito, Erin Andrews

Advantages: Being that they’ve been at the helm of their own shows, these guys usually have the media savvy & charisma to appeal to the masses, as well as the previous exposure & recognizability.  Most (not all!) are also decently attractive, which never seems to hurt (unless, of course, you’re a model – see previous post for explanation).

Disadvantages: Many hosts are only used to hosting – as in just sitting down & talking (or dodging the occasional punch, if you’re Springer), so the lack of movement experience problem seems to come into play. 

Possible candidates this season:  Chris Jericho also hosts some show on NBC, so I guess he could do double-duty and fulfill the role of both the athlete and the host. 

The Actor

Previous examples: John O’Hurley, Melissa Joan Hart, Steve Guttenburg, John Ratzenberger, Debi Mazar, Denise Richards, Ted McGinley, Shannon Elizabeth, Jennie Garth, Vivica Fox, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Shannen Doherty

Advantages: Being that their bread & butter is acting, most can usually nail the emotions of the dances. Bonus points if they’ve done any Broadway (like Winokur) because they have likely had dance experience.

Disadvantages: For lack of a better term, many of them seem to be “has-beens” – actors that haven’t been particularly active in the mainstream in the past several years – or were never that big to begin with (can anyone else think of anything John O’Hurley has been in BESIDES Seinfeld?), making it harder for them to garner votes from a public who may not remember them. 

Possible Candidates this season: This one has blown up big within the last few days – we’ve got David Hasselhoff, Jennifer Grey, & Florence Henderson (who could also be considered a “legend”) now on our radar. There’s been a campaign for Bern Nadette Stanis, as well as one for Leslie Jordan that he himself is heading up.  Also a minor campaign for Melissa Peterman.

The Reality Star

Previous examples: Kim Kardashian, Kelly Osbourne, Melissa Rycroft, Steve-O, Holly Madison, Trista Sutter, Shanna Moakler, Kate Gosselin, Jake Pavelka

Advantages: Many have achieved pop culture icon status on their respective reality outlets, making them fairly recognizable.

Disadvantages: They may be memorable for the wrong reasons – people tended to remember things like Kim Kardashian’s sex tape more than her reality show, and people seemed more focused on Holly Madison’s split from Hef than her antics on The Girls Next Door.  Many can also come across as attention-hungry & talentless – reality TV is often looked down upon as a way to get famous without having any talent whatsoever. 

Possible candidates this season: Oy vey – this is the subtype that has had, by far, the greatest amount of casting rumors…everyone from The Situation to Teresa Giudice to both Ali Fedotowsky & fiancée Roberto Martinez, to Audrina Patridge, but it’s hard to tell who’s got a legit chance and who’s bluffing.  Personally, I’m still holding out for Sig Hansen

The Singer

Previous examples: Mya, Billy Ray Cyrus, Mario, Belinda Carlisle, Master P, Chuck Wicks, Sara Evans, Willa Ford, Monique Coleman, Toni Braxton, Macy Gray, Nicole Scherzinger

Advantages: As with the teen idols, many have had dance experience concurrent with their music careers. 

Disadvantages: Most seem to be committed solely to one genre of music (often R&B or country), making it hard to appeal to a wide fanbase.

Possible candidates this season: Most obvious choice? Michael Bolton.  But in the same token, you could also have Brandy and/or David Hasselhoff fulfilling this role if they’re trying to kill 2 birds with one stone. The Xzibit rumor is still lingering slightly, and Pete Wentz fans are still holding out hope.

The Wild Card

Previous examples: Heather Mills, Tom DeLay, Mark Cuban, Steve Wozniak, Priscilla Presley, Buzz Aldrin

Advantages: The sheer novelty of having someone with such an off-the-beaten-path claim to fame (famous divorcee/widow, entrepreneur, disgraced politician, etc.) may be enough to have the public voting them – just to see what happens.  Being the “underdog” is a powerful thing!

Disadvantages: Due to their often dubious fame, people just may not have any clue who they are – I personally had to Google Mark Cuban’s name.

Possible candidates this season: Can it get much wild card-ier than Bristol Palin?! Good grief…still trying to wrap my brain around how they’re going to try and spin her claim to fame…

Did you miss part I of my typecasting of season 11? Check it out here.  Feeling nostalgic? Check out parts I & II of my typecasting of season 10, and see how everything stacked up ;-)

Prior to the cast announcement last season, some of you may remember me analyzing the typecasting of DWTS – basically, the patterns in celeb casting over the seasons which can help us to predict who we might see each season.  Interesting to note – last season’s cast fulfilled all 12 of my types (counting Nicole as both a “Teen Idol” and a “Singer”).  So why not examine those types again and see what we might get for this season?

The Olympian

Previous examples: Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson, Apolo Ohno, Natalie Coughlin, Misty May-Treanor, Maurice Greene, Louie Vito, Evan Lysacek

Advantages: The winningest of the 12 types, their obvious advantage is their athleticism – you won’t see these guys struggling with strength or endurance moves.  In addition, the same tireless work ethic that helped them medal in the Olympics will likely carry them through the toils of the competition.

Disadvantages: For those specializing in sports that are less “artistic” (i.e. swimming, running, volleyball), it might be a bit hard to really get into the character of the dance and truly perform to the crowd.  Previously incurred injuries (or the fear of incurring an injury that might hinder their participation in subsequent competitions in their sport, a la Misty May-Treanor) may also slow them down & limit their mobility.

Possible candidates this season: Johnny Weir fans (including Karina Smirnoff) have been tweeting like crazy trying to get him cast this season, but I don’t see them succeeding.  I see more possibilities with swimmer Greg Louganis, who has been trying to get on the show for several seasons now, or gymnast Nastia Liukin – a teammate of Shawn Johnson’s & an alleged former flame of Lysacek.

The Athlete

Previous examples: Chuck Liddell, Warren Sapp, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Helio Castroneves, Laila Ali, Floyd Mayweather, Ty Murray, Evander Holyfield, Jerry Rice, Clyde Drexler, Monica Seles, Jason Taylor, Lawrence Taylor, Chad Ochocinco

Advantages: As with the Olympians, their athleticism & work ethic make them well-suited to the competition.  An edge they might have over their Olympic counterparts: sports like football, auto racing, & mixed martial arts tend to have a larger, more mainstream following than some of the Olympic sports.

Disadvantages: Again, a lack of “artistic” experience & previous injury (especially with the football players, who have really taken a beating over the years). Some of the more muscular athletes in hard-hitting sports may also have difficulty with the refined, precise moves of some of the dances.

Possible candidates this season: At this point, the numerous (reputable) news outlets reporting that Kurt Warner is going to be on season 11, along with Kurt’s own coy dodging of questions regarding his participation, make him almost a lock for this season in my eyes.   Don’t see a whole lot of hope for wrestler Shelley Martinez. Landon Donovan is a toss-up for me – maybe, maybe not. We here at Pure DWTS would love to see a representative from a more unique sport – such as jockey Chantal Sutherland.  Troy Aikmen – nice try, but we’re pretty sure you’re just joshin’ us

The Model/Playmate/Beauty Queen

Previous examples: Kelly Monaco, Rachel Hunter, Tia Carrere, Shanna Moakler, Paulina Porizkova, Shandi Finnessey, Josie Maran, Albert Reed, Shannon Elizabeth, Brooke Burke, Holly Madison, Kathy Ireland, Joanna Krupa, Pam Anderson

Advantages: All the costumes seem to look fantastic on them (and they can get away with wearing the really skimpy ones) and so do their pro partners – easy to imagine a “showmance”, which always seems to grab votes.  Also seems to have cornered the votes of the small population of male viewers, for obvious reasons

Disadvantages: Despite making a career out of looking great posing & strutting down the runway, many of them have proven to be rather awkward movers outside of that context, and some seem to have a hard time carrying around their taller than average stature.  They also run the risk of “pretty girl backlash” – the female viewers may turn on them due to jealousy or perceived arrogance, or just never vote for them in the first place, instead giving their votes to the attractive male participants.

Possible candidates this season: Rumors have been flying about UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste, and True Beauty contestant Amy Schmoldt has been hinting that she’d like to do the show.

The Legend

Previous examples: Cloris Leachman, Wayne Newton, Donny Osmond, Tatum O’Neal, Marie Osmond, Jane Seymour, Marlee Matlin, Susan Lucci

Advantages: These individuals are extremely well-known & respected in the entertainment business, with many years of experience (and fans) under their belts, as well as an award or two. Also masters of the stage & screen – perhaps the best at emulating the emotions of the dances.

Disadvantages: With many years of experience comes an older age than many of their competitors – which comes with an increased risk of injury & fatigue that could limit the difficulty of their routines.

Possible candidates this season: The Betty White rumor seems to be kaput, so that only leaves Ryan O’Neal, whose name we’ve heard only a few times as a possible contestant.

The Soap Star

Previous examples: Kelly Monaco, Cameron Mathison, Lisa Rinna, Susan Lucci, Aiden Turner

Advantages: The demographic of soap opera viewers overlaps heavily with the demographic of viewers of DWTS, and most soap opera viewers have been watching those shows for years (I started watching General Hospital when I was 6!), so they often have a fierce loyalty to their favorite characters (and the actors/actresses who portray them).

Disadvantages: This group likely has the most grueling schedule to contend with, as most soaps tape year-round, and some of them are taped in New York, forcing the stars (and sometimes their partners) to fly coast-to-coast several times a week to practice.  Many also have absolutely no background in any kind of sport, making them a real “project” for the pros to take on.

Possible candidates this season: The most likely is probably Nancy Lee Grahn, since she’s on an ABC soap.  Although I’d love to see Martha Byrne’s campaigners succeed in getting her on the show! As for the men – seems like the only name we’ve heard is Antonio Sabato Jr., and that really just seems more like wishful thinking on the part of his fans.

The Comedian

Previous examples: Penn Jillette, Jeff Ross, Adam Carolla, David Allen Grier, Ashley Hamilton, Niecy Nash

Advantages: Let’s face it, they’re fun to watch, and they definitely inject some much- needed hilarity into the show. 

Disadvantages: They often come across like they don’t take the competition seriously, instead favoring their usual schtick over actual dancing. Some of their on-show humor (Jeff Ross’ in particular) can also be rather polarizing – hilarious to some, offensive to others. And again – often no background in any sort of sport, let alone dancing.

Possible candidates this season: The only name we’ve heard is Heather McDonald, and we can’t even telling if she’s serious or kidding

Tune in for part II, when I make my predictions for who we might see in the way of reality TV stars, teen idols, and much more!

Alright kids…another week, another batch of 7 costumes to compare, contrast, and critique! And I know you all don’t agree wholeheartedly with everything Heidi & I have to say, so please…speak up.  Show us that you give a damn ;-) (Heidi: I’m in a really bad mood because this is turning into a 60 hour work week. Warning, warning!!)

 And again, many, many thanks to Marcela in Brazil for sending us a plethora of pictures of dittoed costumes that she found ;-) Você é maravilhosa, Marcela!

Battle of the purple & pink heavily-stoned ballgown: Kim’s “Pink Panther” foxtrot with Mark in season 7 vs. Chelsie’s preseason photo shoot in season 8

Courtney: As much as I don’t particularly care for Kim’s personality (especially her rather blasé demeanor while she was on the show), I think this suits Kim’s complexion and hair color better than it does Chelsie – seems to make her look ruddy.  But definitely one of my favorite ballgowns they’ve ever had on the show – love the color combo and just the simplicity of the cut. 

Heidi: I think it shortens Chelsie’s body too much – maybe the ankle length?? Or maybe just the pose. And I agree, it definitely goes better with the darker hair and completion on Kim.

The winner: Kim, in spite of her personality.

Battle of the yellow, cut-out, feathered Latin dress: Brooke in the samba smackdown in season 7 vs. Cheryl in the pro dance to Robin Thicke in season 8

Heidi: This is a stupid dress. I don’t like yellow, I don’t like the cutouts, I don’t like it on either of them. :::stamps feet:::: 

Courtney: Now I love yellow – but the cut of this dress is just silly-looking to me.  Makes both ladies look like Tweety Bird or something.  It also doesn’t do justice to professional American rhythm competitor Jaana Lillemagi. But since we’ve already determined that Cheryl can pull off yellow with her skin tone, I’m gonna go with her.

The winner: Despite Heidi’s temper tantrum, Cheryl looks the best as a cartoon canary.

Battle of the royal blue satin cut-out Latin dress: Julianne’s cha-cha with Apolo in season 4 vs. Anna in the pro paso demo in season 8

Courtney: This dress is just extremely odd to me – doesn’t really feel like a Latin dress or a ballgown.  And Anna, you know I love you to bits, but man – you look GHASTLY in this dress.  I feel like it just makes Anna look pale, and something about the cut of it adds pounds to her otherwise flawless figure.  It’s not terrible on Julianne, per se; it’s just kind of a non-event.  Not bad, but not great.  So I’ll go with Julianne.

Heidi: Boy, you’re reading my mind here. This dress’s structure is not flattering to either girl. Luckily for Julianne, she comes off a bit better, due mainly due to the pose. Anna, who has a perfect figure, looks almost like she has a spare tire. It’s that stupid vertical pit of fabric, I think, combined with the straight cut across the hips.

The winner: Julianne by a pose.

Battle of the sparkly, gold, long-sleeve romper: Julianne’s freestyle with Helio in season 5 vs. Karina’s pro dance with Derek to Selena Gomez in season 9

Heidi: Well, I have mad love for Karina’s partner, plus I think it suits her hair and skin tone better.

Courtney: CAMEL TOE ALERT!!! Ladies, this is why skin-tight rompers should just be avoided altogether – it’s hard to mask this dreaded fashion faux pas.  It makes it hard for me to even really like this costume on either lady – but since it’s not quite so visible on Karina, I’m giving this one to her.

Heidi: Well I think that most of what you’re seeing is a function of fabric, camera angle and shadow. I don’t think there is a true camel toe (and god, even typing those words makes me throw up in my mouth a bit – thanks, Court).

Courtney: Camel toe is no laughing matter, my friend! Hehe

The winner: Karina, by a hotter partner and better angle.

Battle of the pink, fringy, sparkly Latin dress: Kym’s jive with Mark in season 5 vs. Marlee’s preseason photo shoot with Fabian in season 6

Courtney: Wow, what a difference lighting makes! I can assure you all that this is indeed the same dress – the lighting from Marlee’s photo shoot just really washes out the otherwise vibrant neon pink that we see in Kim’s jive. I’m not particularly wowed by the dress on either lady.  So again, I default to my wise cohort on this one

Heidi: Kym. Kym all the way. Better boobage, better lighting, a face full of joy.

The winner: Kym by default.

Battle of the black & white, sparkly patterned ballgown: Melissa’s foxtrot with Tony in season 8 vs. Anna in the pro dance to Michael Buble in season 9

Heidi: This is a pretty dress – I dig it. It looks good on both ladies, but I have to go with Anna, mainly because her shoes match better and I like her hair better. I don’t like the tight style that Melissa is wearing.

Courtney: I’ve got to give this one to Anna – like with Lacey & the zebra dress last week, the little “pop” of color of her red hair just seems to pair better with the black & white of the dress than Melissa’s darker hair. 

The winner: Anna!! By a hair…and a shoe.

Battle of the red, sparkly, ruffle-y, cut-out Latin dress: Marlee’s cha-cha with Fabian in season 6 vs. Shawn’s preseason photo shoot with Mark in season 8

Courtney: Either I’m just getting sick of commenting on costumes (doubtful ) or I’ve seen this dress before – or rather, several dresses that seem nearly the same.  What is it with the costume department and red, ruffle-y, sparkly Latin dresses for the ladies? It’s becoming almost cliché. I guess I pick Shawn for this one – for once, the overall look of a dress actually seems more “finished” the 2^nd go-round than it did for the first!

Heidi: Whoa. Marlee is WHITE. Way too white. Distractingly white. Gotta go with Shawn for her tan and her ear rings.

The winner: Shawn by a tan.

You know you love lookin’ at costumes.  So why not quell your appetite for fashion by reviewing parts I, II, III, IV, & V while you wait for next week’s edition?

…and the fun continues! Alright fashion critics, have at it  

On a side note, we have to give a very special thanks to our friend Marcela, who frequents this site all the way from Brazil! Marcela was kind enough to share with us many dittoes that she had found, and even sent us side-by-side pictures of them.  Marcela, here’s a big “Obrigado!” from all of us here at Pure DWTS…you rock!

Battle of the black & white floral-print ballgown: Brooke’s quickstep with Derek in season 7 vs. Cheryl in the pro dance to Michael Buble in season 9

Courtney: Hmmmm. I’m not hugely fond of this dress, so I think it’s making it hard for me to figure out who it looks better on.  I think it probably suits Brooke’s body a bit better (surprise, surprise…that woman could make a burlap sack look good!), but I’m not a fan of the severely pulled-back side bun hair they gave her.  I think it doesn’t suit Cheryl’s body quite as well, but I think her loose, carefree hair & hoop earrings better suit the breezy feel of the dress.  I dunno…I’m defaulting to Heidi.

Heidi: Does liking Brooke’s partner better count??   Seriously though, look at both of the men – I think you’ll note that the men’s outfits match the hairstyles on the ladies. They made Brooke much more formal, to complement Derek’s dinner jacket and bow tie and slick hair, whereas Cheryl’s hair is more loose and flowy which compliments Jonathan’s lack of jacket and undone bow tie. BOTH couples are very finished, for what they are trying to portray.

The winner: Have to call it a draw for two complete ensembles – men included.

Battle of the gold-fringe Latin dress: Chelsie’s salsa with Ty in season 8 vs. Nicole’s jive with Derek in the season 10 finale

Heidi: Derek and Nicole’s Jive was just fan-flippin-tastic – and that includes seriously rocking that dress. Chelsie might be too sweet to be that fierce. And that ain’t no jive talkin’.

Courtney: Now as fierce as both these ladies look in this sparkler, I’ve gotten give it to Nicole – she just slightly out-fierces Chelsie with that fabulous hair flip.  That jive was seriously awesome – and Tina herself sure knows how to rock a gold fringe dress!

The winner: Nicole, by a Tina Turner ‘tude

Battle of the hot pink, cut-out ballgown with matching gloves: Kym’s foxtrot with David in season 8 vs. Melissa’s preseason photo shoot with Mark in season 9

Courtney: This gown is just adorable – reminds me so much of Marilyn Monroe’s dress in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes…which is why I think it looks so cute on both of these lovely blonde ladies ;-) Love Melissa’s 40’s-esque finger waves, but I also love Kym’s tighter curls.  In the end, though, I just have to give this one to Kym – while I don’t particularly remember David well that season (except for his rather embarrassing exit speech), I do remember Kym just working it in this foxtrot, and this dress just sparkling away as she moved.  Therefore, I must give this one to our favorite Aussie blonde

Heidi: They both do look awesome. But when you mention Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, it made me think of Marlee Matalin’s dance with Derek, Mark, Fabian Sanchez and Genya Mazo and I ran to check the video. Nah. Not the same dress as Marlee. ;-) ANYway, I have to give it to Kym too – that body is hard to beat and I just like her personality better anyway.

The winner: Kym, for being the Aussie answer to Marilyn herself!

Battle of the itty-bitty, coral one-sleeve Latin dress: Edyta’s cha-cha with Jason in season 6 vs. Julianne’s pro dance with Derek to Jennifer Hudson in season 7

Heidi: That Julianne had the guts to wear a dress AFTER Edyta wore it – well, I have to hand it to her. Girl is brave. Of course she works it just as well as Edyta, so why not? I like it better with Julianne’s coloring, I think.

Courtney: This has got to be one of the TINIEST costumes I’ve ever seen on the show – and that’s saying something, considering that Edyta is, to quote Lawrence Taylor “allergic to clothes”, hehe.  Not that I blame Edyta at all – as I’ve said before, if I had a body that fabulous, you’d have to put me in a nudist colony, because I would be naked ALL THE TIME.  However, this dress looks too much to me like many of the others Edyta has worn, while the look is a little more surprising on Julianne – the coral looks surprisingly flattering on her.  So kudos to Julianne for out-Edytaing Edyta!

The winner: Julianne for bravery.

Battle of the yellow & orange overdye Latin dress: Julianne’s salsa with Cody in season 7 vs. Lisa’s quickstep with Mayo in the new pro contest in season 8

Courtney: I found it very, very strange that they opted to put Lisa in a Latin dress to do a quickstep – I guess they were trying to fit the whole “Walking on Sunshine” theme with the colors of the dress.  But it just looks so mismatched up to Mayo – he’s so covered & dark and she’s so…bare.  And I hate that shaggy haircut of hers – I feel like it totally obscures her face.  Now Julianne, on the other hand, is just an absolute delight in this dress – can you believe this was only about a week after her appendectomy?!

Heidi: Girlfriend did one hell of a jive with Derek a week after her appendectomy, so yes, I can believe it. ;-) This one is kind of a toss up for me – Lisa cut off the tail of the dress and the colors look better with her tan, but her hair and her overinflated lips get me every time. Love Julianne, but she added a huge flower up near the shoulder that I can’t get behind, plus it took me a minute or two to figure out that the tail of the dress was wrapped around her right leg. Don’t know what she’s got around her left ankle. Anyway, I guess I find the flower and the tail less egregious than the hair and the lips.

The winner: Julianne, for normal lips.

Battle of the fringed, zebra-print Latin dress: Mel B’s jive with Maks in season 5 vs. Lacey’s preseason photo shoot in season 7

Heidi: I kind of find this dress awful. And Lacey didn’t follow the “take one thing off” rule before she left the house. ;-) That said, I like it better on her because of the gloves and the red hair. Add in that I am SO NOT a Mel fan and well….Lacey wins.

Courtney: Another dress I just don’t particularly care for – looks like something off the sale rack at Wet Seal.  However, I do think it fits both ladies’ feisty personalities well.  I guess I’ll go with Lacey – the streaks of red in her hair offer a nice pop of color to offset the black & white in the dress.

The winner: Lacey…just barely. This dress sucks.

Battle of the red, cut-out, ruffly Latin dress: Shannon’s mambo with Derek in season 6 vs. Kym’s preseason photo shoot in season 7

Courtney: Wow, this batch is really a mixed bag for me – I’m either loving or hating these dresses.  This, unfortunately falls into the latter category – BLECH.  Am I the only one that thought that Shannon looked terribly awkward in almost every costume they put her in? Aggghhh, and that hair – looks like they were trying to style it like her ex-husband’s (look him up – Joe Reitman.  Eek!) Kym does a decent job of making a crappy dress look acceptable, so I’ll go with her. 

Heidi: I think Shannon WAS awkward in a lot of the dresses. This one is funny because she had lots of padding in the bra AND in the butt, and she wasn’t afraid to tell EVERYONE. It made all the media that week very entertaining, especially when Derek is pulling down the back of her dress to show reporters and she then proceeds to rip his shirt open. And to think they tried to tell people they were just friends. Um, right. ;-) I also have to give it up to Derek for once again attempting a camouflage (with all those ruffles) a lack of hip action. Despite me enjoying this dress on Shannon for all the backstage reasons, it’s pretty clear that Kym just wears it better. The confidence will get you every time. I bet Kym didn’t need the padding either.

The winner: Duh, Kym! Even though this dress sucks too.

 Pssst! First time here? Then you should definitely check out parts I, II, III, & IV of our “Who Wore it Better?” series!  

Wow…can’t say that I really expected these costume posts to become as popular as they have! I was pleased as punch earlier today when I did a search for “Who Wore It Better?” and found many sites (even ones not related to DWTS!) linking to our posts.  Glad to see everyone’s having as much fun playing fashion critic as we are  

Now I only have one concern: how long is it going to be before other not-to-be-named DWTS fan sites (that are notorious for posting content very similar to ours, ahem) start “borrowing” our pictures and commenting on them the same way we have? Hmmm…well just remember, kids: you saw it here FIRST

Battle of the two-piece black vinyl paso dress: Anna in the pro dance to Def Leppard in season 6 vs. Lacey in the pro dance to Kevin Rudolf in season 8

Courtney: Eh…I’m having a hard time with this one.  I think it physically looks better on Anna, but she doesn’t have the personality to carry off the whole rocker persona; I think Lacey has the right attitude, but it just doesn’t look as flattering on her.  I have the hardest time when the girls go barefoot to do Latin – the movement just doesn’t seem as dramatic & crisp, and I feel like it makes their legs look short.  So I guess I’m going with Anna on this one.

Heidi: Well, I’m with Anna too, but it’s purely a personal preference for her as a dancer. I also don’t like the barefoot ballroom deal – I think of ballroom almost always elegant (even the raunchy latin) than the contemporary stuff that the bare feet bring to mind. Personal preference, although I give Lacey props for this particular dance.

The winner: Anna, by a high heel. 

 Battle of the white, heavily-stone ballgown with matching choker: Melissa’s Viennese waltz with Tony in season 8 vs. Anna’s waltz with Jonathan to Norah Jones in season 9

Heidi: Best couple dancing on the show, bar none, goes to Anna and Jonathan when waltzing. Makes me all schmoopy – and that’s so not me. ;-)  Don’t like the sleeve things on Melissa – the simpler look from Anna is cleaner and prettier. Not to mention the look on her face.

Courtney: You know I love Anna to bloody bits, so this one is no-contest for me I think wardrobe was wise to eighty-six those weird sleeves from when Melissa wore the dress, and replace it with one simple drape across the front.  And Melissa, please, don’t slouch – everything looks better when you stand up straight! Wow…I just love that picture of Jonathan & Anna.  *sigh* They are just a dream to watch.  BEAUTIFUL.

Heidi: It’s so funny that you said that about Melissa. I really like Melissa now that her fans aren’t being nasty all over the DWTS message boards, but my first thought on seeing that picture was “straighten up, girly!”

The winner: Anna, by a husband.

 Battle of the black & tan, two-tone fringe Latin dress: Shawn’s cha-cha with Mark in season 8 vs. Anna in the ladies’ pro dance opener in season 9

Courtney: I’m probably going to incite a firestorm of debate with this one, but…I actually like the dress better on Anna than Shawn. *hides face in fear* Shawn is adorable, don’t get me wrong – but I feel like the overall fit of the dress is better on statuesque Anna, while it seems to really shorten Shawn’s torso and hits her hips at an odd angle.  And as I’ve said before, I’m not a fan of the over-styled, severely bump-itized hairdos…I much prefer a more loose, carefree hairstyle, so I’m sorry, but I have to give this one to Anna.

Heidi: Oh you’re fine. And you won’t get any argument from me. ;-) What the problem is, I think, is that the black/tan border hits Shawn in the wrong spot – she is so short that the dress almost works against her, shortens her frame more, whereas Anna has such a long torso that it just seems to wear better on her.

Courtney: Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head with that one.  It just seems like everyone thinks Shawn is just so adorable in everything she wears…and while Shawn is cute, I don’t think this dress was particularly flattering on her. 

The winner: Anna by a long torso.

Battle of the yellow-fringed, cut-out Latin dress: Jennie’s samba with Derek in season 5 vs. Kym in the pro dance to Robin Thicke in season 8 vs. Ashly & Cheryl in the pro dance to the Beach Boys in season 10

Heidi: Ashly has this weird drape of fabric right across her waist – what is up with that?? It looks horrible like that!! Jennie looks ghostly in it, so I think it comes down to Cheryl and Kym.  I like it on both of them, but I think Cheryl has the edge due to the darker hair and the darker skin.

Courtney: Talk about a dress that’s been around the block a few times-er, seasons! Yellow seems to make Jenny look a little jaundice, so she’s out; the cut of the dress seems a bit odd on Kym, so she’s out too – honestly, I think it’s nary impossible for blondes to wear yellow without looking pale, so poor Jennie & Kym were already at a bit of a disadvantage.  That leaves Ashly & Cheryl, who got a bonus drape of fabric added to distract us from the fact that we’ve already seen this dress twice before, hehe.  Now while I think both carry off the color quite well, yellow just doesn’t seem to strike me as a color that Ashly has a lot of in her wardrobe…so I’m going to go with Cheryl.  Cheryl has the personality to carry off yellow

The winner: Cheryl!! We found a dress for her!

Battle of the white & blue, two-piece fringe Latin dress: Brooke’s jive with Derek in season 7 vs. Denise’s preseason photo shoot in season 8

Courtney: Blech…two ladies whose personalities I don’t particularly care for, in a dress that I don’t particularly care for.  Do I really have to pick one? Ugh, fine…Brooke, I guess.  The color at least looks good with her hair and skin.  Denise looks washed out.  But at least they got rid of those suspender-like drapes for Denise and replaced it with a single, well-placed drape.  Ok, that’s it…nothing else better to say.

Heidi: I have to go with Brooke even though they had those two vertical drapes which were just plain weird.  You’re right, it looks better with her hair and skin than it does on Denise.

The winner: Brooke, in spite of the suspenders

Battle of the red-fringed ballgown with draping sleeve: Julianne’s quickstep with Cody in season 7 vs. Nancy’s would-be preseason photo shoot with Tony in season 8 vs. Ashly’s preseason photo shoot with Buzz in season 10

Heidi: Hmmmm….I don’t think I can see enough of the dress on Nancy, and poor Ashly seems to have a baby bump in her picture, so I go with the Hough of the bunch, despite being bitter about Footloose to this day.

Courtney: Ironically enough, I think Nancy actually wore this one the best – even though she never actually danced on the show! Haha.  Love her hair and how the pose she’s in really lets the fabric & fringe drape beautifully.  It’s ok on Julianne – red just doesn’t seem to be the best color on her.  As for Ashly, the color is nice – but the cut of the dress, coupled with the pose, just really isn’t flattering on her.  It kinda stinks, but I feel like wardrobe has really “mommy-ized” her since her return to the show – poor girl has a great body and is only in her 20s, yet this season they seemed to put her in dresses better suited to a much older woman.  Bring back the old Ashly costumes, PLEASE!

The winner: Tie between Jules & Nancy – because they don’t look pregnant

Battle of the red-bodice, black-lace overlay tango dress: Kelly, Joanna, & Kym in the group tango in season 9 vs. Kathy’s tango with Tony in the season 9 finale

Courtney: It was a little surprising to me that they dittoed a dress in the same season it was originally worn, but I guess maybe they just didn’t have time to make Kathy a new costume just for the finale.  And maybe that’s why she seems a bit awkward in it, too.  Kelly & Joanna look nice in this dress, but I think Kym’s hair and makeup and overall expression really work this dress the best.

Heidi: Yeah, I’m with you – Kym has the right expression for the dance AND the dress, I think. Joanna suffers from having the weird rumba hair left over from earlier in the evening and Kelly looks fish-facey.  Kathy looks amazing too though…but I’m going with Kym.

The winner: Kym, by a fierce face

  Want more? Be sure to check out parts I, II, & III to relive the magic of our first three installments, and we’ll be back again next week with a fresh batch of dittoed costumes

As promised, here is your third weekly installment of our continuing analysis of reused costumes on the show. While the first 2 editions dealt solely with costumes reused in season 10, this one is a mixed bag of dresses going as far back as season 5 – proof that if the folks at Randall are reeeeally having a hard time selling a costume to the public, some lucky/unlucky pro or celeb may get the privilege/punishment of having to wear it a second (or sometimes third!) time. Read and discuss!

Oh, and P.S. – we’re trying hard to do a guys’ edition of Who Wore it Better, but it’s proving to be really, really hard…so if you know of any dittos, please let us know, and please at least look up pictures or find them on youtube to ensure they are, in fact, the same costume – some of the ones that have been brought up to me are really just similar (but not identical) pieces.  ;-)

Battle of the black, silver-spangled Latin dress: Melissa’s cha-cha with Tony in season 8 vs. Kym in the ladies’ pro dance opener in season 9
Courtney: As an aside, I really didn’t care for that opening dance that the season 9 pro ladies did – it felt a little low-energy and kinda like it was just thrown together at the last minute to fill space (lord knows why). That probably explains why Kym just doesn’t look quite as “finished” in it as Melissa does – love the fedora and jewelry that really ties it together on her. Both gorgeous ladies with fabulous bodies – but I’m giving it to Melissa for having a little bit of extra “oomph”.
Heidi: Boy, this is a tough one! I do agree about the ladies pro dance – very messy, disjointed. As for the dress…not sure how I feel about the fedora on Melissa – it almost feels like overkill, what with the choker and the bracelets and the earings AND the hat. Who was the famous actress that said she always took one thing off before she left the house? This could have been done here to better effect. She needs to lose something from the head/neck area. That said, Kym is the opposite extreme – too minimalist. And really, those pro dances are the opening numbers so there’s really no excuse for it except maybe laziness.
The winner: Melissa, by a choker.

Battle of the short, red, fringed, Latin dress w/matching belt: Karina in the Michael Jackson tribute in season 9 vs. Julianne’s cha-cha with Helio in season 5
Heidi: Again, two beautiful girls who can wear just about anything. If I have to pick I have to go with Karina because of how well she can wear red. Jules wears it well too, but it looks better on Karina. Have to agree with Courtney, below, also – Jules’ hair is too severe.
Courtney: Now as adorable as Jules tends to look in pretty much anything she wears, I think I actually like this one better on Karina – it could be the lighting, but I think the red looks better against her skin than it does Julianne’s, who looks a bit more washed-out. Also prefer Karina’s loose curls to Julianne’s bump-it updo. I hate those damn things!!!
The winner: Karina, by the skin of her…skin.

Battle of multi-colored, neon-fringed Latin dress: Jewel’s would-be preseason photo shoot with Dmitry in season 8 vs. Misty’s mambo with Maks in season 7
Courtney: Ok, I’m putting it out there – this dress is cursed and should probably be burned due to bad karma. Misty donned it for a mambo; two weeks later she withdrew with a devastating Achilles’ tendon injury. Jewel wore it for her promo photo shoot; not long after she was sidelined with 2 fractured tibias and had to be replaced with Holly Madison. And really, this dress is just tacky with a capital T. I loathe neon – especially multiple shades of it on the same dress – and I particularly loathe it when it’s fringe. Blech. Nobody wins in this one!
Heidi: Have you noticed that Maks has a fondness for multicolored, bright, tacky dresses? It’s weird, because then he puts Joanna in a classy beautiful dress – which I’m going to credit to Derek since the design is done early in the week and Maks has a bad track record. But yes, this is one nasty dress and they seem to pair it with bad hair and OTT jewelery.
The winner: Do you see any winners here? I sure don’t.

Battle of the two-piece, tri-color ruffled & feathered Latin dress: Joanna’s preseason photo shoot with Derek in season 9 vs. one of the dancers in the Tiempo Libre performance in season 9 vs. Kym’s samba with Warren in season 7
Heidi: Okay, I’ve decided that I don’t like multicolored dresses. Too, too much. But like every other possible article of clothing, Joanna can pull it off. Partly confidence, partly issues with her competitors, like Courtney says below.
Courtney: Poor Kym & unidentified Tiempo Libre performer – it’s really hard to hold a candle to Joanna in, well, pretty much any costume. And I daresay she rocks what would be an otherwise rather awkward dress pretty damn well – having a fab figure and a great spray tan doesn’t hurt, either. Kym looks a little pasty in the sunset color scheme; the costume just looks kinda loose on the brunette from Tiempo Libre.
The winner: Joanna, by default.

Battle of the silver-fringed, super-sparkly, cut-out Latin dress: Mya’s preseason photo shoot with Dmitry in season 9 vs. Lil Kim’s cha-cha with Derek in season 8
Courtney: Ok, observation: the lighting in the pre-season shoots never seems to do justice to some of these dresses the way the lights of the dance floor do. This is no exception – the dress just glows on Kim, while it barely reflects any light on Mya. Plus Mya’s pose just looks awkward to me – really kinda surprised they picked that one as her best shot. The dress seems to be wearing Mya, rather than the other way around. Kim DOMINATES this dress!
Heidi: Kim dominates everything. It’s all about confidence and attitude and Kim has plenty of both!! Both dresses were used early on too, so that’s not a reason. It’s weird too, because Mya was a trained dancer – I would expect a more confident stance from her even that early.
The winner: Kim by a ‘tude.

Battle of the blue-fringed & stoned Latin dress: Shawn’s samba with Mark in season 8 vs. Natalie’s preseason photo shoot in season 9
Heidi: Not a fan of this dress, really. I think it looks better on Shawn but only because she’s moving. Hate her hair and think they went overboard on the make up though. Natalie is fine in it and she has a beautiful smile. But I have to give it up to Shawn.
Courtney: Another instance where photo shoot lighting doesn’t do a girl any favors, and neither does standing still – this dress doesn’t look nearly as impressive on Natalie as it does on Shawn. I wouldn’t say it necessarily looks BAD on her, but it’s just kinda…blah.
The winner: Shawn, for not being a statue.

Battle of the long, dark blue, corseted paso dress: Brooke, Kym, & Cheryl in the team paso doble in season 7 vs. Kelly’s preseason photo shoot with Louis in season 9
Courtney: 4 very different ladies, one dress. Poor Cheryl – everything costume they made her wear in season 7 just seemed to look mediocre, and unfortunately this is no exception. I think what bothers me about Brooke wearing it is her expression – it’s supposed to be aggressive, but to me it looks more confused…so she’s out, too. Kym looks decent in it, but I really love Kelly in this one – the dramatic feel of the dress seems to suit her personality well, and looks good with her coloring.
Heidi: Love, love, LOVE this dress. It’s probably one of my favorites ever on the show. Love the color, love the corset, love the flowy skirt. Love. As for who wears it best? Well, not Cheryl, for reasons stated. She doesn’t look horrible in it, she just doesn’t hold up as well as her competitors. The thing I remember about this dress is Kym’s fierce face during the dance with Warren, and how beautifully they all pulled this dance off. I think the dress brought out the right attitude in all the women. Kelly? Yeah, I love it on her too. If I have to pick a winner, I’ll go with a tie between Brooke and Kym, mainly because of my fond memories of that dress.
The winner: Kelly, because Heidi can’t pick just one.

Since the first installment of our “Who Wore it Better?” series seemed to be reasonably popular (and some of you requested more!) here’s another helping of dittoed costumes for your consideration…discuss & enjoy!

NOTE: As I (Courtney) mentioned in the comments of the other post, we know there are many, many more dittos than this – so many that it’s going to become a recurring series, hopefully with a sort of “theme” to each post. So please, bear with us as we try to find the best pix for each one, and please do list any that you’d like to see a comparison of…we will do our best to make it happen!

Battle of the 2-piece yellow fringe dress: Anna’s pro dance during the Beach Boys’ week 2 results show performance vs. Lil Kim’s samba with Derek in season 8
Courtney: I think the color really pops on both ladies’ skin – I especially love the way it looks paired with red hair (which is why I have so much of it in my closet ). However, I think it makes Kim look a little wide on the bottom, while it looks more balanced on Anna. I’m going with my fellow redhead on this one
Heidi: Can I pick neither? I don’t like yellow. I guess if I have to pick I’ll go with Kim since she seems to work everything to the fullest. I also don’t think that teeny always equals the best look. See below.
Winner: Anna, due to Heidi’s apathy.

Battle of the pale pink flutter-sleeve ballroom gown: Vienna’s waltz with Jake during the finale vs. Cheryl’s Viennese waltz with Maurice in season 7
Heidi: We’re batting zero on our ditto selections thus far. Just…ick. Gawdawful. I’ll go with Cheryl simply because she wasn’t on the Bachelor.
Courtney: I’m sorry, but I think this dress is hideous – at least the cut of it is. I feel like it adds the illusion of extra weight to both ladies, and I have a feeling it would do the same thing to any gal that was unfortunate enough to get stuck wearing it. I think the silhouette is slightly more pleasing on Vienna, but the color washes out her skin and doesn’t seem to support her, ahem, “assets” well. As for Cheryl, I think the color is great on her, but the cut does nothing for her figure. However, the overall look seems more “finished” on her, with the well-styled hair and jewelry. So I’m giving this one to Cheryl – barely…
Winner: Cheryl, by virtue of a few pieces of jewelry, some hairspray, and a lack of a history on a certain reality dating show.

Battle of the red lace & ruffles Latin dress: One of the dancers in the Haiti benefit “Stars of Dance” performance in week 2 vs. Chelsie’s salsa relay with Louis in season 9
Courtney: As a preface, almost all the costumes used in this particular “Stars of Dance” performance were reused from previous seasons. Unfortunately, I think they also copped out a bit in the hair & makeup department on the performance – seems like all the ladies in it got stuck with the standard-issue pulled-back, flower-in-the-hair and red lipstick, rather than a more customized look to complement their dresses. For that reason, I’m going to go with Chelsie on this one – her look seems a bit more tailored to fit the dress, and I think it doesn’t overwhelm her frame as much as it does the woman in the Haiti performance.
Heidi:I think the dress itself is more finished looking on Chelsie. Her look is also not as severe as the brunette wearing it and that works. It also doesn’t hurt that Chelsie just has a gorgeous smile in the picture we used.
The winner: Chelsie, by a megawatt smile

Battle of the silver-stoned, drapey Latin dress: Tyne Stecklein’s lyrical dance during Maxwell’s results show performance in week 4 vs. Kym’s rumba with Warren in season 7
Courtney: While I like the dress on both ladies, I’m kinda glad they got rid of the weird purple dangling fabric pieces in the front when they tweaked the dress for Tyne (who, by the way, I think is absolutely gorgeous and was stunning in this performance!) and replaced them with less distracting drapes. Love you Kym, but I’m going with Tyne on this one.
Heidi: Hey now, drapey is a requirement for the rumba, as is made glaringly apparent every season on DWTS. As for who I like better, well, I’m not a fan of the emaciated, anorexic, count every rib look, so I have to go with Kym. Although Tyne does bear a striking resemblance to a young Tea Leoni! Very beautiful face.
The winner: Due to Court’s disdain for weird dangly fabric, and Heidi’s disdain for visible ribcages…it’s a tie.

Battle of the red-stoned, cut-out ballroom gown: Chelsie’s pre-season photo shoot with Jake vs. Brooke’s tango with Derek in season 7
Courtney: Another dress where some subtle tweakage does a world of good – I’m glad they got rid of that weird black waist strap from when Brooke wore it. But again, looks like hair & makeup may have gotten a little lazy with Chelsie’s shoot – it just looks like her everyday look, with some bracelets thrown on in a feeble attempt to complete the ensemble. So overall, the look on Chelsie is just kinda plain – while Brooke’s look is more polished & tied-together. Awkward crotch-shot aside, Brooke rocked this one better.
Heidi: I have to go with Brooke. I love the belt thing, but the long black gloves in combination with that belt really make it a much more interesting dress on Brooke. It’s so plain on Chelsie. Not to mention that it would be difficult for any woman to stack up to Brooke in the body department, even one 15 years her junior.
The winner: Brooke. ‘Nuff said.

Battle of the red-stoned & feathered Latin dress: One of the dancers in the Haiti “Stars of Dance” performance vs. Debi’s salsa with Maks in season 9
Heidi: Do I have to choose? Really, I’m sure this dress looks good on someone, but neither of these two ladies. And I don’t think it’s their bodies, I think it’s the hair. Like I’ve said before, your hair can destroy an otherwise good ensemble.
Courtney: I hate this dress, too – probably because, as I mentioned earlier this year, I am ridiculously allergic to real feathers, particularly ostrich ones (which is why I had such disdain for Erin’s first samba dress…then again, that dress was just kinda tacky any way you looked at it). The skirt on this one looks like a dead muppet, and both ladies seemed to get stuck with the same weird, side-parted-but-too-high-up-on-the-crown-and-possibly-guilty-of-bump-it-use updos (and WTF is in Debbie’s hair? Shoelaces???). Neither one wore it better. BURN IT.
The winner: Everyone stuck in this dress loses thus far…except maybe Elmo.

Battle of the red-spangly, stoned-bodice Latin dress: Liana Churilova (Emmanuel Pierre-Antoine’s partner) in the Haiti performance vs. Susan’s cha-cha with Tony in season 7
Courtney: Ok, if anyone has ever been fortunate enough to catch one of Emmanuel & Liana’s performances in person, I think you can agree with me – they’re awesome. She was really the only standout female for me in this performance (except maybe Alexandra Gregoire-Prophete, the sole Haitian lady in the dance who is actually one of Emmanuel’s former partners – also pretty awesome) and definitely rocked this dress better than Susan, who seemed a little overwhelmed by it. I also thought the color popped better on Liana’s skin, and seemed to move better on her.
Heidi: Have you noticed that we have an obscene amount of red in this particular post? Good lord. Anyway, I really like this little dress, but I think Susan may be too scrawny for it and possibly not confident enough for it. She doesn’t look horrible in it by any stretch, but Susan just looks uncomfortable to me.
The winner: Liana, for being comfortable rocking yet another red dress.

Stay tuned next week for another costume showdown. We’re going to try to do a male one too.