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Task #4
They Flopped? They're Still Bops
Snawl
Zoetic
The late-2000s-to-early-2010s was a peculiar era in pop music. Seemingly invincible pop megastars started flopping for filth and it seemed they couldn't have a hit to save their lives. Some of them would recover and go on to have many more years of success, while others are still trying to bounce back today. This is the inspiring theme for Season 9's entry into the Week 4 Music Video Task!
I've selected four distinct music videos from four pop flops that I personally think are pretty great, and deserve better. Your job this week is to scroll down, watch the four videos, and select one to inspire your next outfit. Your outfit can be inspired by the fashion in the video, the theme, the background of a particular scene, a visual effect, anything at all so long as it is visually related to the video and not too ambiguous. There is no maximum quantity for designers per video, you can choose whichever you'd like and switch at any time prior to submitting.
This is a pretty straight forward task, but that doesn't mean I want straight forward, generic outfits. Try to embody your outfit with not only the video's visuals, but also your personal style. I don't want a carbon copy, that's what CC is for.
Your due date for this task is Thursday, February 29th at 8:00pm EST (1am GMT)
Any questions, you know how to reach me.
For the 5th season in a row, this is the Week 4 Music Video Task. Good luck!
Panel #4
Well done to those of you who've made it to the obligatory Music Video week. This task is a staple in Snawlterm not only because it's so damn fun, but I find it to be a very successful indicator of potential. Those who excel in this task (usually) make it to the end.
This week had no shortage of fantastic outfits. Once again, I feel like the Top 6 each could have won this week on their own individual merits. Going forward, it is important to give your final products that extra push, that extra wow factor to help stand out because this competition is so ridiculously tight. I understand the frustration that comes with working hard on an outfit, only for it to not score as high as you hoped in the final rankings. If this sounds like you, then perhaps you need to ask yourself how you can better separate your creative choices from the herd. How can you take a good outfit and elevate it a bit further? Because this competition has made it clear time & time again that "good" simply isn't good enough anymore.
Zoetic (Slur) joins us again at the judging table this week.
Britney Spears - Break The Ice
[2008]
US Billboard Peak: #48
Video A
Featuring... Elysse, Jared, & Mickey
elysse (LC22)
Snawl: Such a curious choice of inspiration, yet I think it's being handled expertly here. My eye immediately goes to the skirt because of its bowl-like shape that almost mimics the glass dome being shattered in your chosen frame. The sparkles from the Indian cape convey shattered glass on a micro level and it's that small detail that really sings loud & clear. I suppose there can be a criticism to be made about how this outfit is mostly retro, however, I'm not going to make it because this outfit doesn't seem gaudy, or exploitative of novel items. This is a brilliant use of simple, mostly familiar items in a way that is not only refreshing & runway-ready but also creative and immersive as hell. The only creative choice I'm not 100% sold on are the sneakers, they seem a tad bit too at odds with everything else. Besides that, this is another fantastic submission from you. Nicely done, El!
Zoetic: I like a lot of the elements here and I think you paid homage to your photo perfectly. That glass breaking effect seems so hard to achieve in clothing, yet I see it 100%. Dumbed down, this outfit really is quite simple. It’s essentially just a skirt, a bra, and a couple accessories. This is where it becomes somewhat of a toss-up for me, because you achieved the effect perfectly, but it is quite a simple outfit that I feel could be elevated even further to become something truly show stopping.
jared (fierce.needles)
Snawl: Your oversaturation of blues is a refreshing take on the video whose scenes feature several examples of such palettes. There is an incidental ombre gradient on & below the waist which is great, too. My favourite detail of this whole outfit are the hidden, barely visible checkered chef pants that are being sheltered by the coattails. The choice to wear a hoodie backwards, in any other context, would most certainly bother me to the nines, but in this instance I enjoy the chaotic flowing energy it brings to the outfit and its relation to several scenes in the video. The silver on the shoes is stunning, too. A hat/headpiece was definitely necessary for this outfit, but I'm not a fan of this particular hat's shape. It flares out too wide and robs attention from everything else and for me, gives a distracting level of Smurf-girl-scout-selling-cookies. Besides that, this is a solid submission. Nice work.
Zoetic: While I liked your original submission, I’m liking this one more. It’s undoubtedly always a risk to abandon your original design and submit something that’s quite different from it. This feels like more of an actualized design while still having the ribbon-like elements of your original submission. It’s actually really cool and it gives off a super oversized avant-garde streetwear vibe. While I see that the hat matches your design in aesthetic, I probably would’ve preferred this look without it. I feel like the outfit speaks for itself and the hat is rather distracting from the intricacy you have going on in the outfit itself.
mickey (player)
Snawl: The still frame you chose is so weird, but it's a testament to the video's range - and thankfully it was a choice well made because this outfit is very memorable. Maybe this is confirmation bias on my part, but the silhouette of your outfit kinda evokes an anime character? With the hat, hair, mask, outward dress, sheathed sword, etc. Perhaps my brain is just looking for a connection that doesn't exist, but either way it's enhancing my enjoyment of the outfit greatly. The spangles of violet against the iridescent dress work so well. This outfit is a bit camp too which in this instance I appreciate a lot, given the chosen subject matter. It still wouldn't look out of place on a runway at all. My only criticism for this outfit are the norm heels because they look like eagle talons from this angle. Besides that, this is yet another intricate, gorgeous, envelope pushing outfit from you.
Zoetic: This outfit standing on its own makes no sense and it almost looks like you just hit the randomizer button on any habbo imager, but next to the photo it makes complete sense, which I love. You chose such an obscure, difficult photo to represent in habbo clothing but it looks so similar it’s as if you copy and pasted the image onto your model. The outfit itself is weird, don’t get me wrong, but I like this sort of almost deconstructed laying that’s going on. The only thing I don’t love are the shoes, especially from that angle, they kinda take me out of the fantasy a bit.
Rihanna - Te Amo
[2010]
US Billboard Peak: N/A (didn't even chart LOL)
Video B
Featuring... Skye, Chan, Nicole, & Ashlyn
skye (squeeling)
Snawl: This outfit, much like your submission last week, succeeds with the task only by the bare minimum. Yes, this outfit is visually cohesive to the video and your artistic vision comes through crystal clear. However, said artistic vision isn't conveying anything attention-grabbing. The only interesting part of this outfit's layout are the cyberpunk wings, everything else gets lost in the abundance of black. The face mask is something I genuinely do not understand. The entire lower half of this outfit has nothing noteworthy happening, it's just passable; consistent, but not utilized to its fullest potential. It's like you treated the pants & shoe category like a quota that needed to be filled, instead of a blank canvas that can convey an artistic expression. You design pretty, wearable, accessible clothing which is a talent in and of itself, but in the context of this long-term, I feel you're just consistently being outshone.
Zoetic: I’m having a bit of a hard time with this one. While I see the references to the colors and boldness/sexiness of the video, it just looks a bit too much like a stage performance costume to me, rather than an actual design. The proportions are also a bit strange; it kinda looks like your model’s pants are pulled right up to her chest which reads unflattering (I could maybe see it with a skirt but with those pants I just don’t love it).
chan (chan.)
Snawl: I love outfits that create new layouts with otherwise tired, commonly used clothing pieces. Despite having no singular Avant Garde accessory or an explosion of colour, this outfit is extremely alluring, I cannot look away. The exposed back effect works very well and I am shocked no one - to my knowledge - has tried it with that item before. Your Habbo's presentation rejects traditional gender traits which I love to see, and it was especially risky in a video of a lesbian romance with two subjects dressed very scantily clad. Yet I can imagine this outfit fitting alongside the two leads effortlessly. Then there's the bottom half of this outfit: the kilt and two-tone coat are extraordinary, it's like an entire masterclass on item composition, condensed into the lower half. Heels are chic, earrings are lustrous, your Habbo's pose is sultry. This is a powerhouse of a submission, and easily your strongest work yet.
Zoetic: I’m quite liking this. This look exudes the same kinda rich-bitch vibe that the video does. The plaid skirt is my favorite part, it just works perfectly. Your layering of items seems very intentional and well thought out; I usually wouldn’t mix those patterns together but I think it works here. Overall, I find this outfit to be smart and simple, but I think you can push yourself a little further in order to be a threat in this competition.
nicole (nicrobbo95)
Snawl: You've made a nice, hot, clean outfit that conveys precisely what you wanted to. Sultry, evocative, voluptuous, Latin American. There are some nice uses of accessories - I love the red shoes and the hat was a nice touch that's loyal to the video. Sadly, this outfit falls short for me when stacked against your fellow competitors. The largest issue I take with this outfit is that its central draw (the apron, suspenders, & nude effect) are all things I've seen before; I see them countless times every time I host a short-term. Due to your time zone, you can't make it to most of my short-terms so I don't fault you for not being 100% "in the know", however, I also can't lie and pretend to be impressed by old tricks that have ceased exciting me for years. While this outfit is good, it's not great. There isn't anything about it that makes it an original nicrobbo95 creation. If a CC host did the Te Amo video as a theme, this outfit genuinely wouldn't feel out of place at all, and that's not exactly something you wanna hear about a Project Runway outfit.
Zoetic: I think you had some good ideas here but overall they’re not coming through in your final design. If the skirt was solid black and the apron had color, I think a better effect could have been achieved. I see the references to the video, but your accessorizing here weakens your outfit. I like the creativity and idea behind the cut-outs on the top, but the illusion doesn’t work for me here (if I’m only looking at the outfit and not your model’s face it still looks like I’m seeing it from the back). Overall, I think you were on a good path with some of your ideas but the execution did not come through.
ashlyn (ramonda)
Snawl: Very powerful. I love the idea of using the blindfold because it really ties into the BDSM bedroom scene in the latter half of the video; this isn't simply a scantily clad outfit for the hell of it. Every item is purposeful. The red gradient on the lower half is another thing that really sells the aesthetic of the video, mainly the backdrop and lighting. The intricate fabric pattern on your upper half is very alluring in its mystery. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears that you found a way to glitch one of the Bohemian backpacks on the new avatar generator to have it only show the outer seams? It's really quite intuitive, let's hope it doesn't get copied a bunch in these future tasks, lol. My only minor critique of this outfit is that the ribbon top + kimono bow belt has already become a bit of a tired combination, despite the ribbon top just being released. Besides that, this is a solid outfit. Good work, Ash.
Zoetic: Love. This look reads sexy, yet almost sadistic and restrained, which I would say matches the vibe of the video quite well. Your color placement was absolutely perfect; keeping it monochromatic strictly on the bodice and then adding those pops of red on the outer portions of your design. I like how complicated the interwoven top is, I’m not sure quite how you achieved it but it’s very well done! I also love the colors on the shoes, because it’s as if you mixed the colors of the bodice with that bright red.
Avril Lavigne - Rock 'n' Roll
[2013]
US Billboard Peak: #91
Video C
Featuring... Zechariah, Sarah, Joey, & Chris
zechariah (herbymainsted)
Snawl: A very bold, heavy-hitting outfit which is what I've come to expect from you in this game - and I love that you have reinvented yourself to be so much more unapologetic in your textures and Avant Garde presentations. This outfit has a lot of little elements I like, but it's being held back massively by your colour palette. The dark green + smoke stained yellow make this outfit look more in line with a Dia De La Independencia celebration outfit, and that idea is only strengthened by the fact you're using the colours of the Mexican flag! I don't particularly get Mexico from the music video, nor did you mention Mexico as your inspiration upon submitting, so the conclusion I'm left to draw is just a bit weird. The outfit itself however, is absolutely amazing. I love the makeup, earrings, meshed crop top, and the seemingly random, sporadic snake-like pattern of the green fabrics. The heavy gown is very editorial, too. The heels are a bit weird because of the motion pose; I feel standing still would have made it look more realistic. All in all you made an outfit that is beautiful to look at, but sadly I feel it's a tiny bit disjointed from your video. Great work regardless.
Zoetic: This is a very high fashion approach to the task and I think it paid off quite nicely. I always love seeing new silhouettes and shapes in these longterms and this outfit is no exception; I can honestly say I haven’t really seen anything like this before and I appreciate the innovation here. This is because a true hallmark of a good designer is when they can use items in new and interesting ways that other people would not have thought of. Please keep this innovation moving forward!
Sarah (Sparkle)
Snawl: Aesthetically speaking, I think you nailed the video. This was Avril's hot pink era mixed with Hot Topic, and you achieve it swimmingly. The jarring, almost ugly reaction evoked by the hot pink trim on the camo is actually quite great. It's gaudy but kinda fierce, like all the fashion in the music video. Sadly however, you begin to lose me with certain item choices. The gold cuff on your avatar's left sleeve, the backpack buckles, the Harry Potter looking tattoo, they look like you were desperately cramming detail into wherever it would fit instead of designing from an actual concept. There's nothing wrong with experimenting in the wardrobe by slapping random crap together, in fact I do it all the time and it's how I've created most of my winning outfits. However, you need to refine, refine, refine! Another issue I have with this outfit is just how bundled up it is, almost like you're getting ready to go skiing. The fashion in the video, for the most part, is very loose and doesn't shy from showing skin. If that was an intentional creative decision, it didn't work in your favour, sadly.
Zoetic: This is a lot of look. I do enjoy the pops of pink on the top portion of the camo. I definitely see the references to the music video and the camo mixed with hot pink is so Avril. However, this reads as an almost expected and cliche approach to the task. I’m not really seeing the same kind of creativity here that I see in some of your other competitors. I feel like you could have done so much more with the camo in a way that reads either street or high fashion. This look is definitely Avril and I think you have some interesting elements here, but I wish you went a different route.
joey (jozinga)
Snawl: Everything about this outfit immediately clicked into place for me the second I saw the frames that inspired it. Using that tartan sash on a sideways pose is normally very unoriginal and elicits nothing but eyerolls from me. This however is the best use of it I've seen in recent memory, possibly ever. The striped Candyland skirt, striped tie, and geometric top are all matches made in heaven that reinforce the bold pattern of the tartan sash. All four items are vibing off each other and strengthening the next. The colour palette itself is very captivating and I like how the red + yellow was your idea, and not directly ripped from the video. It's loyal without being too derivative. The heels are great and help platform (no pun intended) the palette of the sash, however I also can't help but wonder how it would've looked if you threw a curveball in the form of a 3rd colour pattern with them. Regardless, this is a fantastic submission.
Zoetic: I really appreciate the way you were able to mix so many different patterns and colors in a way that all comes together in this kaleidoscope acid trip. You referencing the comic/pop art aspects of the video in this way is creative and thoughtful. Also, you used bright red hair and a yellow-and-red striped tie and somehow this doesn’t scream Ronald McDonald? That’s impressive on its own.
chris (doglover)
Snawl: The idea of designing an outfit inspired by a video's title card sounds rather tacky... but I can't say you didn't do it justice. This is really well conceived, and the fabrics you choose tie into the entire video's styling. The loose striped fabrics up top, and the mustard cargo pants genuinely look like something I'd see in the video's wardrobe department. This is easily the most wearable outfit of the week. I love the opposing directions of the stripes, and I also love how you tapered the palette with purple on the scarf instead of taking the tempting and more obvious approach by adding extra orange. I also really like the improvised black platform under the feet - it makes sense and you're not forcing a bulky heel combination that looks awkward. My biggest issue with this presentation (besides the goofy wave animation which adds nothing) is the belt because it looks so solid and bulky against everything else. Besides that, this is a nice submission, Chris.
Zoetic: This is really cool! The colors are absolutely amazing and I personally don’t believe I would have chosen them myself, which I appreciate. I like the contrast between the intricate layering and color of the top portion and the simplicity and almost rigidness of the bottom half. I’m kinda curious what this design would look like without that belt, or with a different belt. I’m not saying it was a bad choice though.
Taylor Swift - Out Of The Woods
[2014]
US Billboard Peak: #18
Video D
Featuring... Filip
filip (lidl-wayne)
Snawl: As difficult as it is, I'm gonna keep my inappropriate remark about your chosen frame to myself. With that aside, this outfit is a knock-out! You inspired your outfit from the splash of water, yet I feel this could also be a stand-in for the snowy scenes in the video as well. In the task's briefing I advised not condensing the entire video into one's outfit... yet it seems you accidentally did it anyway - and it works!? There is a fine line between graciously campy, adorned gowns, versus Disney princess, and this outfit flirts with that boundary without ever crossing it. I love the barely-noticeable pink + lavender on the earring. The retro accessory gushing water (or snow?) out from behind the white barrier is really tantalizing. I love how this entire outfit - with the exception of the earring - is just two hues. You're highlighting the genius decision making behind each item's textures. The double strap loose X shape on the back, while not the first time I've seen it, is necessary in this context, and is arguably the biggest life force of the outfit which both divides and unites the outfit's two opposing zones. I have nothing to offer for criticism, this is astounding.
Zoetic: How beautiful. Everything about this is so harmonic and well-thought out. The color palette itself is ethereal and uplifting, but somehow ominous at the same time, which I could also say about the entire outfit (and the video!). I don’t think anyone could have encapsulated your still from the video as well as you did, but you didn’t just do that, you expanded on it and made it into a high-fashion design.
Conclusion
When I finished judging the Music Video outfits for last season's Week 4, I remarked that it was the strongest set of submissions I've ever had for the music video task. After judging this week however, I think you lot may have in fact dethroned Season 8's cast. Extremely well done!
This task's winner is the person who picked the hardest video, and filled an impossibly tall order with the level of detail and evocation in an outfit that was both complex, yet easy to look at. Congratulations goes to Filip (Lidl-Wayne)! Rounding out the Top 3 this week are Joey (Jozinga) & Chan (Chan.) finishing 2nd & 3rd, respectively.
Bottom Three
Nicole (nicrobbo95) - While you succeeded in understanding your video, you failed to leave your mark on the outfit. There was little about it that discerned it away from typical BSDM wear. I greatly preferred the first draft you showed me.
Sarah (Sparkle) - You had aspects of your outfit that shone brightly, and illustrated your talent as a designer. Sadly, your submission was a bit too rough & messy, and not in the good, chic way of the video.
Skye (Squeeling) - For the 3rd week in a row, I feel you are struggling to keep your head above water. Your propensity for minimalism helps you greatly in my short-terms, but in this higher stakes competition, it is consistently landing you in hot water.
Before I eliminate someone, I want to point out that this is not the first time the three of you have appeared in the bottom. I would be entirely justified in doing a double elimination... but I won't.
In Snawlterm, we've seen a lot of amazing comebacks and rebounds from designers who've come back from lackluster scorings to either make it to the end, or win the season entirely. We love to see it, and it is a valid possibility for each of you. So if you survive this week, please don't feel too discouraged. You're still in this fight, you can still win it all.
The person ELIMINATED is . . . . .
(Highlight text to reveal)
Skye (Squeeling), I'm very sorry. I know you worked very hard on this week's outfit, but sadly that hard work just didn't translate onto your canvas as well as the others did. Before you go, I just want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed having you back - not just in this long-term but in the PR community in general. You are passionate & innovative, and at the same time you harbour an understanding for restrained and refined fashion that 95% of players can't wrap their heads around. You are a true artist, and I cannot wait till I host another short-term with you in it. Thank you for your hard work in Season 9.
Congratulations to the final 11 who've survived this week. Your 5th task is uploaded in its entirety, and you can access it by clicking the button below. Good luck!