January 18, 2021
Frayed or Fab? 'RuPaul's Drag Race Fashion Recap. Episode 3
Matthew Wexler READ TIME: 6 MIN.
Nobody's a loser (yet) on this season of "RuPaul's Drag Race" as the Pork Chop club returned to the werkroom to take on similar challenges as their winning lip-sync competition from episode 2. The split casting isn't delivering much drama yet, but when these two houses of Ru converge, we can only imagine that frocks will be flustered.
In the meantime, this week's batch of queens took on "Lady" and "Vamp" for the mini-challenge, but we're jumping to the main runway, where Ru challenged the queens to riff on the slogan, "We're here. We're sheer. Get used to it."
Denali described her petal lavender mini as a "Georgia O'Keeffe fantasy" and inspired by designer Iris van Herpen. While O'Keeffe was known as the mother of American modernism, we predict Denali will come into full bloom in Season 13. Verdict: FAB
Source: 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' VH1
Kamora Hall admitted this week that it'd been a struggle to embrace the power of her drag identity, but you'd never know it from the high-end looks she's bringing to the runway. She didn't need to namedrop Cher's 1974 Bob Mackie Met Gala gown for us to get the reference. Verdict: FAB
"Sia meets flapper meets Prohibition," said the wigless Joey Jay. Comprised of black fringe and sequins, Ross Matthews said, "It was easy, I just YouTube'd what to do with half a Liza Minnelli costume." But did the fringe outshine the sheer? Verdict: FRAYED
Source: 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' VH1
"You asked for sheer? I'm giving you just what you asked for but with glamour," proclaimed Tamisha Iman. The group's matron, covered in glitter-dusted fabric from head to heel with an oversized bow at the waist, delivered the kind of drama we've been waiting for. "Sheer brilliance," said Ross Matthews and we agree. Verdict: FAB
Ros� returned with her signature baby pink coif and a "custom rippled and dyed fantasy" described by its creator Casey Caldwell. The juxtaposition of the oversized, billowing sleeves with the jewel-toned plastic dominated the runway. Guest judge Nicole Byer called it a "gay loofah fantasy." We're ready for a Ros� bubble bath. Verdict: FAB
Source: 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' VH1
"This makes me want to scarf," said Michelle Visage of Utica's watercolor homage to Stevie Nicks. The bell sleeves would have looked great on Julie Andrews in "Camelot." We're intrigued by Utica's quirky style but this week was a hankerchief-hemmed miss. Verdict: FRAYED
Matthew Wexler is EDGE's Senior Editor, Features & Branded Content. More of his writing can be found at www.wexlerwrites.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @wexlerwrites.
