Seriously, this show is a perfect little dreamy bite-sized strawberry cupcake. Austin Scarlett and Santino Rice are former Project Runway contestants (from back in the day that I actually watched the show, aka when it was on Bravo) from season one and season two, respectively. Now they're BFF and traveling the country designing dresses for women with special events. And it's an absolute delight.
Here's the thing: they're going to small towns, designing for things like beauty pageants and birthday parties and bachelorette parties. This show could definitely be snarky and unkind. It could take every opportunity to make fun of small town life and small town women.
But it's not. Every episode of this show has me in tears at the end, because the women are always beautiful, and Austin and Santino are genuinely enthusiastic about they do, genuinely kind to every woman they design for, and have a really fun and wonderful friendship. It's not a makeover; they're not there to tell these women what's wrong with how they dress and how they can change it. They're there to help them celebrate a special occasion in a beautiful dress.
Beautiful dresses are one of the best things about being a girl. I don't get to wear them nearly enough, but dresses are one of my favorite things. I love beautiful, well-made dresses, dresses with full skirts you can spin around in, dresses that sparkle, dresses dresses dresses. I have dresses in my closet that I've only worn once and I'll never get rid of them but I'll never wear again because they're all tied up in my mind with the night I wore them. And it's silly because they're only clothes, but they're like little friends in my closet who remind me of that moment when I felt beautiful. Austin and Santino are giving away that moment: that moment when you know you look amazing, the best version of yourself, that moment when you feel like the prettiest girl at the party, that moment when you feel people's eyes on you.
This show has a huge heart. And the biggest surprise is Santino. I loved him on PR, but he definitely had an acerbic, biting wit that rubbed some people the wrong way. Here, he's warm and caring and dear God, he's hysterical. They're both hysterical. I need to figure out a way to move in with them or give them their own channel.
Also, I found my wedding dress in episode five. I just need Austin to re-create it for me. And then I need to find someone to marry and stuff. I can't find a picture of it online, but go here and if for some reason you don't want to watch the entire delightful episode, scroll ahead to about 18:40 and there you have it.
The only thing that could make this show better is if Tim Gunn showed up. In the meantime, let's reminisce about Project Runway back in the days where I never missed an episode.
(On the Road with Austin and Santino airs on Lifetime on Thursday nights after Project Runway. If you watched the first two seasons of Runway at all you will love this show. Set your DVR. For realsies.)
