Drag Race S5 E11- Runway Recap

I’m doing this post immediately after Episode 10’s, no week-long wait for you guys this time. Not only have I actually found some time to do all this, but I couldn’t put it off any longer. This runway is easily one of the BEST I’ve seen in the entire series!! I can’t even begin to tell you how much I loved it! This is the kind of challenge I dreamed of when I decided to do Runway Recaps for this season, where I could really have some fun.

This was the obligatory penultimate ‘ball’ challenge where the four remaining contestants had to create 3 totally different looks (replicating a traditional drag queen ball pageant). This season was the Sugar Ball: the first category was ‘Super Sweet 16’ (get it?), the second category was ‘Sugar Mama Executive Realness’ (ha ha), and the final category was ‘Candy Couture’ which required the outfit to be composed mostly of candy. This challenge is usually the most stressful one of the season because not only is it creatively demanding, but this is the challenge that determines who is in the Top 3. No one wants to be fourth, even though by now you’re considered Drag Race royalty anyway. We’ve got a lot to cover and a lot of pictures to sift through, so let’s get started! Here’s RuPaul this week:

Ru’s been looking pretty good the past few weeks! The exaggerated leopard spots look a little Flintstone, but I’ve noticed RuPaul gravitate to that kind of pattern before. Hair is classic, jewelry once again is minimal, and the clean makeup just seals the deal. 

Did I mention this was the first runway ever to feature different runway songs? I totally was not expecting it, but when the category changed and I started hearing that godly remix of ‘Sexy Drag Queen’ (same one from Drag Race Allstars) I nearly died!! I love that song!!! =D And the song for the last category is a remix of Cover Girl that we’ve never heard before on Drag Race! Could this be Season 6’s theme?? Omg omg omg just hearing Sexy Drag Queen’s remix on the runway again made all of my problems just melt away. Ok, time to get myself together. Focus, Andre!!

COMMENCE… SHAKE… DOWN.

Category 1: Super Sweet 16
(dress like a teenager)

Runway BGM: I Bring the Beat
-----

BEAUTIFUL!! I just realized now that the bow in her hair is a gift ribbon, and as you know, I love attention to detail!

I am in love with Alaska. That is all.

But seriously, she took the SoCal teen girl trope and ran with it. The wannabe black dress, the pink accents, the overdone smiling, the cell phone breaks in between runway poses… Alaska knocked this one out of the park. Beautifully, wonderfully done.

-----

No one ever said they had to be a teenager from the 2010s!

It took a while, but we’re finally beginning to discover a weakness in Jinkx Monsoon: she has a big problem looking modern. All of her looks are dated to the mid-20th century, and don’t get me wrong those looks are great (including this one!) but rarely does she choose to look like she’s from 2013. When the category of teenager was announced she immediately asked if she could look from the 60s/70s. Being caught in a time warp is great for a drag queen, but not every single time. And that wig is about 3 feet too long.

-----

I’ve never seen a teenager with a bust quite like that…

Roxxxy looks young, pretty and vivacious. I love that shade of blue and the way it sparkles something fierce, and she acted just the way a 16-year-old would. The white spots all over her are marshmallows because hey, it is a ball based on candy! The only thing that puts this off are the gratuitous boobs. It’s fine for 20-something Roxxxy, but a little too much for a teen look, no matter how slutty she is =P.

-----

If Jinkx was a teen from the 70s, Detox is her counterpart from the 80s.

Yes, Detox time warped herself also, but for her it’s more forgivable. Detox has looked modern (if not ahead of her time) this whole competition, so for her to step back 30 years here it’s a welcomed change. Detox also brought candy into her look via her lapel and her lollipop. She looks great here, just like a girl that’s so wrapped up in her pop culture (right down to the leggings). And that smile in the last pic looks so cute!

Category 2: Sugar Mama Executive Realness
(dress like a careerwoman)

Runway BGM: Sexy Drag Queen (‘dootdoot ‘doot-swift’’ remix) =D!!!
-----

Alaska the Architect/Foreman. They decided to forego the name graphics from here on =\.

In RuPaul’s positive critique of this look, he said how it’s very difficult for a drag queen to wear a tailored suit and still look like a believable woman. But Alaska nailed it. The cut of the blazer and the way she cinched in the waist were the secrets, and she utilized them perfectly. And she’s got on a cropped wig, no less! Yes the look is plain but if anything it’s a proof of concept: this queen is truly talented and gifted at what she does.

-----

Jinkx Monsoon the Burned-Out Schoolteacher. (from the 60s…)

Jinkx managed to tell a complete story in her runway walk: she’s a tenured schoolteacher that’s clearly ‘over it’ and has been for years. She still thinks she’s got the sex factor (by biting on the pencils) but she still doesn’t have much care for her appearance (the tousled hair). The facial expressions are killer and it’s so much fun to watch her in action. Oh, and that dress is so hideous it’s brilliant. I really wish this runway lasted longer!

-----

Roxxxy Andrews the Whackjob Businesswoman. Keep your distance, people!

If the left splitscreen photo needs explanation, she’s popping a gummy bear in her mouth. Roxxxy has the notable distinction of being the only contestant to incorporate candy into all 3 of her looks, a difficult feat. Keep in mind it was never required to do this (only the last outfit had to include candy), so maybe Roxxxy misunderstood this. Regardless it helps pull together all 3 very different looks very effectively.

-----

Detox the Trendy Executive. (from the 80s)

Detox continues to rock the 80s (while I keep rocking to this amazing runway BGM) and it continues to work well for her. The hot pink and magenta has morphed into a stunning shade of blue, and that hair is a gamble that paid off in spades. This is what I love about Detox, she takes something simple (dress) and adds something avant garde (wig), all brought together with a icy glare that could stop traffic.

Category 3: Candy Couture
(haute couture outfit made primarily of various candies)

Runway BGM: Cover Girl (‘RevoLucian’s I Am The Runway’ remix)

-----

Alaska’s candy of choice: cotton candy. (and omg that Cover Girl remix is sick!!)

There’s no question that Alaska hot glued a ton of cotton candy to a corset and called it a day, but wow did it turn out well! The wig and shoes go along with the dress perfectly, and luckily Alaska didn’t overdo the makeup, allowing the look to speak for itself. Appropriately enough, this whole getup reminds me of Amanda Lepore’s single ‘Cotton Candy’. Look it up on YouTube if you’re in the mood for something… alternative.

-----

Jinkx Monsoon’s candy of choice: candy cane/peppermint.

Right off the bat, Jinkx was determined to make create a Christmas, reindeer, candy cane explosion, and that’s exactly what this is. From the neck up, Jinkx looks absolutely beautiful, with her white wig and red lips punctuating her alabaster skin. From the neck down… it looks a little rough. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t actually see any candy on her, just a dress that resembles candy. She did know she had to have actual sugar on her person, right? And those antlers are just a bit overkill.

-----

Roxxxy Andrews’ candy of choice: licorice.

Roxxxy is the self-proclaimed seamstress of the group (as well as Ivy Winters, I could only imagine how amazing she’d look if she was around for this challenge), and she was so excited to finally have a challenge that showcased her talent. Yes, Roxxxy just glued long strings of colored licorice to a corset (Alaska style), but it works. The pictures really do the dress no justice; every swish and turn made every individual strand activate and flourish. It would have been hilariously tragic if the glue failed and all of those strands flew off when she spun… lol =P

-----

Detox’s candy of choice: ???

I think Detox mistook ‘Sugar Ball’ for ‘80s Ball’, because that’s the only thing that she appeared to capitalize on. I think the black spots on her dress are coiled black licorice, and with the black sash that’s the only candy reference this dress could possibly make. So yes, in the candy sense Detox bombed this challenge completely. But that’s no reason to discount that she still looks really good in this handmade dress!

-----

Ranking Based On Runway?: Yes
Winner: Alaska
High-Ranking: Roxxxy Andrews
Bottom Two: Detox, Jinkx Monsoon
Eliminated: Detox

There’s no question that Alaska beasted this challenge hook, line and sinker. Roxxxy also did very well, though it would have been nice to see some different hair colors. Detox kept the self-prescribed 80s look going through the whole ball but forgot the candy aspect entirely, and for the first time all season Jinkx landed in the bottom two. The lip-sync was something fierce (though that song was totally messed up), but Detox was asked to sashay away. After being in the top for the past 8 weeks straight it’d be downright evil to suddenly send Jinkx home now.

So our Top 3 is Alaska, Jinkx Monsoon and Roxxxy Andrews. Honestly I thought Detox would have made it instead of Roxxxy, but given her turnaround the last few weeks I suppose it’s justifiable. Since next week is the season clip show, I’ll respond with a Season Recap where we’ll go through each queen’s performance and some of my favorite screenshots of the season. If you ever wanted to sound off yourself and leave a comment, there’s no better time! =)