In the world of fashion, “out of touch” is probably the most dreaded phrase imaginable. More than tacky, matchy-matchy or impractical, to be sure. Nope, when others deem you as someone who is out of touch, it’s not a compliment.It can’t be spun into one either.Either you know what’s going on or you lose it. And when a designer loses it, even a venerable one, it’s out to pasture with you.!That’s true for reality shows too. Shows like Project Runway and its Bravo cousins, Top Chef and Top Design, all want to discover the next “it” girl or guy in their respective disciplines. They want someone who is moving forward and not moving back.So, what better way to find out who understands what’s now and what’s appropriate than a challenge requiring the contestants to design for a young woman, recently graduated from college, who is making her leap into the working world. These girls needed to look respectable, professional and “their age,” not like a little girl playing dress up. It’s something that young women really do struggle with when thrust into the workforce, especially after four-plus years of slumming around campus in jeans and sweatpants. Definitely appropriate as a challenge, even if it doesn’t take the crazy skill of last week’s avant-garde challenge.Of course, just to make it a bit more difficult, the girls came in with their moms and the possibility of getting a mother-daughter duo who doesn’t see eye-to-eye or see too much alike (and they don’t like what they see in you) was pretty high.And the lucky winner of the problem mother/daughter combo was Leanne, who needed to create an outfit for an elementary school teacher that was still sexy and didn’t flatten the daughter’s chest – a strange worry of the girl’s mom. I’m pretty sure my mother would never be worried about that, especially if I had chosen to work with young kids. I guess, maybe we in the Midwest think other things like, I don’t know, not being the muse of Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher,” are more important.Jerell and Kenley were the luckiest of all the contestants, being paired with easy-going folks who had the same style as the designers. And of course, maybe because they didn’t sweat it this entire challenge, they were the top two.!Jerell’s outfit and overall look for his girl was pitch perfect and definitely deserved to be the winner chosen for Elle Magazine. She looked great, and Jerell, buddy, if you ever read this, pretty please make me one! Kenley’s outfit was a good runner-up, with the perfect bit of whimsy and professionalism for her ’50s-loving mini-me.Korto also scored with her jacket and dress combo and Leanne, though she struggled with her sexy teacher outfit, was never really in trouble because her outfit looked much better without the American Girl-style jacket over it. And no, the girl’s boobs did not look flat. Mom was probably pleased.The bottom rungs belonged to Suede and Joe, and both definitely deserved it.Suede’s confidence was definitely busted thanks to a poor showing in the last show. And he didn’t exactly rebound in this episode, creating what Korto, Leanne and Kenley deemed an outfit perfect for slain pop star Selena. Hmmm, since Selena was taken from us 13 years ago, I think that might mean they think he’s out of date. And, well, they were right. That girl looked like she had stepped right out of 1995. Not exactly the way to impress the judges or the equally visual employers in the girl’s chosen field, photography.Joe delivered a mangled business suit that made his girl totally look like she’d raided Mom’s mothball-covered storage chest and not bothered to see a tailor or a dry-cleaner. The thing had pocket squares! He should have known he was in trouble when Jerell and Kenley began to openly dog on the squares in the workroom, but instead he just said they were being critical brats – critical brats who were RIGHT. The judges backed them up when they also picked up on the pocket squares and called the look “out of touch” and “cliche.” Ouch! Amazingly, not only did Joe get called out of touch and cliche, but the judges agreed that his outfit aged the twenty-something wearing it into a woman more of her mother’s ilk. Not something anyone in the beauty industry wants to hear, whether a make-up artist, hairdresser or fashion designer. Your work is supposed to flatter – i.e. make folks look better, and unfortunately for women in this society, that pretty much never means “older.”Combine all those things into a simmering stew and add in the Reality Show Kiss of Death that is a call home to the much-missed family and we all knew Joe was a goner. But still, Suede can’t be too long for this reality show world either. He hasn’t impressed, he’s just kind of coasted along and toed the line of being completely forgettable – if not for his blue-streaked hair and third-person babble.Sorry Suede, but you’re probably on deck for elimination the next go around.A few random thoughts: – Kenley’s lack of understanding and ability to take criticism is getting pretty dang old. Who is she, a female Santino? – Jerell has really made himself a contender, hasn’t he? He even has the Olympic wreath to prove he should be on the medals podium. Do they give out gold, silver and bronze at Bryant Park? Oh wait, he flunked the Olympics challenge. – The old pictures of everyone’s younger days were quite adorable. – My top three? Korto, Leanne and Jerell. I think Suede’s a goner and Kenley’s penchant for talking back is going to hurt her when it matters most.