Episode 3
As you might know from Instagram, I've been in Charlotte all week and haven't had the time I normally would to get this out earlier in the week. Thanks for your patience with this one!
“I came in not necessarily thinking I’d be OK with sharing a girl with like 28 other guys, but I definitely didn’t think I’d be acting the way I have, where… I mean, I consider myself a secure guy, a confident guy, and that’s all gone out the window.”
—Blake, proving nothing can truly prepare for how this environment might affect you
We kick off with a rainy day at the mansion, with David making omelettes on repeat and Wills casually reading a book...
WAIT. A BOOK?!! Since when do they allow books (or anything distracting and sanity-preserving) during filming?! Especially as early as the mansion days?
GROUP DATE #1
Surprising nobody, after last week's revelation that Colton had briefly dated (or had a relationship with? Or only spent a weekend with?) Tia, The Powers That Be of course concocted a way to have the two of them in the same room at the same time. In fact, I would say it's even possible this entire date activity (involving flying out several of the Becca's friends from her season) was cooked up for this ultimate goal.
I really respect how Tia handled all this. She remained brutally honest...
The above answer does our, the viewers', intelligence justice, versus some cop-out, like a coy "I dunno!"
Watching Colton's attempts to be perfect in all (even the intentionally jarring) scenarios was very entertaining. Note how, in a Man Chat with Jason, he exclaims, "I wasn't expecting to see her!" But he catches himself and treads more cautiously, following it up with a very careful...
Like, really?! Is he actually grateful she's there? 🧐 I like Colton (I do!) but there's something about him that is very, very aware (too aware) of the cameras and how to behave in front of them.
The Man Chat closes with an adorably bromantic hug that for some reason, given the environment and their outfits, I found hilarious...
Another funny moment for me was when the 12 people on this date embarked on the obligatory round of hugs goodbye...
In the evening, David vs Jordan becomes more intense as David tattles Jordan's "4000 matches on Tinder" claim to Becca (which I saw as not necessary; it's not like Jordan's some frontrunner in need of being taken down a peg or two) and relentlessly mocks him throughout the Cocktail Party...
I reeeeally wish David hadn't behaved like this. I actually like David and think he could stand a chance of making it far this season (I do think Becca is intrigued by him), but (and I get the strong feeling this is alcohol induced) he just CAN'T HELP HIMSELF with Jordan. I can see how Jordan could be a bit trying to live with day in and day out, but at the end of the day he really is harmless. There's a simplicity and transparency to Jordan and his commentary that I appreciate and find so amusing. There's no need to insinuate that his modeling career is flagging and could use a boost from appearing on this show. To me, your life or success back in the real world is off-limits.
There's a subtle issue here that rubs me wrong, and I do wonder if it happens more often than we think on Bachelorette seasons, among the men: It feels like David thinks he's above Jordan in ways that go beyond depth and intelligence, veering into success and class. At one point in this Cocktail Party Jordan said, “I don’t have a silver spoon hanging out of my ass”, suggesting David comes from a certain privilege that he doesn't, and which maybe David hints at it or even talks about. Things like this make me uncomfortable because I do think being on this show is a massive equalizer; in this bubble, from a contestants co-existing perspective, things like your class and income shouldn't matter. It should be about your charisma and charm and ability to mesh with people from all walks of life.
All that aside, though, I captured the above .GIF because I was so amused by Jason's and Wills' hilarious mortified reactions.
CHRIS' 1-ON-1
Poor Chris is bestowed with a painful early 1-on-1 date where he has to somehow write lyrics about his feelings for Becca when he's spent maaaybe a total of 20-30 minutes with the woman. (This strikes me as the sort of date activity typically reserved for Group Dates, usually involving a live performance.) Many of you spotted this, but a screenshot of Becca's silver leather jacket-clad (versus black leather jacket-clad) Pick-up was still in order...
Remember the above ITM room background for later. :)
In the evening, Chris says something that I think every contestant probably says (or at the very least thinks) at some point...
I think I've mentioned before that before every interaction with the lead, a producer will ask what you want to talk about during your time. There's strong encouragement to talk about specific, deeply personal topics, usually the heavy-hitters (think your parents' divorce or your trust issues after your last relationship). As such, you can quickly end up revealing things to this relative stranger that it could take years to reveal to friends.
GROUP DATE #2
From an entertainment perspective, this was without a doubt the winning date of the episode. I found myself laughing out loud a lot throughout, starting with Christon's hilarious rundown of the men on his team...
... followed by Leo's assessment of Mike...
We'd already seen glimpses of Christon's and Leo's senses of humor but this date solidified them as this season's funniest!
I had to make a .GIF of a montage of Garrett's insane tackles...
Honestly, I really don't watch football or know much about it, and I'm sure I could easily watch a million tackles like the above and feel nothing. But something about feeling like you somehow know the person under that helmet, and knowing they're a normal person (as in, not a professional football player) makes it pretty remarkable and impressive. I mentioned on The Morning After how this sometimes happens with my singing; when someone has gotten to know me personally and they then hear me sing, it's like, "Wait, WTF, you do that?"
Sadly, the ACTUAL professional football player gets injured on this date and is whisked off to get medical attention. Brutal. :(
In the evening, when Clay returns, note how editing makes it seem like the guys are irritated at the attention he receives, yet how you can see them smiling warmly when in the background of actual shots from this moment...
In short, those irritated-looking faces could have been taken from just about anywhere. The tone of these faces, to me, is that they’ve already been waiting many hours for this evening to be over and then just when they probably thought it WAS over, Clay returned (which can easily tack on another hour or so). The classic use-tired-and-bored-faces-to-look-like-annoyed-and-jealous-faces trick.
When Becca presents Clay with the rose, note how editing suggests Blake expects it by showing him smile at "somebody who makes me feel like a princess". But observe how Leo's sitting next to Blake in that smiling shot, yet how Leo's next to Clay in this Group Date rose moment...
Ah, the power of editing. So you can pretty much assume that ANY facial expression or word used can and will be used to create whatever narrative.
ROSE CEREMONY COCKTAIL PARTY
Not much to say here except that it's such a shame Clay had to leave. He seems like a sweet, gentle giant and, though I didn't see it between him and Becca, it sucks he didn't get to stick around for more of this unique experience. Sorry, Clay! You will be missed. :(
Finally, note what an actual ITM from this Rose Ceremony looks like...
... versus a Pick-up in that familiar ITM room...
Finally, after Clay leaves, Becca strangely and uncharacteristically claims to have "nothing left". But give that voiceover another listen...
Funny how the word "left" (which was obviously thrown in there) totally changes the tone. Perhaps she said, "Honestly I have nothing left to say. I'm just done." Perhaps she wasn't even talking about Clay at all.
The episode ends with a cliffhanger (don't we all love it when that happens), so we'll have to wait until Monday to see who Becca axes this week.
As always, my immediate takeaways and Top 4 predictions can be found over at Flare!
THE FASHION
Requests
Casey asked about Becca's baby blue sweater from Episode 2...
Becca's James Perse cashmere sweater is sadly sold out and I couldn't find it anywhere online. There's one in grey on TheRealReal (HERE), and there's a decent alternative (in cashmere) HERE and (in cotton) HERE. In my search I found a fabulous slouchy chenille option that I'm eyeing, HERE.
A few of you asked about Becca's sneakers from the football Group Date...
I think these are unique and so adorable! They're the ShoeDazzle "Eve" sneaker and they sell HERE.
Jess asked about Blake's printed hoodie...
Blake's Express Vintage Fleece hoodie sells HERE.
Best Dressed
I know it's cheating to award Best Dressed to the ladies, but I really wasn't wowed by any of the guys' looks this week. Runner-up for Best Dressed is Bekah M with her ensemble...
Bekah's got a talent for looking like she didn't really try but effortlessly looks cool and chic. She has a distinct styleI would normally not be into a pink bralette under a black jumpsuit but, in my opinion, this works in its intentional non-matching-ness. The jumpsuit is cute, but for me the stars are her oversized slouchy sweater (more importantly, how she wore it off her shoulders) and how she looks like she's dripping in gold. There's a lot going on but doesn't feel over the top. Bekah didn't remember the brand of her jumpsuit but there's a very similar one selling HERE. Her cardigan is by Abercrombie and is sold out but there are very similar ones HERE and HERE. (In my search I found THIS slouchy cardigan that I love and am eyeing for myself.) You may remember Bekah's choker from last season, as well as from my recent Instagram giveaway; it's the Irina Victoria Wishbone necklace and sells HERE. (Get 10% off with code "PANDA10"!) Bekah's lariat is the Ettika "Precious Keepsake" necklace sells HERE (these are separate; she wore the longer one only).
My Best Dressed is (unsurprisingly) Seinne...
This look reads as so easy and effortless to me. She looks polished and elegant but still undeniably casual. The vibe is very clean and the fit is excellent; it's easy for a shirt like this to veer too snug or too oversized, but she got it just right. Seinne's button down is by 7 For All Mankind and sells (on sale!) HERE. There's a near-identical one by the same brand and discounted even further, HERE. Her 7 For All Mankind "Gwenevere" distressed jeans sell (also on sale!) HERE. Her Vince Camuto "Kresta" wedges are sadly sold out (HERE) but there are still a few on eBay (HERE) and they also sell in black (HERE).
Worst Dressed
After two Worst Dressed-less episodes, I officially have to punish a few gents. (I knew that streak was too good to be true!) First up is Chris with his 1-on-1 jean jacket/hoodie hybrid...
This one pains me because I like Chris a lot and thought he was a real champ on that date. However, this denim hoodie is just not good. I know they're kind of the rage right now (they seem to be everywhere) but to me it looks young—really young—like something a teenage boy would buy at Hot Topic, or something a member of 90s boy band would wear. I get that fashion recycles, and I actually love the hoodie trend lately, but not when the sleeves and hood look Frankenstein'ed onto a denim jacket. (And also not when the sleeves look too tight!) I actually don't mind a version like THIS, where it's meant to look layered, rather like some sort of collage. Sorry, Chris. I like you, just not your denim hoodie!
Hoods are the theme of Worst Dressed this week...
There were a lot of tank tops worn by the men this week, something I generally struggle a bit with, but to tack a hood onto one is just going too far. I get the "gun show" going on here, but practically speaking, given a hood is for warmth, it makes NO sense to have a sleeveless hoodie.
To prove I have nothing against these guys (or hoods) here's a shot of them looking adorable, with Colton in a real sweater hoodie and Chris in the cutest man pajamas I've ever seen...
Becca's Looks
For the first Group Date, Becca wore a casual ensemble and later, a floral bikini...
There's nothing not to like about any of these pieces. They're not insanely inventive or anything (I do like the tassel detail on that sweater), but they're all wearable, realistic pieces we might buy and wear in real life. Becca's 525 America Tassel Fringe sweater sells HERE and there's a great look-for-less HERE. Her Hudson "Krista" skinny jeans sell HERE. Her Shore "Ibiza" bikini (in Dainty Floral) sells HERE.
In the evening, Becca wore a LRD...
Though this looked very good on her, I credit Becca's modelesque-ness and not this dress. I find this dress 'meh'. The details are not interesting or particularly flattering; I feel like I'd rather just see a slick high-neck midi dress in the same color, maybe with cool texture or single but statement-making drape detail. This bizarre half-assed tulip concept is a miss, IMO. If you disagree with me and love this dress, it's the Bailey 44 "Orei" tiered dress and sells (on sale) HERE. Her Gianvito Rossi Plexi G-String heels sell HERE, but since they're designer and very pricey, there's a good look-for-less option HERE.
For the day portion of Chris' 1-on-1...
Unfortunately this was also a miss for me, though I do respect the statement being made (versus the red dress which was boring and made no statements). I get that the gist is ballsy rocker-chic, but 1/ the music of Richard Marx—the (incredible!) musician they worked with on this date—can hardly be described as "rock", and 2/ all the leather and over-the-top embellishments felt overwhelming, especially for daytime. It felt like this ensemble wore her, versus the other way around. Again, though, I always prefer and respect an effort and statement made over none at all. If you disagree and want to know more about these pieces, Becca's top is from a two-piece gown and sells HERE. Her LaMarque Esme leather pants sell HERE. Her ShoeDazzle "Kendall" lace-up booties sell HERE. Her DSTLD leather moto jacket sells (majorly on sale!) HERE. If you were eyeing the silver jacket from that Pick-up, it's by the same brand and is sadly sold out (HERE), but there's a fantastic look-for-less HERE.
In the evening of these 1-on-1 date...
Now THIS I love! It's unique and edgy and glamorous without feeling out of character or like it's trying too hard. She looked sophisticated and sexy and powerful in this incredible jumpsuit. Becca's jumpsuit is by Randi Rahm, making it couture and tough to track down. The most similar looks-for-less I could find sell HERE and HERE. Her Rachel Reinhardt earrings are surprisingly affordable by Bachelorette standards and sell HERE. Her Massimo Matteo 5-strap heels sell HERE.
Becca wore some eye-catching jewelry when receiving news of David having fallen off his bunk...
This was easily my favorite look of the week. The dress felt fresh and current, combining two current trends (velvet and metallics) with a funky robe-like cut (almost adding trend #3, sleepwear). Particularly with those SPECTACULAR earrings and that ponytail, Becca looked feminine but modern and unique. I've never seen anything quite like this dress or these earrings and I loved them both (and especially together). Becca's Michelle Mason velvet wrap dress sells HERE and HERE. Her Stuart Weitzman Nudist sandals are selling (majorly on sale!) HERE. Her earrings are by fine jeweler Dilamani (the product page is HERE) but they only seem available at specific retailers, and sadly I couldn't find any decent looks-for-less out there.
At the Rose Ceremony Cocktail Party...
It's impressive how a dress of this cut, color, and sheen managed to not look prom-y, but rather elegant and sleek. I liked the half-back hair style and how it highlighted those striking teardrop earrings. This was very much a Rose Ceremony-worthy ensemble. Becca's gown is from the Randi Rahm Pre-Fall 2018 Collection but there are decent looks-for-less (though it was tricky to find satin dresses that don't look super prom-y) HERE and HERE. Her earrings are again by Dilamani (product page HERE) but there's a great look-for-less selling HERE.
Until next week, fellow pandas!
