Frayed or Fab? 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Fashion Recap, Episode 6

RuPaul took a hard right and got back on track in this week's episode, after last week's bag ball debacle. The host and executive producer did the hustle to elevate this week's challenge, returning to Drag Race roots to showcase style and substance on the runway with a retro look at the history of disco.

After a wallpaper-inspired mini-challenge sponsored by Spoonflower (the series has upped its sponsorships this season, last week featuring luxury brand Coach), Ru tasked the queens with embracing their inner disco divas.

"In the 70s, disco was about freedom, divas, and bringing funky people together," explained Ru to the novice crowd, none of whom is old enough to have experienced the era firsthand. The choreography challenge proved some queens have two left feet while others could have jumped the velvet rope at Studio 54. The final runway theme, "Little Black Dress," took them off the dance floor and back on a level playing field. Here's what we thought of this week's fashion:

Call the fire department. Tina Burner was hot, Hot, HOT this week, first appearing in a Bob Mackie-inspired ombre fringe mini for the disco challenge, then relying on a good, old-fashioned "Ruveal" for the final runway, popping out of painter coveralls to flash a black dress with fiery hemline. Verdict: FAB

"Very sketchy," said judge Carson Kressley of Kandy Muse's "canvas paper," hand-painted with a little black dress. Conceptually interesting and loosely referencing Princess Diana's 1994 "revenge dress," things went haywire from the neck up with a horrifying make-up job that looked like she had lost a wrestling match with a tube of acrylic paint. Verdict: FRAYED

Gottmik took the assignment literally, creating a little black dress that barely covered the nether regions. "A year ago, I never would have done this," said Gotmikk, acknowledging the recent gender-affirming surgery. Verdict: FAB

Michelle Visage nailed the expected little black dress worn by Eliott with Two Ts, describing it as "The Real Housewives of Paramus" as the queen took to the runway. While nothing was wrong with the outfit, it was quickly forgotten as Ru echoed, "The funeral home is her pick-up bar."
Verdict: FRAYED

"Come on, Dominique Deveraux!" exclaimed Ru as Tamisha Iman walked the runway. Once again sporting a handmade classic drag ensemble, Tamisha Iman walked with class, even though it was evident that her energy was beginning to wane in the competition and the garment's tailoring was less than flattering. "I want them and need them to see a Black classy woman." And so they did. Verdict: Unfortunately, FRAYED

Olivia Lux radiated like a sunrise after a night of dancing at Brooklyn's Odyssey discoth�que circa 1977. While she stole the judges' hearts this week, we can't deny that her little black dress with simple sequined trim looked like off-the-rack Forever 21. Verdict: FRAYED

Audrey Hepburn on a bad acid trip is how we might sum up Utica's take on the little black dress, turning the Givenchy-inspired silhouette into a meta-design in which the queen became her earrings. Don't worry, we didn't get it either, but we kinda loved it. People didn't understand Van Gogh, either, until he was dead. Hopefully, Utica will strike gold quicker. Verdict: FAB

"I am serving you mommy long-legs in my arachnid-inspired little black widow dress," said Denali of the wicked web she weaved on the runway. Gorgeously intricate beading adorned the back of the dress, but the attempt at realism with eight spidery eyes was unnecessarily creepy. Still, Verdict: FAB

"If you squeeze her dress, her tulle pops out," joked guest judge Loni Love of Ros�'s tulle-trimmed little black dress. "This look is definitely a little bit camp," said Ros�, "but it's also very sexy." Is it? Verdict: FRAYED

Carson Kressley called LaLa Ri's outfit a "little black tube-top," and he wasn't off-base. The super mini, styled with black fishnets stockings and clunky neck adornment fulfilled the brief: Little. Black. Dress. But not much more. "If that dress were any shorter they'd have to arrest you for dealing crack," said Ru. Verdict: FRAYED

"I'm giving you 'Black hair is a revolution!' exclaimed Symone of her little black dress, inspired by RuPaul's music video, "Back to My Roots". Made entirely of braiding hair, Symone continues to make a statement both on and off the runway. Verdict: FAB.