RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 7: Legendary Legend Looks
Power Rankings with P
Welcome to Power Rankings with P, a newsletter ranking cast members on the reality shows I subject myself to on a weekly basis. What can I say? I love slop.
Took a break from PRWP last week, as I was pre-occupied with traveling, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Ex-Wives Club dropping on Peacock, and the crumbling empire that is the United States. "Total RU-Quest Live" was a fun girl group challenge, but at this point in the Drag Race franchise, I don't see anything topping "UK, Hun?" from Drag Race UK Series 2. We need Bimini, Tayce, and A'Whora on a proper All Stars season yesterday.
Anyway! This week on All Stars All Winners, the queens were tasked with recreating iconic RuPaul looks in another design challenge. I love design challenges, but I preferred what the queens delivered in "The Realness of Fortune Ball" to their "Legendary Legend Looks." We still got some great runways this week, with one winner in particular absolutely slaying. Regular season rankings below:
BOTTOM 2
Jinkx Monsoon, The Vivienne
The biggest rivals this season, Jinkx Monsoon and The Vivienne, are not fashion girlies. Out of the two, Viv was the most disappointing for me; RuPaul's golden bunny DESPYs look is maybe her best runway presentation in the entirety of the franchise, and Viv's recreation just did not live up to what was such a tall order. Then there's Jinkx, sweet, sweet Jinkx. She is decidedly not a seamstress, so the less said about her runway look, the better. At least she didn't have a truly iconic Ru look like Viv, making me a little more forgiving. If this were a regular season, we absolutely would have witnessed a Lip Sync for Your Storyline between these two.
SAFE
Monét X Change, Raja, Yvie Oddly
Kind of can't believe I am ranking Monét X Change as SAFE instead of HIGH, as her high concept Face-kini look was radical. Very bold, very Club Kid, very acid-trip. A fantastic showing for Miss X Change. Totally heartbroken that Raja had a lacking and, dare I say, messy showing in this week's ball challenge. However! It's not her fault she got stuck with RuPaul's season 7 promo look - possibly her worst promo look across the board. Why that fast fashion inspired look was chosen as a "Legendary Legend Look" is completely beyond me; it's giving H&M, and we all know how RuPaul feels about H&M on the main stage. Raja wanted the iconic "Supermodel of the World" look, which went to Yvie Oddly instead. Yvie gave us pants on the runway in a look true to Yvie's out-of-this-world aesthetic. While she didn't stand out for me this week, I appreciate Yvie's point of view in her drag and am always wondering what she's going to come up with next - the sign of a true star.
HIGH
Trinity the Tuck, Shea Couleé
They were nowhere near my winner for this week, but our season 9 finalists, Trinity the Tuck and Shea Couleé, both had great "Legendary Legend Looks." Trinity's look was big and pretty and draggy, but pales in comparison to the look she constructed a few weeks ago in the "Realness of Fortune Ball." Additionally, other than the color, I wasn't seeing much of a connection between Trinity's finished product and RuPaul's season 8 promo look. Still, it's a fantastic, well constructed look and exactly the kind of performance I expect from The Tuck - especially in a design challenge. With Shea, I'm completely obsessed with the top half of her outfit; I could easily see Margot Robbie wearing something similar on the set of Barbie (2023). Waist up, Shea absolutely delivered - I just wish she had conceptualized and executed the bottom half to be more in line with the gorgeous top half.
WINNER
Jaida Essence Hall
If there's one thing Jaida Essence Hall is going to do, it's construct the fuck out of a garment. Her look this week was truly stunning; just jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring work from a Midwest legend. Re-design the Oscar statuette in her likeness, I truly do not care! I'm thrilled to see Jaida slay this season, and wouldn't mind seeing her go home with the crown (if not Jinkx, of course). Her original season is clouded in darkness for a multitude of reasons, which would make her winning this season all the more narratively satisfying. From receiving her crown on a Zoom call to being named Queen of All Queens? Now that's a story arc. If RuPaul doesn't crown one of the Obama-era girls or a Twinner, it's gotta be Jaida Essence Hall! Thanks for reading! :)