by Michelle Spigner

On tonight’s episode of America’s Next Top Model, it was all about the girls looking taller than they actually are. Now down to just 10 girls, the remaining models start out with a runway lesson from Miss Jay Alexander.

When the girls enter the Conga Room in downtown Los Angeles they are welcomed by a runway performance by Miss Jay and nine-year old runway model Diva Davanna. Little Miss Davanna was a pint-sized bottle of fierceness and showed the girls that you don’t have to be tall to walk tall.

Each girl gets an individual lesson and evaluation with Miss Jay, and although all the girls need work none of the models are runway disasters. Miss Jay shows them how to extend their necks and elongate their strides so they look as tall and strong as a 6-foot model. The girls then walked in pairs, learning how to watch the girl beside them out of their peripheral and keep in pace with each other.

The girls return to the house and the drama begins. Ashley has made herself the “mean girl” in the house and Lulu has graciously joins her side to talk behind everyone’s back criticizing their pictures, their attitudes, everything. The two feel it is their right to critique each girl’s walk as they practice in the house and they continuously call Brittany out for her “piercing eyes.”

The girls receive a Tyra mail that night which reads, “If you don’t walk tall you’ll come up short.” The next day the girls arrive at a beautiful Malibu mansion to learn they will be walking in their first runway show in the fashions of designer Kevan Hall. They will walk in pairs with models who are 5’10” and taller, a true test to see if their attitude and strength can conceal their petiteness. Miss Jay and Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen magazine Ann Shoket are judging the shoot and the winner will be featured in an advertorial for Xcite prom dresses.

During the show most of the girls stand their ground. They look much shorter than the statuesque models but still shine with their fierceness. In the end the judges unanimously chose Brittany as the winner; they thought she had the most confidence and strength. Brittany picked Kara and Laura to accompany her on the shoot and they take some stunning pictures.

The next day the girls head off to their photo shoot, their challenge is to work with the camera to appear as tall as possible. They are working on a set dressed with ropes, swings, hoops and ladders and the girls must use those props to elongate themselves. Their wardrobe, tall hair, high platform shoes and make-up are all designed to give them a couple extra inches, but still some models shrink behind the camera.

 The girls with the worst critiques last week were trying to overcome their weaknesses this photo shoot. Jennifer worked to hide her eye condition that makes her appear to have a lazy eye. Ashley tried to relax her dance poses and get the model to come through. Sundai worked to bring in her pouty lips and smile only with her eyes. And Bianca tried to work with her face and show some vulnerability and she did.

That night Bianca opened up even more to Nicole about her abusive relationship and how it was her faith that helped her to work through the pain that she is still experiencing. She is trying to show that vulnerability in her photos even though she has put up an emotional wall. It seems there is so much more to Bianca than her attitude shows.

The next day at judging, petite supermodel Jamie Rishar joins the panel. The judges go through the girls’ photos and love how long Nicole appeared, how beautiful Erin’s legs were, Kara’s strong look and Sundai’s stunning face. Kara got the best picture this week followed by Nicole, Erin, Sundai, Jennifer, Bianca, Laura, Ashley and Rae.

Lulu and Brittany were in the bottom two. Lulu is Nigel’s favorite to look at, but she looked to flat in her pictures. She lacks energy, tension and fierceness. Brittany just looked too short in her photo although she appeared so long in her picture last week. The judges think her appearance of length just may be a fluke.

In the end Lulu is the one to go home.

America’s Next Top Model airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on the CW.

(Image courtesy of CW)