Ever since I posted that picture of Alia Shawat in mid-day snack, I’ve been scouring the internet for rings. (Actually, ever since LSD landed her own jewelry spread in French Vogue, I’ve been scouring stores, sidewalks and the internet for the perfect stackable rings.)

Alia’s are Denise Azira, Pamela Love and Matina Amanita from right to left, but I’m looking for something slightly more feminine.

These, from Robindra Unsworth, are kind of perfect - mostly because they’re imperfect and will go with any other jewelry I decide to wear. I love that they’re both silver and gold and I could probably squeeze a totally different ring in between the two to toughen things up.

Here’s hoping they get here before fashion week.

As any fashion lover knows, dressing fashionably and dressing for the opposite sex are usually two very different things.

It’s a long debated argument, just who exactly to dress for, one we’ve even covered a few times, but today’s story in the Daily Mail got us thinking; while broad shoulders and draped bodices are hot trends for AW09, wearing say, a poof-sleeved, leather Louis Vuitton-shaped dress on a Friday night, isn’t the best way to rope in the dude at the bar.

Not that we expect that to be your number one concern, we just wonder how you balance your love of runway fashion with your social life. You probably don’t forego baggy Marc dresses or shredded Current/Elliots or massive Marni platforms just because the girl in low slung jeans and a white tank looks at you like you’re nuts or the guy you’re dating says, “You look like a cake topper,” - (true story) - but you also must shy away from being too fashion forward at some point.

The disconnect between fashionable and sexy can be frustrating, so how do you make it work?

Fashion Week invitations are flooding in and while some, like Michael Kors and Oscar de la Renta stick to their classic cards, others use their invite as a sneak of their upcoming collections.

The most orginal, so far, are a fan from Ports 1961 and a video invite from Rachel Comey.

Mulberry’s brightly colored invite means it’ll be easy to wake up on the morning of the 15th knowing there’s a room full of fantastical accessories to look forward to. And the invitation for Organic by John Patrick is actually a 1921 Cleo Throckmorton photograph, Krazy Kat Klub, recently hand painted by L. Mulero. Preen’s recycled paper invite boasts a mesh, fishnet pattern that’s awfully similar to last season’s collection and Christian Siriano’s dark mountainous image looks like a Rorschach test while Rachel Antonoff’s old fashioned, embossed invite bills her presentation as a performance hosted by Sarah Sophie Flicker at the Henry Street Playhouse.

Click for close ups!

Each season a different reality TV show descends upon New York Fashion Week making things ten times crazier.

We must say, The Rachel Zoe Project was a huge improvement over Make Me a Supermodel and we kind of hope it’s Rachel and Brad again, (though if Joe Zee rolls up with The City’s camera crew in tow, we won’t really mind).

Anyway, on tonight’s show we finally see what the camera captured during the shitshow that was Rag & Bone AW09. They also explain why Taylor headed back to LA before the week was out (which maybe explains why I was sitting next to Brad at Chanel instead of next to Rachel’s first assistant). And there’s a close up of DvF’s nomad collection pre-show. A sneak peek, above.

“Even with just one day in Cape Town, I managed a bit of shopping time and found great black matte crocodile boxes to store things in (I love the idea of a superluxe Container Store)…Our friends slept under the stars on their terraces for a night but that’s too much nature for me. Found fabulous ebony bowls in cool, organic shapes. I can truly shop anywhere!…Back to New York to get ready for Fashion Week; talk about the jungle.” —Michael Kors writes about his African adventure for WWD.

In Vogue: We’re a sucker for epic young Hollywood portfolios in any magazine, but Teen Vogue’s is always styled best and has the most fashion - this time around that includes Alia Shawkat, maybe better known as Maeby Fünke, who happens to be co-hosting Rachel Antonoff’s SS10 presentation. {TeenVogue}

London Bound: Christopher Bailey talks to Hilary Alexander about what it means to show Burberry in London and how he may seem laid back, but is actually “very German” in his methods. {Telegraph}

Play Catch Up: Richard Nicoll tells Grazia about the calm before the Fashion Week storm. He doesn’t believe in guilty pleasures, just pleasure. As if we needed more reasons to adore him. {Grazia}

Courtney Love was so enamored with which design team that she wrote them an “inspiration check” for $25,000 within a few minutes of meeting them?

Sometimes I think Steve Madden worships Alexander McQueen the way I do, and that that’s why he constantly attempts the same designs.

But that can’t be right, because I’d be sick with guilt if I made my small fortune off stealing his creativity.

Madden has no such guilt - he’s struck again with McQueen’s peep toe Faithful bootie. His Seryna bootie comes with a ridged leather heel, snapped leather pulled over the ankle and a zip up the front.

It’s missing the skull zipper puller though, and as our tipster says, “McQueen’s luxe leather.”

We were swarmed by NYU kids moving into their dorms this weekend, which means school must start soon which means if you don’t already have an internship you’re probably freaking out.

Don’t worry. John Varvatos still needs help - anywhere from two to four people worth of help. The positions, in the PR department, call for at least two days a week from 9:30 to 6:30, working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Photoshop and a serious interest in fashion PR. You should also, of course, be a hardworking, enthusiastic, ambitious team player.

Remember this Alexander Wang dress?

Its evolution started with a runway debut on Aline Weber last September, hopped right to a V Magazine party that same week on Anja Rubik, and quickly became the new Prada lace, popping up in every single editorial until even Topshop attempted to rip it off, disastrously, and everyone who’d bought it finally tucked the piece away into the back of their closet.

But we hear Tyra Banks rocks it on the season premiere of America’s Next Top Model.

What does this mean? Well, we’ll finally see it on a womanly body, which could give those squiggles a whole new dimension. But more importantly, it means Tyra might start incorporating relevant fashion into the show (though yes, a year behind). Maybe she can put the models in Prada’s epic SS09 sandals in the second episode and see if they fare any better than the originals?

You know how there are movies that you have to watch through to the end every time you catch them while flipping the channels. Almost Famous definitely tops that list for me.

I would so have loved living on the road with Penny, William, the girls, and Stillwater. And, of course, I would have been there because of the music. But the clothes, also right up my alley. I’ve always been especially fond of Ms. Lane’s jacket with the furry collar and the way it just envelops her in bohemia.

There’s been a heated internal beauty debate going in my head since first seeing crimped hair again in a major way on the February runways.

I’ve gone back and forth between swearing I would never ever do this to myself again and thinking that maybe I could pull it off. Besides, while I suck at straightening my hair, this is a lot more foolproof.

This afternoon I finally got to dive into the September issue of Vogue Paris. Along with the Sasha P./Liza editorial below, I’ve now fixated on two shots of Julia Stegner, in all her crimped glory from the beauty pages.

Now I’m 100% going to Target this weekend to pick up a new crimping iron. Of course I don’t have the genius Laurent Phillipon on hand to perfect my mane, but I am thinking this could be another helpful tool to have in the arsenal for the seemingly neverending battle of growing out my bangs.

Oh, the things you and your magazine can convince me to do, Carine.

We were going to put this in mid-day snack, but I was so afraid you wouldn’t click and would miss out on watching Lorenzo speak for almost two minutes.

Marc’s dreamy fiancé (Maybe husband? We can’t keep track.) spent the day at Nylon’s studio last week directing a shoot for Brazilian shoe brand Melissa, the plastic cobbler who’s collaborated with Vivienne Westwood and Zaha Hadid in the past.

The fall shoes are cute and Lorenzo says they even smell delicious.

Chanel-o: If Craig McDean had shot this with Baptiste Giabiconi instead of Constance Jablonski (for Interview), Karl Lagerfeld might have exploded from excitement. That would’ve been fun. {Models}

It’s It: This went up at the start of the week, but in case you missed it & you’re still wondering just who Becka Diamond is, this guide to the It-Girls of fall 09 will prove extremely helpful. {Style}

Ca-Caw: Thank you Malvin from Project Runway for inspiring the kids at EW to edit this little piece of Arrested Development awesomeness together. We were just remarking on Lindsey and Gob’s chicken dances earlier in the week. And by remarking we mean re-enacting. Happy Friday! {PopWatch}

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy: Barneys is about half way through their warehouse sale & shoes just got knocked down 40%. Meanwhile, we saw their awkward TV commercial last night and still wonder why they don’t just use Simon Doonan. {Racked}

Sketched Up: We read about Igor & Andre yesterday morning, the blog from California- based fashion illustrator and model lover Danny Roberts, but wasted an hour of our life on it last night. His work is spectacular. {Igor&Andre}

photo by jeremy kostLadies and Gentlemen, meet your dream internship.

Phillip Lim needs some PR help and

a) You don’t have to be a student.
b) They’ll cover your transportation costs.
c) They’ll pay for lunch (though you probably won’t be eating at Mercer Kitchen)

But to win those things you must be dependable, detail-oriented, organized and able to multi-task. Also, you need good communication skills & phone etiquette, Microsoft Apps efficiency and two to three days of availability.

“I think after the ugly skinny boys of Hedi [Slimane’s] days…some ‘beauty’ was needed.” —Karl Lagerfeld to WWD

Eco and sustainable fashion has been de rigeur in certain circles for some time now. But I seriously had no idea you could make clothing from milk until I read this article this morning on WSJ.com.

That’s right, fabric created 100% from milk proteins is upon us.

And I love the idea that using milk frees up land that would have been used for cotton and thus lowers usage of water and pesticides. But I am dying to see what the fabric looks like, its textures, and how it wears.

Because I can’t quite wrap my brain around the same thing I put in my Cheerios also being used to make my clothes. And, as one would expect, the stuff isn’t cheap.

Rachel, 23, Profession: “up in the air”

Got Her: Strolling down Mott, pre-rain.

Stalked Her: Because really, when a dress that bright walks by, you can’t help but stalk - at least with your eyes.

Shot Her: Because nothing says summer like a floral maxi dress and now it feels like summer’s almost over; we had to capture the moment.

She Said: “I love anything full of color - and florals. I never wear black.”

We Say: Thanks for brightening our day!

It feels like everyone in New York is doing something for Fashion’s Night Out which means our inbox is flooded and the only way to easily distinguish between actual fashion week invites and Fashion’s Night Out press releases is to hit delete.

But we hesitated over Longchamp’s hoping, thinking maybe for a second that Kate Moss would be in town to host their September 10th bash.

She’s not, but Lily Cole is.

Their new fall collection’s called Gatsby and Michael Arenella & his Dreamland Orchestra will play a jazz set in honor of the theme before Lykke Li DJs the rest of the night.

How we’ll work this in between everything else, we’re not sure. But we’ll layout our divide and conquer plans on the 9th.

While it turns out The Daily was just stirring up smoke with those false Jean Paul Gaultier rumors - he & Hermès look forward to a long and happy life together - the French house still has major problems.

WWD reports their profits have taken a 7% dip in the first half of the year which the house claims is fine, since they plan on evening out their numbers in the second half. While it’s tempting to blame the recession, Bryanboy puts it best when he tweets, “That’s what they get for letting Heidi Montag buy their stuff all the time.”

Meanwhile, on the other end of the retail spectrum, J.Crew’s profits aren’t just staying steady, but actually rising. CEO Mickey Drexler says, “There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned recession to make you run a better business.”

J.Crew’s always been the most-luxury of the high-street brands, which might explain, why, during all of this, they’ve consistently done well. If the woman who buys only designer clothing finally needs to cut back, she’s not going to stop shopping, but she will buy her basics elsewhere. And if she was buying $200 t-shirts, J.Crew’s $88 version is a steal.

Not that they’re perfect (Madewell’s not doing so hot), but they are winning while everyone else is losing.

We didn’t get a chance to watch the first episode until last weekend. Our apologies for not recapping. But we’re back to analyzing Heidi, Tim, Nina and the gang as they take over FIDM and Lifetime.

1. Where’s Michael? You know he would have had some zingers for Malvin’s sling, Mitchell’s shorts, and Ra’mon’s darts.

2. What up with the chicken fetish, Malvin?

3. Don’t you bet Jerry O’Connell and Rebecca Romijn have really fun date nights? Bowling perhaps?

4. Speaking of Rebecca, isn’t it still hard to remember to drop the Stamos from her name?

5. Did Qristyl (don’t even get me started on the spelling of her name) actually call something outdated and then show up to the runway wearing what looked like a full-length patchwork leather skirt and a really bad jean jacket?

In other Bravo-related news, apparently there’s this show that Andy Cohen hosts on Thursday at midnight called Watch What Happens Live.

Considering the obscene amount of television that I watch and that a large chunk of it airs on Bravo, I’m rather embarrassed that I didn’t know about its existence until just now.

Here’s the lineup for tonight: the hilarious and adorable Brad from RZP, Lisa from Real Housewives of Atlanta, and Barney Frank. Yep, you read that right.

Kenley Collins may have just gotten out of a two day stint in prison for throwing a cat at her boyfriend, but we think she should be sent back for blatant theft of Alexander McQueen’s genius. AGAIN.

After famously ripping off an A/W 2008 McQueen dress for her final collection on Project Runway, Kenley’s at it again, this time for her eponymous line.

She says it was inspired by her post-jail freedom. Right.
Kenley’s excuse on PR was that she had never seen the McQueen dress before, but after that fiasco we know she’s seen every last piece of that collection, and we’re shocked that she would dare to copy another dress from it.

Nina Garcia would not approve.

Callie, 26, Interior Designer

Got Her: Walking through Union Square on her lunch break during this almost-Fall day.

Stalked Her: Because we’re a sucker for really great embroidery and we loved that her outfit matched, without being matchy-matchy.

Shot Her: Because nothing’s better than looking supremely comfortable and chic at the same time. Plus, we’re super jealous of that oversized leather clutch. Aviators, bangles, and pink polish don’t hurt either.

She Said: “I love color and flea market finds. I tried on a bunch of outfits this morning and after twenty-five minutes, settled on this one.”

We Say: Our office could use a makeover?

The Puppet Show: Fashion finger puppets are coming our way thanks to the kids at Rubbish. Put us down for one mini ALT. {NY Times}

What’s Your Damage? A while back we heard that Heathers was coming to Broadway. Today comes news that it’s getting remade for TV. {Variety}

Sporty Spice: Who knew Resurrection’s Katy Rodriguez was such a jock? Because really an unassisted triple play is pretty major. {VF Daily}

Bye Bye Birdie: Faran’s take on the stylings of Ann Margaret, Betty Draper, Mona Sterling and the rest of the Mad Men ladies in the second episode of the season. {AMC}

Lily Allen’s landed the cover of ELLE UK’s October issue in honor of the 25th anniversary of London Fashion Week.

They’ve put her in a blond wig and custom outfits by Brit designers including Richard Nicoll, Stella McCartney, Burberry and Giles. The crystallized, body con Louise Goldin’s her favorite.

In this behind the scenes video, which also features photographer Rankin talking about how “uber-cool” Lily is, she says she’s never really been into the whole Kate Moss, Sienna Miller thing and jokingly claims Alexa Chung’s her London Style Icon.

It’s the graphic rock star make-up we really couldn’t take our eyes off of though.

It’s a rather gray day here in New York City, and coupled with the fact that I’ve had wicked insomnia all week and that I think I have yet another stress fracture in my right foot, well let’s just say I’m rather cranky.

So when I arrived at the office this morning to find a little bag from Urban Decay with this Kime Buzzelli for Blood Is the New Black t-shirt and Urban’s new holiday palette, my mood brightened.

Urban Decay had Kime, an illustrator and installation artist from the groovy Echo Park neighborhood in LA, to do create the art for their newest product, called the Show Pony Shadow Box after her clothing line and the fashion/art gallery space of the same name. And it turned out amazingly cool. It’s making me relive all the Jem and the Holograms/Jericha/The Misfits fantasies of my youth. Plus, there are two new shadow shades exclusive to this palette and they’re named “Snatch” and “Painkiller”. Awesome.

So, thanks Urban Decay for making me less bitchy this morning and giving me some pretty new eye shadow to wear.

“The shoes are named after models — Lara, Hanne, Racquel — but the bags are named after TV show characters. We have the Brenda and Kelly [90210], the Dorothy shopper [The Golden Girls] and the Trudy [Miami Vice]. They’re all the shows that used to be on TV when I was growing up.” —Alexander Wang to W on his most excellent pop culture influences.

Dree Hemingway, former Abercrombie model and it-girl of a pretty long moment, will walk Calvin Klein next month.

The model, and literary heir, surfaced onto New York’s fashion scene about a year ago and while she made the show and party rounds last season, she walked exclusively for Ricardo Tisci at Givenchy in Paris.

We expect she’ll be at least a US exclusive for Calvin Klein and pop up in Paris, if not London, too.

And in other model news, Alana Zimmer’s gone and chopped off all her hair.

ELLE needs interns.

Who at ELLE? As fun as it’d be to be Joe Zee’s twitter intern, the assistant to the Style Director needs a few helping hands this fall.

The perfect people will be detail oriented, responsible and professional (we’ll keep writing these qualifications, but please note these are requirements for any job). Also, if you apply, you should be obsessed with fashion - not shopping, but fashion.

You’ll help with sample trafficking and organizing as well as planning Fashion Month. You might even help with more creative tasks like working on the storyboards etc. It’d be nice if you’re a college student, you’re not disqualified if you aren’t, and they’d like you to work three days a week starting now.

It’s like every morning brings news of a yet another fashion person on film.

While this month’s been devoted to The September Issue and we’re most looking forward to the Sundance debut of Jack & Lazaro’s documentary in two weeks, there’s an entire festival dedicated to Marc Jacobs in between.

It’s in Australia, so we can’t quite make it, but they’ve flown Bryanboy in to kick off each night of screenings on the condition he brings his BB bag (the square, ostrich one Marc made just for him for fall 08) everywhere he goes.

They’ll show, of course, Loïc Prigent’s Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton, but they’ll also screen clips from Andy Warhol’s show, Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited (Marc made the luggage), a video compilation of Marc’s runway shows and a few films to set the scene of the old New York in which Marc rose to fashion fame.

The festival runs through September 6th, so if you’re down there soak up all the Marc you can in case they can’t squeeze you into his front-row only show.

The Fashion Week invites and info are starting to roll into our office. We’re starting to get just a wee bit excited!

Even more so now that we just heard that Fashionista favorite Kate Lanphear will once again be styling the Julie Haus show on September 10th at Julie’s pop-up on Mercer. We love the mix of Kate’s harder edged aesthetic with Julie’s girlier frocks.

We can’t wait to see what they come up with this season. It’s sure to be something good.

Seeing as September is just around the corner, I have now commenced my annual hunt for the perfect boot. Every year, it’s the same old story. There are a million pairs that I love…until I try them on. This cycle goes on and on until I realize I want a pair that’s no longer available in my size.

I’m making this the year such madness ends.

I think my problem is due partially to the fact that I’m insanely picky when I’m about to drop that much money (usually a good thing) and also that I know I’m literally going to wear them every day. I may love my shoe collection, but in reality I’m very much a creature of habit.

“I think people would be surprised that all the product is produced from the five people who work here. I think that would be shocking—that the brand seems much bigger than the actual process is.” —Ashley Olsen on the size of The Row’s team in The New York Times.

(A very random ad for Gatwick Airport via Copyranter)

Does anyone remember that website, Hot or Not? Actually, it still exists but there was a moment years back that it was the go-to procrastination website du jour. It was as simple as its name.

There are now many style networking sites that offer a similar forum for voting on outfits and fashion choices. One of those, Fashism, is now hosting a live and in-person event at the very lovely Inven.Tory boutique this Saturday from 12-6 pm. Here’s the deal: you come in, try on some goods, pose for pictures and then the site’s staff (and online viewers) will vote on who looks best. Winners get a gift certificate for the store.

Sounds like an easy way to score some free goods simply by going shopping and working your personal style skills. (And yes, that’s a very old Gwyneth pic. It happens to be one of my all-time faves and in my opinion, very personal style appropriate.)

Wishin’ and Hopin’: If I could look like this in ripped tights and a sweater for, oh, even five minutes…life would be good. {Topshop}

Modeling Dynasty: So Cara Delevingne got a modeling contract too. But we’re more interested in the fact that Alexis Carrington is her godmother. {Vogue UK}

D-Bags Unite: A little humorous reading for your afternoon. GQ ranked the douchiest colleges in the country. I (Abby) went to the number 2 school. I love my alma mater but I can’t really argue with that ranking and am well aware of how much people hate when Blue Devils are #1. And can I just throw in a “Go to hell Carolina!” for good measure? Okay, sorry, back to fashion. {GQ}

FNO in LA: Our in-boxes are overflowing with Fashion’s Night Out emails and we’re very much looking forward to all the festivities. Sounds like the west coast was feeling a little left out, so they’re jumping in on the action too. {All the Rage}

Everyone’s psyched for Fashion’s Night Out, but everyone’s worried that no one’ll actually shop - or we were worried until we saw the official PSA.

You’d be hard pressed not to break out your wallet after listening to Sarah Jessica Parker beg and watching Diddy dance his way across the screen. Anna Wintour laughs, which is becoming less unusual, and Raquel Zimmermann hangs onto Alex Wang like a monkey to a tree and they’re all SO excited.

Suddenly, it makes sense to shell out for a PS 1 if Jack & Lazaro help pick the color or splurge on Elizabeth & James when Ashley tells you what fits best - especially since the night before Fashion Week all anyone wants are new clothes. Anyway, now we think this’ll be successful, and by successful we mean lucrative.

The official PSA, above. Outtakes, after the jump!

We love Sharpies here at Fashionista. They come in very handy with our graphic tendencies and the rainbow of colors they now come in is quite lovely. That said, we never expected to hear them attached to Fashion Week. But apparently, they are.

It was thought that perhaps MAC wanted to get out of their IMG relationship in part because of the overcrowded sponsorship mania that now goes on at the Tents. You know, with people like McDonald’s and whatnot. Um, maybe this is what they were talking about?

photo courtesy bryanboySo you like fashion, but lack the creativity bone? Or lack an interest in samples and press clippings?

How about an internship in sales?

Prabal Gurung, formerly of Bill Blass, currently of his own increasingly successful label, needs a few sales interns for the fall semester. They’ll assist the sales team during selling campaigns and perform administrative tasks for the department. They’ll also liaise with PR and sample trafficking, research new stores, reach out to buyers, assist the sales reps with appointments and revise purchase orders and line sheets.

The perfect candidate must have strong writing skills and be both professional and organized. You should also have an off-site computer equipped with Excel.

We’ve never heard Raquel Zimmermann speak so much.

And though we can’t understand a Portuguese word she’s saying (don’t worry, there are subtitles), we can understand her high energy and why, aside from the really ridiculously good looking part, everyone wants to work with her.

It’s especially fun to watch after having seen her quiet, patient professional side in The September Issue; in case you doubt models’ acting skills here’s the perfect example of two very different sides of one girl. She talks about her favorite photographers, why she bleached her hair and what she really thinks of her (not so new) look.

Joy Gryson, who rose through the world of accessories at Marc Jacobs before starting her own eponymous line, is launching yet another collection. This time with MCM.

The handbag brand’s been around since 1976 and repeatedly tried to re-invent its image the past few years. They’ve never quite kept up with the Louis Vuittons and the Balenciagas, but now, with Gryson on board and a new target customer, they’re hoping for a monogram-less comeback. The new bags are darker, for a more urban, fashion forward woman.

And so the campaign stars Coco Rocha and her dark, dark hair against the New York Standard. It was styled by Kathryn Neale Shaffer, which puts its Vogue count at at least seventy-three.

Saks will sell the bags exclusively, except for MCM boutiques of course, starting at the end of the month.

We just asked RJ Cutler (who you should know by now directed The September Issue) if there were any similarities between the way Vogue is run and the way the ‘92 Clinton campaign (the subject of The War Room, which he produced and we very highly recommend) was managed. This was his answer:

“The similarity I would focus on is one of leadership—people who are passionate about what they do and are doing it under high stake circumstances. It’s a good way of describing Anna Wintour. It’s a good way of describing James Carville. And George Stephanopolous. And Grace Coddington. Though they certainly dress differently.”

Ever since the dawn of feminism women have been adopting menswear pieces into their wardrobes and looking cute doing so.

From the inevitable menswear spreads in the September sssues of magazines to the Jean Paul Gaultier ads featuring Raquel Zimmerman in woman and man form, women in men’s clothing has become the social norm and not the least bit shocking. Isn’t every woman’s favorite “morning-at-boyfriend’s-apartment” activity going through his wardrobe and snagging a few shirts and sweaters?

But a man in a skirt or hot pants? Likely to get stares and glares. The Telegraph recently published a story about “Girlfriend Dressing” featuring pictures of Jamie Hince in what seems to be girlfriend Kate Moss’ short shorts and fitted blazer. I can’t blame him; who wouldn’t want to play dress-up in Kate Moss’ wardrobe? In all seriousness, though, why can’t men in women’s clothing be taken seriously the way women in men’s clothing can?

There were many things that had me “fuh-reaking” out while watching last night’s season 2 premiere of The Rachel Zoe Project: huge navy moments, Rachel’s Chanel diploma, the evolution of one of RZ’s signature phrases into “shutting. shit. down”, the fact that indeed everyone does look better with seven more inches…everywhere, Brad’s giant bow tie, desk disobedience, the list goes on and on!

And while we all knew what the girls were going to end up wearing to the Globes, the process, was as always, fabulous to watch. Like Brad and Rachel, I was dying over the couture clutches that had amassed in the studio for Annie, Demi, Cameron, et al. I’m not really much of a small bag girl, even for evening, as I’m fairly terrible about editing down the contents and usually end up rather annoyingly over-stuffed. But, wow, did those Viviers make me rethink my position.

Here’s something we never do - the answer to last week’s tent-to-salon blind item was Zac Posen.

But it’s not anymore because KCD’s request form (where you list the shows you’d like to attend next to their time and place) says that Zac’s show will be held at the Altman building - a popular albeit small Fashion Week venue that’s played host to Costello Tagliapietra, Charlotte Ronson and Sophie Theallet in the past.

This is strange because

a) It’s small.
b) Zac was one of the major designers IMG’d managed to hold on to.
c) Zac’s shows ooze glamour, which the Altman building does not.

Good thing his dresses are spectacular enough to make up for it.

SPOTTED: Patrick Demarchelier shooting Lily Donaldson rolling an LV suitcase up and down West Broadway.

Model Shop: Lara Stone’ll curate the next phase of Not Just A Label, the online shop dedicated to one-off designer pieces and special limited edition products. We see leather, cigarettes and Eres in the future. {NotJustALabel}

One Track Mind: Just how many models does it take to make one night of Fashion run smoothly? About 250 apparently. Coco, Lily, Chanel & two hundred and fifty others will be stationed around the city to make your night a little bit prettier. {ImaginarySocialite}

So Un-Vogue: There’s a scene in The September Issue in which Anna takes issue with the size of the cover font, hate to see what she’d do to the staff of Vogue Brazil for misspelling Guy Bourdin’s name on their September cover. {MadeInBrazil}

I’m a big fan of what Ben Watts (yes, he’s Naomi’s brother) does with his photography. He shoots a lot for Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone, but his celebrity (and fashion) photos are always a bit more gritty and real than other glossier fare. It always seems like everyone on his shoots is really enjoying the process.

So I was psyched to get an advance copy of his new book, Lickshot, coming out in October. This compilation is set up like a scrapbook and a travel diary, so while there are celebrity and model faces in the mix, there are also loads of “real”, or whatever you want to call them, people. But they are all super interesting skaters, bikers, surfers and all-around unique characters.

“I was just shooting in Belize and in St. Tropez and I met this homeless man who had never owned a shirt in his life. He had taken his pants and worn them as a shirt and I just thought it was so creative, you know? He was just liberated from the conventions of fashion.” —Julia Stiles mocking green & celebrity fashion lines as well as, maybe inadvertently, Erin Wasson.

Still looking for your fall internship?

Way to cut it close. (Just kidding, we still need interns, too!)

GQ would like a few of you for their fashion department. They’d prefer the most enthusiastic, fashion-loving, hardworking students - especially those who can start immediately and work through to the end of the semester. Before you apply, you should also make sure you’re motivated, detail-oriented and organized, especially under pressure in a super fast-paced environment.

You’ll be based in the closet, you won’t be paid and the more you can work the better.

Last night marked Anna Wintour’s television debut.

Vogue’s editor-in-chief landed on Letterman’s Late Night couch to promote The September Issue and Fashion’s Night Out and though CBS billed the segment as “The Devil Meets Dave,” she was, dare we say, delightful.

She starts out recommending that Dave explore Thom Browne, “He cuts his pants like really short, so you can focus entirely on the socks,” before bantering back and forth about the film, the economic state of the fashion industry, her relationship with Grace Coddington and her icy reputation. Despite looking nervous, she holds her own and even Dave seems impressed.

The best bit’s after the movie clip when she desperately tries to hold back laughter.

Photo from Jak&JilBlack Frame, the PR company whose client list includes Rodarte, Nicholas Kirkwood, Opening Ceremony, Viktor & Rolf and Visionaire, needs both interns and Fashion Week volunteers.

The good news is you don’t have to be a college student for either one, but you should have some fashion industry experience for both. As an intern, you’ll need to commit to at least three months starting now. You’ll help track and organize samples and press clippings and you should love fashion and be an excellent communicator and team player, especially under pressure.

Last week’s news that Liberty may be partnering with Target was cause for probable excitement, but today’s news that Liberty’s already partnered with Hermès comes with evidence, which is cause for immediate excitement.

The partnership started with Liberty’s floral Tana Lawn fabric; Hermès added a classic stagecoach and horse print in contrasting colors and promised to decorate the Scarf Room in the famed British department store.

“Tying the Knot” between the two iconic brands is the room’s theme and the French label’s built a giant installation to hang from the atrium’s ceiling to the floor. The scarves and ties will be available for six weeks starting September 7th and Liberty will be throwing various events and hosting different activities revolving around the exclusive collaboration.

If you can’t make it to London, you can buy them here.

We love contests, especially when we win them. I obsessively completed those Publishers Clearing House ones for years when I was a kid, completely convinced that maybe, just maybe, I was going to make my family rich.

Well, this new one from Neutrogena may not pay off your college loans, but we think it would be super fun. It’s called the “Flaunt Your Inner Celebrity” contest which, we realize, is not the coolest name in the world. But if you win you get to fly to New York for a makeover with one of our favorite makeup artists, Matin, who has worked with Gwyneth, Angelina, Jennifer Garner and pretty much every major American fashion magazine. After you get all fancied up, you’ll have a proper fashion photo shoot and of course get to keep all your shots.

Sounds like a pretty good deal to us. You can enter on Neutrogena’s Facebook page. and if you win, we expect an exclusive on some of those shoot outtakes.

LVMH is on a shopping spree but first it needs to unload some unwanted brands to raise cash the cash it hopes to spend.

According to sources at an investment firm, Donna Karan’s DKNY brand is up for sale. LVMH bought Donna Karan International in 2001, five years after she took it public. Donna Karan Collection is not believed to be on the block.

Sources say the clothing brand is no longer the right fit for LVMH as they are trying to focus more heavily on their super high-end luxury products with a strong international brand. Donna Karan admits on her website “DKNY is the pizza to Collection’s caviar.” It’s thought that while DKNY carries a lot of weight in New York, it doesn’t have the same luxury pull internationally.

Going to the Chapel: Congratulations to Milla Jovovich and new husband Paul W.S Anderson. She wore Temperley London for the ceremony and a mini dress she designed for the reception. And of course, she looked gorgeous. {Blasblog}

Were You Wondering: Brad Goreski, Rachel Zoe’s second assistant and the only boy of the threesome talks about the second season of The Project. {Valet}

A Stylist’s Stylist: ‘‘Accessorize when you can’t fit the clothes,” says crazy talented Arianne Phillips. You know, the woman Madonna and pretty much every major film studio goes to for their costuming needs. {T}

Quartered Covers: Not that we don’t love all of V’s covers, or that we’re not feeling LOVE’s double covers, but the four covers of September’s Another Magazine are exquisite. And if all those girls show up to their Fashion Week party, well Marc & Gaga might have some competition. {DailyFeed}

We know you spent last night in front of the TV, but prepare to park yourself there tonight, too.

Before Anna Wintour’s late night debut comes the second season premiere of The Rachel Zoe Project and here’s a new clip to get you even more excited for fluffy dresses and Brad’s bow ties.

It’s the day of the Golden Globes and even though Rachel’s studio’s so stuffed with shoes and dresses that no one can move, she hates it all. Life’s rough when you’re trying to make sure Anne Hathaway always looks “new and exciting” now that she’s “exploded” into a major movie star.

Garance Doré posted this picture on her blog on Thursday, with the title, “Don’t Tell Me You Don’t See It!”

She’s referring to the new, blonder bits in her always gorgeous curly hair after undergoing a particular varnish treatment, but what you can’t say you don’t see is the giant diamond on her left-hand ring finger.

The next day, Scott Schuman posted this picture on The Sartorialist and called it “Garance Doré in Full Summer Beauty” — the ring’s still there, just tucked under her hand.

A few commenters on both sites have spotted the ring, but we’re still waiting for a proper announcement so that we can start imagining the most fashion-obsessed wedding ever - photographed by Tommy Ton maybe?

Annabel Dexter-Jones, Model (we know, but it’s almost Fashion Week!)

Got Her: At the Chelsea Piers Lighthouse for the I Heart Ronson and JC Penney party last week.

Stalked Her: Because everyone was wearing Charlotte Ronson; she did it best and we’re a sucker for blue and orange. Plus, we’re (or I’m) seriously considering going blond and her hair is surfer perfect.

Shot Her: Because despite our strict no-models-if-not-at-Fashion-Week-rule, we couldn’t help ourselves. With the florals and the sheer and the suede and the weaving, there was a lot going on and yet it looks so easy.

She Said: “It’s all Charlotte, of course!”

We Say: You do your sister proud.

“[Cintra] Wilson told me she usually writes about ‘obscure stores that don’t exist outside of Manhattan,’ and she thinks of her audience as ‘1,300 women in Connecticut and urban gay guys in Manhattan.” She said it was ‘kind of provincial of me [Wilson]’ not to realize how big The Times was and how her audience would expand when she reviewed a store like Penney’s. She said she also thought she hit a raw nerve with people already disposed to think of The Times as disconnected and unsympathetic. ‘It was dumb on my part not to see this coming,’ she said.” —NY Times Public Editor Clark Hoyt in trying to lay to rest the great Cintra Wilson/JCPenney feud of ‘09.

The designers at Topshop have spent a bit of time this summer on the music festival circuit. Well, at least their clothing has. Like with so many of their other collaborations, they are the first high street line to create custom stagewear for the music set.

This past weekend at the V Festival, VV Brown and Shingai Shaniwa of The Noisettes wore their creations. And earlier this summer Florence Welch of Florence and the Machines and Natasha Khan of Bat for Lashes (my current obsession) got the Topshop treatment.

We love seeing expansion in the fashion business anywhere we can find it these days. This sunny August morning it comes from Nanette Lepore who will be adding more shoes to her pretty party dresses come spring.

The designer launched a capsule collection a couple years ago, but this new range (via a license with Peter Marcus Group), will feature twenty-five styles featuring a range of heel heights and beading akin to what’s found in the collection, according to WWD.

Available at the regular department store spots and Nanette’s stores, the shoes will set you back from $195-$350. There are a ton of contemporary shoes out there to choose from, but we have high hopes for Ms. Lepore.

Double Take of the Week:
Mert & Marcus Love the Woods

Maybe the McKinsey consultants would approve of this sort of in-house idea sharing, but we thought we were going crazy for a second when we saw this new Vogue shoot that looks pretty much like an old W shoot.

Hot Topic of the Week:
Anonymous Internet Commenters

We love our commenters. Well, most of the time. But sometimes things can get a little heated, and sadly, nasty. A former model sued and won the right to unmask a blogger who was writing libelous things about her on a site. This lead to a good old Fashionista debate and even spilled over to what we thought was a rather innocuous post on 13-year-old fashion blogging wunderkind, Tavi.

Rodarte News of the Week:
From Pasadena to Paris

We got a quick sneak peek at Rodarte’s Target collection, but then sadly we had to take the pictures down. Apparently security was major at the preview. Signed paperwork and whatnot, but we also got word that the sisters Mulleavy are curating an exhibition for Colette. Now we just need a plane ticket to Paris.

You Said It:

“The end of anonymity would be a very bad thing. In the US and the EU, we have nominal guarantees of mostly-free speech. Much of the world’s population lives under governments that do not respect this right. If we take away the ability to anonymously post because someone uses it to claim that Fashionista commenters fellate goats in their spare time or that the unnaturally smooth skin of models on magazine covers comes from regular bathing in the blood of newborn infants, we’re also taking away the ability to anonymously post about government-aligned paramilitary groups killing protestors. Sensible people know that just because someone SAYS something does not make it automatically true - even if you think you know who they are. This goes double for anonymous posts.”—an anonymous guest on our post about anonymous guests.

Internship of the Week:

We say Poly. You say Natasha. Gucci needs interns. And we kind of wish we were still in school so we could snag the job ourselves.

Meet Blue Logan, if you haven’t already.

A couple of years ago a friend dragged the soft-spoken Brit to a show at London Fashion Week, Aquascutum he thinks, and he started to draw the models as they walked down the runway. Within a few shows he realized the people in the front row were just as, if not more, interesting.

Now his drawings pop up in Vogues, both UK and American, on Style.com and a bunch of other fashion-loving sites. He’s been in New York this summer preparing his sandwich shop, Cheeky’s, sketching the cool kids in the Hamptons or at the Jane and starting a project he might call, “I’m on the List” about the nature of waiting in lines in New York.

He was in Paris before this and counts India as his favorite place, but he’s in love with New York right now and we’re happy to have him. How he works, after the jump.

(thanks HuffPo!)

Whitney Port, of The Hills and The City, has apparently “designed” a lipstick for Cargo. Of course, I recognize that there is PR value and it’s very lovely that a portion of the profits go to St. Jude’s. But really, I’ve always found these collaborations, if you can even call them that, rather dumb.

I love what Lancôme does in their Pout-à-Porter series with designers like Peter Som and Thakoon. And I can’t wait to see the new Chris Benz shade and find out who won the naming contest! These are literally tied to the runway looks of these designers. In fact, they’re actually used on the models in the show. There’s a context and a point behind the shades.

But I personally could care less when someone like Whitney or Tinsley (that Dior Beauty Ambassador thing still boggles my mind) point at a shade of pink and throws her name on it.

Do you?

This is just fun to watch.

Again, the more excited we get for Fashion’s Night Out - it’s really going to be epic - the more worried we get about people not shopping. Sure, the stores will be packed, but no one’s going to head to the dressing rooms when they’re struggling to catch a glimpse of an Olsen or a Miller.

It’s especially weird to watch this video - in which everyone from Michael Kors and Bradley Cooper to Diane Kruger and Vera Wang discuss the fashion industry’s dire situation - while they’re decked in diamonds and their finest custom get-up for the CFDA’s.

Shorts-Gate: The sheer number of stories about MObama wearing shorts is simply insane. We’re pretty sure that lots of people wear shorts in August in Arizona. Is there really a need for a national debate? {Time}

JC/DC: Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s diffusion line is launching at LFW and he needs models. We’re thinking a Gaga sighting could be job perk. {Dazed Digital}

Quelle Horreur! You can’t seriously expect people to find a way to stir their own coffee, do you McKinsey? Don’t you know that this is Condé Nast? {Page Six}

“I mean, I was there for seventeen years. I didn’t get the job that Anna got. I guess that was my most memorable experience.” —Vera Wang to New York Magazine on her most memorable experience of working at Vogue.

Anyone who talks to me for more than five minutes will likely become aware of how pop-culture obsessed I am. It seeps from my pores and I’m not ashamed of it, well, most of the time.

And while I’ve not yet been pregnant myself, I fully admit to analyzing and critiquing the maternity stylings of Hollywood moms-to-be. Let’s just call it research. Gwyneth always looked incredible. And I’m fairly certain Gisele is going to work a laid-back chic that I will love. But my favorite has to be Nicole Richie. Love.

But I’ve always wondered how on earth she still rocks those JET jeans that we’re obsessed with when she’s super prego. I mean, the girl is crazy tiny, but c’mon. Turns out that designer John Eshaya was making Nicole (and other celebs like Christina Aguilera) custom maternity jeans with a stretch belly.

And now the service is available to anyone here. Maternity jeans have definitely come a long way in the past few years, thank god. But the JETs may be the coolest yet.

As a veteran shopper, and of course being in the fashion industry, I had a vague notion of K. Jacques, only because some of my fave retailers—NAP and Matches—carry the shoe, or rather sandal, brand.

But having spent five days in the utterly gorgeous Port Grimaud (about 10 mins from St. Tropez), I can now say unequivocally that in this spot, K. Jacques rules. The line is a mainstay, much like cassis cocktails and Club 55.

A pair of K-Jacques is as important to fashionistas here as Louboutins are to Parisiennes and Nicholas Kirkwoods are to Londoners.

Teen Vogue needs another one.

Another intern that is. The two new hands will be put to work in the fashion and accessories department, specifically working with the fashion credits assistant.

Responsibilities include helping with samples returns and pick ups, organizing fashion week tickets, administrative work, helping with fashion credits, etc. Perks include probably going to a few shows in September.

You need to be available three or more FULL days a week and be a college student who is able to receive school credit for the internship (always at Conde Nast guys, always). Hard work, resilience, dedication, intelligence and a love for fashion are musts and of course it’s best if you have some fashion or magazine experience.

If that’s you, email your resume and availability to teenvoguefashioninternship@gmail.com!

Last night, while half the world lived it up at yet another September Issue screening and the rest of us ate cotton candy and danced to The Rumble Strips at Charlotte Ronson’s JC Penney bash, The Daily reported that Jean Paul Gaultier might be stepping down from his role as Creative Director of Hermes.

He’s been running the storied French house since Martin Margiela left in 2003 and done quite the successful job of maintaining Hermes’ status while increasing its high fashion credibility, not to mention profitability. They announced that their second quarter sales were up 12% this year, a good amount, a great amount given the economic climate. And Hermes has a stake in Gaultier’s own line which means the break will probably be amicable, or at least less messy than the recent Cortazar/Ungaro debacle.

So now the fun part, if it’s true and he goes on his way, who will take his spot? In our wildest dreams someone with a purely rock n’ roll aesthetic would take on the classics. Christophe Decarnin? Giles? Chris Kane? We know it’ll never happen, but the imaginary results are awesome.

If Liberty and Target pair up, like they’re rumored to, the world of mass collaborations will reach an insanely new transatlantic high.

Both stores, one the epitome of London cool and the other the epitome of American mass consumerism, have enlisted creative superstars to work on their projects for the past few years.

Liberty’s hosted Ronnie Wood and Luella Bartley while Target’s longer list includes McQueen, Proenza, Erin Fetherston and Luella. So when they join forces, we can’t even imagine what’ll happen - though visions of liberty print rompers and swimsuits for less than $30 are already dancing in our head. Between the two of them, we’d almost expect the whole world to show up in Liberty prints next summer.

WWD thinks the rumor will come true in spring and that there’ll be accessories, too. May we please have a Target now?

Where have all the fashionably fabulous people gone? St. Tropez, that’s where. Kate, Lila Grace, Leo, editors, designers. They’re here on hols where I am also quite lucky to be with my family. Post-beach they can often be found having a nibble at the resto we tried last night. I highly recommend it.

We treated ourselves to La Petite Maison (actually an hour away in Nice), a famed restaurant where they take their food very seriously. Some may know it because Gwyneth Paltrow raves about it on GOOP. I called for reservations and was told “No madam, we are booked until the end of the month.” It would probably help greatly if I was a bold-face name. But instead, I simply used my old London trick: just show up. And voila — a table for five right there and then.

Was it worth it? Yes. Pretentious? A little. The waiter bragged about Elton coming there all the time, and we did spot a gaggle of famous people, most notably Leo DiCaprio and Cindy Crawford.

Meanwhile back in London…

Henry Holland for Topshop?

We wish. Instead he’s heading to their stateside flagship to celebrate the launch of his brilliant new tights collection, or so we hear.

The legwear, launched in collaboration with Pretty Polly, launched at Dover Street Market last week, though we’ve already seen them on Agyness and the Geldofs. The tights go for about $15 and mimic the pastel stripes of his AW09 collection.

We’d love Henry to be here for Fashion Week.

In fact, we think he’d fit into Intermix’s Fashion’s Night Out party, hosted by Sienna and Savannah Miller, quite well.

Six Scents, the fragrance collaboration spearheaded by Givaudan and Metaproject and curated by Seven New York’s Joseph Quartana, is ready to launch series two.

This year’s designers are Henry Holland, Phillip Lim, Richard Nicoll, Damir Doma, Henrik Vibskov and Toga, each of whom paired with an individual perfumer to create their perfect scent. I spent this morning with three of the noses and they discussed the collaboration process. Henry wanted something cheeky; he imagined a big purple couch, made of velour, for all his friends to hang out on surrounded by puppies. When his perfumer, Stephen Nilsen thought about making it unisex, Henry said, “Just lots of sex.”

The new Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye tune is definitely my new jam. I’ve been listening to it on repeat all week long. And now I’m officially obsessed with the video. And you know how much we love Rihanna around here, and as usual she looks amazing.

Stylistically, it’s very urban Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. The major sartorial theme seems to be covering up, with blacked out sunglasses, hoodies, bandanas, hats. But what really caught my eye is this hat with the netting over Rihanna’s eyes. It’s like a little touch of Parisian chic thrown into this really rough setting. Like much of what Riri wears, I don’t think I could really pull it off, though if I tried, I’m thinking evening with a LBD.

Also of note, her wicked long pointy nails and serious finger jewelry. Practical? No. Sexy? In their own deadly way, yes.

Plus Jay-Z namechecks Margiela. And that’s pretty awesome too.

Bend it Like the Other Beckham: Heidi Mount plays Posh Spice in this on-line only editorial from V. Though “chasing her kids all day,” really? {V}

Not So Fast: Gen Art, the nonprofit organization known for supporting emerging designers (including at points Zac Posen, Sari Gueron and Phillip Lim) is having serious financial trouble. This tipster says, “Gen Art deserves to die.” {Gawker}

Biba-licious: Biba’s up there with Halston as one of the brands we can’t quite keep track of. It’s just been announced that online retailer Marisot will launch Biba for fall using inspiration from past collection. Um, okay. {VogueUK}

Made Over & Under: Trinny and Susannah, the British makeover artists extraordinaire, are coming to America. Actually, they’re already here, taking Eric Wilson shopping and plucking poor souls out of Times Square and into Zara, including one woman who’d never heard of Elle MacPherson. {NYTimes}

“What’s jarring is the marriage between the series and its new home. Project Runway is Barneys; Lifetime is Kohl’s. The cable outfit that broadcasts Army Wives and Reba reruns maintains an ethos that says, ‘Viewer, I see your cellulite; I’m down with your fibromyalgia; I know your menopausal misery.’ …the current season [of PR] is loaded with the unwrinkled: 9 of the 16 competitors are under 30, possibly a function of the fact that the casting is now conducted by Bunim/Murray, producers of The Real World. And yet there is no mistake that you’re watching Lifetime when you encounter Qristyl, a 41-year-old woman who designs plus-size clothing and makes no excuses. “I don’t call it plus-size,” she tells us, ‘I call it plus-sexy.’” —Ginia Bellafante in her NY Times review of the new season of Project Runway.

I’ve been taking a Photoshop class for the past three days (so as to suck less at graphics and actually be able to create some for the site!) and I had to walk past the Hollister shop on my way to and from the building every day.

And let me just say that yesterday’s quote of the day (aside from being totally genius) means so much more to me now. Wow, are those fumes strong. They just hang in the air as you turn the corner. Ick.

But they did get me thinking about smells that I do enjoy, like Saffron James Punono. Saffron James is a boutique fragrance company created by former beauty editor (and Hawaii native) Kate Growney. There are four scents in the collection that come in some incredibly beautiful packaging. And each one reflects a different aspect of Hawaiian foliage and culture. They’re all really complex and well-crafted, but Punono is hands-down my favorite.

Do you favor clothes of the rock n’ roll variety and think Poly when we say Natasha?

Then maybe you should intern for Gucci. Their PR team could use your help for fall working with men’s and women’s clothes and accessories. You’ll maintain the showroom, per usual, and assist with sample trafficking and inventory as well as celeb gifting, not to mention your fare share of admin duties, obviously.

You should probably be interested in fashion PR, duh, and it’d be nice if you have some fashion experience. If not, you should be professional, hard working, dedicated and enthusiastic about any and all duties. Hopefully you can work at least three days a week from now through December.

Must be in it for the school credit, too. Email Pintern@us.gucci.com.

Coty’s launching Jil, the new fragrance from Jil Sander, in Europe this September and America next spring.

Yes, there was a Jil in 1997, but they’ve discontinued the old perfume and revamped the whole thing to reflect Raf Simons’ successful work at the label. The scent includes tangerine, pink pepper and ambergine and the streamlined pink bottle’s inspired by Simons’ complicated simplicity.

“It’s exactly like what Raf Simons does so successfully with the dresses. At first glance, they are extremely simple, but more you look the more you see subtle details that makes the beauty of them.” says Coty’s VP.

Julia Roitfeld’s the face of the line, thrilled because it’s both “tough…and feminine and fragile,” she told WWD. We’re loving the fresh faced ad and its call to a much younger customer - models should smile more often.

If there were a fashion retail scale, Target would be on one side and Colette the other.

And yet, just weeks after announcing their collaboration with the former, Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte announced their work with the latter.

This October, they’ll curate an exhibition of their favorite things for Sarah Lerfel’s concept store in Paris. The sisters have consistently boasted the most impressive, obscure and yet still viable list of inspirations and we’re guessing this project will do a pretty good job of encapsulating what, in their lives, produces such dreamy clothes.

Thanks Sean!

One of the first things that crosses my mind when I see Brad Pitt or George Clooney is “Those guys sure know how to wear a pair of pants.” Seriously.

Some girls look to the hands but I guess you could say I’m a pants girl. I love a man in nicely fit pair. But of course most people aren’t operating on Clooney/Pitt budgets or getting custom fit by Tom Ford. At least not my friends.

So when I noticed what I thought to be a rather perfect pair on a guy friend recently, I was expecting to hear that they were super expensive. But no, he tells me. They’re this newish line Bonobos. The fit was great, without being too high fashion for some of the boys I know. And the butt, very nice.

They’ve got cords, twill, pinwale, wool and seersucker with prices from $98-$188. Plus there are shorts and a just launched swim line (retailing for $58.) And there’s color—which has been known to scare off some unadventurous males.

Embrace it, gentlemen, embrace it. In the form of a good pair of pants.

Advanced copies of LOVE at Dover Street Market!

Denise Williamson’s been a part of New York’s fashion industry for almost twenty years.

She made it through FIT, worked in house at Calvin Klein, fooled around with showroom ideas, networked her way into one of the most successful PR and branding companies in the city and now runs the showroom, Williamson PR and Williamson Consulting.

Our discussion was meant to revolve around her day to day life, but instead it took a few philosophical turns into the state of the fashion industry and what she sees in the future. Of course, we also talk about her clients, including Trovata, Jen Kao, Kimberly Ovitz, Raf by Raf Simons and Madeleine Thompson, her kid and the fun parts of working so hard.

Don’t get me wrong, New York is the best city in the world as far as I’m concerned. That’s why I had to move back after a couple of years in SoCal. But Los Angeles has things like temperate weather, hiking Runyon and Topanga, ridiculous Mexican food, Coffee Bean, and In-N-Out that I miss on a regular basis.

They also have Jenn Ripley’s Archive Agency - basically a fashion lover’s mecca in the heart of Larchmont Village. Jenn puts together an amazing collection of designer pieces (often exclusive, based on her industry relationships with showrooms, designers, and even factories) that she sells out of her loft. She often holds weekend sales open to anyone, but her most frequent visitors during the week are stylists (personal and wardrobe), professional shoppers and agency types searching for the perfect item for a client.

At left we have two examples of brilliant, not-recession friendly pieces of fall fashion: the bomber jacket.

On the far left, the classic’s perfected by Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte. On the right, Christopher Kane comes pretty damn close. Both retail for almost four months worth of rent for a decent New York City room, two tickets around the world, or a Vespa.

Over at T, Anne Christensen favors the Rodarte. While the bondage-wrapped Rodarte makes us weep, the Christopher Kane one is slightly less on-trend and saves you a few dollars for the peanut butter & jelly you’ll have to eat for a year.

If we’re playing fall fantasy wardrobe, we’d throw the Rodarte jacket over this Chris Kane dress. In yours?

Which designer won’t be showing in the Tent this year, like he usually does? Rumor has it he’ll send his gorgeous gowns down the Salon’s runway instead.

In my ramp up to last Sunday’s season premiere of Mad Men, I re-watched the first season. Of course, the ladies’ outfits (and Don, duh) made me swoon just as much as the first time around. But something else stood out that I hadn’t paid much attention to initially—the sleepwear. Most specifically Betty Draper’s short, flowy, chiffon nighties.

Now, I still pretty much look like a college girl in a dorm when I crawl into bed at night, but I’m seriously considering stocking up on a few of these romantic numbers. Don’t you love how Betty lounges around all day in one sometimes? (She evens shoots at neighbors pigeons!) And they do look incredibly comfortable, even for hot summer nights. Plus, the little robes that go over them? Love!

I found some great ones on Etsy here and here that I’m loving lots.

What about you? Would you wear proper lady pajamas a la Betty?

Dream Team: Donatella Versace tells Chris Kane that “insatiable curiosity and a love of experimentation” set British designers apart. She also talks music, Gianni and being a diva. {TimesUK}

Burgled: Someone robbed the Michael Kors store on Prince the night before last at 5:30am. He distracted the security guard at the Apple store before breaking iinto Kors’ store and stealing $13,000 worth of merchandise. We understand loving clothes, but stealing from Apple might’ve been more lucrative. {Villager}

Do You Have IT?: Refinery29’s on a mission to help you be a fashion darling, or at least determine if you have what it takes to be in the running. They’ve followed up their successful sartorial flow chart with this. Click to find out if you’re the next Harley. {Refinery29}

Come Again: There is a “scarfigan” for sale. We don’t know if Missoni named it or Net-a-Porter, but we want it so we can say “scarfigan” everyday. {Net-a-Porter}

“On the way down I stopped in the fragrance room and sampled the Laguna Beach body mist. It smelled like Jolly Ranchers being breathed on my face by Hayden Panettiere. Here the store also sells its California fragrance, which is spritzed on the mannequins every hour; it’s a noxious concoction that, I assume, is distilled from mink sex glands and the tears of broken-hearted teenage girls.” —From Mike Albo’s brilliant review of the new Holister store, in The New York Times

Did you like Birds of a Fether? Want to join Erin Fetherston’s Pied Piper line? You can start with an internship.

They need a bunch of you for fall, specifically to help with their show at Milk which means you should be able to start now and stay through November, at least. It’s a broad “front of house” internship which means you’d get a lot of hands on experience in both sales and PR. You’ll have to run errands, maintain the press book, help with show prep and other general office duties.

You must have some kind of experience in fashion - this will be a fast paced, high-pressure environment and the more familiar you are with that, the better you’ll do. It’ll also help if you know photoshop, which you should probably just learn anyway since everyone wants it.

They’d like you full time; e-mail sam@erinfetherston.com.

Next Tuesday, Allure’s fashion director Michael Carl is hosting a party at Housing Works.

It’s part of their editor’s choice series in which the charity, the largest community-based AIDS service organization in the country, asks an editor to cull the best pieces within the store and present them to the public.

Carl’s party, “Last Days of Summer,” also has two co-hosts, Charlotte Ronson and Shoshanna Gruss whose swim collaboration debuted earlier this year. The friends are donating shoes and swimsuits for the event, too.

The party’s free and open to the public from 6 to 9 on August 24th at their Tribeca store on Chambers St. Go early so you’re home in time for the Rachel Zoe Project’s season two premiere and Anna’s Letterman debut.

Everyone’s talking about Tavi.

The thirteen-year-old StyleRookie (or not) covers Dasha Zhukova’s first POP. She’s also inside, and on one of the promotional images of Katie Grand’s second LOVE.

Damien Hirst’s illustration (at left) made us gasp, while Grand’s editorial made us “Aw”; while we worship the ground Katie walks on, now we’re actually excited to see what Dasha’s done.

Which do you prefer?

Meet Miss Lanvin.

Franz Porcelain’s just sent us a peek of their new collection of thirteen dolls, made in collaboration with the house and Alber. They say, “While Elbaz has revitalized the fashion house, he, like Lanvin, still appreciates tradition. Part of that tradition includes a strong affection for dolls.”

We like Betsey Johnson now, but we loved Betsey Johnson fifteen years ago, which is why we spent last night watching these vintage videos instead of True Blood.

Her team’s uploaded an insane archive, dating back to 1978 when Betsy debuted her namesake label and sent gyrating models down the runway in neon satin dresses with major side ponytails and shoulders I’ll call Balmain even though I’m aware they weren’t that back then.

You can catch Steven Tyler and Marc Jacobs walking her runway, as well as Pat Field, Bjork and of course, the famous ending cartwheel.

There are ten videos posted so far through the eighties and into the early nineties, and they’ll be adding more on a daily basis on Youtube, their Facebook page and via Twitter.

Liskula Cohen’s modeled for Versace and Armani and landed international Vogue covers, but recently she’s made less fashionable headlines.

Last year, a doorman smashed her over the head with a vodka bottle and this year she’s sued Google to reveal the identity of an especially cruel blogger. The both tragic and anonymous person used Google’s blogger.com platform to unleash constant rants about the blond’s imagined sexual habits, but argued in court that the words were, “non-actionable opinion and/or hyperbole.”

Many thought Cohen wouldn’t win - after all half of the internet is anonymous - but today a judge ruled that Google must identify the blogger, which means Cohen can officially take that person to court. And where would that court case lead? The anonymous blogger’s lawyer put it best: “The floodgates would be opened if you tried to regulate these very broad, common insults and invective on the Internet. You can be really, really mean to people — you just can’t lie about a set of facts that are provable as lies, and that you knew or recklessly disregarded the truth of.”

Now You’re Talking: Here’s a peek at Numero’s September issue. R’el Dade and Mélodie Dagault were shot by photographer Greg Kadel. It’s super hot & super NSFW. {Models}

How to Glam: Glamour’s launching a new video feature on their site. It’s called 20 Outfit Ideas from America’s Most Stylish People and includes commentary from Phillip Lim, Karl Lagerfeld, Rachel Zoe, Jason Wu and more. You can watch the preview & sign up for the daily videos now. {Glamour}

On Repeat: Keira Knightley’s latest Mademoiselle ads for Chanel look a lot like the last ones- pretty, and strategically naked. {Egotastic}

Lucky Duckie: Style Rookie, Tavi Williams, video taped the Rodarte for Target preview this morning while editors were sworn to secrecy. {Lucky}

“I think most women have their own personal paper bag hierarchy. The really good ones are for holding personal belongings, the ordinary ones are for holding groceries, the cute ones for using as gift wrappings, etc.” —Akiho Mizuta, one of many women in Tokyo who have traded in designer handbags, for paper shopping bags from designers and upscale boutiques. One girl even irons hers.

SORRY DUDES. REMOVED RODARTE PICS AT THEIR REQUEST, BECAUSE WE LOVE THEM & WE’RE PRETTY SURE YOU ALREADY SAW!

Want to know the answer to yesterday’s blind item? Well, we can’t tell you. But you can get in with the models and find out for yourself.

New York Model Management needs fall interns, whether you need school credit or not.

You obviously need to love fashion, which you probably do if you’re reading this, and you probably shouldn’t be the person who commented the other day that fashion is only about clothes, because it’s not. And this is an internship within a modeling agency.

We’ve had quite the watch obsession this summer as you may have noticed here and here. 

I haven’t actually worn one since sometime in the late 90s, but I’ve been going on and on about starting again for months in the form of one of these new Fall/Winter Swatch watches we just got images of.

I must, for a moment, veer vaguely off-topic to note that my friend’s aunt June (a fabulous lady in Beverly Hills whose life I liken to the fictional one Rose lived in Titanic after losing Jack—all those adventures you see in the photos) has what is very likely the largest private collections of Swatch watches in the country. No joke. She basically has a mini-museum exhibition in her house. And it’s pretty damn sweet, like a walk down memory lane, especially for an 80s kid. I wish it was open to the public.

I’m thinking a couple of these new models will end up both on my wrist and in Bev Hills with Aunt June. At the moment, I’m a bit partial to the NYC one pictured above. But I’m also digging the chainlink version, perhaps for slightly dressier occasions.

We may be buzzing with excitement as news about Fashion Week trickles in. And we’re starting to plan wardrobes and new beauty looks for the fall that is soon to be upon us.

But the fact remains that it is hot as balls outside and more humid than anyone with wavy to curly hair should ever have to endure. Unfortunately for me, my frizz doesn’t turn out as sexy as Lily’s in this photo or any other for that matter.

I’ve basically tried every anti-frizz product on the planet. While many are good enough, I always return to my one constant since I discovered back in middle school: John Frieda’s Frizz-Ease Hair Serum. (And before anyone loses their mind in the comments section, I buy this $9.99 product with my very own money—though I would never write about anything I don’t truly and honestly like no matter how it came into my possession.)

We’ve still got about a month to go before London Fashion Week begins, so this is sure to not be the last of this sort of announcement, but Sass & Bide will be yet another of the lines returning to show in London this season.

Designers Sarah-Jane Clark and Heidi Middleton, who live in Sydney, said they came up with the concept for the line in London ten years ago and that “to be returning here 10 years later, showing in a city that we love so much and that fuels our creativity, is really exciting!”

I’m a huge fan and was kinda hoping they’d end up back in NYC again. Instead their UK fans like Twiggy and Kate (who showed up for their Shine party earlier this summer) will likely be front and center. It’s quick becoming increasingly more difficult to mask my jealousy that Britt’s heading to LFW sans me.

“A woman has no need to be…beautiful to wear my dresses. The dress will do all that for her.” —Amy Fine Collins quotes Balenciaga in her in depth look at haute couture in this month’s Vanity Fair.

Elettra Wiedemann’s landed a new campaign for fall.

Isabella Rossellini’s daughter has posed for Abercrombie & Fitch, Bill Blass, Samsonite, Lancôme, Hogan and now, adding to what might be the most scattered modeling portfolio ever, she’s the face of G-Star Raw’s AW09 collection.

She’ll star in their print ads through December; they chose her since she represents “hardcore luxury.” And to strengthen their rock n’ roll vision, the denim brand’s enlisted photographer Anton Corbijn who also directed Control, the Joy Division biopic starring Sam Riley who went on to front Burberry with Rosie Huntington-Whitley.

Now we wonder if Elettra will walk G-Star’s runway at Hammerstein Ballroom on September 15th. She might be a constant Fashion Week presence, but we’ve never seen her tackle a runway.

Teen Vogue would like you to channel your Fashion’s Night Out energy into creative endeavors.

More specifically, they’re hosting a DIY contest and, well, we know how you feel about DIYs.

First, you’ll need to log onto FashionsNightOut.com to get your official t-shirt (the same one Lily Donaldson rocks in the campaign and that Anna will be signing in Queens). Then we suggest having your bedazzler ready. If you can’t quite find it in the back of your closet, be armed with some serious flare — we’re imagining rhinestones and ribbon and maybe even puff paint? We’d suggest going all out because we’re guessing this’ll be a fierce competition.

Why? The winner gets two tickets to a runway show and considering it’s Teen Vogue we’re guessing it’ll be a good one. That’s Associate Market Editor Mary Kate Steinmiller’s creation at left, can you beat it?

WHICH rising American model has stopped getting snapped backstage by photographers? She’s dated so many of them (and their important friends) that now they refuse to give her any exposure!

What Did You Think?: Hadley Freeman wonders whether or not it’s really true that models subsist on coffee, cigarettes, vodka and champagne. Just for the record, we’ve seen them eat sandwiches, with champagne of course.{TheGuardian}

Risky Business: Karla Martinez just left her job as Market Editor at T, The New York Times’ style magazine, for Karl Templer at Interview. {FWD}

Surf’s Up: Yigal Azrouel took a trip to Costa Rica & took lots of pretty pictures. What we’d have given to be on that boat… {TheMalcolm}

Too Good: Mickey Boardman, Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos will be manning the dunk tank at Bird & Vena Cava’s Fashion Week Block Party. It’s over 90 degrees outside & we love all those people and it pretty much sounds like heaven. {Refinery29}