Still convinced your invite to the Marc Jacobs/Lady Gaga after party got lost in the mail?

Maybe this second Marc/GaGa collaboration will help to ease your pain. And there won’t be any nasty doormen in your way telling they’re at capacity.

Artist Brian Einersen created a Lady GaGa comic book that’s retailing exclusively at Marc Jacobs stores.

The cover name-drops St. John, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent so we know it’s worth the read. Not only is the comic fashionable and funny, but it retails for only two dollars making it a guilt-free purchase.

So head over to your local Marc store and pick up a little dose of 2D amusement.

Kate, 33, Stylist and Creative Director

Got Her: Walking down Prince Street on one of the first really chilly days of the year.

Stalked Her: We knew as soon as we stepped outside today that people all over town would be piling on the layers and breaking out their new fall pieces. Bring on the cute hats and scarves.

Shot Her: Because she has transitional dressing down. Her simple, classic look works perfectly for the current weather, but would be just as great in the spring — sans the tights and chunky sweater.

She Said: “I collect striped shirts, and that’s why I put this one on this morning. A friend of mine recently wrote a piece for Vogue about how to wear shorts in the Fall, so I was inspired to try it out.”

We Say: We’re actually pretty excited about this change in temperature. New outfits for all.

Do you spend obscene amounts of time in the dark room? And the rest of your time flipping through magazines full of brilliant photography? Are you waiting for your big break?

Then grab your SLR and start shooting.

Tomorrow, W’s launching a contest for young photographers based around the theme,
‘Obsession’ - I’d shoot Christopher Kane’s Lolita gingham, since I’m still swooning. Each contestant can submit one photo which will be judged by a panel of experts, including W’s Creative Director Dennis Freedman. Twenty semi-finalists will be selected and their images will be posted online and submitted to a public vote.

“But it was less a revival than a remix — in the way that postmodern artists like Rei Kawakubo and Martin Margiela have done so well and that Marc Jacobs makes so palatable: mixing those historical references like samples of songs that you know well to create something new and surprising out of the predictable.” —Stefano Tonchi’s brilliant, and articulate, summation of London Fashion Week on The Moment.

So you guys all know by now that I used to be a beauty editor and there’s a part of me that always will be. Two of my behavior quirks as a result of this are that I will forever over-analyze skin and that I’m a total ingredient whore.

There are always certain shows (like Calvin Klein) where the dewy freshness of the skin makes me literally, utterly joyful and also compulsive about finding the next great product to try in an effort to make my own look even half as youthful.

Enter the ingredient addiction. I’m drawn in by new things, but I have to see them in action before I can become a true believer. (Past fixations include: diamonds, gold chips, stem cells, and caviar.) There are currently two very disparate things that have caught my eye: Acai and Volcanic Ash.

Makes My Heart Sing: It’s taking every ounce of self control not to run down Crosby Street and buy this skirt from Opening Ceremony and wear it everyday. I want it. I need it. But if I do buy it, I will hang my head in shame next year and wonder what came over me. {OpeningCeremony}

Pepe La Pugh: Remember Gareth’s cube? Well just in case it meant more to you than to me and you’re still trying to recapture that moment in the garage, you can buy the “double-Mohican” head piece created by Pugh and Ruth Hogben at ShowStudio’s shop. {ShowStudio}

WWJoanDo: Shirley Manson and Elijah Wood star in Oliver Peoples’ Spring lookbook. The totally random pair channel the stars of Mad Men - probably Joan and Don - and look pretty fantastic doing so. {Blackbook}

Back in June, when I last wrote about consumer confidence levels, I said I was starting to feel a positive retail shift. Yeah, this is probably why it’s a good thing that I don’t do economic forecasting for a living. My hunches are about as reliable as my sense of direction.

And in this case, that’s a real bummer. While Fashion’s Night Out was clearly a success in boosting morale, and in many cases sales for the night, the reality of fashion’s retail situation is still murky at best. The newest numbers released about how consumers are feeling are not so positive, and the people that are paid to analyze such things don’t think there will be much of a significant upswing anytime soon, regardless of the fact that most economists are claiming the recession generally over.

A senior credit officer tells WWD, “There’s been this fundamental shift of people going back to saving and repaying debt. Some of what drove retail growth four or five years ago was really just a bubble of readily available consumer credit.” And that makes a whole lot of sense to me. And while not helpful to struggling fashion businesses, probably a better way to live and not slide back into even worse debt.

I couldn’t think of anything my mom would want to do less than stand in front of a camera for a photo shoot. But I’m pretty sure there are many of you who can claim very differently. And really what’s better than a great shot by a pro that you can keep of you and your mom forever and ever?

Comptoir des Cotonniers is hosting its mom/daughter model casting this Sunday October 4th from 3-7 pm at its two New York locations (in Soho and in Bloomingdale’s). Along with starring in the campaign, the winning duo gets a trip to Paris followed by a trip to wherever the campaign’s location which in the past has included Greece and South Africa. (Now this jet-setting part of the prize I know Maureen Gardner could get down with.)

So tell your mom to get her casual French chic on and head to one of the stores with you this Sunday, if you’re in the area. She’ll love the together time, and we’re betting you will too.

Couture Carries On: According to WWD, an Ajman sheikh has put in a bid for Christian Lacroix that would keep the biz running as is, which means couture stays, too. No final deal is in place yet.

Someone’s started a rumor that Sarah Jessica Parker’ll be the new face of Halston. Let’s count all the reasons we bet on never.

1. Halston is a disaster. Though we’re sure Marios Schwab will end its curse and do something brilliant, a brand can’t have a face for a collection that doesn’t exist (yet).

2. Last time Harvey chose a face, Rachel Zoe, to be associated with a brand, it failed. It really, really failed.

3. As if fashion wasn’t sick enough of celebrity, whatever comes down Lindsay Lohan’s runway for Ungaro this week will probably put off even the most celeb-friendly of the fashion world for a moment.

4. It’d be silly to pay Sarah Jessica Parker to be the face of a brand when Carrie Bradshaw’s been photographed wearing it all over Manhattan, for free, and will be seen on every screen in the same dresses come May.

What’d we miss?

I skipped the Commonwealth Utilities show.

I’m sure it was for something important, but now I can’t remember why and this video makes me wish I was there in what was clearly the manliest room (barber shop?) of all of New York Fashion Week.

Even the clothes are nice, though we aren’t digging suit shorts on men who don’t share Thom Browne’s proportions. Anyway, Chad White opens, New York Magazine’s Amy Odell has a cameo and everyone has great hair.

Fancy yourself an ad-man?

If so, or if you’ve just watched one too many episodes of Mad Men, you can have a hand at creating an ad for Armani Exchange sunglasses.

They’re hosting a contest in which you make the best ad and they send you to Miami for a few days this winter (they also feature your ad on their website, but in the dead of winter the former prize might be a bit better). The first 500 people to submit an ad also win a pair of Armani Exchange sunglasses, but we have a sneaking suspicion you’ll need those beforehand, to make the ad; though they do clarify that the glasses in the ad don’t have to be Armani.

We love Rachel Zoe.

What? You didn’t know?

And we’ve been searching for the perfect faux fur vest for some time now. Though they appear to be everywhere, finding the right one is easier said than done. There are lots of options, but I haven’t come across many cute ones for less than a $100 (and let’s face it, this isn’t something I know I’ll want to wear next year). In fact, the best one I’ve found thus far happens to be from Rachel’s collection for QVC - and it’s only $79.

Unfortunately, the smaller sizes are sold out, so I’m kicking myself for not buying it sooner. I was initially worried about the quality of a $79 faux fur vest, but it’s practically gone and dozens of commenters appear to love it.

A few months ago, I spent a good three days a week trekking to my local Bikram studio, but getting back into practice seemed daunting - until now.

As if staring at models all day isn’t enough, now we can watch Anja Rubik while working out, too; she’ll be featured in the new Yoga game for Nintendo Wii. She’ll lead players through the different asana - those are “postures” in yoga-speak - alongside an official yoga guru.

Apparently Anja’s a big yogi. She does it to stay in shape and manage her stress and we assume, to help look the way she does. We can’t really imagine better motivation than having a mega-model work out next to you, or better yet telling you what to do.

“Karl Lagerfeld’s boudoir show for Fendi made you think a giant pair of old pantyhose had fallen over Milan.” —Cathy Horyn talks Milan, which she didn’t particularly enjoy, in The New York Times.

If you’re freaking out because you thought you might have to go a whole week without scrambling for a must-have collaboration, relax.

Jil Sander for Uniqlo launches this Thursday, October 1st.

It sounds like collection will be pretty big, consisting of both men’s and women’s outerwear, knitwear, tees, sweats and accessories (in fact, Sander’s Wikipedia page says there will be almost one hundred and fifty pieces). And we’ll bet the line down Broadway features a totally different kind of customer than usually spotted outside the H&Ms and Uniqlos and Topshops.

Speaking of designer collaborations, a pair of Pierre Hardy for Gap ankle boots would look pretty great with that coat. We’d tell you when you could buy them, too. Except we don’t know, because no one seems to know.

So Dear Gap, if you’re listening, we’d buy them all if we just knew when.

Georgia Peach: Just in case you don’t have as massive a crush on Georgia May Jagger as we do, which is kind of inconceivable, here’s a mini-portfolio from Vanity Fair. We like to say we knew her when. {VanityFair}

Herm-Asprey?: Maybe Hermès thought no one would notice if they bought Asprey’s massive New Bond Street store since the whole fashion world’s on a plane to Paris. But they did, and now word is they’re not just buying the store, but maybe the whole company. Interesting…{VogueUK}

Kane Control: From the second I left Heathrow, I was bombarded with Christopher Kane for Topshop. For every fifteen pieces, an original ape popped up, but for the most part with was crocodiles (alligators?) everywhere you looked, as captured here. {Streetpeeper}

Darla, 20, model

Got Her: Strolling Mott Street with her man on the most gorgeous fall afternoon.

Stalked Her: A denim dress done right always catches our eye. Plus her cute knit hat’s the kind of thing you need to properly transition from one season to the next.

Shot Her: It’s technically Fashion Week somewhere, so bring on the models. Her little red bag matched her nails (and her cell phone case!) and we never fail to fall in love with sneakers paired with little dresses (again, when done right).

She Said: “I’m all about comfort.”

We Say: So says every model, and yet all of you always look perfect (not to generalize or anything).

Having trouble staying up to date on all the shows?

“Cavalli’s show owed a debt to Marc Jacobs’s notorious Grunge collection for Perry Ellis. But what a difference fifteen years makes in fashion! What was shockingly anarchic in 1993 now looks effortlessly chic. Here the spring Dust Bowl thirties chiffon dress and Liberty-print shirt are given a Cavalli rock-and-roll twist with the suede pants with cowboy cross-lacing.”

That’s Hamish Bowles’ quick summation of Roberto Cavalli’s SS10 collection shown in Milan last week. He’s done “Definitive Looks” for all the Milan shows over on Vogue.com which might be the best way to catch up on Italy before Paris starts.

But if you’re even further behind, or still looking for the few collections Style.com doesn’t cover, you can find Rad Hourani on New York Magazine and Jeremy Scott over on The Telegraph or a handful of Brits on Elle.

Because we know our runway pictures aren’t always as fun as our words.

The fashion world’s been waiting for ages to get a glimpse of Christopher Kane’s Versus collection for Versace.

Last season, the duo teased us with a peek at killer shoes and bags, as black and studded and sexy as expected. But this Sunday, he and the boss lady finally revealed the whole thing during a presentation in Milan.

In the video, he talks to The Guardian’s Jo Jones about the process, the importance of Donatella, and why he steers clear of too much color (to showcase his almost manic attention to detail). A few of the dresses actually bear a striking resemblance to Kane’s Topshop collection, with their lace panelling and detached sleeves and of course all of them sort of scream sex.

Red carpets should be flooded in no time.

Or we should say, will you break out any of your official high school gear just because the runways tell you to?

Even Alexander Wang, god to the too-cool for school crowd, embraced the iconic American jock in his all-American SS10 collection. He sent Hanne down the runway in a letterman inspired jacket, albeit one with a side zipper, v-neck and flattering waistline. Then in London, though Topshop’s Unique collection was pretty scattered, a good portion of it was sporty, including a letterman-like sweater (but with a number) on Anya Kazakova.

I spent my last day in London wandering through Regents Park and up to Camden Market where almost every rack of vintage featured a handful of jackets I last saw in my high school halls (until these recent runways at least) and they’re just as unflattering now as they were then. Which means of course you’d have to buy an Alex Wang one or get yours, or your boyfriends, taken in.

Worth it?

Nothing bad will ever come of a collaboration between Gareth Pugh, Colette and AnOther Magazine.

Especially not when it’s something we can use all the time. The likely trio’s teamed up with InCase to make a 13” MacBook Pro foam sleeve and an iPhone 3G slider case imprinted with an optical star pattern designed by Pugh.

This way you can keep your beloved Apple products safe, and still pretty. You can buy them starting this week at shop.anothermag.com and obviously at Colette in Paris. If you’re not going to make it to Paris Fashion Week this time around, check out Opening Ceremony in New York and LA.

Because you’ll be hard pressed to find another occasion for which Gareth’s Pugh’s appropriate for the everyday.

“That studio had no heating and sometimes no light in the middle of winter, with us piling on jackets, hats and gloves and straining our eyes while stitching toiles by candlelight,” Anna Heinrup recalled. She was not describing the working conditions of Dickensian London, but her last job as an unpaid design intern for an up-and-coming London designer.” —A scary New York Time’s story on the perils of fashion, particularly design, internships.

Last season, one couldn’t squeeze into a show without being knocked around by a pair of expensive shoulders. Though the Balmain or Margiela or any shoulder interpretation of the two have stuck around here and there, SS10’s featured a healthy crop of anti-shoulders so far.

Designers ranging from Richard Nicoll to the team at Topshop, from Australian Josh Goot to the Brooklyn based Vena Cava girls, haven’t just ignored shoulder pads, they’ve actually cut out the shoulders of their tops and dresses. Julien Macdonald placed extra larges slits at the shoulders of his slashed dress and Osman Yousefzada cut the shoulders out of a handful of looks in his all-white collection.

Will it knock its opposite off the runways? All eyes on you Carine.

This, the trailer for Tom Ford’s highly anticipated directorial debut, A Single Man, dropped a couple of week’s ago.

But not even Ford penetrated our Fashion Week bubble, which means we’re just seeing and sharing it now, in case you missed it, too.

We’ve already watched it four times (seriously) because even though no one speaks and the story looks terrifying, it’s stunning. From Julianne Moore’s exquisite make-up to the costumes to the furniture to the icy crash and all the men in between, each and every shot is almost shockingly beautiful. Like Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette before it, Ford’s made a visual feast.

Because Fashion Week brings out the best in them.

Pucci’s Upswing: Anna Dello Russo must’ve made Peter Dundas’s day. She wore his green and white cut-out sequined long sleeve mini, dare we say it, better than a model ever could. And thank you Tommy Ton, for all the angles. {Jak&Jil}

Color Me Crazy: We dare you to read a single post of Garance’s and not want to hug her. She may be the nicest person on the street style circuit (and really they’re all nice), which is why everyone’s smiling and glowing when she snaps. These pictures make us want green, now. {GaranceDoré}

Peeps on the Street: Remember Balenciaga boy? Phil Oh managed to catch him on the only day of London Fashion Week that he wasn’t rocking his Louis Vuitton bunny ears. Yeah, we were jealous. {StreetPeeper}

That rumor we spread about Mark Fast doing a line for Topshop?

It’s true. And it’s in last week’s Sunday Telegraph magazine which means it was true before we even said anything and we’ve had it in our lap since Friday and we should really work harder at finishing every article we start.

The article about the Canadian “prairie boy” fills the reader in on his rise to design fame, pre-plus-size models, and how he left Canada for a coveted spot at Central Saint Martins under Louise Wilson’s tutelage. He’s since worked with Alber Elbaz and landed repeated NewGen sponsorship from Topshop.

Apparently the high street brand approached him before his SS10 show regarding a design collaboration. So those still wondering if the plus-size girls were just a press ploy can stop, because he obviously doesn’t need it.

Sonia Rykiel’s the newest designer for H&M, and we’ll be getting a double dose.

For holiday, she’ll design a line of lingerie for the Swedish mega-store, but the collection will also sell in international Rykiel boutiques. This sort of pre-collection launches December 5th.

Then, in February, she’ll launch a spring knitwear collection. Unfortunately, the boys are left out of this one, but she’ll design for both women and girls and throw in some accessories alongside what we’re betting will be colorful sweater dresses and knit tanks. In fact, visions of brightly woven bloomers or high waisted knit undies are dancing in our heads.

The lingerie will launch in 1500 stores, but the knitwear will only make it to 250. So you might want to plan a trip to a major city around February 20th.

In which we catch those of you, and those of us, who spent the weekend outside, away from a computer or on a phone-cation, up on the fashion Twitterverse.

1. “I don’t get it,” from @jess_stam. She’s new to the world of tweets, give her a warm welcome!

2. “A Lanvin ‘snow sprite’ cashmere elf hat. It kind of makes me feel like skipping,” from @bunnybisous who appears to have been stranded uptown in the rain.

3. “Got sandwiched between Vogue’s Sally Singer and Anna Wintour to my left and Michael Roberts and Suzy Menkes to the right,” from @bryanboy at Dolce & Gabbana. A better view of their reactions, here. Sally looks amused; Hamish looks dangerous.

4. “Is it possible to have fashion sensory overload? Tell me no. I have 10 more days and another city to go,” from @mrjoezee. Yes, yes there is sir.

5. “Spotted on the front row at Versace…..Janet Jackson,” from @dazedmagazine. She sure pops up in the strangest places.

So far my two favorite runway hairstyles take their inspiration from little girls, as far as I can tell. And I mean that in a good way.

Braids and pigtails remind me fondly of my carefree days playing tag and tetherball, and doing penny drops off the monkey bars—with shorts underneath my skirt, of course. (None of us could let the boys peek. And now of course we’re giving up pants altogether. But that’s a whole other matter.)

From the much-beloved Alexander Wang braid to the pigtails yesterday at Prada, elementary school hair is making a comeback. And I like it. A lot.

This isn’t the properly combed look that your mother painstakingly did for every morning. The styles are a little more f***ed up, with teasing, flyaways, and that perfect version of messiness that editorial stylists are so genius at. And of course, a power glossy bright lip wasn’t really in the mix on the playground.

I have a well-documented love/hate relationship with earrings. I’ve literally had my ears pierced like six different time since I first got them done back when I was 10. I get fed up with earrings, they close up, and then I get obsessed with some pair or style and decide to get them pierced again.

It’s a stupid cycle that I realize could be easily fixed by wearing the same small simple pair on an everyday basis. But for some reason this just doesn’t work for me. It’s like some sort of mental block.

Think you have what it takes to be the next Alessandra, Miranda, or Doutzen? Well, Victoria’s Secret’s giving you a shot at proving it by holding a nationwide open casting for their next fashion show (airing in December.)

Starting October 3, castings will be taking place in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago. Panels of experts will narrow the choices down to 10 finalists and then the whole thing gets democrati and America gets to vote. But all ten finalists will be flown to New York for “Angel Boot Camp” which sounds rather ominous to me, but is apparently a series of challenges that sounds like a compressed season of ANTM. And we’ll all be able to follow along via weekly webisodes.

If you win, hopefully you won’t be the one stuck with the heavy metallic cape. For all the official rules, webisodes and whanot, go to VSAllAccess.com

Stam Does Shrimpton: Everything about this shoot for Numero Korea is spot-on 60s perfection. That hair is a-maz-ing. {Models.com}

Madge’s New Girl: I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that when Madonna picks one of your dresses to wear to a Marc Jacobs show, you’re having a pretty awesome moment. Even if you have to hear about it through Facebook, like Caroline Seikaly. {Vogue Daily}

Game Night: Britain’s facing a bit of a housing crisis. To raise money 52 creative types like Damien Hirst, Vivienne Westwood, and David Bailey designed a deck of cards to support Shelter’s House of Cards campaign. Do good and play Hold ‘Em at the same time. Sounds like a plan to us. {Guardian UK}

There’s this club called SPiN (yes, lowercase ‘I’).

It’s a private ping-pong club, half owned by Susan Sarandon and half attended by some super fashion people. Next Tuesday, Stuart Weitzman’s throwing the first annual Serve to Save tournament and you’re invited (if you’re over 21).

Proceeds from the tournament and the silent auction go toward ovarian cancer research and, if that’s not enough motivation for you, there’ll be food and a three hour open bar.

We suggest practicing your skills this weekend, whether in your Brooklyn backyard or the Standard’s beer garden, and bringing your A-game on Tuesday night. And if you’re feeling really ballsy you can challenge us to a match.

RSVP to rsvpsw@starworksny.com (& make sure you mention Fashionista in the email).

“The gold is just enough to spice up any outfit for a special occasion, like a date with your favorite vampire or werewolf, or just for your everyday dreams.” —MTV’s Twilight Fashion Week reporter on Nordstrom’s new collection of Twi-gear.

Stella McCartney sent pants-less looks down her runway as early as her Spring 2008 collection (September of 2007, when Gaga was still just a noise babies made). She carried the look through to last spring’s line-up of pants-less suits and rompers, but this season almost every designer jumped on the bandwagon.

Charles Anastase showed a killer nude and black playsuit; Marc layered pants-less options under military jackets; Miuccia showed hotpants in Milan last night; Brian Reyes’ opening look was nothing but a white bodysuit. As if a lack of pants wasn’t enough, Alex Wang sewed sheer panels into his and Jenni Kayne added a matching leather bandeau, conservatively draped with a grandpa cardigan, of course.

But, well, you know which question remains.

Sure, Burberry and Michael Kors and even Twenty8Twelve have provided live broadcasts of their shows to make the public feel included, but Alexander McQueen’s one-upping everyone by partnering with Nick Knight’s ShowStudio.

Together, they’re reclaiming control of the front row’s Flip Cams and Twitters with the use of robot cameras both on and off the runway to guarantee that everyone, everywhere (with a computer) sees the show and the atmosphere as though they’re present.

“I want to generate something else, something for a wider audience — for people in Australia, Asia, and Middle America who don’t have a seat at the show. Really, what I’m aiming for is world domination,’ he joked to WWD.

Of course the problem with the public seeing the clothes immediately is that it’s still hard for most to wrap their head around the fact that they can’t have what they’re currently falling in love with for another six months. Though McQueen’s thought of that, too and wants to start building capsule collections that can be bought right off the runway.

Sounds dangerous.

Ugh, yet again I’m feeling very disappointed with my old friend Project Runway. But here we go.

1. I said I wasn’t going to ask again and I won’t. You know what I’m talking about. And we are officially in a major fight, Lifetime.

2. Did anyone else have flashbacks to that disastrous Stella dress that Kate Hudson wore to the Oscars (for her Almost Famous nom) when they said there was a Western category?

3. Um, and I guess Western-haters didn’t know it was about to come around this season in Milan, did you? Thanks D&G.

4. How much does Christopher love Edward Cullen and all things Twilight? So much.

5. Also, don’t you want sit with Christopher “I don’t want to do a gingham dress” and show him Christopher Kane’s S/S 10 collection? I do.

As we were watching Tweets come in from the Prada show in Milan, one statement came through loudest, Miuccia’s not doing pants this season. And the beach was going to play a big role. @MrJoeZee has already put the word out that Gaga should take a look if she’s planning a vacation.

Fashionologie has the first full set of pictures that we’ve found and I’m already madly, deeply in love after two quick viewings. The crystal section of the show (and the shoes) are kind of blowing my mind and I can only imagine what they look like up close and personal. There’s a good chance I would have shed a little tear of joy.

And the first set of slim shorts with cropped jackets and the prints aren’t far behind on my love list. I’m even kind of liking the clear plastic bags and sandals.

Throw in coral lips and low, mussed pigtails and I’m firmly planted at Miuccia’s altar again this season.

Makeup for spring is almost always lighter and dewier than its fall counterpart. But one of my favorite trends so far is the use of pastel and Easter egg shades, but in a totally non-precious way. I’m not usually one for light purples, pinks, blues, and greens in beauty. But I’m truly starting to think about them in a new light.

Hints of the purple hair streak trend had already popped up in editorials before Jack and Lazaro sent them (and green too) down the runway at Milk. The shimmery mix of shades at Derek Lam even feels slightly rock star, in a Jem and the Holograms kind of way. And the robin’s egg blue at Luella is simply cheeky and downright fun.

I’ve only just now switched into my dark and moody fall black and bordeaux phase (current obsession: MAC Resolutely Red) but I’m already excited to try something outside my normal comfort zone this spring.

Also, does this trend not have Drew Barrymore’s name written all over it?

One thing that I spotted on girls all over NY during Fashion Week that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on was the long-sleeved mini dress. I loved that the simple piece was versatile enough to look striking in both daytime street style shots and each evening’s party pics.

Everywhere I turned, this style seemed to pop up. Hanne Gaby Odiele paired hers with a leather jacket and black booties at the Alexander Wang after-party, and Harley Viera-Newton wore a blue velvet Erin Wasson x RVCA dress to Wasson’s show at the tents.

Possibly the greatest thing about this dress is that there are so many affordable versions of it. The T by Alexander Wang style is on Shopbop for $90, and there is also this Velvet option for $86 that comes in three colors.

If we are in for a few more weeks of warm weather, I can’t wait to wear this dress on its own, but I’m sure it will work just as well with tights and a cozy sweater as soon as the temperature drops.

A couple more of Hedi’s shots for the new issue of Man About Town after the jump!

“I know that when shopping for clothing, I’m just not happy unless the décor involves taxidermy chickens dressed in Edwardian formalwear. Maxfield is good enough to provide these…and two other elements that have come to symbolize the mark of true sophistication for me: sex toys and human remains.” —Cintra Wilson in her critical shopper piece for The Times on Maxfield. We too are unsure about whether the store is ‘avant-garde or sexually complicit, capitalist luxury kitsch,’ Cintra.

Super Models! Paris gets all Comic-Con with their show packages. Iselin, Vlade, Hanne Gaby, and Iris will save the world from evil henchmen! {Fashionologie}

Panty Raid: Eric Wilson’s number three trend of NYFW, Spanx. Well, really briefs, outside the clothes. Linda Wells finds it “perfectly insane”. We’ll respectfully agree to disagree. {NY Times}

To Milan They Go: Apparently it’s sweltering, but Mr. Armani really brought the goods to kick things off. Think flouncy dresses and lots of flats. And then came the D&G cowgirls. Yee-haw! {Joe Zee’s Twitter}

Hair God: Bumble’s Jimmy Paul is often the person behind the runway’s coolest hairstyles. You’ve probably copied something he created more than once. Here’s how he spent NYFW. {Vogue Daily}

Overall, New York Fashion Week kept to a very neutral palette, but when color was needed designers went straight for neon yellows and lime greens to brighten their quiet visions of spring.

We spotted it at Jonathan Saunders, Brian Reyes and Marc by Marc, of course. But Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi of Preen, Yigal Azrouel and Clare Waight Keller at Pringle all paired their bright yellows with dove grey for a pretty fresh look that even I (I never wear color) would consider working into spring.

I wear out my shoes like nobody’s business. This is the curse of New York. You don’t need a car, but you’ll spend a gazillion dollars at Shoe Service Plus, constantly fixing the soles and the taps on the heels that you already spent a chunk of a paycheck on. And then there comes a sad, sad day when perhaps that once gorgeous pair just doesn’t look acceptable anymore and they are retired. Sniff, sniff.

If this has ever happened to you with a pair of Jimmy Choos, this is going to be very good news for you. The company just today unveiled, Choo 24/7, a capsule collection of 28 classic styles, with updated lasts, colors, and finishes. Hooray!

Still haven’t locked up your fall internship? No worries. There are still some good ones for the taking.

The public relations, sales, merchandising, and design teams at both Kate and Jack Spade are interviewing right this second. Their internships are really hands-on and busier than ever with the newly launched apparel line.

It’s probably a good idea that you’re familiar with (and like) the distinct Spade aesthetic, have impeccable organizational skills and are ready to make a real commitment to your gig. And school credit is a must.

Details after the jump.

Louis Vuitton houses master craftsmen at a facility in Asnieres where they have been making all the special order custom luggage and leather goods for 150 years, which is pretty incredible. Aside from the history, I’m still dreaming up what exactly I’d order for myself if I could? (They can even do solar-powered DVD trunks!)

According to WWD, to celebrate this major anniversary they commissioned six luminaries to create their own custom creations to be auctioned off at Sotheby’s on November 17th and benefiting the Red Cross, which also happens to be turning 150 years old.

Here’s a peek at the upcoming Dolce & Gabanna SS10 collection.

It comes courtesy of Swide magazine, which we’d never heard of, but after a bit of research have decided it’s actually Dolce & Gabanna’s own online publication. Each and every story is, after all, about the Italian design duo.

Anyway, from the video we learn there will be lots of white lace, lots of wide, black fishnet-like material and some ribbons. They’ll be debuting one each day until the collection shows in Milan this week. To whoever makes the next one, more upbeat music please!

So our friends over at our sibling site, Above The Law, came to us this afternoon with a little situation. You see they’d posted a story yesterday about how corporate lawyer types were being allowed, and even told, by their big law bosses to dress “down” during the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh so as not to draw unwanted attention from the protesters that follow this meeting wherever in the world it is held.

But, what to wear some readers asked? So we decided to step in with a few suggestion (even jeans are allowed!)

My first thought for the ladies was to definitely keep it simple: a dark fitted jean (I’m currently obsessed with my “Curvy” style from the 1969 collection at the Gap), maybe a cool not suit-y black blazer, with a striped tee underneath and a simple black boot. Subtle, professional, but not too corporate lackey.

Or throw in a little retro vibe plus color, like this look from fall Chris Benz. Maybe I’m wrong, but brights don’t scream Big Law to me. The other option I came up with was to go luxe boho, like you’re part of the professional counterculture, if you will. Maybe something along the lines of this Anna Sui print with some black tights and a slouchy bag.

(Photos and Nails by CND)

I have to admit, my fall/winter wardrobe is looking pretty drab. I’ve been trying to find a way to brighten up my monochrome closet, preferably with one or two pieces that really make a statement.

That said, over the last few weeks I’ve noticed an emerging trend that’s perfect for what I am searching for, though I find it a bit perplexing. Vivid Navajo and tribal prints seem to be popping up everywhere, but I can’t figure out which is the way to wear it best.

Opening Ceremony is carrying a selection of wool, Navajo print items in unexpected shapes that make them look fresh. I love how the mini-skirt is styled with simple black tights and boots, allowing the color to really pop.

A quarter. 25%. That’s the big budget cut number supposedly hanging over the heads of editors and publishers at 4 Times Square, according to an article today in The New York Observer. That’s a mighty chunk, huge even.

“There will be significant layoffs. Significant,” said one company source in the story. Well, yeah, I’d think so. And I hate that people are going to lose their jobs, but I think that some of the bloated mastheads at magazines like, ahem Glamour, are easily the first place one looks when making cuts. This is the kind of economic climate where a 23 person fashion department really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. According to the Observer, the entire editorial staff of Details is only 35 people.

Pretty Please, With Sugar On Top: Rumors are swirling that Tom Ford is on the lookout for investors for a new womenswear line. I don’t care if I can never afford a single piece. This is amazing news. Also, I love an excuse to run a gorgeous 90s Gwyneth pic.{Vogue UK}

Shop, Shop: Are there any other nerds out there who think of Alias every time they see the number 47? No, it’s just me. Oh, well. Anyway, Refinery gathered up 47 awesome pieces for fall, that you can actually afford. Merci. {Refinery29}

Vive la Resistance: The great airbrushing debate wages on, this time in France. Politicians are currently proposing labels on retouched photos with very major fines for naughty companies who disobey. {The Frisky}

Another Fashion Week: Lakme Fashion Week is going on in India while the world is focused on Europe. Catch up on the pics here if you need a little change of pace. {Guardian UK}

A Python Named Bambi: That’s one thing model Imogen Morris Clarke would like in the future. That and focusing on her studies and trying her hand at acting. {W}

“One day in a vintage shop I found… a pair of skinny acid-wash jeans. It was like, Ahhh! - a halo was shining around them. I wore them every day. When I got my first big break, I thought, ‘Screw it, I’m wearing the jeans to the interview with the editor in chief.’ I wanted to see what would happen if I was real. I remember telling her, ‘I’m not your typical fashion editor. I work hard and I know my stuff, but you should know, I’ll be the one wearing acid-wash jeans.’ I got the job.” — Kate Lanphear in this month’s issue of Elle.

When I read in WWD this morning that Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala were set to open their first William Rast location in Los Angeles, my mind instantly went Robertson Blvd! Despite my personal loathing of Kitson and the Paris Hilton/Jennifer Love Hewitt-type paparazzi seekers that it draws, there are quality stores on the block and the foot traffic is as good as it gets in LA.

But I was wrong, instead they’re setting up shop at an outdoor mall in Century City, which makes sense too - but definitely isn’t as high-profile as one would expect for the launch boutique of a celebrity line. Perhaps this means someone actually did their homework at parent company People’s Liberation about where the numbers really made sense. How novel. Turns out William Rast is expected to turn a profit this year and they’re looking to open 40 stores over the next few years, with three already cemented with leases.

On a separate note: Justin, whatever was going on with your hair at the Emmys, let’s not do that again. It was old-school JT, and not in a good way. Cool? Okay, thanks.

Someone tweeted that they skipped yesterday’s Jeremy Scott show because they weren’t sure they could handle him so early in the morning.

You don’t really know what you’ll get with Scott, though bright colors and something giggle-worthy’s guaranteed, but this time he wasn’t just inspired by a particular pop culture icon, he actually sent the Flintstone family down his runway.

Pixie Geldof stood in for Wilma, Chanel was the perfect Bam Bam and Cole Mohr, well his barely there Speedo wasn’t exactly Fred-like, but he was still head of the house in his “Your Cave or Mine?” shirt.

Even more disturbing than the dude in a hot pink one-strapped Borat-like bathing suit was the amount of weight Daisy Lowe appears to have lost. Between her and Lara Stone’s new approach, we’re already lamenting the loss of a single curve on next season’s runways.

Pringle threw their return to London party at the Saatchi gallery on Monday night.

They didn’t just present their Spring/Summer 2010 collection, but also debuted a short film by Ryan McGinley and starring Tilda Swinton. It featured the mythical looking actress running across the Scottish Highlands, climbing castle walls, sneaking through tunnels and eventually disappearing into the ocean - all while wearing a long, flowing gown.

We stood in a white room while it projected onto two opposite walls and since everyone was facing different directions it was perfectly acceptable to alternate watching the gorgeous film with catching Tilda and Ryan hug or staring at Cecilia Dean’s shoes or checking out the details on Mark Ronson’s suit.

When the show did start, in yet another super long white room, the clothes were easy - in a good way. Clare Waight Keller showed chunky knits over slinky t-shirt dresses, crocheted dresses layered over slips, sheer tops with trenches, slouchy pants and crinkled metallic shorts.

They’ve come a long way from inventing the twinset.

The second biggest talking point of London Fashion Week, post-Fast, appears to be this picture of Anna Wintour and Alexa Chung front row at Twenty8Twelve.

I was sitting there, staring at the back of Anna’s head and wondering how her hair stays so strangely perfect, when Alexa and Pixie Geldof walked in. Anna kept her head down and sunglasses on as the PR tried to sit the it-girl duo next to her. Alexa pushed Pixie, Pixie pushed Alexa, someone even pointed at Anna until finally Alexa got stuck sitting next to her and Pixie moved closer to a red-headed Peaches.

I would have loved to see what happened if Anna had to sit next to a platinum, dirty-haired, ripped tights-wearing Geldof, but she graciously looked up at Alexa, shook her hand and laughed.

So I think that face she’s making has more to do with the clothes than Alexa (after all she is this month’s Vogue it-girl), because while I loved all the denim and corsets and rompers and boyfriend shirts (and Alice Dellal’s full head of hair), the collection didn’t exactly scream Vogue.

(Ed. Note: Excuse us while we rewind a bit. We were anxious to get Burberry up as soon as possible, but we’ve still got a few pre-extravaganza things to discuss.)

There’s something about Christopher Kane where at first, you’re flummoxed by the collection, but then comes the slow burn. In time, you learn to understand and then grudgingly like it. Eventually, you don’t just love his pieces, but covet them ardently. We’ve been doing this dance with Kane for a few years now, so this time around we just went straight for the covet.

We were besotted from look one.

Kane reeled us in through simple nostalgia with the delicate pale pink gingham and beaded details. We’d bet every girl in the room (including Anna Wintour, Donatella Versace, Natalia Vodianova and randomly, Joan Collins,) returned to their five year old self, begging their mother for a pretty pink gingham picnic dress. Kane perfectly captured that sentimentality. Then he hit fast forward to adolescence, where girly-ness gave way to womanhood and a boned bust took root inside the gingham.

The Graeme Black show was on Savile Row, and it’s probably not a good sign that I was more interested in staring out the window into Ozwald Boateng’s shop instead of at Black’s runway.

The backdrop, sandy canvases with mosques painted on, was beautiful. There was a fog machine and squawking birds in place of music and the clothes were well made, but this conversation followed:

Me: Who wears that?

Friend: A very specific kind of woman. He designs for a particular market and does it well.

Me: Can’t that woman buy Oscar De La Renta instead?

Friend: Well yes, it’s the same clientele.

Each day of NYFW presented more and more examples of belly baring for S/S 2010. From Alex Wang and Brian Reyes to Yigal and Charlotte Ronson, and about a dozen other in between, skinny model tummies were everywhere. And this got me quaking in my booties, no doubt.

First, my midsection is not my favorite area of my body on the best of days. But more importantly, I’m not sure that someone like myself, nearing (gasp!) 34 years of age needs to be baring anything even close to my belly, unless I’m in a beach/pool type setting.

Unless, that is, I suddenly become Gwen Stefani overnight.

Sure, they look cool on the models. What doesn’t? But I don’t think I’ve worn a half shirt since the 80s and I’m thinking I never need to again. I’ll leave it to the rock stars and the supermodels.

What about you?

Earlier today I chanced upon a short post by Cathy Horyn on OTR about a competition for twenty Parsons seniors to restructure looks from the Louis Vuitton archive into new avant-garde creations.

Filled with jealousy and intrigue I investigated further. I soon found out that the competition took place on September 17, with the mind-blowing prize of $2500 and an invite to the Louis Vuitton FW10 show in February 2010.

And it gets crazier: the young designers had only nine hours to complete their garments while working in the gallery windows of the Parsons building on 5th Ave, their creative processes exposed to the streets of Manhattan.

We would have easily lost our cool and panicked Andre style (Project Runway season 2 for all you PR buffs out there), but designers Min Sun Kim and Lydia Kim came out victorious by restructuring a Vuitton trenchcoat and men’s wear pieces into a gorgeous dress with a hand painted hem.

The minute I saw the hair at the Alexander Wang show last week, I was pretty certain it would end up being my favorite, and I was right.

That super long, messy thick side braid was at once totally runway edgy and completely wearable, even if you’re not a supermodel. Though Frankie Rayder was spotted rocking hers at the gas station party later. You know it’s good when the girls don’t want to change after the show. It’s sure to become a major beauty trend and I cannot freaking wait for my hair to be long enough to properly pull this off.

Now let’s take a look at the dark side of the trend, as evidenced by Blake Lively last night at the Emmys. I like to think that, perhaps, she had taken note of the Wang moment and was trying to make it her own, but it was just a massive fail in my opinion. And she could do so much with her amazing head of hair. It was pulled too tight in the front and the braid itself look like a bit of a stiff mess. Plus, everything starts out neat and tidy and then…I just don’t know what happens.

I’ll be sticking with the looser Wang version, for sure.

Thoughts?

“Even though they’re only just starting to get attention, the days of the mini-blogger are numbered. Once you get over the novelty, there’s actually nothing all that interesting in the innermost thoughts of a kid who’s discovering fashion for the first time. The qualified opinion of a life-long expert is more relevant…Internet 3.0 should be quality content by relevant commentators! So enjoy it while you can, amazing/terrifying mini- bloggers; the real world is on its way!” —Isaac Locke talks child bloggers in today’s LFW Daily.

Live at 7:45: Twenty8Twelve is streaming their show from London on their site. That would be 2:45 this afternoon if you’re here in NYC and you guys elsewhere can take it from there. Enjoy. {Twenty8Twelve}

Ambassador Bundchen: Gisele has been named a UN Goodwill Ambassador, focusing on environmental issues, clean water, and all around saving the planet. Her powers did not enable her to score a win in NY against the Jets for the hubby yesterday, however. {Modelinia}

Sitting Down With Yoko: Cory Kennedy talks to Ms. Ono (and Sean) about ThreeAsFour, her new album, and why she wouldn’t co-write with John. {NylonTV}

At this point in the game, the only way to possibly survive is to inhale coffee and water all the time.

So my first stop at the Topshop Unique show yesterday afternoon was the bathroom. Down a hallway and around the corner, I almost ran smack into Jefferson Hack and turned as bright pink as my new brogues. The ladies’ room itself was empty save a woman in a grey hat and strappy snakeskin sandals brushing her teeth. Once in a stall I thought, wait, no, really?

It was. Do you know how hard it is to wash your hands next to Kate Moss brushing her teeth and not stare? She was apparently distraught over someone trying to take her picture. Hopefully someone explained that all anyone wants to do is take pictures of Kate Moss and that she probably shouldn’t attend fashion shows if she’s decided to turn camera shy.

The show itself, styled by Katie Grand and opened with Dree Hemingway, featured more wacky 80s gear like last season. There was oversized studded denim layered over what looked like neon latex suits, brightly colored dresses, messy hair and and a whole punk rock jock thing - think studded letterman jackets - that was like Alex Wang on acid.

It was fun to watch, but a bit hard to give my undivided attention with Kate Moss present.

Score another victory over industry counterfeiters, and the people who sell them. A French court has ruled that eBay must pay 80,000 euros (or around $117,000) to LVMH for allowing fakes of their fragrances to be auctioned on the site.

This summer, LVMH scored a huge victory and has since put eBay on alert, and their lawyers working some major hours on the cases, according to WWD.

But the rulings are still going both ways. The auction site had to pay damages to Hermès, but won a case that stated they weren’t responsible for fake Tiffany & Co merchandise being sold. I guess this could be a product of different courts in different countries but I would hope eBay would at least try to monitor to to the best of their abilities.

Because you can’t stop every phony, but we all know how much it sucks to get your eBay purchase and find out it’s not the real deal. The worst.

Confession: I had no clue who Marcus Constable was.

But the people from Liberty have been so sweet, and I liked the idea of spending a minute in their cozy, old-fashioned department store instead of Topshop’s underground garage, so I headed up Regent Street to see Constable’s presentation and knew I’d been missing something good when I walked in behind Stefano Tonchi.

According to the show notes, Constable’s last collection, and this one, are Liberty exclusives.

He’s been inspired by Aubrey Beardsley’s drawings and men’s tailoring from the 1800’s. But really I just saw stripes, menswear done in feminine fabrics and solid tailoring which means I liked it. A lot.

MISS LARA STONE? WE DO. SO HIP HIP HOORAY SHE’LL WALK JAEGER TODAY!

If you have to wake up at 8am on a Sunday morning, severely jet-lagged and having worked more than two weeks straight, you want to see a collection like Louise Goldin’s.

The Central St. Martin’s grad and knitwear genius sent out a parade of candy colored outfits with mini-Madonna circa Gaultier bullet bras under lightweight sweaters and wrapped tulle with mini skirts and fanned dresses. There were knit jumpsuits with gold glitter. She stuck what looked like rollers under the shoulders of vests and jackets to give a different kind of volume. Models wore leather shorts and lace and sparkles and studs and quilted trim and cropped sweaters and spectacular crystal embroidered leggings and still somehow, it avoided looking over the top.

I’ve seen a terrifying amount of crop tops in the past couple of weeks, but this is the first time I’ve thought that maybe, just maybe, it’d be worth joining a gym for spring. As for bullet bras? Count me in.

We’re basically over the size zero debate - models will always be skinny. But absolutely no one’s over Mark Fast’s runway statement from last Friday.

Why? Because it wasn’t just the audience made uncomfortable by the big girls, but also the team behind the show. One staff member quit over Fast’s use of plus size models and another, the show’s stylist, was so rude to the girls that they were forced to fire her.

So instead, stylist Daniela Agnelli, who usually works for The Telegraph, stepped in to save the day, and though there’ve been complaints about the nude thongs cutting into the girls’ skin and ruining the lines of the clothes, overall, it was a success.

We love fashion, and thus it follows we love a scandal, but we can’t help but be disgusted over this whole thing. For two people from a small team to be too embarrassed to have their name attached to a few gorgeous plus sized models is awful.

If there’s anything to bitch about it’s that Fast only used three plus size girls and not more.

—A LONDON FASHIONISTA

Ashish’s show program said it better than I ever could:

“Never one for subtlety, our heroine is dressed to kill (literally) with a wardrobe that reads like the greatest hits of a holiday brochure. She has a dress to match every cocktail shaken in the Panorama Bar [of the HMS Queen Camilla), and after one daquiri too many, you may well find her draped across the grand piano, resplendent in a hibiscus flowered sequined wrap.

“Her taste reflects her destinations, like a Satnov in sequins she wears a map of Italy with more finesse than a Berlusconi babe and in Paris she glitters, like a living Tour Eiffel, or her halter ego the Mona Lisa, but with added lip gloss…

“On shore there’s scant difference, shredded t-shirts pay homage to her heroine Bo Derek, and as an ardent Facebook devotee, she’ll frequently post images to her envious friends back home in sequined souvenir t-shirts - not that she even cares if she sees them again.”

And there you have it.

You know a show’s bad when you can’t wait for it to be over, especially when it’s only seven minutes long.

Unfortunately, that’s the way Matthew Williamson went yesterday. It wasn’t all his fault though. The ridiculous heat - sweat poured off front row faces including Olivia Palermo, Cecilia Dean, Twiggy, Yasmin LeBon, Leigh Lezark, Aliona Doletskaya, Michael Roberts and Jodie Harsh - was hard to stomach. Kind of like Williamson’s attempts at tailoring.

So far, he’s built a pretty solid business over the past few years with his haute gypsy, running off to Ibiza look. It includes lots of long flowy dresses, mirrors, colour and hippie dippy frocks often without shape and still eye-poppingly expensive.

His marketing’s genius, Sienna Miller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Plum Sykes, Jade Jagger et al, are his best friends, campaign stars and constant photo companions so he was, essentially selling a dream lifestyle, rather than clothes, which is quite easy to buy into.

But this year, Mr. Williamson decided to tailor which was, we agree, long overdue. And yet it didn’t work. You can’t just add a structured waist and a cupola sleeve without changing everything else that needed changing, i.e. Ibiza happy prints and weird houndstooth which is what came down the runway.

In fact, the final piece, a silk maxi dress, had beauty pageant written all over it, which is probably the worse thing you could say about a collection.

—A LONDON FASHIONISTA

The thing I loved most about the Jenny Packham show is that they were considerate enough to hold it close to Somerset House.

I know New York fashion week’s spread out, but nothing compares to the nightmare of navigating London Fashion Week (unless you get on the Fashion Bus, though that requires you to at least drive through every show) over cobblestones and taxi stands.

Anyway, once I walked through Covent Garden and into the venue, I welcomed the sight of familiar faces, both PRs and Tinsley Mortimer. The man in front of me heard me say my name and turned around to say he loved Fashionista, but…”You can’t read my handwriting?” I guessed.

“Well, yeah,” he said.

“Sorry about that,” I answered, and then the show started and it was sparkly. As if the diamonds on the dresses and the shoes and the everything weren’t enough, the girls were wrapped in Tiffany blue bows and dripping in jewelry.

That hair though, was fantastic.

Yesterday’s Osman collection was all white, like Eun Jeong’s the day before and unlike everything else we’ve seen at London Fashion Week.

Apparently, he’d always wanted to make one like it, but never had the resources since such a simple palette requires the absolute best fabrics etc.

Word is Osman’s collection sells out quite quickly (faster than McQueen even on some London shop floors), but this collection didn’t exactly explain why. Though the front row was packed with major British buyers, the clothes weren’t exactly flattering. And though Sessilee Lopez ruled the runway, even she looked slightly uncomfortable in her all white get-up.

Though navy blue’s about as colorful as I get, this really could’ve used something extra (and not just the gold accent squares).

One person can only cover so much of London Fashion Week, so check out The Daily, from the Rubbish team, for runway highlights, cooking class with Richard Nicoll, backstage photos, Somerset House street style & more.

Last season, Mary Katranzou’s collection was inspired by old perfume bottles; their images were screen printed onto silk in a range of jewel tones.

For spring, she was inspired by blown glass and presented a series of brightly printed dresses with more creative shapes. She added a pinch of glitter to some and serious jewelry to others, all with towering Louboutins. So many shots of color swirling together made me realize how neutral New York’s spring collections were. London’s always more colorful (and not just color wise), but I don’t think New York’s usually so boring.

Since she and Mark Fast showed back to back without a break in between, most everyone was talking about Mark’s “fat girls” (their words, not mine) on the way out, but I tripped up the stairs behind Christian Louboutin. And though he spoke French and I’m so far past exhausted, I’m pretty sure he thought Mary’s collection was fantastic.

Ed. note: We’re backpedaling for a moment, to the last night of New York, before heading back to London.

When I said things couldn’t get better than my night with Narciso, I meant it.

But I was wrong. Last night, Linda Fargo and Andre Leon Talley (in a black eyelet robe) hosted a repeat performance of Phillip Lim’s SS10 collection for American Express card holders.

Prior to the presentation, I was escorted backstage to interview Phillip, slightly better than sneaking past security guards, and snooped around backstage area checking out the sky-high Louboutins and gorgeous clothes up very very close. (And no, I didn’t walk away with the sequin pants I had my eye on. I may be sneaky, but not sneaky enough to swipe the clothes right off the models backs just yet.)

Inspired by Picasso’s collages, Phillip wanted to create a collection that collaged the life of the modern woman. From his opening look, a red “New Suit” made of a techno-poly that can be machine washed but still feels and looks luxe to his closing “cubist” dresses that offer a different view from every angle, he wanted a collection that any woman could see herself in.

AmEx and Bergdorf Goodman hoped that the event would educate consumers about New York Fashion Week and inspire them to hit the stores. And based on the post-show conversation and excitement, it definitely worked. I don’t think I’m the only one headed to BG tomorrow.

The thing about Mark Fast’s dresses is they’re so tight, body-con doesn’t even cut it.

His brilliant knits cling to the body, which make you think, “I absolutely love it, but there’s no way I could appropriately wear that.” Except of course until you see them on a handful of plus-size models and they look even better than they did on the sticks that wore them last season.

For SS10 they come both long and short, they come layered with bejeweled body jewelry and and leather petal skirts in nude and black and cotton candy pink and blue; they come in fisherman knit and with perfectly executed slashes or round silver studs and no matter what size you are, they’ll look amazing, which is probably why the crowd cheered louder than I’ve heard in a very long time

Last night’s Sass & Bide show, the first of many brands to return to London for its 25th Anniversary celebration, was, above all else, embellished.

Though the crowd wasn’t exactly robust, thanks to the Prime Minister’s Fashion Reception, Alison Mosshart and Twiggy did sit front row and those who were there appeared to love the mostly black and white collection.

There were a handful of black body-con minis covered in black, chrome and gold beads and gems, long white gowns with cut-out backs and gold necklaces or chain mail vests, bedazzled tights, leggings and, unfortunately, quite a few pairs of harem pants.

Sarah Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton’s program notes said they found inspiration in Argentinean gauchos, but we pretty much saw rock n’ roll.

After Isaac Mizrahi’s show, the designer ran around his Bryant Park set smiling, waving and blowing kisses and even Anna Wintour broke out into a toothy grin (seriously!).

There really couldn’t have been a better note on which to end New York Fashion Week than his theatrical production complete with studio lights and rain.

His models - Karlie, Iris, Tao, Eniko, Natasha - wore candy colored confections in tulle, fringed sequins and sheer swiss dot. They climbed stairs, walked under water and smiled wide in their classically tailored clothes paired with wooden briefcases and sun hats. There were Oscar gowns and rompers, suits, youthful cocktail dresses and glorious shoes. Maybe we were just exhausted, but it felt almost magical.

Alison Lewis was the last of New York Fashion Week’s hip alternative presentations.

She showed at 5 Ninth, the pretty, brick walled bar conveniently located near Milk Studios.

Prop stylist Kenyan (who pops up on The Selby more often than not) decorated the space with amazing carnival props including a carved wooden carousel, old costumes, signs and even an old clown trunk while a self-produced film projected onto the back wall.

It was a soft and fun setting for the natural looking, girl next door models showing off Lewis’ brightly colored prints - including an original floral. Her vintage inspired collection was both realistic and wearable. It didn’t veer too far to the retro, incorporating cutouts (an SS10 pre-requisite?) and paired with cute navy or white Keds.

Sarah Sophie Flicker popped in to say hello and we’re pretty sure we’ll see her wandering the village in this come May.

I’m not sure how many fashion brain cells I’m still working with, so forgive me if I’m a little punchy!

1. Lifetime, you realize Michael Kors is one of the stars of this show, right? WTF? I don’t want to have to ask this question again next week.

2. Also, did you know it would grate on the last nerve I have left this week to bring Eva Longoria Parker to the show? Ugh. Well, it did. So thanks for that.

3. Why not use Booth, the actual fashion critic as one of the judges? You know the woman that does this sort of thing for a living at one of the country’s major newspapers.

4. Why was anyone surprised that the recovering meth addict was also a liar? I mean, I’m glad the guy got sober, but I’m sure he’s well-practiced in the art.

5. And how awesome was it when Tim got all “incredulous” about the whole thing? I love pissed off TG.

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

Yesterday afternoon MAC’s John Demsey and Milk’s Mazdack Rassi hosted a panel discussion for Parsons and FIT students in the studio that was the site of so many shows this past week.

First, let us just say kudos to the two. MAC & Milk was a huge success in my opinion. It was such a more serene atmosphere than the agita-inducing tents. The staff was incredibly helpful. PR people told us it was drama-free and easy to stage their shows and presentations. There were no nightmarish elevator or temperature situations (two of our big concerns). My only real complaint was the patchy internet service I sometimes got inside on the second floor. A girl’s gotta Tweet!! But all in all, it was a job very, very well done. Let’s do it again in February!

Back to yesterday’s interesting panel, moderated by the hilarious Suzy Menkes and including Rassi, Jack & Lazaro, Humberto Leon and Caral Lim from Opening Ceremony, Parsons Dean of Fashion Simon Collins, and Alexander Wang.

Everyone knows V threw one of the sickest parties of the week after the MJ show, complete with Gaga at a piano. They’re also looking for a new intern for the vmagazine.com and vman.com, which if you’re lucky just might give you a leg up getting into their next big bash.

You don’t need to be getting college credit but you do need to be seriously fashion knowledgeable, incredibly web savvy, and ready, willing and able to commit to three to five days a week. Skill sets also necessary: Photoshop, CSS, HTML, and Flash. If you know After Effects, you’ll earn some major bonus points.

Email your resumés and cover letters to ryand@vmagazine.com

Keeping Score: Let the NYFW wrap-ups begin. First up, the Wall Street Journal’s scorecard. {WSJ}

Tweet, Tweet: Britt and I developed a pretty serious Twitter addiction over the past 10 days. We literally couldn’t stop ourselves and almost lost it when our phones died. She’s already in London, so you can keep up by following Fashionista_com. {Twitter}

Front Row Fabulous: I’ve been thinking about this outfit that Carine wore since I saw her walk into the tents that morning. Utter perfection. {WhoWhatWear}

Jak & Jil Meets Style: Tommy Ton is now shooting street style for Style.com. Yay! And Congrats! {Style}

McKinsey Watch 2009: The consultants have finished their reports at Condé and rumored info is starting to trickle out. Keith Kelly is reporting today that Allure, Teen Vogue, and Details have been spared, at least for now. They were thought to be in precarious spots. Dear Uncle Si, please don’t kill TV. We love it too much. {NY Post}

The Phi show was just down the block from Milk studios, but it couldn’t have been more obscure.

We entered through a random door, stood in a cold cement hallway, shuffled into a freight elevator and walked into a narrow L with a mini-pit and just three rows - three power rows though. LSD, Carine, Sarah Lerfel, Kate Lanphear, Erin Wasson, Trainas and Sarah Rutson all sat front row to soak up the power bondage collection.

Designer Andreas Melbostad was inspired by levers and pulleys, wearable technology if you will, that resulted in strapped and buckled corsets over sheer tees and dresses with sharply tailored blazers and pants. As in any bondage-like collection, it’s hard not to stare at the shoes, but Melbostad‘s laced up, cut out dresses certainly helped.

Every single piece was so beautifully built that we walked away lamenting what it’d look like when Zara tried to rip it off.

As I emerge from the Fashion Week haze, complete with a low-grade fever and a gnarly sore throat, comes news that cosmetic giant Estée Lauder is closing its Prescriptives brand, according to WWD.

“We believe that the difficult decision relating to Prescriptives will allow us to redirect our resources to key strategic imperatives where we see the highest growth potential,” said Fabrizio Freda, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Estée Lauder Companies.

I’ve always been a big fan of the 30 year old brand, especially their blended foundations. But I’m more concerned about breaking this news to my mom, who counts Calyx as her signature scent, along with so many others.

Time to stock up on the bottles, ladies.

One thing I never anticipated going into the Spring/Summer 2010 collections was that they would play into my sports obsession. Anyone who knows me knows that this is the time of year when on Sundays (and the occasional Monday or Thursday night), I turn into a rather passionate and overly emotional Indianapolis Colts fan. I even wear a jersey.

I love it when two of my favorite things come together. Earlier in the week there was Alexander Wang. And now Alexandre Herchcovitch.

There were super dramatic pieces at the end of the show where the shoulders were exaggerated versions of actual pads and a cage skirt that could have been made from helmet material. I’m not really sure about carrying an actual football clutch. But I loved the plays on athletic socks and even the slightly padded pant. And the color-blocked rubber tank tops were fun.

Sunday can’t get here fast enough.

RUMOR OF THE DAY: Jean-Paul Gaultier is said to be next up in Target’s Designer Collaboration series. None of the parties would comment officially to WWD, but we say yes, please.

The Anna Sui show is always a party.

But this season, for some reason, lacked a certain spunk (and we don’t just mean the confusing empty boxes inside the gift bags). It had all the good models (though it missed Agyness), the brightly colored embroidery, the youthful influence, and a party soundtrack, but it was, as the person next to me said, “all over the place.”

Her backdrop featured circus tents and if my Twitter icon hadn’t suddenly disappeared off the face of my iPhone, I’d have tweeted three’s a trend. The circus was nowhere to be found in Sui’s clothes though, instead there were a handful of hippie references and school girl looks we’d guess we’re inspired by her Gossip Girl inspired Target collection - if that isn’t too confusing.

And yes, we know ideas get recycled from season to season and that Marc’s own collection screamed “Rei,” but I swear those metallic dresses were in Bleecker’s Marc by Marc window last spring.

Welcome back Peter Som.

This collection is so g.d. beautiful. Where is that trust fund when I really need it? Seriously, it just got better and better as I made my way to the back of the room at Milk.

You realize that everyone there was freaking out with joy, right?

It’s like you’ve burst out of a shell or something. Is it because all that messiness at Bill Blass is finally, totally over and you’re free to be you again? Because that would make a helluva a lot of sense.

Whatever it is, it’s good to have you back in top form bringing us color, texture, tulip skirts, pantsfree prettiness, and all kinds of high-end quirk. And I live for those headpieces by Albertus Swanepoel. The cutest.

So thanks for, you know, being you.

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

Like many, many girls, I’m a longtime Nanette fan. I think I’ve worn dresses of hers to around different weddings at this point.

Whenever you wear her clothes, you feel just the right amount of flirty meets sexy meets girly. She’s not messing with that formula at all this spring. And really, why would she? She knows where her sweet spot is and I totally appreciate that.

But she will definitely brighten up your closet with teals, oranges, reds, and yellows. After obsessing over the shoes, I fixated on the artsy prints, especially on the itty bitty shorts. It would take months of Tracy Anderson style ass kicking to get me ready for those.

But I’ll give it my best effort. See you soon, Equinox.

Okay, so I’ll admit to not being a huge Tory Burch fan. That is, until now. I mean I totally get why ladies have helped her build an empire, one flat shoe at a time. It just wasn’t really my bag, personally.

This season’s collection was shown as a presentation at the Tents, so I could get up close and personal with the clothes, and everyone else in the room who was jostling for a spot to snap photos. And what I saw was a groovier Tory than I’ve ever seen before.

There were sequins, metallic shimmer, incredible floral prints, and a slouchy khaki anorak that I wanted to immediately put on. There was even some plays on tie-dye that looked like perfection for a summer evening in Montauk. And of course there were accessories that you will see on every other woman in Manhattan in a few months. My personal favorite? A studded black leather with a long strap so you can sling it over your shoulder.

So much to love. I’m officially converted to the Cult of Burch.

“You could always write a book and get it turned into a movie.” —The fabulous Suzy Menkes, to a soon-to-be Parsons grad lamenting the poor hiring market, during a panel discussion at MAC & Milk.

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

The great thing about a Phillip Lim show is that you know you’ll love whatever comes down the runway.

It might not be revolutionary, but it’s cute, comfortable, flattering, easy to wear and pretty, which is probably why Leighton Meester sat front row bobbing her head to the music, laughing with Hamish and waving to Alexa Chung across the aisle - Lim has that effect.

Along with, at least yesterday, a “Woah, what’s going on” effect when he sent out five dresses that might as well have had Rodarte labels sewn into the neck. A quick scan of the front row’s eyeballs made it clear how blatant the ‘inspiration’ was.

But other than that there were sequins and sequins and more sequins, an adorable red patent trench and, I’m sorry to say, a handful of crop tops. No pants I can do, but crop tops will never happen (for me I mean).

The gold sequin romper Hanne wore toward the end though? That will most definitely happen.

Anna’s bodyguard earned his keep yesterday at Michael Kors keeping the throngs of photographers swarming Michael Douglas (yep that Michael Douglas, sans Catherine Zeta Jones) from getting to the EIC and Grace. But eventually she got irritated enough to move to the second row until just before the show started.

Michael always puts on one of the most fun (and biggest - 67 looks!) shows of the week and he definitely stayed true to form with a soundtrack that started Gaga then mixed in Madonna before going back to our Lady of the week. “Poker Face” pretty much always gets me going, even on a gray morning nearing the end of Fashion Week.

The clothes gave me a boost too. Clear plastic panels on dresses! Major bubble necklaces! Metallic pants and shorts! Seafoam galore! Zippers! Delicious spring sweaters!

And as Britt so aptly said, a finale dress (pictured above) “that will be on Heidi Klum in 2.5 seconds.”

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

In what was the most literal statement on the ongoing economic crisis, Ralph Lauren sent out a collection that drew from the Depression Era. More than one editor could be heard referencing The Grapes of Wrath as they exited the downtown studio.

The thing was, it wasn’t at all depressing. And it felt decidedly American, in that very Ralph way. The show notes included a quote from the designer that summed it up nicely, “I believe in the resilient spirit of America. Hard times seem to sharpen our capacity for idealism and our optimism that tomorrow will be a better day. I am inspired by the character of the worker, the farmer, the cowboy, the pioneer women…I have always admired the honesty of their work wear…”

There was tons of incredible denim, newsboy caps right and left, chic overalls, pinstripe blazers, denim-inspired blue evening wear (with the finale dress evoking that overall feel), and sparkly sheer long tops over jeans. I pretty much loved every piece, save for one of frilly evening look that seemed a bit overwrought.

Ralph walked the runway waving and saying hello to front row friends to the sounds of Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone”, and Dylan always brings a smile to my face. Well played all around, Mr. Lauren. Go team American sportswear.

There’s been much speculation about Emma Watson’s design prospects, from her own line to a capsule collection for Burberry. But now know what the Brown freshman will be doing on that front for the time being—a collaboration with People Tree, a sustainable and Fair Trade fashion brand.

Emma says, “I wanted to help People Tree produce a younger range because I was excited by the idea of using fashion as a tool to help alleviate poverty and knew it was something I could help make a difference with.”

We love Emma and totally think her intentions are more than genuine, but we there aren’t any photos of the clothes to check out yet. Sad face. The pieces won’t be available until February 2010 and will feature 26 women’s and 15 men’s styles, and accessories too. Word is that the inspiration is the South of France, the London capital, and country festivals. All things we like very much.

Plus, the profits go to the People Tree Foundation which is all about making trade fair. We’re sure somewhere Chris Martin is smiling.

If you’re the kind of person who covers all the Fashion Weeks, hell, if you’re the kind of person who covers two of the four, you’re already exhausted from New York and trying to gear up for London’s 25th Anniversary spectacle and probably getting on a plane today.

We hate to tell you it’s only going to get more exhausting. Once you get off that flight and into your hotel you’ll find a surprisingly short stack of invites. Don’t worry, it’s not because your presence isn’t wanted on the runway, it’s because of the British Postal Strike currently on in London. So your invitations, along with 20 million other pieces of mail, are sitting in a bin somewhere until the government sorts it all out.

PR firms are scrambling, as if they’re not crazed enough, and sending out bikes, coureiers and e-vites instead. One said, “We clearly weren’t counting on this. We’ve posted hundreds of invites and now have to start again with e-vites, or couriers, and it is all a mad dash. We are hoping that the journalists will get everything in time.”

A BFC spokesperson said: “There are some things that are simply out of our control, but we are confident that the PRs have put alternate measures in place.”

Um, sure. We’d say, prepare to stand in epic check-in lines.

—PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMY KOST

I trekked to the Upper East Side for Oscar De La Renta’s show yesterday, because really where else could he have it?

Pre-show, Oscar mingled through the front row which held Vanity Fair’s Graydon Carter, Anna (and almost the whole Vogue masthead), Aerin Lauder and Zac Posen while I finally met Rachel Zoe’s Brad, who scolded me for forgetting my pants.

When the lights dimmed I landed in my seat and watched the collection, which can best be described as decadent fashion dessert, parade by on the elevated runway. Caroline, Iris, Karlie, Sasha, Arlenis and co. wore classically beautiful dresses made of lace, sequins, feathers, brocade and any other lush fabric you can think of. The man’s got you covered for a handful of occasions: an African safari, an English tea party, a Spanish funeral - whatever event calls for a floor length gown and maybe even a lace veil.

Most of us probably won’t end up at that occasion, but if you do, you’ll be the prettiest one there.

Dennis Basso’s newest collection of evening wear is coming soon to a debutante ball near you.

The designer says that his company is all about a “lifestyle,” which was evident from the usual crowd he drew for his show. Apart from a handful of expected editors, the front row was filled with the requisite uptown types of all ages—and I saw some serious bling and Balmain on those walking in—looking for a dress for next season’s events.

For the younger set, there were plenty of short dresses, whose cinched waists, voluminous tutus, and muted color palette were inspired by the ballerinas of Degas. The floor length gowns were equally as beautiful, and many of them were adorned with rosettes and metallic silk. I can’t forget about Basso’s signature fur, which he incorporated into the collection as bolero jackets and long vests.

Speaking of fur, all show-goers got a special treat as they exited the tents: the most grotesque animal-rights display I’ve ever seen, complete with a man in a skinned-animal suit, wielding what looked like a dead fox. I walked away feeling guilty and I don’t even wear fur. Yikes.