Oh the horrible things we’d do for a piece of Proenza or Valli.

Thankfully, we can keep it civil via Rent the Runway; they let you rent what you want without hassle or potential jail time.

The site’s an online community where shoppers can rent designer dresses ranging in price from $50-$200. After signing up for an invite you can browse through everything from Doo.Ri to Brian Reyes, Malandrino to Matthew Williamson which means that even though you’re determined to make it through the holidays without buying a new dress, you don’t have to wear the one you wore last year.

They’ll deliver same-day in New York City and next-day everywhere else and if that’s not easy enough, they’ll even send you two sizes on your first rental, so you don’t have to worry if your temporary Tuleh will be just right.

There goes the only-wear-once problem.

UPDATE: Click here to become a member.

We went to go peek at Doo.Ri’s SS10 Under.Ligne collection yesterday morning.

She said the collection holds a special place in her heart because it’s really just about the clothes and about what she wants to wear instead of the giant runway production and editorial pressures. Plus she’s able to use patterns and ideas that don’t work into her ready to wear collection the way she would’ve liked.

All of the pieces - including a pair of harem-esque black sweatpants that she swore, absolutely swore, are flattering on everyone - come in the softest jersey with feminine details like silk pleats, ruching, ruffles, extra straps etc..

But the best part might be the gorgeous look book full of fuzzy images, watercolors and sketches. We wish we could live in it to recover for a few weeks after Fashion Week.

I was taking the 6 uptown yesterday when the chicest girl stepped on. She was wearing what I can only describe as a short-sleeved trench coat dress (it was not this cute Doo.Ri one that we found, but that’s your basic idea), with flats and an orange scarf. I was cursing myself for not having a camera with me, when a totally different thought struck me - isn’t she overheated wearing that?

We keep hearing about, and seeing, girls wearing tights this summer. And we’re even really digging the ones that Vogue UK wrote about today. A trench and a scarf in the middle of a New York summer, especially underground, seems even crazier.

—PHOTOGRAHY BY JEREMY KOST

[Britt and Natalie sit in the backseat of a cab, on their way to the Doo.Ri Under.Ligne launch, last night. Taped to the back of the cab’s partition is a cute drawing of a cartoon cab with the slogan “This is a happy cab” written above it.]

Britt (to Driver): West 26th Street, between…

Driver: 11th and 12th?

Britt and Natalie: Yeah…

Driver: Yes, I just took three people there, no problem!

Britt (to Natalie): Wow, this cab driver is really nice.

Natalie (to Britt): Well, it is a happy cab. [Giggle]

[Several minutes pass, during which the driver asks polite questions, laughs, and remains generally jovial while wearing his “Dooney & Bourke” baseball cap. The cab arrives at the destination. Britt exits, and Natalie waits for the receipt.]

Driver: Just one more second, sorry, it’s still printing.

Natalie: Oh, it’s ok! I really love this Happy Cab painting by the way.

Driver: Oh!

[The driver exits the car, leaving Natalie inside. As he rummages through his trunk, Natalie quietly opens the door, having decided to wait for the receipt while standing safely on the sidewalk.]

Driver: Here you go! One for everyone who mentions the Happy Cab!

[The Driver hands Natalie the small, “Louis Vuitton” wallet, at left.]

Natalie: [Making a face not unlike Jim from The Office] Oh -

Aaaaaand, scene.

Doo.Ri held a preview of her new line in Chelsea last night.

About ten looks from Under.Ligne were revealed to press and buyers - spotted Vogue and Barneys in the crowd - in an open loft buzzing with pre-Fashion Week energy.

The clothes were underwhelming - mostly jersey, mostly draped, sometimes stretched and sometimes stitched in a neutral palette of black, white and grey. A few dresses were awkwardly paired with rhinestone encrusted lace tights. There was a slightly ruffled leather jacket and a killer pair of skin-tight black legging/pants with intricate seams and zippers up the back that we wish we could have now.

Other than that it just got us in the Fashion Week mood - we’re ready to be wowed!

Phillip Lim’s starting a line for dogs.

While Zac Posen and Doo. Ri get to work on their bridge lines and Carlos Miele and Roland Mouret work out their menswear launch plans, Lim thinks his design skills could be used elsewhere.

So he’s found inspiration in his darling French Bulldog, “his best friend and muse,” Oliver and designed a few sweaters - grey, navy, pink - and collars for the holidays.

But for a man who prices his human clothes so reasonably (in high fashion speak, at least), doggy prices are surprising. They range from $150 to $375 and you can get them in his LA and New York stores.

If we could stretch our way into the navy striped one, $150 would be totally worth it.

While most smaller labels are scaling back their Fashion Week presence, Doo.Ri’s charging ahead with her eponymous brand, launching a secondary line to hit stores next Fall.

She hasn’t picked a name yet, but expect a lot less evening jersey, and more leather jackets/leggings and tees - the first year will mostly include more casual versions of Doo.Ri’s “greatest hits”, with dresses at $200 and leather jackets around $500.

Zac Posen recently announced his own bridge line, and Thakoon will soon launch Thakoon Addition just before summer and winter next year, which will also be based off of his “most popular” designs (let’s see if some of his Target creations - December 28th! - make it into the remix).

On a related note, if more designers decide to come out with their own versions of of CD box sets, where will they go with their designs once the hard times (that probably require instant hits to ensure that people keep buying rather than experimentation that could possibly fail) are over and people want fresh and new again?

Before Marc hosts the Met, he’s hosting an even more important gala.

Well, maybe not if you asked Anna, but if you asked just a handful of homeless people living with AIDS and HIV in New York they’d probably answer that Housing Works’ Fashion for Action auction is infinitely more important.

The opening gala is Thursday November 13th, though the sale goes until the 16th at the thrift store’s Chelsea location. They’ve procured more than a million dollars worth of designer merchandise including Gucci bags and Doo.Ri and DVF dresses and priced it 50 - 70% off.

They’re hoping to raise $500,000 this year so even if you can’t splurge on a $100 ticket to the Marc-hosted benefit, swing by the store for some severely discounted goods - and an even better cause.

Ever dreamed of the day when buying one of your favorite designers’ bags actually helped to make the world a better place?

Well, thanks to Glamour, this day has come. The magazine, through their Fashion Gives Back program, has asked Doo.Ri, Loeffler Randall, Subversive, Band of Outsiders, Chris Benz, and 3.1 Phillip Lim to each design a unique tote bag made of 100% organic cotton, and of course the best part is, 75% of all profits will go to Global Green USA.

We can’t imagine a better way to give to charity than by treating ourselves to a new book bag. And can you think of a cuter way to pick out your lettuce than with Phillip Lim’s kissy face? And I believe Band of Outsiders’ design is actually based on the inside of my purse, hair clips and all.

If this sounds like the cutest route to philanthropy, head to Henri Bendel some time tomorrow or this week - we have a feeling these will sell out quick!

—HAYLEY PHELAN

As you’re probably aware, Pierre Hardy designed a shoe line for Gap this season.

What you may not know is this:

We hear that Gap’s American office is working on a similar situation for our Gap stores next Spring. We assume the line goes beyond the two-sizes-fit-all flip flops the store releases every summer, and expect someone exciting and excellent to design it.

And yet, we don’t quite know who.

So let’s think:

If Doo.Ri, Thakoon, and Rodarte have worked with Gap in the past year, is there anyone similar in the accessories world? Maybe someone who’s gotten a CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund nod for shoes? Hmm…

Meanwhile, we’re obsessed with these clunkers from Alexander McQueen (left), which would look great with the sweater dress from the Gap Euro collection…

We love the Built by Wendy book of patterns, Sew U -

But we also know not every style junkie is also a budding Doo.Ri.

If the process of choosing and acquiring fabric for your designs seems overly complicated – or you just want to avoid the Garment District at all costs – may we recommend Sac à Faire?

Sac à Faire is essentially a large sheet printed with patterns for 10 different shapes of handbags on both sides.

The best part is you don’t even need fabric, because the pattern isn’t printed on paper –

It’s some kind of special material that looks like paper, but is actually strong, waterproof, machine-washable, and gets softer over time.

You fold up the pattern, origami-style into the bag you desire, and then you just sew where indicated, and voila!

Now when people ask you where you got your bag, you can have the satisfaction of casually responding, “Oh, I made it myself.�

—ALISON COOL

We’ve spotted something gorgeous on the fashion front lately:

Necklaces so wide and high on the neck, they look like part of the outfit.

At the Whitney Ball last week, Doo.Ri Chung wore a dress of her own design (an adorable whipped silk puff, no less, and much more giggly than expected). She paired it with a leather collar from Subversive Jewelry, and loved it so much, she threatened, “You’d better make sure you give Justin credit on your blog!”

So, okay, Justin Giunta of Subversive Jewelry: We’re fully obsessed.

Meanwhile at West Village house party, our lovely friend Kristin wore this beaded lace necklace from a vintage store, which we thought was part of her tank top until she unhooked it from her neck.

We can’t wait until the mass marketeers get on this trend, but we also think it has tremendous runway potential. Can you imagine detachable collars at Chanel and Dior, half jewelry and half clothing that you can remove, swap, and wear everywhere?

Amazing.

We were about to write a post called “Why We Don’t Care About The Gap’s New Designers,” and then we changed our minds.

Here’s the deal: The Gap announced some new diffusion pieces by CFDA/ Vogue darlings Doo.Ri, Thakoon, and Rodarte.

At first we yawned, but then we realized: This could be Rodarte’s big chance to change their tides.

Of course, Rodarte has incredible support from Vogue and Bergdorf Goodman, but there’s another powerful faction (led by Cathy Horyn at The Times) that can’t appreciate the puffy silver pieces they sweep down their runway (in fact, the phrase “Sci Fi Convention” comes to mind).

If Rodarte’s pieces for the Gap are beautiful, wearable, and inspired by something besides Lord of the Rings, they could win some converts in the fashion world, and some shoppers in the real world.

Doo.Ri’s defection to the Gap is also interesting, considering her mentor is Mickey Drexler, a Gap refugee who now heads J. Crew…