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.

When we were younger, we loved Legos. Making little towns could entertain us for hours— or until our Barbie showed up and totally towered over her supposed home.

And we think that these Jean-Charles de Castelbajac customizable Lego sunglasses that we found on Dazed Digital, are too funny.

The sunglasses are available in red, white, and yellow, and can be customized by adding Lego as you please.

While we think that in some cases, paying to DIY a designer product, like this $5,500 Fendi baguette and this lettered black Roger Vivier bag, can get kind of ridiculous.

That said, we can’t help but want to try to create our own Lego masterpiece. And at just over $150, the shades are quite a bit cheaper than the make-you-own purses.

With Ray Ban offering up their Colorize kit, and items like the One-Dress being sold, we have to ask, do you get nervous at the thought of being left to your own devices and prefer your purchases to be ready-made or are you willing to shell out to DIY your designer goods?

—MELISSA ELLIOTT

The new GOOP just landed in our inbox.

We didn’t even make it past the introductory note to Gwyneth’s sure to be groundbreaking Spring wardrobe suggestions because she mentioned she’d done a bit of spring cleaning, the highlights of which landed in her GOOP e-bay store.

She’s selling off some mind-blowing, probably barely worn, stuff including a handful of Chanel bags, dresses from Balenciaga, Michael Kors, tops from Helmut Lang and Marni, Prada, Proenza and Vivier shoes.

Clothes are in the 4/6 range, shoes are size 8.5/9, bags are for everyone and prices are insanely low at the moment- $62 for the Proenza shoes, $146 for the Balenciaga dress.

Profits from the auction go to Robin Hood Foundation, a New York charity that targets poverty within the city. So say what you will about Gwyneth, but you know you’d get a kick out of owning her particular Burberry studded sandals via charity.

UPDATE: eBay called, here’s the link!

Ines de la Fressange carries this lettered black Roger Vivier bag everywhere.

We thought it was custom made, after all she’s Bruno Frisoni’s muse and Vivier’s brand ambassador. And technically it is custom made. The catch is, you have to design it yourself because according to de la Fressange, “Real luxury is a unique item that is yours and yours only.”

So you pick your colors and your letters and your font and then they’ll put it all together for you and you get your very own Cut Up Bag for the small price of $1,875 even though the plain black version of the bag costs around $1100 without all of your extra work.

It’s kind of like when Fendi made the white canvas baguette and handed you a box of markers for $5,500 and said, “But you get to be the artist!” even though a Fendi designed baguette would probably set you back more like $2000 or $3000.

Which means the more work you’re expected to do, the more your fancy bag will cost.

But what we want to know is, if you’re going to splurge on an insanely expensive DIY it bag, would you rather the designer put together your creative vision (which kind of defeats the purpose) or would you prefer going to town on your own, a la Fendi?

I finally went to Saks on Friday.

I knew things were bad - I live in New York, I work in fashion, I have lawyer friends and retail friends and finance friends, a roommate from Detroit and parents who aren’t too far, sorry, weren’t too far, from retirement - but seeing Saks in worse shape than Union Square’s Trader Joe’s on Sunday afternoon was, basically, horrifying.

Where YSL bags and Chloe clutches proudly sat are stacks of crumpled $50 cashmere. Rolling racks fill almost every aisle, so stuffed with this season’s merchandise that you can’t possibly see anything without ripping it from the hanger. Marc by Marc Resort 2009 is already 40% off and I found Alexander McQueen sequined leggings on the floor. Someone wrapped Alaia belts vertically around a pole by the Oscar de la Renta and I spotted the Miu Miu dress Isabeli Fontana wore on last February’s runway crumpled in a ball underneath a 50% off buffalo plaid Ralph Lauren coat hanging from one shoulder.

And the shoe salon, the shimmering bastion of exotic footwear so recently honored with its own zip code, looks tragic underneath tumbling piles of shoes that used to cost $1000. If you can wade through the Stuart Weitzmans to the scratched up Fendis, Viviers and Balenciagas, good luck finding your size because the defeated sales people are holed up in the middle of the room, the only place with regularly priced shoes and the only area without a single customer.

I still couldn’t find the handbags anywhere and not a single employee knew what I meant when I said they weren’t in their usual home - probably because they’re temporary employees, (who by the way are wearing jeans on the floor, which is a sign everyone’s pretty much given up).

I left, pouting, not even tempted by $200 Prada shoes. I should’ve skipped the trip altogether so that if, or more likely when, they finally close their doors, I remember the old Saks instead of the outlet version.

Because even though I know how important it is to “get it,” denial’s so much more comfortable.

Waiting for us in our Inbox yesterday, was a gem from the mind of our girl crush Gwyneth Paltrow. Like we told you, G has alot of stuff to tell us about life and shares it in the form of a sporadic newsletter (i.e. whenever she wants). This time, the topic was GET, her generic term for shopping and fashion, and that should tell you a lot.

1. Before she had children, she had an hour in the morning to “stand in front of my closet and try to figure out what to wear”. Seriously? The woman filmed a movie a minute, and managed, but now that she has two children and two nannies, and makes a sporadic movie (i.e. whenever she wants), she can’t find the time?

2. House slippers? I get it, you’re running around with your kids, but in slippers? How about those cute Repetto flats you reccomend a few scrolls down?

3. She references wearing a uniform in high school. This is significant because she rarely alludes to her days at Spence, and all I keep thinking is she must have been a Serena.

(cont’d..)

I’ve had a long love affair with Hermès. I love the house’s sense of secret luxury; I love the connections with Grace Kelly and Jane Birkin; and I really love the Hermès tie I stole from my dad years ago because I loved the horses on the label.

What I don’t love however, is Heidi Montag’s recent habit of toting Birkins around LA to prove how much she loves “fash-on”. Nor am I much inclined to smile when I see Pharell’s giant purple crocodile travesty. I mean, don’t we have Gucci for these people?

And yet, I still love Hermès despite myself, specifically the ladylike Constance, and anything with a shot of Jackie O. But every time I see some reality TV actress carrying a perfect beacon of elegance, I die a little inside. I think, “Am I really coveting the same stuff as Audrina?”

So the bigger question is, could you wear something that someone you loathed loves? Could you get over seeing say, Britney, walking around in those Roger Vivier flats you’ve drooled over? Or Megan Fox matching her night gowns with that Bottega Veneta knot clutch you’ve been waiting to buy?

And before you come out with “Oh, that’s ridiculous,” just think of how many names are ruined for you because of that bad college roommate or that mean boy on the playground. Sometimes, it’s about the association.

And so, does that translate to what you wear?

—BRETT KANE