For years it seemed like Si Newhouse and Condé Nast were hiding out and hoping that the whole internet thing would just run its course and life would return to “normal.” Sure they formed CondéNet and launched Style.com but they were certainly not pre-curve on anything digital.

But over the past few months, they’ve definitely been trying to make up for lost time. (We can only imagine the pages of the McKinsey reports that must have been dedicated to online growth.) From finally getting each of their magazines its own proper website to online dating (still super weird!), they are making a serious go of it.

Today’s Wall Street Journal reports that the publishing house is developing an e-reader application that will debut sometime next year first with Wired and then the other titles like Vogue and Vanity Fair. Apparently this is different from the GQ technology they just put on iTunes.

We have yet to sign on to the whole e-reader thing. But it’s really nice to see Condé trying to get out ahead of things instead of hanging back and watching the world change while it stands still. Because we all know how that worked out, and no one wants to see it happen again.

“It has the obvious connotations…girl in boyfriend’s/husband’s/one-night stand’s shirt the morning after a black-tie ball. It’s very James Bond.” —Marcus Wainwright on the whole tomboy trend. We couldn’t love this sexy image more.

“You’d think it would be enough to be the Queen of Constance, but then to have to be the queen of the Upper East Side, and then … ” Jenny trails off here, but allow us to finish. And then you have to be the queen of your college sorority. Then you have to be the queen of the Style.com set, and have Derek Blas blog about you. Then you have to be the queen of the trophy wives, and then you have to have the prettiest and smartest children. Then you have to be the queen of New York Social Diary, and the queen of Bill Cunningham’s page in “Styles,” and then you have to hope that when at last you get Alzheimer’s your children don’t turn against you and start selling your possessions and letting you live in squalor on a pee-stained sofa. And then you die, and even then, you can still lose, if everyone stops talking about you.” —From Daily Intel’s epic Gossip Girl recap.

Foreign Explanations: Of all the nutty fashion people, explaining Olivier Zahm to the unsuspecting masses is most entertaining. If the post itself doesn’t make you giggle, the comments definitely will. {Gawker}

Royal Snap: Kate Middleton’s taken a job assisting photographer Nikolai von Bismark while Prince William takes royal tours to Australia and New Zealand. It’s not her first fashion job; she was an assistant accessories buyer at Jigsaw in 2006. {DailyStar}

Posh Model: In other British tabloid news, Victoria Beckham and Simon Fuller are allegedly developing a plan for a modeling agency. We’d crack a joke, but we actually love her collection, so we’ll wait and comment post-launch. {DailyMail}

Valley of the Dolls: Ruth LaFerla profiled Mattel’s new Fashionista Barbies (no relation), this weekend. The thought of “aspiring primary-school Rachel Zoes” is surprisingly disturbing. Its makers say the dolls are suited to this economy and promises they won’t be driving limos anytime soon. {NYTimes}

“Maybe. I never say never.” —Gwyneth Paltrow when asked if she would ever take up designing. We are fairly (well, totally) impartial when it comes to GP, so we say, totally go for it.

If you see anyone from Condé Nast today, make sure and give them a hug, or at least a pat on the back.

It feels like the publishing house, home to Vogue, W, Glamour, Vanity Fair, Lucky, has been suffering through layoffs and cutbacks for ages. Two weeks ago they cut dozens of employees on the business side, but this week, they’ve begun their editorial liquidation.

Yesterday came word they let almost twelve Glamour editors go including Deputy Editors Ellen Seidman and Maryellen Gordon, both of whom been with the magazine for over ten years. Today, WWD announces that both Executive Fashion Editor Candy Pratts Price and Contributor Laird Borrelli-Persson will leave Style.com.

We had to read the sentence about four times to really believe it. Candy, who got her start at Vogue in the 80’s, is the kind of the core of Style.com. When her contract’s up in 2010 we’ll be out daily doses of her creative humor, CandyCasts and brilliant eye. WWD mentions that she’ll devote more time to Vogue, but given the state of things that might not be the best backup plan.

This studded Givenchy sandal is everywhere, like super perfect sexy things often are.

We’ve spotted it on Garance ‘s blog. It’s popped up on Tommy Ton’s Style slideshows, too. And on our own feet of course, in our dreams.

It’s in Aldo’s dreams, too. The only difference is they have a shoe factory and the ability to make it for insanely less money and sell it to the masses. Their copy has less studs, and a smaller t-strap. They’ve also named it some something decidedly French: Guerrette. Guerrette’s like the ugly step-sister; she can’t compare to her gorgeous older, more vibrant sister, and she never will.

It’s like Givenchy made the perfect heel and Aldo broke it. And they do say not to fix it if it’s not broke.

I need Style.com like I need my morning coffee.

But I’ve been clicking on Vogue.com more and more lately, in part because I’m anxiously awaiting obvious changes and excited for Condé Nast to really truly enter the digital age (I’d never actually say that out loud), but also because it lets you see a totally different side of Vogue’s editors.

Hamish has his sphere and Candy has her cast, but some features, like Meredith Melling Burke’s Most Wanted, feature a rotating cast of Vogue-ettes listing their current favorite things.

Sometimes there’s a theme, like Devon Schuster’s wedding or Jane Aldridge’s shoes and sometimes there’s not. Like this week’s list, from features associate Stephanie LaCava, is basically because she has ridiculously great style. She’s mixed Proenza shorts with Topshop boots and a Band of Outsiders toggle coat; it’s fun to see the thought process behind style we consistently admire.

Surprisingly, Vogue.com’s the best place to go if you ever forget that even the most major fashion people have a sense of humor.

“I have considered it. The offers have come in, and every time we get an offer, I mull it over. I’d like more people to have access to my clothes, but the timing hasn’t been right, or the project hasn’t been right, or some combination of both those things. The first time I was approached, I wasn’t even producing the garments I was showing on the runway. I didn’t have a factory. Everything I was making, I was making by hand. Doing a fast-fashion collection seemed a little premature.” —Gareth Pugh on maybe, possibly doing a high street collaboration to Style.com.

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}

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}

Style.com’s gathered all your favorite, and all our favorite, fashion twitterers in one place for the week. From WWD to Derek Blasberg, from The New York Times to Refinery29 (& us!) - life just got a little bit easier.

Sneak A Peek: Here’s a sneak preview of the Natasha Poly-centric Muse, hitting New York’s news stands on September 10th. It features Craig McDean, Riccardo Tisci, Jeff Koons and Terry Richardson. If ever there was a time to try to replicate those lips, it’s tonight’s Paper party. {Models}

Jeepers Creepers: Yes, all fashion girls swoon for Yigal Azrouel. He’s gorgeous, makes brilliant clothes and is the only straight man for miles. But this woman, who told the Post she likes to try on clothes in his store just to be naked in the same room as him, is far too enthusiastic about the whole thing. {NYPost}

PughHoo!: Gareth’s coming to New York. The Brit will show his full collection in Paris - no word yet on whether he’s reverting back to runways or sticking to last season’s video format - but before that he’ll swing by Milk Studios and offer a peek of his SS10 collection this Saturday night. {Style}

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

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

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

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

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

Meet Blue Logan, if you haven’t already.

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

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

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

Scratch that.

Erin Fetherston’s short film, Birds of a Fether, just premiered on Style.com. The four minute piece features Paz de la Huerta, Ingrid Schram, Daria Strokous, all-girl punk band Effi Briest and a bevy of models following Erin throughout the West Village. Director Marisa Crawford imagined the designer as a pied piper-like leader and her collection couldn’t be more perfect for the fantasy.

If you’d rather see Erin’s clothes in person, you can log on to Shopbop and win a three day trip to New York, two tickets to Erin’s SS10 show, $1000 shopping spree to Shopbop and $400 spending money for your days in New York.

Flashing Lights: It’s not that we don’t love a good picture of Lindsay & co., it’s just that Giovanna & co. make for much better paparazzi shots. {Fashionologie}

OMG & LOL: Kelly Bensimon to W’s blog, “I love Navajo and I love the idea of taking Pocahontas out of the kayak and putting her into the disco. Everyone knows that she’s had enough in her little canoe and now she’s out and having fun in the disco.” Kelly Bensimon to StyleList, “The bad thing about Pocahontas is that she’s, like, in the kayaks. So I took her out of the kayak and into the disco so she could have a little fun.”{StyleList & Jezebel}

Ten Times Fast: Lucas Ossendrijver from Lanvin Homme is both hot and talented. Here are pictures of him, his studio, his team and the shop. {theSelby}

Is the New? Jewelry designers Pamela Love and Arielle de Pinto are staging their own presentations next month. Meanwhile, two of our favorites, Bliss Lau and Eddie Borgo are working on exciting designer collaborations. {Style}

This summer we at Fashionista have been drooling over long hair and fingering our own locks, cursing them for not growing faster. The grass does always seem greener, doesn’t it?

You have hair far past your shoulders and then you think, “Hmm, that Alexa Chung sure has a cute little crop going on…” Snip snip! But two weeks later, and you’re shaking your fist at pictures of Blake Lively and her flowing locks.

Last summer I cut my hair from shoulder length to boy short à la Agyness. I was glad I took the plunge, but then let my hair grow out. My hair is back to shoulder length and I was imagining in a few months how nice and long it would be.

And then I saw this photo in Style.com’s round-up of Lollapalooza fashion.