As October comes to an end, there’s still lots going on in the fight against breast cancer. Designers such as Betsey Johnson, Donna Karan, Tory Burch, Prabal Gurung, Tracy Reese, Milly, Rachel Roy, Rebecca Taylor and Jill Stuart, have all teamed up with Sharpie to contribute to the fund-raising efforts. (We love our colorful Sharpies and use them every day for graphics so it’s great to see the company getting so involved with fashion this year!)

The designers have created one-of-a-kind designs using Sharpie markers, including a t-shirt customized by Betsey Johnson, who is a breast cancer survivor. All items are being auctioned off on eBay and benefit City of Hope, a leading cancer research and treatment center.

Bidding for the designer sketches and t-shirts ends on Monday, November 2nd at 1pm (PST), so get on over there and bid!

Want to bid? Visit www.sharpieuncapped.com and help support Breast Cancer Awareness. And if you get out-bid you can always buy Sharpie Pink Ribbon markers and highlighters!

To say that the fashion industry is like high school is nothing new, but it’s also totally true. Which is why I love this Vanity Fair piece wrapping up the SS10 season with yearbook-style awards for different designers and collections.

We pretty much agree with their choices. Prabal Gurung was definitely on our Most Likely to succeed list. And Mary Kantrantzou for Best Nerd and we like Christopher Kane for Biggest Flirt. Though perhaps our favorite was the cutest couple, which is actually a threesome: Lara, Freja, and Baptiste.

A few more high school-themed suggestions that came to mind are Tory Burch for Class Treasurer because really who does sell-able better than she does at this point? That would be one profitable class. Plus I found this season much cooler than usual. Monique Lhuillier can head up the prom committee with all her pretty party dresses. And Alexander McQueen is for sure in charge of the A/V club.

So who do you elect to Class Council? And who gets your superlatives?

Cat’s Meow: We’ve missed you this season, Catherine McNeil, though you look perfectly content posing for Greg Kadel in Vogue Italia. {Models}

No Models? Mon Dieu!: German magazine Brigitte’s banned professional models from its pages. They say they’ve been using Photoshop to fatten up girls for years and they give up. So from now on, it’s “real women” only. {The Guardian}

Style Like Me: We’ve mentioned it before, but stylist Elisa Goodkind’s awesome blog jumps into closets across the city (and its outer boroughs) in search of inspiring wardrobes. Today, ogle over Becka Diamond’s Chanel pumps and Rick Owens jacket. {StyleLikeU}

Don’t Stop Believin’: It’s the song that never dies. Apparently Kate Moss was accosted in the street by a Journey-loving thong-wearing gentleman after Simon Cowell’s 50th birthday party. And this is where our moms would tell us nothing good happens after 2 am. And we would disagree.{Page Six}

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.

As Fashion Week approaches, we hear about all kinds of collaborations and sponsorships—some totally logical, some seemingly pulled out of thin air.

This one, though random, we’re kind of digging: Pret A Manger, a favorite lunchtime sandwich chain, is sponsoring all the backstage catering for Oscar de la Renta, Jason Wu, Brian Reyes, Preen, Tory Burch, and 3.1 Phillip Lim.

We’ve always frequented the one near Bryant Park, and over in the Garment District when on appointments, so it’s all the more handy to have them right backstage while we preview the clothes, hair, and makeup. We hear Oscar specifically requested the Turkey Club on his menu though we’re more chicken and avocado sandwich girls.

And, designers, we promise to be really careful not to spill, just like Raquel with her pie on that couture shoot in The September Issue.

We’re one month and one day away from Gossip Girl’s season three premiere - can you feel it?

In today’s anticipatory news, Tory Burch and Georgina Chapman both went to Long Island City (that’s in Queens) to film cameos for a particular episode set to air on October 5th. No word on what they’re doing exactly, though if they’re both in the same episode we’ll go out on a wild limb and suggest the episode might revolve around Fashion Week.

More importantly what will they wear? Because if we were Tory Burch, no matter how much we love our tunics, we’d die to wear one next to Georgina Chapman in a Marchesa gown. Georgina, by the way, says she’s “a huge fan of the show,” which explains the uncredited, impossible piece Blair wore to prom last season.

In other GG news, Nacho Figueras, Argentine polo god and face of Ralph Lauren, guests in the premiere episode, just in case you hadn’t already cleared your calendar.

The Vanity Fair International Best Dressed List has always somewhat baffled me. Maybe baffled isn’t quite the right word, but I’m always amused by what a mixed bag it is.

Of course, I don’t expect it to be a straight-up list of fashion folks, as that doesn’t truly represent the people covered regularly in VF. But man, do they throw in some random curveballs.

This year is no exception. Not surprisingly, both Michelle and Barack Obama (dad jeans, notwithstanding, I guess) make the list along with a smattering of royals, other world leaders, and their spouses. Think Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and Sheikha Mozah of Qatar.

The fashion crowd is represented by Natalia V. and husband Justin Portman, Rachel Roy, Georgina Chapman, Tory Burch, and Franca Sozzani (love!), among others. On my questionable list is Stacy Bendet’s “Hello Kitty meets Joan Jett. Randomness” personal style. She’s a choice that makes me go…hmmmm.

The venerable Fashion Calendar, published as always by Ruth Finley, will give us the first look at the lineup (so far) for September’s New York shows and presentations when it publishes this Friday.

WWD reports this morning that Tory Burch will show for the first time in the tents and that Betsey, Marchesa, and Monique Lhullier (among others) will again opt for presentations.

It’s New York’s 400th birthday next week.

Which makes us feel wonderfully young and makes designers, including Elizabeth and James, Michael Kors, Tibi, Tory Burch and DvF feel like making one-off designs in honor of the city they love.

The pieces will sell at the two Bloomingdales in New York (where a purchase also gets you two tickets to the Museum of the City of New York) and online.

Everything’s under $128, including jeans from Seven for All Mankind, a scarf from BCBG, a Michael Stars tee and a Kate Spade tote.

It launches on Monday, but if you’re feeling patriotic today, Gerard Butler’s been filming a 4th of July parade on my street all week.

Just because women have stopped buying shoes doesn’t mean they’re unwilling to drop a couple hundred bucks for tickets to a runway show.

American Express told the Wall Street Journal yesterday that they sold 97% of their $150 - $250 Fashion Week packages within five days.

Most of those tickets are to Diane von Furstenburg’s show - not the Fall 09 show editors and buyers are attending but a totally separate event with a runway full of Spring 09 looks. As in, the looks you can already pre-order on DVF’s website.

Which means the highlight of the show isn’t the collection itself but rather the life discussion Diane’s going to have with Andre Leon Talley prior to the show during which we really hope she addresses exactly which life lessons she’s gained from being on The City.

Anyway, we digress. In other American Express loves Fashion Week news, they’ve recruited polar opposites Tory Burch and Philip Crangi to hold trunk shows in their VIP tent at Bryant Park. Between Diane’s walking catalog and Tory selling flats on location, AmEx is working their hardest to turn what is essentially a fancy industry trade show into a store.

And so far, it’s working.

Poor Scoop.

The New York-based boutique’s having a rough time of it and it sounds like things are just getting worse.

Diane Von Furstenberg was the top selling brand at their Meatpacking District location until Diane decided to open up shop across the street in March of 2007. Agreements were made to guarantee different merchandise in each store, but customers were confused and ultimately chose to skip across the street and buy DVF clothes in DVF’s digs.

So then Tory Burch was the top selling brand. The Scoop customer loves a pair of logoe-d flats and double T’d cardigans and we, (ok, I know all this because I used to work there), couldn’t keep them in stock. But now Tory’s heading west and opening up shop across the other street on Washington and Little West 12th.

But Scoop will always dominate the designer t-shirt and jeans world, or would, if Vince wasn’t opening up their own store on the same corner, and Paige Jeans smack dab in the middle of the four Meatpacking Scoops.

So what happens to Scoop when all the brands they sell open their own doors within a one block radius? And what about if/when Barneys finally opens and they sell everything that’s already on Scoop’s shelves and then some?

Will they go so far as to shutter their Washington Street doors? Or will they attempt to revamp the specific locations with brand new lines and a very different vibe from their other stores? Either way, we hope they’re on it.

Time’s running out.

“Want to thank the show for doing their part to get rid of Tory Burch flats forever.” - from the comments section of Daily Intel’s Gossip Girl reality-index recap from last night.

The first thing of note is that Tory Burch made a print without using her logo.

The second thing is, Old Navy ripped it off.

And it’s not really that cute.

Tory covered half her Spring 07 line with rainbow colored butterflies - shirts, bags, dresses, even flip-flops - and almost a year later, Old Navy followed suit.

Their butterflies are a little paler, a little more spread out and just on a dress and top - literally watered down. Though the shape of their dress is infinitely more flattering than the shape of Tory’s top.

But the real question is, butterflies? Seriously?

“PS. The jacket that Anne Hathaway wears in Get Smart - it’s Tory Burch. When I was watching I couldn’t take my eyes off that damn T logo.” - Former Intern Brett, on the movie’s most memorable moment.

“A section devoted to nautical garments went about 20,000 leagues too far. A navy blue terrycloth tunic with white anchors all over it, and cotton rope laced through brass grommets would have looked over-the-top on one of the society matrons in “Caddyshack.”…Tory Burch clothing inhabits a privileged, prim, wifey and deodorized look that culturally symbolizes a state of voluntary submission to the males of her tribe.” —Cintra Wilson in The New York Times, on shopping at the CFDA winner’s Elizabeth St. store.

Let’s start this off with a disclaimer:

We like Tory Burch’s clothes. A lot. They’re too expensive, sure, but there’s nothing like a fauxhemian tunic or a Kool-Aid colored skirt to get any girl - big, small, dark, light, uptown, downtown, city, suburb - through a day when she just can’t decide what to wear.

The issue is what happened last night at the CFDA Awards, when Tory Burch won the award for best accessory design.

You know the only accessory that anyone associates with Tory Burch?

Those crazy flats. Which are actually quite simple, except they have a massive, dare we say distracting, gold or silver logo on the top.

Are they brilliant from a sales perspective? Absolutely. Do we want our mom to get a pair? Oh, yes. But do they deserve an award for innovative American design?

Come on. It’s true that the branding of those shoes is incredible, but Tory was not the first American stylist to correlate status with logos and therefore with wanting: Ralph Lauren put his polo silhouettes on ties to launch his empire, and the DVF signature print of her ’70s wrap dress is legendary.

More recently, Kate Spade sold out of shoebox-shaped bags as soon as she put her labels on the outside of the purses. Ms. Spade has two CFDA Awards, both from the ’90s.

WHICH fashionable boutique has strict grooming rules for their shop girls? Specifically, French manicures are forbidden - they’re seen as too “pedestrian” for pushing Tory Burch…

Tory Burch has always had an under thread of youth culture humming beneath her hems: Those signature tunics swing a little bit hippie; those insipid ballet flats can be doused with black spray paint to look rather awesome; the MisShapes DJ her Fashion Week parties.

But now it seems her cool aftertaste might be rising more to the surface, at least according to her newest arrivals:

The boatneck Noisetta dress may claim inspiration in maritime fashion, but we’ve seen this shift before: On the Giles Deacon runway, in Gwen Stefani’s Sweet Escape video, and most recently, in the Kate Moss for TopShop collection.

Meanwhile, the blue blazer with piping…

Well, we don’t even need to explain that one.

Maybe this is the time to note that Tory’s two daughters are both college-age; one does studio art and the other interns for Proenza Schouler.

Guess she’s been paying more attention to the girls and their friends than the women who frequent her shop.

A dickie, (no giggles, please), is a sweater or dress with a removable collar and cuffs. It gives the illusion of wearing a blouse underneath an outer layer without suffering the inevitable bunch up.

We thought dickies were for another generation, as in they’ve never really seemed fashion forward.

A couple of months ago, we saw a dickie at the Marc store, followed by a string of Tory Burch sweater versions. Then, just this past week, we encountered a dickie dress from See By Chloe, one of our favorite lines. What’s going on here?

We understand the practicality - it’s like two pieces in one!

But there’s something so old-fashioned (and kind of funny) about it - plus, we’ve perfected the art of comfortably layering a thin sweater over our favorite Steven Alan button-down anyway. So what’s the point?

Would you wear a dickie? Or do you think you’re layering skills are enough?

Designer Allen Schwartz of A.B.S. was recently asked about his copycat style by The LA Times - if you didn’t buy an A.B.S. prom gown, then you may remember Schwartz as the guy who goes on The Today Show every year to explain how to buy knockoff Oscar gowns.

Except Schwartz told writer Emili Vesilind that “Words like ‘copying’ and ‘knockoff’ do not exist in my life… When you talk about this, it hits a nerve for me. It’s based on such an elitist attitude.”

Um, okay Allen.

But what about this find by reader Cindy, who pulls her own Tory Burch dress from the closet - then sticks it next to a recent A.B.S. offering from Macy’s? Tory’s print may be a smudge more complicated, but it’s the same dress - two seasons late and under $100.

On the upside, at least he’s not copying those Tory ballet flats, which seem to multiply faster than private school applications on the Upper East Side…