The best part about holiday shopping, aside from apple cider, is the overflow of shopping events (especially in the wake of such financial disarray).

Next week, Elle and Armani Exchange are teaming up to make you shop. And by Elle we mean Style Director Kate Lanphear.

The party’s next week, Tuesday, November 10 from 6pm-8pm at Armani Exchange’s Fifth Avenue store at 20th Street. You’ll get to preview Armani’s holiday collection, drink champagne and snack your way through the store.

And if you spend over $100, you get to customize your own A/X t-shirt with Kate on hand to dish bedazzling advice.

If a tee designed by Kate isn’t the perfect pre-holiday treat, then we’re not sure what is.

We realized when looking through our newest issue of Russh that in all the talk over these many months about the widespread trend of pantslessness, and even the emerging “jock” fashions of S/S10, that one inspiration had been overlooked. Until now. Thank you Russh editors for remembering.

And who might this trendsetter be? Jamie Lee Curtis in the awesome 1985 “drama”, Perfect. The film is a hip-thrusting romp following the relationship of aerobics instructor Jessie and John Travolta’s reporter Adam. If you haven’t had the pleasure, we highly recommend it for its ridiculous workout scenes and brilliant use of leotards and headbands. (Be forewarned that Travolta wears loose-fitting short shorts that are more revealing than one might like.)

We feel terrible for overlooking Jamie Lee when watching collections like Charlotte Ronson’s come down the runway. We were consumed by visions of Olivia Newton-John and “Let’s Get Physical”, but we’re trying to make amends by giving props now. Because really, no one’s ever looked hotter sans pants.

Please forgive us, Mrs. Christopher Guest. We won’t forget you again.

Things have gotten so glum over at 4 Times Square that S.I. has hired Michael Sheehan, a crisis manager to try to turn around not only the press on the beleaguered publishing house, but also the spirits of those who still work there, according to the NY Post’s Keith Kelly.

Just to put this in context, Sheehan was the guy AIG went to during its troubled times, and he’s even coached presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

The idea apparently came from Lucky publisher Gina Sanders, who also happens to be married to a Newhouse (Steven) after she noticed that morale was at an all-time low. Well, obviously. I mean they’ve laid off almost 500 people and closed six magazines. Everyone knows the glory days are gone and there’s nothing fun about that.

We’re just wondering what Sheehan will bring to the table to make the media, advertisers and employees change their doomsday mentalities. We hope it’s more akin to the re-positioning of Barack or Bill, because we still don’t have many warm and fuzzy feelings for AIG.

It’s rare a week goes by that we don’t dream of living in London, but we’re especially envious of Brits tonight.

Vogue UK reports that Nick Knight will be shooting an editorial for their print book, starring Natalia Vodianova, in public view. Outside shoots are obviously subject to the public eye, but Knight’s actually inviting the masses to watch his shoot at Somerset House as part of his SHOWstudio: Fashion Revolution exhibition.

Aside from Knight and Natalia, you’ll also get to watch Vogue UK’s fashion director Lucinda Chambers, stylist Sam McKnight and make-up artist Val Garland work the editorial. As for the clothes, it’s a fairy tale themed shoot featuring custom made dresses set for auction the following day. (The proceeds of which go to Natalia’s charity, The Naked Heart Foundation.)

They’ll be at Somerset until 9 so grab your umbrella and get there early.

Well, not exactly. But that’s what this behind-the-scenes video feels like, in the best way. Freja’s shooting for the just-launched this week British hardcover magazine Twin, which currently has the fashion world buzzing. We can’t wait to get our hands on a copy.

The Boo George shoot looks hot. We loved the song, “Into the Dark” by Sister. And we have no problem admitting that we were not musically cool enough to recognize it without the credits.

Enjoy two-plus of Freja goodness on this Thursday afternoon!

The dark days of print publishing have hit every player in the industry. Some harder than others but no one has been spared from a massive downturn in ad sales and loads of layoffs. This week is expected to bring another large wave at Time Inc.

Mediaweek is reporting that in response the heads of many of the big publishing houses (including Jann Wenner, Ann Moore of Time Inc, and Cathie Black from Hearst) are talking about getting together for a marketing campaign aimed at, well, saving print.

At this point, we don’t think this is the worst idea, though it could lead to some random cross-promotions. But combining resources really never hurt anybody. So let’s get Condé and Hachette on board too and get innovative. You can’t throw old ideas at this problem.

We can’t wait to see what they come up with.

Yesterday afternoon, The Daily posted an imagined interview with the November issue of Allure. The story’s set up as a look at what it’s like to be a glossy mag in a world that’s constantly downsizing.

Its tone, however, made it feel more like an interview with a petulant, somewhat ditzy, undernourished starlet. Full Disclosure: I’ve worked at both places, but this left me wondering where The Daily’s flood of negativity towards the beauty book was coming from. Take this exchange for example:

Does it embarrass you to scream words like “sexiest” month after month?
Even a glossy can blush. We’re using variations of that word more than ever before. It must sell or something. But why not use it in top left then?

And this one:

Do you move on the newsstand? Be honest.
It really depends. Sometimes I linger, especially in bodegas. I do better at airports. Even with my strict exercise regime and all that green juice, I feel totally lame when the US Weeklys of the stand outperform me. If I could cry, I would. I think I have body dysmorphia disorder.

Yesterday, Jared, as in Just, posted about the latest starlet to wear Prabal Gurung on the red carpet, Leighton Meester.

There’s something in there about rosettes and something about singing and even something about American Eagle Outfitters, but we can’t really get past the part where she’s out and about with Vogue’s Entertainment Editor Jillian Demling.

Leighton’s boyfriend, Carter Baizen, was also present, but she was with Jillian enough to get them written up as a threesome on gossip blogs which means they’re

a) New best friends.

b) Conducting interviews through a week’s worth of parties.

c) Scoping out possible cover outfits.

Either way, progress for Team Blair.

Rachel Bilson’s in the new Flaunt (which is amazing by the way, more to come) looking pretty damn fashion-y.

Bilson might be one the of the few starlets we’d rather just abandon Hollywood and movie-making altogether, admit her love for fashion overpowers any other interest and take those leather Phillip Lim gloves from editorial to real life.

She says:

“New York is more inspiring, I think, than L.A. And you’re definitely closer to the fashion pulse. You see girls walking down the street, and they look amazing. They’re not afraid. No one gives a fuck.”

“Like, I love trees. I notice trees. It’s a weird thing for me because L.A.’s my home, but now I represent something very different, so it’s bizarre.”

“She [Diana Vreeland] was so cool and innovative, and at her time, what she did with Harper’s and what she wore, her columns and everything were so unique.”

Happy early birthday to me is what I thought when I opened up this email with V’s latest beauty extravaganza.

My former beauty editor heart definitely starts beating a little faster when a single story contains work by so many of my most favorite hairstylists, makeup artists, and photographers. And the models aren’t too shabby either!

Seriously check out just some of the people who gave their interpretations of what the definition of beauty will be in the next decade: Gucci Westman, Aaron de Mey, Didier Malige, James Kaliardos, Val Garland, Richard Burbridge, Miles Aldridge, Jimmy Paul, Julien d’Ys, Mario Sorrenti. The list goes on and on and their work is completely outstanding.

Like most fashion magazines, and just print publications in general, W has seen better business days. Rumors have been rampant that the magazine will reduce its frequency, and layoffs are still expected.

But publisher Nina Lawrence said yesterday that the frequency rumors are not true and announced two themed issues, according to WWD. Presumably these are meant to drive circulation and advertising business. However, I’m not sold

The first themed issue will be devoted to shopping, as in every item in the ads and edit will be for sale. Readers can take a picture of the page, send it to an email address and then receive replies with a link, a special offer, or something like a video of the brand’s collection. Um, to me that sounds like a lot of work for not much payoff. Right? The two day shopping event they’re planning around the issue makes a lot more sense from a promotional standpoint.

We’re kind of obsessing over these shots of Natalia from the upcoming issue of V, shot by Hedi Slimane and styled by Nicola Formichetti (who also did that awesome Gaga video we put up the other day.)

One, because we never tire of Ms.Vodianova. Two, because we love pretty much everything that Hedi shoots. Three, the gold eye makeup. And four, we’re suckers for music references mixed with couture.

Here’s what we’ve come up with so far: the last shot is oh-so very Madonna “Like A Virgin” both the video and the classic VMA performance. In the middle spread, we’re feeling a little Brit Brit nude bodysuit circa that rockin’ “Oops I Did It Again” at the 2000 VMAs while we’re getting Grace Jones vibes from the one on the right.

But we’re a bit stymied as to the opening spread shot. What do you think??? (Oh and be warned there’s a little bit of nipple action.)

The weather has us in enough of a crap mood already without having to read news of more layoffs in our world all morning.

Condé Nast’s never-ending month of news we’d rather not hear seems to be drawing from to a close, but it’s not totally over yet. Just yesterday FWD reported that longtime W features director James Reginato had left the magazine with more soon to follow.

Teen Vogue lost a bunch of people on the business side (while editorial was spared) and Details had to let go both its executive editor and its fashion director, Michael Macko. We’ve heard from many over at 4 Times Square that a culture of fear has taken over, and we can certainly understand why. It’s all just a major bummer, even if it is necessary to keep the business going.

Basically what John Galliano brought to Dior’s fashion business in terms of genius, color, flair and all-around amazingness, Tyen has brought to the cosmetics side, as its Creative Director since 1980. Just check out those eyes in the picture and the rainbow shot after the jump. Simply incredible.

I’ve always been such a fan of the images created for the brand, and of course the products themselves. But I never new much about the man behind it all until I came upon a profile of Tyen in the latest issue of i-D.

In a nutshell, he obsessed over Vogue while growing up in Vietnam in the ’50s and 60s, moved to Paris at 17, and started doing makeup for the Paris Opera while he was attending Ecole des Beaux Arts. One opportunity led to another and now he’s been at Dior for 30 years.

I’ll let a few of his own quotes give you a taste of what makes him so fabulous after the jump.

If the Linda Evangelista images in November’s Art Issue of W left you wanting a little bit more, this is the video for you. Dramatic music plays in the background while Dennis Freedman gives insight into the socio-politically charged shoot photographed by Pierpaolo Ferrari, but conceptualized by artist Maurizio Cattelan.

I just love watching crews maneuver through urban streets with a supermodel in Lacroix or Oscar. Also, it makes you realize that these sorts of collaborations really only happen at W (at least in America) and it’s one of the reasons it would be devastating to ever lose the magazine, which for a while was a big fear in the industry.

Love live art meets fashion. And Linda E.