December’s British Vogue is a treasure chest of goodies, from the how-to on glitter to Lara looking very un-Lara-like in ballgowns and a stunning Doutzen editorial.

But the one article that really caught my eye was a beautifully written collection of stories by some perfectly appointed contributors. “The Seven Wonders of Fashion” is an examination of pieces that are just so incredible that they endure the test of time. (There are some seriously great collages of fashion images over the years, too.)

Charlotte Rampling starts it all off with the tuxedo, an item of clothing she declares “empowering” and statement making. Amanda Harlech muses on the ballgown, the dress of every girl’s dreams, while Alison Goldfrapp informs us of the power of the hat, praising milliners as artists and hats as sculptures.

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.

In the December issue of W, Alex White directed an all-Armani shoot.

In lieu of models, Bookings Editor Rena Lazaros (who narrates this video) cast a variety of artists, hence the title, Armani: United Artists. She gathered dancers, singers, performers and actors to sit for Inez and Vinoodh wearing Armani, Prive and A/X.

The cast includes Hugh Dancy, Susie Bick, Sophie Auster and Peter Sarsgaard, and as usual, a behind the scenes peek - especially one that lets you watch Inez & Vinoodh work - is almost better than the end product.

Natalie Portman wears a jealousy-inducing amount of Chanel on the cover of the current V.

Not content to pay homage to the brand through editorial, the magazine enlisted the help of filmmaker Stephen Smith to make a short film dedicated to the house of Chanel.

Natalie Portman’s not in it, instead it features a stop-motion collage of Chanel imagery, including some killer striped booties and a tweed hatbox bag, that make for the liveliest wish list we’ve ever seen in action.

This morning’s Times tells of more bad news for Condé Nast, or rather actual numbers on news we already knew would be ugly. The company’s ad pages are down by 1/3 or 8359 pages. W is one of the worst hit, down by 46%. Oof, that’s definitely gotta hurt.

We’re all well aware of the cost-cutting that’s already gone on. So what to do next to get readers and advertisers excited?

Apparently InStyle thinks it has an idea. Its December Taylor Swift cover has a 3-D component wherein you hold up the magazine to a webcam and see a 45 second video of Taylor surrounded by snowflakes.

The 3-D theme continues inside with a bunch of advertiser participants like Michael Kors and YSL Beauté. We’re not quite sure exactly how this works since we don’t have the actual issue in hand, but according to WWD there are click-to-buy features and videos. And it sounds like the advertisers are pretty jazzed about it…at least for now.

I have to say I don’t read Vogue Deutsch monthly. And by read, I mean look at the photos because my foreign language skills are embarrassingly non-existent. But now I’m kind of thinking I may need to start, if only to see the weird, random casting decisions they make for shoots.

This month brings you Lost’s Hurley (Jorge Garcia) and Christie Brinkley, shot by Bruce Weber in Montauk.

Also spotted: tortilla chips, fried chicken, and a Pilates machine. Oh, and some oddly loving glances between two people we never thought we’d see in a picture together. (Not to imply anything at all, it’s really just odd.)

See for yourself after the jump.

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. (Email RSVP@armamiexchange.com)

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.