nine west

Like black square-frame glasses or a camel coat, they can make you look smarter and richer than you are.

Doutzen Kroes strikes an, erm, rather awkward pose on the September issue cover of Vogue (Voue?) Netherlands. {The Front Row View} Last laugh time: A sales assistant at Swiss luxury boutique Trois Pommes refused to show Oprah a $38K handbag because she thought it was "too expensive" for her. {Bossip} From magazines to... shoes? InStyle is collaborating with Nine West on a capsule collection of shoes for the fall. {WWD} Pippa Middleton apparently owes her perfect ass to underwear brand Beautiful Bottoms. Why it's taken more than two years to find out, we may never know. {Grazia}

Holiday party season is well underway and since we already helped you pick out a pretty frock to wear, we're turning our attention to your feet. F

I've always been a fan of big gimmicky shoes. Massive platform? Perfect! Covered with studs? Even better! But something happened to me this season. Suddenly I'm sick of anything with a platform and I'm craving ladylike shapes. On the search for the perfect pointy shoes, I discovered these beauties from Nine West, which ring in at less than $70.

Fashion’s Night Out is tonight and it’s go-time to strategize your partying shopping itinerary. Will it be high-profile gimmicks that motivate you? Or the copious amount of free boozy beverages and sweet snacks in Soho? Perhaps you're into music. Not to throw a wrench in your lineup so early on, but how about this one for you: Hot guys and shopping.

Name: Chelsea Occupation: Archive Coordinator at VFILES What would you never be caught wearing? Anything that says "Juicy" on it. What was the last thing you bought? A Diet Coke and the US Weekly issue about Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis' split.

Name: Lisa Marsova Occupation: Intern at Artobserved.com Who is your favorite artist? Takashi Murakami. What would you never be caught wearing? Crocs or Uggs. What's your nickname? Lisa is actually my nickname. My full name is Elisaveta.

Ah, prom. The memories, the dresses, the awkward dances, and... Kelly Cutrone? Yep, if you attend Newburgh Free Academy in Newburgh, NY, Cutrone will be a part of your prom memories, too. We headed out to Newburgh Wednesday to meet high school senior Rachel, the winner of Nine West's Prom Crashers with Kelly Cutrone contest, which gave high school students the chance to win full prom makeovers (including hair and makeup, Nine West custom-made dresses and shoes, and prom and style tips from the publicist-cum-reality TV star). "I was just sitting with my assistant principal talking about college, and all of a sudden Kelly Cutrone pops in and says 'You've been Prom'd!'" Rachel said. "I was crying. I never thought this would happen to me, and this was the best way to end senior year." [Ed. note: She presumably was not told to go outside.]

The imminence of prom season means we've been inundated with an array of press releases on the subject, one of which actually grabbed our attention

Fashion industry folk are not known for their love of comfortable footwear. Actually, a few seasons ago it would have been unthinkable to wear your running shoes around during fashion week (unless you're Taylor Tomasi Hill and then you may proceed). But this season, every editor and fashion industry insider is running around wearing *gasp* sneakers. Of course they're not just regular old gym shoes. They've got a little something extra. About three inches of hidden wedge, to be exact. And we have the doyenne of all things cool, Isabel Marant to thank for it: She kicked off the trend with her covetable Willow sneaker wedges. Sigh, only Marant could get a bunch of stiletto addicts to ditch their sky-high heels for a bunch of comfy sneaks. Click through for our favorite sneaker wedges, in stores now.

Name: Audrey Age: 19 Occupation: Student, Blogger Where are you from originally? New Zealand. How would you describe your style? Quite classic and slightly formal. What was the last thing you bought? A Snoopy Christmas Tree.

This week's party highlights were for two very different brands, but both drew a similarly fabulous crowd (especially stylish Brits) and memorable music performances. Hayley danced the night away and drank margs with Alexa Chung Monday, while Dhani took in an amazing performance by Karen Elson and chatted with Mischa Barton Tuesday. Read on for deets and pics! On Monday, Mulberry celebrated their 40th birthday in only the way that the quirky-cool English brand could pull off: With an all-out rager atop the Skylight Studios and all of fashion's cool crowd in attendance.

Karen Elson for Nine West: The British model will be designing a line for Nine West’s Vintage America collection (makes sense). The line launches in August and will include shoes, handbags, and jewelry with a vintage feel. {WWD, subscription required} See Lady Gaga Covered With Babies and Dressed as a Baby: New York Magazine invited costume designers, artists, and general weirdos to come up with outfits for Lady Gaga. There are a disturbing number of baby references. (We’d love to see her in the Blonds’ unicorn costume, though). {NewYork Magazine} Victoria Beckham, Florence Welch, and Natalia Vodianova on Sunday Times’ Rich List: The Sunday Times in the UK released its annual “Rich List” and lots of fashion people are enjoying the posh life. Like Posh, who earned £165 million with Becks last year. Emma Watson, Florence Welch, and models Lily Cole and Natalia Vodianova are also blessed with riches. {VogueUK}

Earlier this week, Nine West hosted a preview of their collaboration with Giles at Le Bain, the Standard's den of iniquity rarely seen during the light of day. Unfortunately, the bain itself was covered with a wood floor, but there still were mango martinis to indulge in. The best part of this daytime party, though, was Giles' adorable and amazingly priced collection for Nine West and the funny anecdotes he offered about designing, action figures and hit Brit TV. Focusing primarily around Giles' original character Eek (you've seen him on intarsia sweaters in Giles' main line), this collab is nothing but fun. The shoes come in sophisticated black wedges, boots, and flats with tough-girl buckle details ranging from $99 to $149, and the totes, priced at $99, are cartoon-cute with Eek emblazoned on the outside and the most precious orange laptop case inside. Click through to see the collection.

If Rafe Totengco's first Nine West collection looks more luxe than you’d expect, it should come as no surprise. It’s design. Totengco, who was recently appointed creative director of handbags at Nine West, shared his inspiration for the collection. “”I wanted to make everything look good,” said Rafe at the line's preview yesterday. Mission accomplished. Totengco turned out an elegant collection that included plush fur-trimmed totes and vintage-inspired frame bags, each of which clock in at $99 or less. Fashionista: Who do you think the Nine West woman is? Rafe: A lot of people buy the shoes, but now if we can get her to buy the bag.

Sophie Theallet is always wearing red lipstick. Except for, that is, the day the Nine West team visited her Brooklyn flat to begin work on her capsule collection for the brand. (It's set to hit select stores this May.) "For my first meeting with Nine West I wasn't ready for them...they all came into my apartment and I said, 'Oh, you're here! But I don't have my red lipstick on!'" Luckily, it worked out. Because Theallet was most certainly wearing red lipstick--a lovely Bordeaux color, if you must know--at last night's event celebrating her collection with the shoe super label. It's the first collaboration Nine West has done with a ready-to-wear designer in years. (Vivienne Westwood, Thakoon and Sophia Kokosalaki teamed up with the brand in 2006.) The French designer, who lives in Brooklyn and works at a brand new studio in Manhattan, was not only excited to team up with Nine West, but the brand's creative director Fred Allard. (Who also happens to be French.)

TSA Considers Spiked Loubs "Weapons": Some guy named Taz Arnold was traveling with his $1,245 Christian Louboutin Rollerboy Spike shoes and according to his twitter account, the TSA deemed them weapons. {Yahoo! Shine} Get Ready For Snooki the Brand: Snooki--though she recently told the NY Daily News that she prefers to be called Nicole--has hired NY firm SRG Ventures to manage various Snooki-licensed gear to be rolled out over the coming year. Up first? Slippers, jewelry, oversized sunnies, and then possibly denim, sportswear, lingerie, handbags, personal care, beauty products, fragrances, swimwear, bedding and home goods. What about solo cups, Snooks? {NY Post} WWD Devotes New Section To the Boys: WWD has launched a new section devoted to men's fashion and style called Mensweek, that will appear in the paper every Thursday. "We wanted to amp up our men’s coverage," a WWD spokesperson told us, " looking ahead it’s such an important market and continues to strengthen." Today's section features a story that credits the recession with the recent spike in menswear retail and another that ranks quarterbacks (really). {WWD subscription NOT required this time}

Honey in the Rough Deal: 20% to 50% off clothing, accessories and some jewelry from designers such as Built By Wendy, Thread Social and Alexandre Herchovitch. When/Where: Wednesday, June 16th through Thursday, August 1st. Mon—Sat noon—8pm, Sun noon—7pm. 161 Rivington St between Clinton and Suffolk St, New York. (212-228-6415) Catherine Malandrino Deal: Up to 75% off the designer's romantic, sophisticated pieces, including chiffon shift dresses marked down from $495 to $145 When/Where: Monday, June 21 through Wednesday, June 23. Mon 10am—9pm, Tues—Weds 8am—8pm. Metropolitan Pavilion, 123 W. 18th Street between Sixth and Seventh Aves, New York. (212-463-0200)

Shop it to Me, the site that sends you daily email updates of sales on clothing matching your size and brand preferences, knows a lot about its member

Sure, this Pierre Hardy shoe's from 2008, but the print's so distinct that when we saw Nine West's Bonfire pump we immediately knew what we were reall

  This just in: Another bit to add to Wednesday night's Little J revelations - Once again, after the jump, so no crying if you click to regret it

Almost every knock-off we see from Forever 21 raises the original from the dead and into a plastic-y patent leather evil twin - why does everything th