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These tents at Bryant Park are so cold!

Greetings from Spring 2008 Fashion Week in New York City. It’s upwards of 80-something degrees outside, but the airconditioning in these tents is killing me. (Note to self, buy a sweater.)

So I’m on my first batch of the more than 100 plus spring shows from the country's top designers.

I haven’t done my fall shopping yet.

To say the least, I’m confused

If menswear is any indication of what we'll see this season, then UGH! It's going to be a loooong seven days.

First stop… Nautica. How awful.

This was a poor choice to kick off tthe week. Where was the design? As one of the few all men’s shows this season, I expected more. But all I got were a parade of tanned men wearing ill-designed-tight-to-the-body walking shorts and blazers. Basically these dudes looked way corporate for their boats. I’m all about the dressing up movement, but this was just taking it too far.

Maybe lines department store staple lines like Nautica just don’t know what to do any more to move itself forward in fashion beyond the clever use of popping primary colors (In this case it was all about banana yellow, blue and candy-apple red shorts.

There were some feeble attempts: For example the men dressed in terrycloth and chambray robes over swim trunks was quite pleasant on the eyes. A pair of red cotton twill pants with a navy neoprene jacket and with a gingham shirt was cool. I even didn’t mind the up to date banana-yellow sailing jacket. But all in all this collection lacked design. These were looks I could easily get at Target and Gap.

The next men’s highlight of the day was supposed to be Perry Ellis lead by creative director John Crocco.

That was even more disappointing. The colors, like most of the womenswear lines to follow that day, were equally boring. It felt like a repeat of this spring: shrunken vests, plaid shorts, cashmere sweaters over T-shirts. (Note to dudes, Keep this year's sumer clothes.) Shrunken vests, plaid short shorts.

The one redeeming point is that the color story of muted oranges, sages and yellows gave collection the kind of cohesiveness that allows a man to wear any of these pieces together. And for men that kind of simplicity can elevate a collection for zero to at least 3.

While waiting for the BCBG Max Azria show to kick off, I struck up a conversation with once Philadelphian Katheryn Finney, The Budget Fashionista. On this first day of the spring shows she was rocking an oversized patent leather bag (I’m so obsessed…) and a great full skirt. Cute. BCBG is what one would expect. Stay tuned for more details.

Kathryn Finney

Wish you were there? Check out the video from Wednesday's events:

- Gwen Stefani's marque show at the Bryant Park tents, and Ralph Lauren's 40th anniversary event.

- Max Azria spoke at the morning preview of BCBG Max Azria's spring collection, where one delicate dress floated down the runway after another.

The runways this season are all about hard rock.

I'm not sure how I feel about this because my palette tends to be softer. I like flowy neutral-colored clothing with a bit of pop. But bad girls need fashion too... I guess.

Nonetheless, it's all about short shorts, body-skimming skirts and those odd-looking anklet socks. These looks are perky and colorful, with a definite emphasis on prints. And the models who wear the clothes look as if they are about to pick up a guitar and strum, strum, strum. (I think we are on the verge of rockers losing the GAP look and looking like rockers again, but that's another fashion story).

We'll start with L.A.M.B. Wednesday night's show was packed with celebrities, from Philadelphia's own Eve to Sean "P.Diddy" Combs, along with Stefani's husband Gavin Rosedale and their toddler Kingston James.

Stefani's line had a definite point of view: "The good girl gone bad." This was a collection of short shorts and teeny-weeny metallic skirts and dresses. The graphic prints - black and white checks and circles - sometimes matched the changing back drop, which also morphed to give the audience the imporession that the model was riding on the back of a motorcycle.

In this collection, Stephani married mod with metallics well. It was cute and fun and as I write this, the only reason I wouldn't like it is because I think I couldn't wear it.

Under the direction of creative director Wichy Hasan, Miss Sixty is a perfect example of how a denim line can morph beyond denim. This collection was loud and fun. Jeans were an afterthought as models paraded down the runway in skin-tight leather pants and jumpsuits with MISS 60 emblazoned on them. (For those of us who don't want to rock the tight all-in-one pants and dresses, we can settle for a bag... well, maybe.)

The pieces toward the end were soft. Hasan showed a nice collection of dresses that graced the body nicely. And if the folks at Miss Sixty have their way, banana yellow will definitely be the color of choice next spring.

Maybe these fashions will help me work on my inner bad girl.

- Vera Wang says her spring 2008 line was inspired by the color and fabrics of ancient Rome.

- The scene at the annual Fashion Rocks concert Thursday night at Radio City Music Hall. Headliners included Aerosmith, 50 Cent, Fergie and Alicia Keys with Carlos Santana.

- A look at shows from Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. Collection and BCBG Max Azria.

All Southern girls need a parasol.

Tracy Reese's collection of bright colors made us wish we had somewhere to go after work.

Pinstriped high-waisted skirts and wide-legged sailor pants gave her early pieces a jazzy conservative feel. Sunshine yellow and white printd dresses and red shoes were hot too.

But it was this purple bathing suit that really wowed us.

And we really hope some of the pieces from this collection are available next spring at Kohl’s.

Wang, who says she was inspired by Ancient Rome, put together a grouping of vibrant greens, purples and navys that was wonderfully wearable. The pieces had an exotic feel to them and everything had the potential to camoflauge the stomach.

She mixed cultures in this grouping equally inspired by the Japanese and ancient Greek civilazation. Deep purples are a nice contrats to most of this season’s blandness.

Snoopy in Fashion, which was sponsored by MetLife under the Bryant Park Tents this year, was not about the latest in trends.

And that's fine.

But after a day of schleping through the tents all day, hearing the iconic-piano music that lovingly accompanies the Peanuts gang was great!

So I plopped myself down Friday night behind Richie Rich and Traver Rains of Heatherette - one of the dozens of designers that created a piece for the 30-piece showings, and enjoyed fashions that represented a part of my childhood.

Everything was so cute! Betsy Johnson, Isaac Mizrah, Pamela Rowland and Liz Claiborne designed their versions of Snoopy characters from Charlie Brown to Peppermint Patty. My favorite: a Pig Pen as fairy by Project Runway alumnus Laura Bennett. The dirt was replaced by sparkling, angel dust... So darling. The Charlie Brown stripe seemed to inspire most designers. Woodstock's feathers followed with a close second.

Snoopy In Fashion was originally a book published in 1984. The fashions were featured in museums and galleries. This year MetLife backed the program as a way to support Dress for Success, an organization much like Philly's own Career Wardrobe that provides clothing to women looking for work.

The fashions will be put up on acution on e-bay through the month of October and proceeds will go toward the organization.

Off to another full day of shows!

Heavy hitters Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren will both be offering beautifully tailored, colorful options next spring.

In celebration of Lauren's 40th anniversary in fashion, the icon of American fashion held his show Saturday evening in the heart of Central Park.

And it was amazing.

While I heard a lot of people were heard complaining the collection was too costumey, I think it was beautiful. Lauren took his signature tailored look and jazzed it up with everything from deep black and white stripes, to dots to poppies dancing along the hemlines. (I know we saw this at Milly years ago and saw it knocked off at everwhere from Charlotte Russe to Forever 21, but I digress...)

We were supposed to feel as if we were at a horse race during a warm summer afternoon. These are classic, high society clothes with a pizazz unseen in these parts. Jodpurs sparkled down the runway and body skimming dresses were accompanied with wide-brimmed hats.

The riding motif has been a thread of Lauren's collections for years. But instead of focusing on blacks, browns and earthtones, Ralph Lauren boldly and successfully mixed in prints in colors for an Americana goes to the disco kind of feel.

Michael Kors' shades of chartreuse, watermelon and sunshine created a Sunday morning featured collection, Kors described as "sleek with sunkissed glamour."

The Kors fan will continue to wear dresses next spring, but instead of the trench coat knee-length pieces he does so well, these frocks will have incredibly long hemlines.
Kors surprisingly focused on prints designing very few of his familiar safari-luxe pieces.

Like Lauren, Kors seemed to be inspired by the painters - his collection including hamd embroidered monet floral jersey shifs and Van Gogh floral jersey poncho dresses.

Kors created a beautiful, warm, tailored collection with major bursts of color. Still, at the end of the show, he walked the entire runway in his classic black jacket and jeans.

Gotta love it.

Tuesday marked the first time I was invited to a Calvin Klein show in more than five years of covering fashion.

The world of fashion week invitiations is a tough one to navigate. One year you are on the list. The next year you are not. Sometimes I get a seat. Sometime I don't. It's maddening.

Calvin Klein's presentation was in a , mirrored stuido off of 40th street. I was seated next to Warnco executives, the subsidiary that produces Calvin Klein underwear and bathing suits.

In a season of heavy folds, ruching and rounded collars, designer Francisco Costas created a grouping of light airy dresses. The first half of the collection was all white. the satiny dresses had halter backs and were long. Mint, peach and ice blue gowns commanded the runway, despite their soft shades. It was a beautiful show.

Calvin Klein, like many of the designers that ended fashion week really put their stamp of approval on their collections. From Zac Posen's highly tailored gowns ( I think he's the runway king of the queenly white shirt) to Ralph Lauren's stately styles and punchy colors. to Michael Kors floor sweeping floral dresses, designers embraced their individuality hitting a beautiful stride.

Hollywood glam is back.

For Sunday night's Emmy Award's most of the actresses chose wavy bobs and deep red lips as if they were channeling Marilyn Monroe - especially Ms. Christina Aguilera.

And the dresses...

After years of too many sparkles, too short cocktail dresses and too much black most starlettes doned floor-length gowns that were absolutely, wonderfully colorful featuring lots of red.

Heidi Klum looked great in a strapless deep burgandy gown by Christian Dior Couture America Ferrera's gathered royal blue gown was a smidgen too tight - her derriere looked unnaturally flat - yet the electric shade of azure looked fabulous against her skin. Ferrera won an Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy.

Actress Joely Fisher worked the lemon yellow Pamella Roland dress - although it definitely felt more early spring than late summer. I'm not too sure if that worked.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus' deep purple Narciso Rodriguez gown showed just enough cleavage to be respectably sexy. And desperate housewife Felicity Huffman's hot pink David Meister gown was an eye-pleasing departure to the deep greens and navy blues she's been known for wearing at award's shows past. Still Huffman managed to tastefully show off the toned body.

We can't not mention Queen Latifah's blood red deep V number.

Latifah was on hand to give a tribute to the 30th Anniversary to the television series Roots. I always have to give Latifah props for always managing to look smooth and gracious depsite the fact she's always surrounded by waifs at these events.

But I digress.

While I loved the sea of color that waltzed through the Shrine Auditorium Sunday night, I have to say my favorite dresses were colorless.

Katherine Heigl's (prononced Hi-Gel; my she was rudely testy about the prononciation of her name wasn't she?) stark white Zac Posen was my favorite (despite the fishtail. Heigel won the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress for her work on - my favorite T.V. show, Grey's Anatomy. We liked the capped-sleeved spaghetti strap combination and the darts at the breast. (Although we do think Sandra Oh is the better actress... Oh well!)

Another favorite was Eva Longoria's golden shift by Kaufmanfranco. I'm not sure why I liked that dress. The deep v in the back was an unexpected detail. And to be honest, I have a thing for the glitter dresses that you can shimmy in. It feels very 1970s (who knows maybe I missed my fashion time.)

And even though very few fashionistas will probably agree with me, I liked Hayden Panettiere's champagne Marc Bouwer gown. I'm not sure if that was the best choice for her, however, because it made her look pregnant. And after a quick blog search, we found she's not! (Who knows what the gossip mongers will turn up today.)

Best jewelry went to Marcia Cross with her turquoise Lorraine Schwartz tear drop earrings. Nice touch, even though the white, sparkly triangle inset dress wasn't so hot.

Worst dress has to go to Vanessa Williams again.

What was she thinking? Mint green is a nice color but all those feathers or tassels or whatever floating off the frock by L.A.-based designer Kevan Hall was awful. To be such a beautiful woman, the former beauty queen has been hitting low fashion scores at award's ceremonies as of late.

Lastly, Helen Mirren wore a beautiful deep purple satin gown, but her hair and makeup get total thumbs down.

Aack. Ick. And all that.

What was your favorite dress at the Emmy Awards?

I've always considered Ellen Pompeo over-rated - and I'm a die-hard Grey's fan. I never understood how we were supposed to believe that so many men on the show - let alone McDreamy - mooned over her looks, particularly when there were so many other attractive women around (Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigel, Sara Ramirez, etc.) She always seems not only underfed, but cranky and pinched.

At last night's Emmys, she seemed to smile a bit, and she does look like she's ingested more carbs lately. But what was up with her hair? It looks like something out of a Victorian novel. You almost expect Pompeo to be wearing a bustle and hoop skirts, instead of navy Michael Kors. And I'm not understanding the tasseled lamp cord around her neck. Anyone?

I know I'm a little late on this, but between wrapping up coverage of New York Fashion Week, blogging about the Emmys and learning all about the work of portraitist Nelson Shanks, the fashion writer has been a bit buried.

But I couldn't let this get away from me.

On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Inquirer's deft crime reporter, Barbara Boyer, wrote an article about an alleged identity thief, 27-year-old Samia Morse.

Samia Morse

Homegirl worked as an administrator at The Albert Einstein Health System where she supposedly stole the identity of patients, applied for credit in their names and went on shopping sprees at Neiman Marcus, amongst other high end department stores and boutiques.

When the police raided her home, they reportedly found a Gucci cocktail dress worth $1,600, a black patent leather overcoat and handbag from Prada worth $1,400. And there were $800 shoes with price tags still on them.

If this isn't an example of gross materialism, I don't know what is.

I love fashion. I really do. But when items that cost more than most people's monthly mortgages and car payments drive people to do such ridiculous things, it makes me cringe. The identity theft is Morse's fault - totally - but at some point you have to wonder when promoting such a lux and - for most of us - completely unattainable lifestyle on television, in magazines and in newspapers crosses the line from aspirational to asinine.

Are items like these really worth it?

What do you think?

The sad thing is that even if Morse wore all of these expensive items at one time, she probably wouldn't look all that great. Because anyone who needs to steal someone else's identity to give themselves an edge has no real sense of personal style.

... Means more than I ever thought.

Yesterday thousands of black people across the U.S. wore black to show their outrage over the unfair treatment of six black teenagers at a high school in Jena, La.

I am African American.

Despite reminders by popular radio hosts Tom Joyner and Steve Harvey, in my rush to get my car to the dealership for it's scheduled maintenance at 8 a.m. yesterday morning, I threw on a denim skirt and cream top. It's not that I didn't recognize the foul treatment of those six black men by Prosecuter Reed Walters, I just... (OK, there was no excuse.)

Then I was assigned a story about the fashion component of yesterday's national protests that ran in today's Philadelphia Inquirer.

I wasn't 100 percent sure, but I was pretty sure black people had been wearing black during protest marches for decades, at least.

I called Molefi Kete Asante, professor of African American history at Temple University as well as Tukufu Zuberi, director of Africana Affairs at the University of Pennsylvania.

Both scholars told me African Americans the tradition goes back to the 1920s when Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association donned all black uniforms to march through the streets of Harlem to protest unjust treatment of the race.

In the 1960s the more the more militant organizations and student groups donned all black en masse for protest purposes. Asante said the non-violent groups led by Dr. Martin Luther King did not wear as much black. But the more controversial agents of change like Huey P. Newton of The Black Panthers and Maulana Karenga, who founded Kwanzaa, adopted black as a uniform.

Yesterday a few of my African American co-workers looked at me, wrinkled up their noses and admonished me, "Girl," they said. "Where is your black?"

I wish I remembered.

So our first reaction to those retro 1933 uniforms was "Really? They wore colors that Miami-bright back during the Depression?"
Our second: "Did Donovan, Brian and Co. get a job at Ikea after Monday's debacle?"
They're seriously silly in Sweden's national colors. What does Sweden have to do with American football? The ensembles look like the latest offering from Lilly Pulitzer.
Oh, and then we thought, right, Lurie and Banner will do anything to make money with a losing team, even marketing surreal new "vintage" jerseys in jockey colors more suitable for the Preakness.
And, yes, we do know these are the city's colors but that doesn't make them right for football. Also, if we're talking history, why not do something Quakerly and make the players wear somber, plain wool jerseys, but we digress.
Then the guys start to play.
It was the most glorious Sunday in weeks, in every way possible.
So it's not the most butch combination possible, but the jerseys are working.
The truth is we were never fond of that Eagles more-teal-than-hunter green.

I'm going to gush here.

Last night I went to see Q-Tip of of A Tribe Called Quest - my all time favorite rap group, and Common at the Electric Factory.

It was a great show.

Not only did Q-Tip and Common perform their classic, pre-P-Diddy style music, the fashion was at the forefront because the outfits they wore on stage was proof that these men have grown up and their music shows it.

For example: Tip, the lead singer of what used to be A Tribe Called Quest, hit the stage in a pair of well fitting jeans, a white shirt and black vest. I think he was going for the tuxedo look. His small afro was picked out. He performed a medley of new jazz-inspired songs as well as the jams we love Q-Tip including Bonita Applebum and Electric Relaxation.

Common changed clothes five times! (He was sort of like the Diana Ross of Hip Hop)

Common went through a selection of different pants, shirts, hats and jeans. He wore fedoras, printed T's denim jeans and a pair of funky green pants. Common definitely has a style. It reminded me of an interview he had on the Wendy Williams show a couple of months ago in which he pointed out that he's not afraid to mix and match the unexpected.

And I want to point out that neither of these performers' pants were sagging. (Thank God.)

Good music. Good fashion! Good time!

A few weeks ago, when I was trolling through Macy's looking for the perfect pair of black pumps, I was stopped by a woman behind the cosmetics counter.

"Do you want to try Usher's new fragrance?"

My bubble said, "What? My baby has a new scent? Why didn't anybody tell me?" But my mouth replied, "Sure," and I held my wrist out for a spritz.

Splash.

Sniff.

"Umm, I'm not too sure I'm feeling this," I said.

She told me to walk around the store and give the scent some time.

The new fragrance, she said, was a hit and the women's version had completely sold out. They were down to just a few bottles in the mens. She was right. About 20 minutes and two pairs of shoes later, what had seemed to be an overly floral scent had mellowed into something pleasantly musky.

Still, I refused to buy it.

Let me tell you why.

Anybody who knows me knows I really like Usher. I've been a fan from the days of the Make Me Wanna single. And Evolution: 87-01 is his best album The Macy's commercial he stars in with Martha Stewart stops me in my tracks every time. But I just refuse to wear celebrity fragrances.

Why would I want to smell like Usher? I love Prince. But why would I want the man in purple to dictate what I smell like? I don't want to smell like Jennifer Hudson, whose signature scent debuted for Avon in March. Nor do I want Diddy, Kimora, Britney, Justin, Beyonce, ... - you get the picture - dictating my pheromones.

It's weird. For some reason, this doesn't apply to designer-inspired perfumes. Maybe because Tracy Reese and Diane Von Furstenberg are not household names so wearing their scent doesn't make me feel like I'm trying to be like them. If I should be confident in one thing, it should be my individual scent. The whole idea makes me think I'm being aspirational in something personal.

What do you think about celebrity fragrances? Do you own any? Do you wear any?

As Elizabeth wrote last week, black clothing has always been a symbol of protest. It's also been a color associated with rock and roll, as musicians choose the color to not only signify their outsider status, but to uphold their general cool factor. Imagine Johnny Cash wearing any other color. Remember how good Elvis looked in basic black leather, before spangly jumpsuits entered his closet.

Satorically, Bono tends toward the casual. He showed up the Inquirer building today wearing a basic army-influenced jacket and jeans that any guy could duplicate at the mall (if said guy had access to whatever designer version Bono had).

Ah, but the accessories! Besides his signature sunglasses, Bono wore these fabulous black platform shoes with a cross on them. Definitely rock star. Acting as the ultimate compliment was a rosary around his neck that Bono said he received directly from Pope John Paul II in exchange for sunglasses. Hardly an outsider move - but still the type of fashion power that can't be duplicated.

We enter into the weekend with an announcement surely to excite denim lovers who crave moderately priced britches, across the Delaware Valley region.

An authentic Levi's store is now open at the Court in King of Prussia of Mall.

Applause for finally coming to Pennsylvania!

That means no more schelping up to New York for the jeans. (You know who you are, those people who have written me for years looking for Levis) Here we have a good, classic jeans that have managed to stay on trend before, during and after the $200+ denim revolution. This really excites me because I'm still on the look out for my indigo wide-legged jeans. And I really, really, really love starchy white shirts. (Well, maybe not as much as my fashion spy Foxxy Loxxy, but you get the point.)

And that's not all. Under the Levi's umbrella, the store is also opening Dockers San Francisco at the Court in King of Prussia.

That's scary. How did khaki's manage to become boutique-worthy? The King of Prussia Dockers location is just the third of its kind in the nation. The store will sell pants - in several different lengths - for women and men. (Can we say capris?) As well as skirts, dresses and shoes.

We haven't seen any of the clothes yet, so we'll withhold judgement. But something tells us to be very afraid of the possible proliferation of pleated pants throughout the area.

How do you feel about khakis?

P.S. It's not too late to go to Shecky's Girl's Night Out (In fact, I'm on my way right now...) The bi-annual shopping event came to Philadelphia in April and the fall event which is happening tonight (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) at the 23rd Street Armory (22 S. 23rd St.) and is not yet sold out. Click on the above link for information.