It's Fashion Week, People! Some Talk of the Tents… and Photos!

Sept 16, 2009, by Cynthia Drescher Nanette Lapore Show location: The Promenade, Bryant Park The skinny: Finally, some color! Neon accents, wild prints, and multi-hued fringe kept this collection of little dresses and mutton-sleeved trench coats interesting. Celebs spotted: Nigel Barker, Lauren Conrad, Jill Zarin The takeaway: Lepore is always very commercial, but after the beiges and drabs of other shows this week, her use of color felt downright unusual. It would be hard not to be happy wearing these clothes. [nggallery id=20] September 15, 2009 by: Bridget Daly The same night, Menu Suvari, AnnaLynne McCord, Ashley Greene, Nicky Hilton, Kristen Cavallari, Jared Leto, Lindsay Lohan, Stephanie Pratt, Shenae Grimes, Jill Zarin, Kelly Bensimon, Tinsley Motimer and Fabiola Beracasa, among others, joined alice + olivia for a fashion show and concert by all-girl Parisian quartet, the Plasticisines, while guests enjoyed specialty Svedka Vodka cocktails. Jill Stuart: Wild scene Monday September 14, 2009 5:35 PM By Anne Bratskeir, Newsday It was insane at Jill Stuart’s show at the library: Rachel Bilson, Kim Kardashian, Amanda Bynes, Nicky Hilton, Bravo Housewives from Atlanta, New Jersey and New York with paparazzi virtually clobbering each other for shots. It would be good if Stuart put as much thought into her designs as her guestlist. Her collection, a series of tight, almost derriere-baring little dresses (“You need to buy two – one for the top, one for the bottom,” quipped Jill Zarin), many with strong shoulders, were inset with lace, studded or dotted with pearls. There were leggings and harem pants, “sultry and easy to wear,” promised Shape magazine, executive fashion director, Jaqui Stafford. We have our doubts. -------------------------------------- Real Housewives More Exciting Than Real Celebs at Jill Stuart, FugGirls, NYmag.com "It's SOCIAL HYSTERIA out there for the Real Housewives," our seatmate announced to no one in particular at the Jill Stuart show this afternoon. She wasn't far off. When we arrived at the Library for the show, there was such a swarm of cameramen and lookie-loos surrounding Bethenny Frankel that we nearly had to crawl between their legs to get to our seats. Bethenny was wearing what looked like the miniature version of a flamenco dress, at least as far as the cut went: It was very tight in the bust, with a multilayered ruffled skirt that was so short on her left side that we were worried we might see butt cheek (we did not — on her, anyway. The models were a whole different story). The rest of the Housewives present looked much more casual: Jill Zarin flaunted surprisingly great legs in leggings, and the Countess actually wore jeans. We can only imagine their eye-rolling at Bethenny's getup. We don't have to imagine Jill's eye-rolling at Kelly Bensimon, though, because we lived through it. As we were leaving, we realized we were just about to walk in front of Bravo's cameras, and it was too late to divert our path, so we pressed onward. We were richly rewarded for this bravery when we heard Kelly give a huge sigh and ask Jill, very patronizingly, "Did you UNDERSTAND that MOMENT?" in her usual Kelly tone, the one she affects at moments where she clearly can't understand why you're unable to grasp the profundity of her most recent metaphor about unicorns. We have no idea what THAT was all about, but we can't wait to hear Jill's response, which we assume was withering. After witnessing all this Housewives drama, the actual celebrities seemed sort of boring. They were all so unlikely to have a catfight — even 90210's Shanae Grimes, who didn't even seem cranky about finding herself in a totally sheer dress layered over a catsuit. We also spotted Rachel Bilson, clearly recovered from whatever mystery illness kept her from Lacoste on Saturday (the dreaded and highly contagious Barton-itis). Rachel strutted in with Nicky Hilton, whose continued presence at Fashion Week serves primarily to make us wonder where Paris is — not that we're complaining. Kelly Rowland also attended, continuing her streak of looking insanely cute in person. Also better-looking in the flesh than anticipated? Kim Kardashian, who is both much tinier and considerably more beautiful than we'd been led to believe. And we're hardly ever nice to her, so here's hoping SHE understands THIS moment. ---------------------------------------- MOTHER-DAUGHTER DATE Newsday.com By ANNE BRATSKEIR AND JOSEPH V. AMODIO "Real Housewife" Jill Zarin was being a real mom Sunday, taking daughter Ally to Rebecca Taylor. "I absolutely wear Rebecca Taylor," she said. "It's very cute, not too expensive." But her true love this week? "George Chakra. Very elegant, haute couture, well-made. If I were going to the Oscars, I would wear him." Sorry, Jill, maybe the Emmys?