Fashion Night Out 2009

A friend of mine was wearing this shirt the other day.  It is to promote this years FASHION NIGHT OUT in NYC.  On Sept. 10th, NYC stores will be open until 11PM to promote shopping.

There are over 100,000 employees in the fashion industry in NYC and they are calling YOU to bring FUN back to fashion by joining in this experience. 

 Check out the PSA:

After seeing that, what do you think about the event?  I personally am ALL for the shameless celeb-spotting, the free music and possible snacks.  I am also 100% for the clothing drive and the the T-shirt fundraiser for 9/11.  BUT,  I get the feeling that this glitz and glam is an effort to beg others to shop at their own expense to benefit the also recession troubled fashion industry.  I'm sorry P-Diddy and SJP, did your multi-million dollar paycheck come up a bit short?  The rest of us are struggling too.  I really do feel for the low-end retail workers depending on their jobs/pay BUT I do not feel bad for over-priced designers and boutiques.  

I am on the fence about this Black Tuesday minus the discounts.  We will let the people of NYC decide if they will embrace the "fun" being put back into shopping or let the fashion industry suffer alongside every other one.        

Fashion Dream Come True

Have you ever read a magazine like Vogue or Lucky and wished you could buy something you saw in a spread?  But by the time you finish the magazine you don't remember what to look for in the back pages to ever be able to find where to buy that amazing jacket or killer pair of stilettos?  

Well, as magazines move onto the web, things are easier to find.  However, there is no longer a need to go through magazines to find those fashion gems.  Introducing fashion brilliance: POLYVORE.

This online site - that encourages visitors to "Express Your Style"- operates like a collection of magazine spreads but is a user-generated site.  "Sets" (like one-page spreads) are created by dragging backgrounds, accessories and outfits from a list of already there items or from the web in order to create the look you desire.  When Polyvore users surf the Web, they use a tool called the Clipper, downloaded and saved on the toolbar, to select images and save them to Polyvore, where anyone can use them in a collage.  

This can be the perfect way to exercise your inner stylist.

OR, the site can be used to look for inspiration from other fashionistas.  "Sets" are arranged by Top Sets, Top Products, Brands We Love, Hot Trends, Top Sites, and Celebrity Styles.

Here are some examples of Mary-Kate and Ashley inspired looks:

When you click on the items in the set, you are given an image of the item alone as well as a link to purchase it.  Started by three ex-Yahoo engineers, this site makes money by gaining a commission from the items purchased because of their use on the site.  The company is now trying to forge relationships with clothing and accessories sites in return for uploading their product catalogues to the site.  (Read more about the Facts in this NYTimes article.) 

This is a very interesting concept - based on magazine fashion journalism, integrating users to create content, making the internet smaller once again by making it one big boutique.  Registration is free to make your own set, or just use the site to explore, get inspired and shop.  

Check out my Rock N Rose titled set (all the items are from the site):