The most anticipated fashion show of the year has got to be Project Runway's Season Five grand finale, slated for New York Fashion Week in the big tent in Bryant Park (some time between September 5-12-the actual shows haven't been scheduled yet but they like to leave Project Runway for the very last day).

Project Runway has been sold to the Lifetime network, and some Runway fans fear it's the end of the world as we know it, with such rumored modifications to the show as a move to L.A., new sponsors and possibly even changes on the judge's panel (we're happy to report that the last rumor turned out to be unfounded, and the next generation of Runway designers will still get to live in fear of boring Nina Garcia ).

However, due to a contractual obligation, the producers of Runway are being forced to put on one more season for Bravo, which means Lifetime won't get the show until Season 6, slated to start airing in November. This means that 2008 will feature an unprecedented three seasons of Project Runway-that' s a lot of fashion shows! But while that's good news for us diehard fans, Season 5, which will begin airing in July, is the last classic Project Runway season.

Project Runway stars are so numerous at New York Fashion Week fashion shows you can trip over them-I met Tim Gunn last September and Laura Bennett this past February, and I'm happy to report both of them were even lovelier in person than on TV, and Tim Gunn approved of the outfit I was wearing, which solved my self-esteem issues for all eternity. This just heightens anticipation for the finale fashion show. Who gets to show at Project Runway's fashion show is one of the most closely guarded secrets of Fashion Week, so much so that the producers use decoys.

What are decoys? Designers who have been eliminated at the time of the live Project Runway fashion show, but who are still appearing as contestants on the episodes that are airing due to the lag in air time. Rather than have every blogger in the world post the real finalists from their cell phones, and contrary to what Heidi Klum is seen saying to the losers on television, ALL of the last five or six finalists get to show at New York Fashion Week, although it's true that the ones who have already been eliminated get a lower budget. No one outside of the show knows who they are, though, so the press reviews them as equals. Maybe having the pressure of the contest off does wonders for the also-rans' creativity, because in previous years, non-contenders such as Kara Janx of Season Three have garnered the most critical acclaim.

Photos of all the designers showing at the Project Runway finale fashion show end up on the Internet within minutes of the curtain call, and this past February, though I suspected he was a decoy and ended up being correct, my favorite collection was that of Chris March, even though some of his Gothic touches like trimming his clothing with real human hair were kind of creepy. I can't wait to see what the Season Five designers come up with for Project Runway's final finale for Bravo.

fashion show, project runway, season five finale

The MTV Awards are always full of unique fashions. You can expect people wearing tennis shoes, mini-dresses, jeans and even jogging pants. The MTV Movie Awards aired on Sunday, June 1, 2008, and there were plenty of unique and interesting outfits.

Here are some of my favorite looks from the red carpet. Sarah Jessica Parker actually got it right this time. No funny hat was in sight. She wore a black metallic mini-dress made by L'Wren Scott with a pair of white ankle boots. She looked like she fit in perfect with the MTV crowd.

Another one of my favorites was Liv Tyler. The color of her dress, was the perfect shade pink for her complexion. She looked wonderful in her pink strapless dress.

Although, she is not my favorite celebrity (if you want to call her that), but Paris Hilton actually looked good at the awards. She wore a white strapless dress that had black lace over the top and then going down the bottom of it. The dress was by Betsey Johnson. She looked well put together and more mature than in the past.

For some of my favorite men, I choose Will Smith. I loved his yellow sweater with the button-up striped shirt underneath it, along with the brown jacket over it. He kept it casual in jeans, but still well styled. Another man who looked great (it's not that hard for him to do) was Johnny Depp. He kept it simple in a pair of jeans with a black button short-sleeve shirt and a brown belt, but it definitely worked for him.

Now, let's talk about some of the celebrities that I thought definitely missed the fashion bus. *Jennifer Hudson*'s dress was way to tight and when you are wearing a white dress and it is that tight, it does not flatter her at all. Not to mention, that you saw half of her pink bra sticking out at the top and half of cleavage sticking out of her bra.

Another dress that I was not crazy about was Lindsay Lohan 's purple Dolce & Gabbana mini-dress with the black belt. It just looked a little sloppy and did nothing for her. I thought that *Anne Hathaway*'s leather mini-dress just did not suit her. To me it looked like a wrinkled up garbage bag that had been made into a dress. Although, I loved her hair!

Lastly, thank goodness that Megan Fox changed her dress once she got inside the awards, because the pink Zac Posen dress that she wore on the red carpet was not a good choice. It almost looked like she was going to a high school dance. I did like the white mini-dress that she sported inside the awards.... much better Megan, much better.

Although, I did not particularly like her outfit, Ellen Page did keep it real for the awards. She wore a black leather jacket with a white shirt and black skinny jeans tucked into Nike tennis shoes. The Nike shoes were actually pretty cute with black plaid on the sides. If this is her style, then I am glad she went for it. Why try to be something you are not, right? As least not yet.

You can see pictures of the celebrities from the red carpet on MTV.com.

Did she or didn't she? There are conflicting reports that Angelina Jolie gave birth to her twin babies over the weekend that started when Entertainment Tonight reported the exclusive news. Rumors began to swirl almost immediately including one that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's handlers were denying the story to cover up the fact that the twin babies had been born prematurely and were in the NICU. However People Magazine responded by saying that the reports were false and Entertainment Tonight promptly took down the exclusive story from their website. You mean the tabloids get it wrong sometimes? Shocker!

However once the Brangelina babies are actually born the real question will be which magazine will win the exclusive rights to the babies first pictures. It's said to be between OK Magazine and People Magazine now with bids as high as $15 million! Not that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will actually pocket the money for themselves - they claim to be planning to donate the entire sum to a worthy charity.

TMZ broke the story of Clay Aiken impregnating David Foster's sister, Jaymes Foster-Levy last week. However, there are new reports that this story might not be entirely true. While Jaymes Foster-Levy is a long-time friend of Clay Aiken and most certainly pregnant, there is still the question of whether it really is Clay Aiken's baby.

Denise Richards may be causing a lot of buzz with her new reality show these days, but Charlie Sheen managed to steal the spotlight from her this past weekend by marrying finacee Brooke Mueller. The couple celebrated with 60 of their closest family and friends, including Grey's Anatomy, McSteamy and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, who actually introduced Charlie to Brooke. Meanwhile, when paparazzi approached Denise and Charlie's daughters, Sam and Lola, about their father's wedding, Denise fended them off by saying the questions were "inappropriate".

Is boyfriend swapping the latest crazy in Hollywood? It appears so. Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz are two of the latest celebs to be taking part in this new (or maybe not so new) trend. Most people know that Jennifer Aniston has recently hooked up with John Mayer, who previously dated Cameron Diaz. But this past weekend Cameron Diaz was spotted out to dinner with Jennifer's ex, Paul Sculfor. Maybe Cameron and Jennifer are just really eco-friendly and believe in recyling everything... even boyfriends.

The Sex and the City movie scored big at the box office on opening weekend, but the moment was somewhat ruined for Sarah Jessica Parker when she found out that her stunning Nina Ricci gown had actually been worn before - by at least two other people. The worst part is that one of those people was Lindsay Lohan herself! Sarah Jessica did take it a bit too far when she called the designer's behavior "unethical". Hmm, seems pretty harsh considering we're talking about a dress.

Sources: People Magazine - http://people.com, TMZ - http:tmz.com, Access Hollywood - http://accesshollywood.com

Shotgun weddings are nothing new in Hollywood - just look at Jessica Alba and Ashlee Simpson. But is there another Hollywood couple that's getting ready to make the rapid plunge into marriage and parenthood? The Sun is reporting that Justin Timberlake is getting ready to pop the question to Jessica Biel very soon. Apparently, Justin is at the age where guys start thinking about marriage and family and he has even been looking at islands where the couple could tie the knot away from paparazzi-infested LA. Of course, we could all be jumping the gun here since Jessica Biel hasn't even been spotted with an engagement ring yet.

Someone who isn't heading down the aisle anytime soon is one of Hollywood's famous perpetual bachelors, George Clooney. He recently broke off the year-long relationship with former Vegas cocktail waitress, Sarah Larson. In Touch claims that Sarah has moved out of George Clooney's home due to the fact that, well, that George dumped her. Apparently George wasn't too keen on the idea of being tied down to just one woman for the rest of his life. Well, that and the fact that the he had zilch in common with the twenty-eight year old. Go figure.

Anybody remember little Ruthie Camden from the squeaky clean family TV show, 7th Heaven? Well, it looks like little Ruthie isn't quite as squeaky clean anymore. Photos of the now 19-year old, Mackenzie Rosman, who played Ruthie Camden on 7th Heaven, kissing another girl recently surfaced and are causing quite a buzz online. There are also other photos of Mackenzie posing in her bra and underwear, much like the photos of Miley Cyrus that made headlines earlier this year.

Jessica Simpson is no stranger to cheating rumors. She reportedly cheated on then-husband, Nick Lachey, with Maroon 5 frontman, Adam Levine before the couple called it quits. Well, there are now reports that she may have cheated on Tony Romo with *Cameron Diaz*'s ex, Jared Leto. Now if it's true, I'm not sure you can really call it cheating since Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson are constantly on-again/off-again. Poor Jessica probably just got confused and didn't realize that she and her football boyfriend were on-again. Oops. Jared Leto of course denies that the there is any validity to the rumors.

Despite the cheating rumors, Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo are back on again. But this time Tony has laid down the law and told Jessica that if her overbearing father doesn't stay out of their relationship, he's walking. Well, if that's the case then Jessica and Tony probably won't even make it past summer.

And American Idol winner, David Cook, recently took time from his busy schedule to pay a visit to his former American Idol buddy, Luke Menard. Luke was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and is currently undergoing treatment. David Cook and Aussie, Michael Johns, along with Jason Yeager dropped in on Luke and his wife to chat and offer him support during this difficult time. David Cook's older brother, Adam, has also been in the spotlight due to his battle with brain cancer, so it was only fitting that David Cook would think of his friend despite his newfound
fame.

I Don't Like You In That Way, http://idontlikeyouinthatway.com
The Sun, http://www.thesun.co.uk
DListed, http://dlisted.com
US Magazine, http://usmagazine.com
Egotastic, http://egotastic.com

The only fashion show on my mind right now is my sister Maria's wedding, for which I'm the matron of honor. I'm going to be walking down the aisle in front of 200 of our closest friends and family in a bridesmaid's dress, so I'd better look good. To top it off, I'm going to repeat the performance a few months later for my cousin Gina. Fortunately, both of them have picked out gorgeous bridesmaids' dresses.

Gina (who's also in Maria's wedding, and vice versa) told me I'd better check out the movie "27 Dresses," and though I haven't had a chance to yet, I've heard that the punch line of that movie is "But you can wear it again!" The truth is, no one ever wears bridesmaids' dresses again, but in a very real sense, you wear them forever. What do I mean by that?

The wedding pictures, of course.

You will be preserved for all eternity on your mother's, aunt's, or best friend's parents' wall wearing that bridesmaid's dress. It used to be that eventually the film would fade, but now with digital pictures there's a very real chance that your great, great grandchildren will be laughing at your pink tulle hoopskirt. And you just know someone's going to post a pic on Facebook and tag you and every guy you ever dated and every girl you ever hated will be able to see it. So if your bride doesn't have good taste, get her to go to Bridal Fashion Week in New York City from October 18-20.

It shouldn't be too hard to convince her. Their wedding day is the only time most girls get to wear couture, so why not check out the best of the best? With Oscar de la Renta, Vera Wang, Priscilla of Boston, Lazaro and Kenneth Pool exhibiting, more glamorous wedding dresses can't be found anywhere. (And if she can't quite afford the high end version, she can snap a pic with her cell phone at the fashion show and then look for something similar at a mass market store. (the trickle-down effect is instantaneous these days.)

If the bride is a true fashionista, she'll love the drama of lines like Haya al Houti, a Kuwaiti designer who featured a wedding gown with octopus tentacles (anyone know if Bjork is getting married any time soon?) and another covered in seashells at the April 2008 Bridal Fashion Week.

If she just wants to look drop dead gorgeous, she can pick something from Lebanese designer Jamil Khansa, who featured a stunning strapless satin gown with a sweetheart neckline, criss-cross beading on the bodice, and a flared skirt with subtle embroidery. (This dress is so beautiful I'm almost tempted to ask my husband if we can renew our vows, which is a custom I would normally scoff at.) Distract her and she'll never notice the real reason you're there, which is to pick out a bridesmaid's dress that makes you look hot. Just don't pick one that's TOO hot, because one trend on the runway for bridesmaid's dresses at the April Bridal Fashion Week was visible underwear, and your posterior is one thing you don't want to preserve for posterity!

Summer time is fast approaching (despite the rain I've got in my neck of the woods), and my thoughts are turning longing toward my comfort "around town" and "on the beach" shoe of choice: the flip flop sandal. My husband despises the flip flop sandal, with its casual revelation of almost the entire foot. Not to mention the "slap-slap" sound it makes as I walk. But....my love for the flip-flob continues

The flip flop is arguably the oldest shoe in the world. It has stood the test of time, and is the best selling type of shoe in the world. Flip flop sandals can be seen everywhere, from the streets of New Zealand to the beaches of the French Riviera and everywhere in between. They range in look from utterly simple to more elaborate, dressy varieties.

Simple construction of flip flop sandals

The simplest -- and cheapest -- construction of flip flop sandals use rubber as the material of choice. A thin rubber sole is cut out and manufactured, and then two thin straps are attached. These straps are placed on the sandal so that they are between the big toe and the second toe. These straps can be made of rubber as well. Sometimes, the Y shaped straps are connected at the base, and then spread out into two separate straps. Sometimes, the straps truly are separate. The straps are usually anchored somewhere at the bottom of the flip flop sandal. On thicker soled flip flop sandals, the straps are anchored at the bottom of a top piece and then a bottom sole cushions the whole. In developing countries, rubber flip flop sandals are most popular, since they are very inexpensive. And, of course, in most developed countries, flip flop sandals are a favorite on the beach or on a casual day out.

Dress flip flop sandals

But flip flops have moved beyond casual and beach wear. Now there are dressy flip flop sandals (some makers of nylon hose stockings have started adding gaps so that they can be worn with dress flip flop sandals). These dressy sandals are made with different materials: hemp straps, patent leather parts, suede, metallic looking parts and other materials that take the flip flop sandal beyond rubber. Additionally, some dress sandals include embellishments of jewels, buckles and beads. In their dressy incarnation, these sandals are rarely referred to as "flip flops." But even though they are becoming more popular as dress shoes, flip flop sandals are getting some bad press. Remember when some of the girls from the Northwestern Women's Lacrosse team wore flip flop dress sandals to visit the White House? Lamentations on the order of the end of Western civilization ensued.

While I wouldn't wear flip flop sandals as dress or formal wear, I still find them quite comfortable. And I have no problem with women who want to wear them. But they do still seem a little too...casual...for my taste. But I can't wait to hit the beach with my flip flop sandals!

Ashlee Simpson is turning out to be more a traditionalist that I'd originally pegged her for. She just announced that she has taken her new husband's, Pete Wentz, last name and will officially change her name to Ashlee Wentz. As far as Ashlee's professional name (yeah, try saying that with a straight face) she will be adding the Wentz name to it as well, which will make her Ashlee Simpson-Wentz. Well, at least until the couple announces that they're divorcing due to irreconcilable differences (i.e. Joe Simpson). I mean, really, do you expect this Simpson marriage to end any differently that Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey's short-lived marriage. All Joe Simpson needs to do now is sign Ashlee Simpson up for another MTV reality show!

Lindsay Lohan has long been plagued with rumors that she and her BFF, Samantha Ronson, are more than just friends. And recent photos of the duo are only adding fuel to the fire. The paparazzi have snapped Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson shopping, traveling and hanging out, which are all very normal friend activities. It's a little harder to explain the pic of the two girls kissing though. And why is Lindsay wearing a ring with Samantha Ronson's initials on it? That's not a normal best friend ritual either!

Lindsay's parents seem divided on the whole "Is our daughter really a lesbian?" issue. Dina Lohan has denied the allegations and insists that the two are just close friends. Lindsay's father, Michael Lohan, on the other hand went as far as saying that it's obvious what Lindsay and Samantha are - and then promptly took his statement back.

Jamie Lynn Spears and fiance, Casey Aldridge, celebrated Memorial Day like any other barefoot and pregnant teenage couple in America did -- by shopping at Wal-Mart. The couple emerged from their Wal-Mart shopping spree with a cartful of purchases including several cases of... soda. See, celebrities really are just like us!

And what about Jamie Lynn's older sis, Britney Spears ? Well rumor has it that Britney has a new boyfriend. In all of the hoopla over Britney Spears hanging out with new pal, Mel Gibson, it seems that people overlooked just who it was that was really by her side. So who is the new Britney Spears boy-toy? Well, none other than her agent, Jason Trawick. Hmm, I wonder if Britney ran this by her father first - since he seems to be controlling most of her life these days. The good thing is that Britney is looking better and better. We can only hope that she's finally on the right track again.

And finally some really good news - Scarlett Johansson will definitely not be hitting the road to promote her album. Thank God! Scarlett's debut album was panned by music critics, but Scarlett claims that she never really wanted a music career. Then why record the album, right? Well, it seems that the only reason she agreed to record the album was because it was an opportunity that her struggling musician friend who have spent years trying to break

Sources:

Celeb-Gossip, http://celeb-gossip.net

People, http://people.com

TMZ, http://tmz.com

Fashions in Footwear from the Renaissance Through Victorian Times:

The origins of your Weitzmans, Kork-Easesand Cavallis Fashionable cavewomen 15,000 years ago had more in common with us than you might think - sandals were their footwear of choice and they were even made of leather, just like the shoes of today.But footwear didn't really become a fashion choice until the Renaissance began in Italy in the early 15th century Yes, the best shoes in the world have been made of Italian leather for more than 700 years now!

One thing you probably wouldn't guess about those Renaissance fashion plates is that they had a little punk rock in them - slashed clothing in super bright colors was the height of fashion back then, and the trend extended to footwear. Fashionable everyday shoes of the time resembled modern day ballet flats (and you thought Kate Spade invented them!), except that they were slashed to reveal different colored fabric underneath.

Another popular shoe was the chopine, a style which first took hold among the courtesans of Venice. Chopines were the world's first platform shoes, and, just like your Donald J. Pliners, they were chosen to give the wearer added height. Chopines stayed popular through the Elizabethan/Jacobean period, up until the early 1600s, and during that time the soles were made of cork. Yup, if you invented a time machine and used it to go visit Queen Elizabeth I, you could wear your Kork-Ease to court and fit right in!

During the Restoration, which ran from around 1660 through the early 18th century, pointy-toed shoes with slender high heels akin to stilettos were the in thing. (Clinton and Stacy would approve!) Clogs were also introduced as fashionable footwear during this period - yes, they predate the 1970s.

Women wore boots back then as well, but only for horseback riding, making the Restoration the first known instance of the equestrian trend. Fashion was dominated by the French during the Rococo period (1715 to 1775), and the most recognizable fashion accessory of that time was a "Louis heel," a "waisted" heel that was splayed at the base. Shoes of this style are not that different from what we call wedges. They look quite modern and their wearers were as proud of them as we are of our Roberto Cavallis.

Believe it or not, stilettos were also worn during the Revolutionary War, though probably not by women who were running from British soldiers. Sandals were worn during this period as well, but the naked feet were covered first with silk cloth for modesty's sake. Grecian sandals appeared in the early 1800s, and they featured the same long ribbon ankle ties that we see today. In the Victorian period, boots were the most popular form of footwear, and toe styles went in and out of fashion - first rounded, then pointed, then squared with rounded corners. Elastic-sided boots first made their appearance in this era, though they probably weren't as comfortable as our Stuart Weitzmans. Side-laced boots and the high-buttoned shoes that goth girls favor were the most common street footwear, and while indoors, people wore mules without heels.

Sources: www.historyoffootwear.com

Kate Hudson's got a new man, a former teen queen and her stalker make headlines, who's trying to convert Miley Cyrus to Scientology and what's the real reason that Ashlee Simpson made $1.4 million from her wedding pics?

It looks like Kate Hudson is feasting on *Sheryl Crow*'s leftovers... and loving it! The A-list actress, Kate Hudson, is obviously way over her ex-boyfriend, Owen Wilson, by the looks of the photos from Cannes that surfaced this past week. She and professional cyclist and Tour de France champ, Lance Armstrong, were spotted at a party in Cannes engaging in some very public displays of affection. Afterwards, the two headed to Monaco and enjoyed a romantic boat ride. that was also snapped by the paparazzi. No word yet on whether the two have officially admitted to being Hollywood's latest couple or not.

Perhaps you've wondered along with countless others why a major celebrity magazine like People would shell out the reported $1.4 million for exclusive pics of Ashlee Simpson and *Pete Wentz*'s wedding. At best, Ashlee Simpson, who is best known for her Saturday Night Live lip-syncing gaffe and being Jessica Simpson's little sister, would be considered a B-lister. So why would People Magazine offer the Simpson camp a deal that's normally reserved for Hollywood A-listers like *Brad Pitt*? Well according to inside sources, the deal from People Magazine came with one condition - that Tony Romo had to attend the wedding with on-again/off-again girlfriend, Jessica Simpson. After all, it's Jessica Simpson and her romantic trysts that sells magazines, not Ashlee Simpson. No wonder People Magazine plastered a photo of Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson caught freak dancing on the cover of the magazine right under the Simpson-Wentz wedding portrait!

<p>Sources:<br> People, http://people.com<br> Celebitchy, http://celebitchy.com<br> TMZ, http://tmz.com

celebrity gossip

Wedding bells rang last Saturday for Ashlee Simpson and the trapped-for-now Pete Wentz. The couple tied the knot in a private wedding ceremony at Joe and Tina Simpson's LA home. The wedding was truly a family affair with dad, Joe Simpson performing the ceremony, sister, Jessica Simpson serving as maid of honor and Pete Wentz's pet dog, Hemingway, as ring-bearer. Then, of course, there's the rumored bun in the oven that may or may not have also been in attendance.

The Simpson-Wentz wedding reception had an Alice in Wonderland theme, which seemed to suit the style of taste of both the bride and groom. Thankfully, there were no drunken outbursts by Jessica Simpson or lip-syncing incidents by the bride. Although, there were reports that the older Simpson sister did engage in some hot & heavy PDA with on-again/off-again boyfriend, Tony Romo.

Elsewhere in the world of celebrity love......Troubled rocker, Amy Winehouse, and her husband, *Blake Fielder-Civi*l, celebrated their 1st wedding anniversary this past weekend in true rock & roll fashion - alone. The couple was unable to be together on their anniversary due to the fact that Blake Fielder-Civil is currently in jail and is not allowed to have visitors on Sundays. Amy Winehouse did manage to pop in for a belated wedding anniversary visit on Monday. Afterwards, she treated herself to a celebratory anniversary lunch of takeout for one.

Another couple that wasn't celebrating this past weekend was Shania Twain and her producer/husband, Mutt Lange. How shocking was it to hear that Shania had split from her husband of 14 years, Mutt Lange? It's easy to forget about Shania Twain since she lives in Switzerland most of the time, but this news is huge!

The ironic thing about this split is that the couple originally moved to Switzerland because of rumors that their marriage was in trouble. And now it seems that the split was actually caused by an affair that Mutt Lange was having with the secretary and manager of the Switzerland chateau where the couple resided. In fact, some say that the secretary has left her husband as well and that she and Mutt Lange are currently together. Sounds like a bad Lifetime movie, doesn't it?

What makes this news even harder to take is that Mutt Lange has been so instrumental in Shania Twain's success. He's co-written and produced practically every country-pop hit that Shania has ever had. Who knows what this split will mean for Shania's future career.

And finally, one country star who learned some important life lessons from his very own public split is Academy of Country Music's Entertainer of the Year, Kenny Chesney. You might remember Kenny Chesney's short-lived marriage to Renee Zellwegger back in 2005. Neither Kenny or Renee have remarried since their breakup, but both reportedly remain close friends. In a recent interview, Kenny revealed that when he is ready to marry again he'll be sure to give the marriage 150% and not go into it as unprepared as he did the first time around.

Sources:TMZ, http://tmz.com, People, http://people.com, Fox News, http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/index.html, Just Jared, http://justjared.buzznet.com/

If I could pick a fashion show anywhere in the world to visit, Amsterdam International Fashion Week would be near the top of the list. The last time I visited Amsterdam was for a high school class trip, and due to the vices that are readily available in that fine city, we were not allowed to go out unchaperoned-in fact, we weren't allowed to go ANYWHERE except for a tulip garden and a diamond factory.

The truth is that Amsterdam is a hotbed of fashion these days. In fact, the red light district itself is experiencing a makeover, as a project called Redlight Fashion Amsterdam has given some of the best and brightest young Dutch designers the opportunity to live and work in former brothels rent-free, and this initiative is expected to make Amsterdam International Fashion Week one of the most innovative fashion showcases ever.

The next AIFW will be held from July 19 through July 28, 2008 inside the Westergasfabriek, a cultural center housed in the national landmark former gasworks for the city of Amsterdam. Some of the designers expected to host a fashion show at AIFW include Blue Blood Denim, Marlies Dekkers (an internationally renowned lingerie designer), Oilily children's wear, and Antoine Peters.

The fashion show I'm most looking forward to at AIFW July 2008 is the whimsically titled Super Trash, though. That name made me hold my breath, expecting a Dutch version of Heatherette, but it's actually chic, streamlined and wearable, which is quite a feat in the city that brought the world Viktor & Rolf. Super Trash's January 2008 show featured tones of cream, black and plum àla Chanel, with LWDs (little white dresses) worn over satiny-textured leggings and styled with finger-tip length black jackets with asymmetrical necklines.

The vibe was simultaneously modern and classic, and they even gave cowl-necked sweaters a sense of style. The only look that fell flat looked like a model in a cat suit with a serape blanket wrapped around it, but we'll forgive them one misstep.

Super Trash was created by Amsterdam natives, but originated in Los Angeles before relocating to take advantage of the Dutch city's creative renaissance, so if they picked up a little of the effortless American separates sensibility to temper their avant-garde Amsterdam tendencies along the way, more power to them. Super Trash's fashion show was as chic as anything I saw at New York Fashion Week, and I can't wait to see what they do for spring.

David Cook was crowned this years American Idol last night at a celeb-filled American Idol finale. The AI producers managed to drag out some real golden oldies for last night's show - including Donna Summers, George Michael and ZZ Top. But thankfully the Jonas Brothers were also on hand and managed to balance out the age thing out a little bit.

In a sad bit of news, some unfortunate information surfaced this week about a former American Idol contestant. Apparently Luke Menard was diagnosed with inoperable cancer.

And it looks like there's trouble in paradise for BFF's Danny Noriega and Ramiele Malubay. You might remember how Ramiele cried when Danny Noriega was voted off. There was talk of how the two planned to move to LA and be roommates, but looks like that plan is off. And to make matters worse, Danny had to beg his way into the American Idol finale. When he initially tried to get tickets he was told that the show was full. Poor Danny.

Guess who's going vegan for three weeks? *Oprah Winfrey*! She's made a pledge to go on an all-vegan diet for the next three weeks, so her personal chef is having to work overtime trying to come up with edible vegan dishes that the Queen of Talk will actually eat. So far, so good, but you know as well I do that as soon as the 21 days are up Oprah will be gobbling up a big, fat, juicy hamburger.

Jessica Alba pulled a Mariah Carey this past Monday and secretly married her long-time boyfriend, Cash Warren. In fact, Jessica Alba's wedding was so hush-hush that even her own brother didn't know about it. He only heard about it when he was contacted by the press for a statement regarding the quickie nuptials.

And speaking of celebrities imitating other celebrities - did Cameron Diaz pull a Britney Spears? I realize that pulling a Britney Spears could refer to any number of bad behaviors, but I'm talking about the shaving your head on a whim incident. Cameron was recently caught completely bald by paparazzi. Not to worry though, it turns out that she was actually just wearing a cap while filming a scene for her new movie, My Sister's Keeper, in which she plays the mother of two daughters, one of which is suffering from leukemia.

Guess which Hollywood celeb has baby fever? Paris Hilton. Now we've all heard the rumors of how Paris Hilton wants to have a baby before, but it looks like this time she's really serious. She's been dating her current boyfriend, Benji Madden for a little over 2 months, but already she is talking about marriage and babies. In fact, she even went as far as to say that she wants a baby within the next 12 months. It looks likes Tinkerbell's reign as Paris' baby is about to come to an end.

And could it be that Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder are Hollywood's next power couple? Star Magazine recently reported that the two have gotten extremely close while filming their new movie together. Is there really romance in their air for Keanu and Winona or is it just a publicity stunt to boost both of their profiles?

Sources: OK Magazine, http://okmagazine.com, Star Magazine, http://starmagazine.com, Celebitchy, http://celebitchy.com,DListed, http://dlisted.com, Seriously OMG, http://seriouslyomg.com

celebrity gossip

Fashions of today's popular television shows.

The average person watches their favorite nighttime TV shows in their pajamas or in sweatpants and a t-shirt, while longing to have the wardrobe that their favorite actress or actor has on the show. Fashion plays a huge part nowadays in television shows. A lot of people get their style tips of the latest fashions from their favorite TV show. So, let's take a look at the different shows that influence the style of today.

Ever since "Gossip Girl" aired early this year, young women have been copying the fashions on the show. The girls on "Gossip Girl" only wear the best in fashion. Knee-high boots, tights and tunic dresses are common fashion staples for the girls on the show. Urban Outfitters is a popular place for the clothes seen on "Gossip Girl," even selling the leggings and knee-high tights that Serena has worn on the show. Accessories also play a big part in the fashion. Layered necklaces are a big trend. A Ralph Lauren belt works good for giving a waist when wearing a tunic top. The must-have handbag is the Coach Legacy bag, which comes with all the trends of chunky buckles and vintage leather.

For a woman who is slightly older, she may look at the TV show "Desperate Housewives" for her fashion tips. The women on "Desperate Housewives" - especially Edie and Gabrielle - are always decked out in the latest fashions. Summer dresses by Chloe are often seen on the women. Pair them with a pair of Jimmy Choos shoes and you'll be a desperate housewife in the making. For a more casual look, get a pair of Beverly Jeans or Seven For All Mankind jeans and pair them with a Nannette Lepore blouse or camisole. The clothes on "Desperate Housewives" have a wide range of styles. You can keep it sexy like Edie or more casual and put together like Bree.

When looking for fashion tips for guys, tune in to "How I Met Your Mother." The character Barney Stinson is the epitome of a well-dressed man. Whether you are a woman looking to fix your man's wardrobe, or you are a man and you want to dress in the latest style, Barney gives you plenty of ideas on how to dress for a guy. He can be seen wearing $400 Prada dress shirts. Never seen dressed down on the show, he is always sporting the latest styles in business wear, although he is able to go from the office to the club and still look good. Most of his outfits are tailored suits. Some of the brand names he wears are Dolce and Gabanna and Marc Jacobs.

It can be quite frustrating to look at the actors on TV and wish that you had their wardrobe, but don't get too frustrated. Trends change so much and so often; from the beginning of the season to the season finale, their clothes have probably dramatically changed styles. I say splurge on your basics and go cheap with the trends. If you want to invest $200 for a nice white button-down shirt, then go ahead, but buy the $5 tights from Target.

How can you talk about fashion without mentioning "Sex and the City?" When the London premiere of the "Sex and the City" happened on May 12, all eyes were on Sarah Jessica Parker and her hat. She must have been channeling her character, Carrie Bradshaw, or else she just wanted to really stand out. Along with a strapless green Alexander McQueen dress, she wore a Phillip Treacy hat that resembled a person's garden. It even came with a huge flower and two butterflies planted on the top. What I wonder is how did she last all night with that thing on her head and who had to sit behind her during the premier of the movie?

The other three other stars of the movie also attended the London premiere, but Parker's headwear might have out-shined everyone involved.... Kim Catrall, who plays Samantha Jones in the movie, wore a stunning red Vivienne Westwood dress. She was also appropriately dressed to match her character's personality in a vibrant red cocktail dress. Cynthia Nixon, who plays Miranda Hobbes wore a sleek, long black dress from Calvin Klein. The dress was cut down low in the front, but she still looked very elegant in the dress. Kristin Davis, who plays Charlotte York in the movie, donned a vintage bright red dress. With her long brown hair down and her ruby earrings she looked gorgeous on the red carpet.<p>For the actual movie, the well-known stylist Patricia Field returned to dress the cast. You can be sure to see the famous designer's clothing , such as Dior, Vera Wang, and Oscar De LaRenta, make an appearance on the women. In fact, the wedding gown that Sarah Jessica Parker's character, Carrie Bradshaw, is wearing in the advertisements for the movie is a satin Vivienne Westwood creation. In other parts of the advertisement, Carrie can be seen wearing a Burberry belt and sporting a Chanel handbag. In one of the most visible advertisements for the movie, Carrie is seen in a white Ralph Lauren vest and pants with a pink top and black tie.

Anyone wanting to stay on top of the oncoming fashion trends for the oncoming seasons, might want to pay close attention to this flick....keep your eyes peeled!

Why Miami Swim Fashion Week is worth attending, and why Rosa Cha is the highlight of the swim fashion shows.

The pickings for fashion shows in the United States are slim over the summer, but there's one event worth getting excited over (especially if you're slim yourself): Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim. It may not have the suspense of a Marc Jacobs fashion show at New York Fashion Week (will the audience have to wait longer than two hours for the show to start?) or the drama of Viktor et Rolf at the Paris couture shows (will the key looks resemble hang gliders?), but I can't think of a more relaxing fashion show for mid-July.

Miami Swim Fashion Week will be July 18 through July 22 at the Raleigh Hotel, a super-chic South Beach boutique property with one of the world's most stunning pools. It kind of resembles a stylized pineapple with scrolls, but it defies explanation - go to their Web site http://www.raleighhotel.com and look for yourself. If you score an invite, you too can lounge around under black-and-white umbrellas drinking mojitos with South American millionaires while models walk by in the world's most stylish swimwear. Now that's my idea of a fashion show!

Designers showing at Miami Swim Fashion Week include ANK by Sabino, Ashley Paige, Badgley Mischka, Becca, Cia Maritima, Eduardo et Donna, Rosalia, Jacquelyne Love, Bella Mar Swim, Miss Bikini, Parke & Ronen and Jessica Simpson. I'm particularly curious about the latter, since if anyone can design a swimsuit that flatters large-busted women it should be her. However, the Miami Swim fashion show I'm most interested in is Rosa Cha.

Rosa Cha may sound like a chic Asian female designer, but the line was created by Brazilian male Amir Slama. No one does swimwear better than Brazilians (sorry, Jessica!), so this is the Miami Swim fashion show to watch for - and not just because it's held by the pool. There are many fashion industry people who don't even think of swim as true fashion (remember the "Project Runway" challenge where the designers were supposed to create costumes for female pro wrestlers and Ricky got blasted because his design "looked like a bathing suit"?), but Amir Slama knows how to create figure-flattering, super sexy looks that still have the look of a haute runway.

His most recent show (Spring 2008) featured Piet Mondrian-like embellishments on suits in subdued versions of colors of the moment like gray, taupe, blood red, cobalt blue and salmon. He may be single-handedly responsible for the current trend of the monokini (a one-piece swimsuit with large cutouts on the side to expose a lot of skin), and his creativity with cut is unparalleled. Some of his looks are daring, some are more traditional, but they're all head turning, especially when worn by models with actual curves. Come to think of it, I've done New York Fashion Week, both spring and fall, and I can live without the suspense and drama in exchange for all Miami Swim has to offer. Rosa Cha just may be my favorite fashion show of the year!

Sources:
www.raleighhotel.com