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I Sort Of Skipped FNO

Actually, I totally skipped it. No, wait: I passed a salon hosting some kind of event on the way home from the grocery store and looked at the sign advertising the goings-on inside, and then continued on my huffing and puffing way. Does that count?

My plan had been to go to Mulberry to see a friend who works there and then to Saks, but carrying two steaks and five new potatoes home from the store was apparently enough to send me into a coma for the rest of the evening. Seriously, a coma. I was in bed reading Valley of the Dolls for the eighty-fifth time by 9:15.

I am so tired these days. Somebody play a violin for me?

Honestly, though, I was kind of bummed about having to stay in last night, because the truth is that Fashion’s Night Out is without question my favorite part of Fashion Week. It’s like FNO takes everything exclusive and pretentious and straight-up rude about Fashion Week and turns it on its head, and then hands you a glass of champagne and tells you to buy a lipstick already.

I’ve talked before about not being a big fan of the tents, and while I think the shows themselves are exciting – they really are – it’s the whole hullaballoo around them that isn’t really my thing. There’s just so much jockeying for position and judging of others: who’s sitting where and with whom, what are they wearing, what shows did they get invited to…and to me, all this is exactly what isn’t wonderful about fashion. Fashion is dress-up time for grownups. It’s playtime. It should be fun. And while I love talking about trends and styles and what might be exciting to wear next season, I hate the idea of anyone looking down their nose at someone else for wearing something that makes them feel good.

But that’s exactly why Fashion’s Night Out is so fantastic: there are no front rows, everyone gets to participate, and there are wonderful things like roses and samples being handed out everywhere you turn. And sometimes you get hip-checked by Anna Wintour’s bodyguards, and that’s pretty neat. And last year I bought the best hat ever during Fashion’s Night Out, so there’s that.

So let me live vicariously for a moment: what did you do for Fashion’s Night Out?! Tell me everything!

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