Do Fashion Avatars Creep You Out?

I do love me some Style.com, no question, and I think their Style File blog is the perfect blend of both commercial and indie sartorial coverage that's insidery and not too dull. BUT! I cannot get over this whole avatar thing they have littered the blog roll with. Perhaps it seemed a bit novel last season when they debuted this amazing "new" technology, but for such a chic, polished and respected site, these look so cheesy. (They remind me of this moment a couple years back when publicists were using these to sell new products--it was beyond bad. Note to Style.com editors: This whole avatar idea is NOT cutting edge, okay?) I know they have to show some kind of visual while we listen to Jefferson's phone message and stuff, but if they insist on using animation, is there a more chic way to illustrate the moment? 

Fall '09 RTW Fashion Week: Come Backstage With Me!

Snapping up sweet little nothings and the next big things that come down the runway this week just isn't a reality for most of us. But when it comes to recreating your favorite fashion moments, as per Leonard Lauder's economic theory, a girl can always afford to splurge on a tube of lipstick. (Um, unless you're seriously flat broke, which I know some of you are, but.) ANYhoo, I'll be blogging backstage beauty posts all week at Allure.com. Please stop by and check it out!

Fashion Faux Pas: Rachel Roy Rips Stephano Pilati a New One

The Rachel Roy reviews are rolling in, and there's one itsy bitsy, slightly distracting detail that's overshadowing her collection: It's a total Stephano Pilati YSL Fall '08 RIP, right down to the black bobs and the goth lips. This is what Rachel's inspiration board must have looked like:

And here's how the collection came out:

Whoops! It's like that time last week when I was all like, MTV should do this reality show about three young, cute chicks trying to make it in New York and navigate the fashion world and they could like, do PR at Diane Von Furstenberg or something. Not really. But sorta.