Designer Tia Cibani said of Ports 1961 Fall 2010 collection:

“My collection is inspired by the relationship between discovery and invention.”

Lady Gaga is auctioning off her outrageous glitter skeleton corset from her Monster’s Ball tour to raise money for Haiti.

The corset created by the Haus of Gaga appears to be made of plastic and jeweled rhinestones. The skeleton detailed torso is accentuated by shoulder embellishments and a harness, which attaches the matching bottom piece.

Bidding on the corset, which is signed by the Lady herself and has an estimated value of $2,000, is already up to $5,000.

Considering bidding doesn’t end until February 23, who knows how high Gaga’s little monsters will get the price to go. Bidding for the corset has already surpassed the estimated value by more than double, but owning a piece of Gaga is priceless.

Proceeds for this item benefit Oxfam International, benefiting the victims of Haiti’s earthquake.

Click here for details

In addition, Miley Cyrus is auctioning the Herve Leger minidress she wore to the Grammy Awards on eBay to benefit Haiti relief.

The blue dress with black tonal accents is from the Spring 2010 collection. Known for body conscience, bandage style dresses, Leger’s super elegant crochet detailing with sheer nude lining adds a bit of luster.

Along with her Grammy dress, Cyrus also collected items from Demi Lovato and Hugh Jackman to include in the auction. “Everyone has been so generous,” the pop star told People.com. “My mom and I started calling and texting all of our friends to see if they’d like to be a part of the auction.”

Bidding for the size small dress has already reached $710 with 9 days left to go.

The auctions ends on Friday February 19 and all proceeds go to the American Red Cross. Click here for details

As the fashionably tailored inhabitants of the world often display, the outfits over all appeal typically lies superior to any form of comfort. This means wearing 5in Stilettos over your comfy tennis shoes. All for the sake of fashion.

For those days that you just can’t take it anymore, a simple compact alternative has arrived: Collapsible ballet flats.

These cute flats can be tossed in your bag, your desk or even your car. Wherever you stash them these folded shoes are there to comfort your throbbing soles.

Running cross-town to a long day at work, your feet are not always up for the 24/7 spans you had hoped. Cityslips and Fit In Clouds manufacture the fold-up brand while a roll-up style can be found at Aftersoles.

Tests show that the soles on the shoes although rather flexible can withstand the treacherous terrain of the city streets. Yosi Samara offers flats in leather and suede to mimic a real shoe appeal.

Now there is no need to cut the evening short.

$60 at shop.yosisamra.com

under $15 at http://www.aftersoles.com/

The Barneys Warehouse sale is back and this year is coincodes with New York Fashion Week.

Merchandise will be marked at 50-75% off regular prices on a huge selection of the finest designer clothing, shoes and accessories for men and women, as well as gifts for the home.

Check out Barneys.com for more details.

Dates: Thursday 2/11 – Sunday 2/28

Thu-Fri 11-12 8am-9pm
Mon-Fri 10am-7pm
Sat-Sun 10am-7pm
Sun, Feb 28th 10am-7pm

255 West 17th Street  between 7th & 8th Avenue, NYC

You just left the 7^th Store of the day. The shopping extravaganza is nearing an end and the only words you can manage to mumble between the yawns are simply, “Gosh shopping is such a workout.” Did you ever stop to think that maybe it really is exercise? Well fashion lovers, our dream has come true. Shopping is a valid workout, and a rigorous at that.

A Study by Debenhams in England has revealed facts that will make shopaholics rejoice.

On average, women are burning 5 calories per minute shuffling through the racks. That adds up to around 400 calories and almost 3 miles per spree. That’s about 48,000 calories a year. Who ever said, “shop till you drop” wasn’t joking around.

Also, it’s recommended that the average person take about 10,000 steps every day. Shopping consumes 75% of that in the typical 3-hour trip. With that, most women are briskly walk through the store with a set item in mind thus burning even more calories.

It was found that women make about 11 trips a month… seriously who needs a gym, when you have 5^th Ave right outside your door.

Kill two birds with one stone. Those days where you chose to go to the gym instead of Macy’s, are over. Save the membership money for that top you’ve been drooling over and work out while doing what you love. Shop-on fashionistas, shop-on!

For those of you that weren’t lucky enough to witness the wonderment of Fashion’s Night Out, the kick off to 2009’s fall Fashion Week, this may be a great way to experience it.

Vogue, CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) and NYC & Co. are talking to TV networks like CBS and Bravo about a series focusing on the September event.

Anna Wintour is the goddess behind the successful event. NYC’s event had numerous store openings, a Teen Vogue Fashion show and a concert staring Gossip Girl’s Taylor Momsen and her band The Pretty Reckless. Downtown kept a block party vibe while uptown’s department stores kept it classy with star appearances and VIP gatherings.

A Fashion’s Night Out rep stated that “[they] are in talks with CBS, but nothing has been confirmed.”

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition cover was revealed Monday night on David Letterman as a billboard in Times Square, and this year’s gorgeous cover model is Brooklyn Decker.

Right after the cover was revealed, the 22-year-old wife of Andy Roddick tweeted this photo: “The issue is amazing, glowing, fun, the girls are happy… it’s not over-the-top, the girls and editors should be so proud! THANK YOU ALL!!!”

Decker has appeared four times in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, including the 2009 Swimsuit Issue where she wore nothing but body paint, but this is her first time on the coveted cover. She has been featured in Teen Vogue, GQ, Cosmopolitan, FHM and Glamour as well as in campaigns for Gap, Intimissimi and Victoria’s Secret and in music videos for Jimmy Buffett and 3 Doors Down.

In April, Andy Roddick, 26, and Brooklyn Decker exchanged vows in a candlelit ceremony before a small group of close friends and family at his Austin, Texas home.

After the service, the wedding party moved to Roddick’s country club where Sir Elton John serenaded the couple. Guests included tennis greats Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi.

The blushing bride wore a Vera Wang gown and the bridesmaids wore strapless, chocolate-colored gowns.

To see more Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue photos of Brooklyn Decker, in addition to behind-the-scenes images, click here

Its strange to think that someone could get paid to sit in the front row of fashion shows, but as it turns out, many celebrities do.

Many of us are lucky to even get a standing spot to view some of the top designer shows, much less a sitting one. 99.9% of the time its for free, or at a cost to us, not to the designers.

This is not so for our well-known A-Listers. Celebrities are able charge a label that wants them at their show, and some of the prices are crazy.

Fashion loving Rihanna can earn up to $100,000 just for showing her face. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are reported to earn upwards of $80,000 a piece. Chloe Sevigny earns about $60,000. Meanwhile, LiLo has dropped a little. She used to get $60,000 but has since been removed from the list altogether.

Why waste the money on celebrity appearances when the economy is struggling. Shouldn’t the A-Listers appear for the mere fact that they are a fan of the designer, just like the rest of us?

ALICE by Temperley

While Alice Temperley is preparing to show her Temperley London collection for Fall 2010 at New York Fashion Week on February 16, shoppers are focused on the designer’s hotly anticipated, and reasonably priced, ALICE by Temperley collection.

Fall 2010

Alice Temperley told Instyle that Temperley London’s Fall 2010 collection is inspired by “the early works of Norman Parkinson and homage to true British glamour.”

Known for highly covetable feminine inspired pieces with a rock-n-roll edge, Temperley London is worn by the fashions elite.

With a youthful design aesthetic, Alice by Alice Temperley is chock full of F’s: flirty dresses, fun stripes, fantastic prints, and fabulous jackets. “Lots of friends can’t afford the mainline prices but would still love to wear Temperley. So we wanted to offer a different price point,” Temperley said of her decision to do a diffusion line.

Inspired by the London girl about town, the collection includes jersey pieces, light knits, and summer dresses, in addition to denim and leather biker jackets. Fabrics such as white embroidery Anglaise are paired with Temperley’s famed prints, including polka dots and tiger.

Priced from $130 – $820, ALICE by Temperley London will be available at all Temperley London boutiques and online at www.alicebytemperley.com (launching soon).

Sure, you’ve read all sorts of long lists of pregnancy must-haves that want you to spend, spend, spend, but here are my top essentials for each trimester that won’t break the bank.

First Trimester: Lemon Juice!

It was the only thing that solved my nausea problem (granted, I was blessed by only enduring it for two weeks).  Eating raw lemons, or adding some lemon juice to my water kept me in check, or solved the issue immediately.

Second Trimester

At 4 months, BEFORE you start to expand, you should start lubing up to prepare your skin for stretching…hence, avoiding stretch marks.  Being my baby absorbs what I put on my skin I’m into chemical free/natural solutions.  Mothers Special Blend came HIGHLY recommended to me so I gave it a shot….and WOW!  Granted, a bottle will run you between $11 – $16 dollars (health food stores, vitamin world, online ordering) but it is WELL WORTH EVERY PENNY.  With 4.5 weeks left in my pregnancy, I’m on my third bottle with ZERO stretch marks.  More bang for your buck…it can double as massage oil, so pack it in your hospital bag.

Note:  It is oil…you will have to get used to slopping it on and may want to invest in several long tanks to put on beneath your clothing.  I’ve always applied to breasts and belly and just recently started on my outer thighs, and lower back.  Some women apply to their butts as well.  http://www.mothersspecialblend.com/

Third Trimester

You’re in the final stretch and busier than ever.  Setting up the nursery, washing baby clothing, buying everything you need that you didn’t get for your shower, installing a car seat, packing a diaper bag, packing your hospital bag….which brings me to treating yourself to a 100% cotton, fabulous, affordable delivery gown.  Check out the variety at prettypushers.com.

For $22 and up, not only will it make you feel better, but it is completely practical… better suited than a regular hospital gown.

Why?

Because it has front-tie openings for electronic monitor placement (instead of having to hike your hospital gown up), a low-cut back for epidural access (if needed), a slip-on halter top that can easily pull aside if you are going to breast feed during those first moments, and an adjustable tie closure back so one size fits all.

Note: I went with the “I Dream of Sushi” because of the dark color.  I preferred the yellows, pale greens etc, but kept in mind the reality of blood!

Please submit comments with your own pregnancy must-haves.  Word of mouth is the best way to share your rare find!

– Famespy Patty