Fashion Week Encore

Last week, I ventured backstage at Fashion Week once again with the crew from fabulous nail spa Dashing Diva.

Backstage at the Bryant Park tents

While the team made sure every Tibi runway model was perfectly manicured, I caught up with one of Dashing Diva’s delightful PR reps. We talked about the unceremonious timing of exes who decide to resurface and the search for a perfect apartment in NYC.

I also had the pleasure of meeting veteran beauty blogger Jamie Allison Sanders, who was off to another show – but not before making me smile when she said she’d heard of Single Gal In The City.

Just before the show began, I surveyed the crowd of perfectly coiffed fashionistas and decided it might be time for me to update my shoe and accessory repertoire. Who knew big, pearl-finished watches were all the rage?

The Tibi models strutting their stuff

Tibi’s Spring 2010 show served up a pretty and feminine mix of, as the tip sheet put it, abstract florals in icy pastels mixed with intensely saturated colors. One thing I would’ve liked to see more of – models with at least some degree of décolletage. One thing I would’ve enjoyed seeing less of – their bony backs. To paraphrase my best friend, these girls need some cheeseburgers stat.

Coming up…a jazzy night out for a good cause with a couple of Aussies and an outrageous request from a long ago ex.

Fashionable Night Out

Last Thursday, I joined the crew from Dashing Diva -- my favorite nail spa -- for the Rosa Cha show at Bryant Park.

Strike A Pose: Backstage at the Bryant Park tents

From a crush of photographers to waif-like girls getting primped for the runway, there’s plenty of action backstage at Fashion Week. Dashing Diva’s team, led by celeb nail artist Pattie Yankee Williams, was busy doing manicures for all of the models.

Pattie used Miranda’s Law, a bold, bright coral polish, for the Rosa Cha models

Pattie mentioned some of her favorite famous clients (Rachael Ray and Brooke Shields are among them) and shared a few tips for making a manicure last longer -- buff your nails first and use a top-notch base coat. With more than 25 years in the fancy finger business, Pattie knows what she’s talking about.

The show started fashionably late and featured a look at Rosa Cha’s 2010 beachwear collection. Only one front row celeb sighting here, "The Bachelorette" star Jillian Harris.

On The Catwalk: Rosa Cha’s leggy models

My next stop was Saks Fifth Avenue, which had festivities on every floor as part of Fashion’s Night Out. A packed crowd of shoppers enjoyed complimentary makeovers, blowouts and the opportunity to mingle with some of the biggest names in the world of style. I met legendary designers Carolina Herrera and Elie Tahari.

How Chic: Designer Elie Tahari and me at Saks

With more than 800 FNO events around the city, I was tempted to see what other bold-faced names I could encounter. I opted instead to head home, to get ready for a last-minute blast from the past.

What a night.