Lots of Hopping...But Any Shopping?

Rain may have forced the suspension of play during last night's U.S. Open, but magically, the inclement weather mostly steered clear of Manhattan, a meteorological turn of events that seemed to bode well for Fashion's Night Out. And what a night for fashion it was. New Yorkers of every stripe donned their most stylish ensembles and took to the streets to mix and mingle at their favorite shops. Never have we seen such crowds—around the block at Bergdorf, dutifully waiting to get into Dior (where Vogue covergirl Charlize Theron was in residence) and jammed into Jeffrey. Among our favorite stops included Chanel (where we caught up with old friend and Chanel's executive director of fashion public relations Gretchen Fenton); Barneys, where Isabel and Ruben Toledo made an appearance, along with Manolo Blahnik; Cole Haan, which created an homage to the U.S. Open, complete with a high-chair-sitting line judge outside and a massive hollow tennis ball in-store containing lollipops from Dylan's Candy Bar; Miu Miu; the Prada store in SoHo, where The Rapture were playing to a rapturous mob and the many wonderful stores of the Meatpacking District, including Moschino, Tory Burch, Theory and Hugo Boss.

It was a fun night...one of the finest evenings for finery we can remember in a very long time. Not so much due to what was on the racks, but what was on backs. New Yorkers proved they can still wow when it comes to dressing. Sadly, with so much gorgeous garb already in the revelers' possession, few seemed to be in the market for new clothes. The ratio of pedestrians to shopping bags was incredibly high. Too high, it appeared, to have made a dent in the overtime the retailers had to pay keeping their staffs in stores until 11:00.

All that said, for one night only, Big Apple residents forgot about the Great Recession and did what they do best....looked absolutely amazing. Here's to another FNO next year. when purse strings just might be a little looser.

Fifth Avenue Finery

Even the dogs got in the act today, as the city's annual Easter parade took to Fifth Avenue near St. Patrick's Cathedral. The annual tradition, begun in the 1870s, attracts chapeaued ladies and gentlemen in creations that are often of their own making. In its heyday, the parade drew crowds of up to a million; in recent years, it has become less a parade and more a large gathering, where participants and spectators alike clog the streets to check out the creativity on display. An estimated 30,000 people attended last year's outing. Helping to keep the spirit of hat-wearing alive is the Milliner's Guild, which seeded the crowd with women in hats that were more fashionable than comical. No word yet on this year's numbers, but those who did show up enjoyed a full dose of sunshine (despite the brisk winds) and a collection of hats that you're not likely to see in the windows of Saks or Bergdorf Goodman anytime soon. 

For more photos, click here.

Blondie Beckons from the Bowery

Singer Debbie Harry belted out a bevy of her crowd-pleasing hits at the Bowery Ballroom last night, during a salute to the career of her late friend, artist and designer Stephen Sprouse. One-time neighbors, Harry and Sprouse came to know one another during a very different period in New York's history, one in which the word "gentrification" was not on anyone's lips, certainly not anyone living on the Lower East Side. Sprouse, of course, went on to design bags and accessories for retailers from Bergdorf Goodman to Louis Vuitton. And indeed, Vuitton, under the watchful gaze of creative director Marc Jacobs, has unveiled a limited-edition line of new Sprouse-inspired items, several of them emblazoned with Sprouse's trademark graffiti art. And though these pieces will likely sell out fast, to borrow the words of Ms. Harry, many New Yorkers will be determined to get their hands on them "one way or another."

For more photos, click here.