Your Itinerary for Fashion’s Night Out

And so begins one of New York's annual make-or-break weeks, the city's biggest popularity contest and probably Facebook's most prolific boost in photo content, otherwise known as Fashion Week. Once a sartorial display reserved only for the most elite of the fashion set, the twice-annual Mercedes-Benz-sponsored carnival is now a virtual public stomping ground for anybody and everybody who wants to be seen, and nowhere is that clearer than this year's "coincidence" of a kick-off festivity: Fashion's Night Out. As an inducement for those with the bucks to spend on pretty things while enjoying comped booze, models, and hors d'oeuvres at basically every clothing and accessories store the Big Apple boasts, we had to plan a reasonable itinerary before our inboxes filled to capacity.

We figured it made the most logical sense to start uptown, so first stop: Dolce & Gabbana on Madison, offering cocktails and models frolicking in frocks dripping with sequins, satins and even Marilyn’s pretty face. Only time for a few sips, as Dior Homme @ Barneys awaits, where artistic director Kris Van Assche will be signing sneakers from 8-9. Push your way through the line so you don’t have to wait in one for Bergdorf’s world’s fair of fashion, replete with appearances from Zac Posen, Padma Lakshmi, bartending Olsens, Donna Karan, Izaac Mizrahi—basically everybody fabulous in fashion. Drop by Gucci directly across the street and try on the season’s hottest thigh-highs before popping by Ferragamo for the launch of Ivan Shaw and Daria Strokous’ photographic ensemble of the real action backstage at Fashion Week.

Before making the jump downtown, try on some sexy threadbare wares at the Diesel Planet, then swing by the Cartier Mansion for a peek at the new Trinity Collection, paired ever-so-effectively with Phillip Lim’s fall favorites. If you’re doing the one drink per store thing, we’d imagine you’re tipsy enough for a little karaoke at Kiehl’s, where your brave performance will earn you a lip balm.

Now off to Soho, where you can bury your face in pasta at Replay, courtesy of Bar Pitti before looping around to D&G at 8 for some live entertainment from Asa Ransom, then running to the Prada Epicenter to catch a performance by The Rapture. If you’re not maxed out (or drunk) by then, we strongly encourage you to stop by Rag & Bone, where none other than supermodel Jessica Stam will be working the register instead of the runway.

And if you haven’t already, call off work for tomorrow and scorn whomever has the audacity to hold a 9am show, cause you be nursing a hangover, girl.