Get ready to don your highest heels, and your most envy-inducing outfit, because tonight we are going shopping. As part of New York Fashion Week, Fashion's Night Out, the late-night shopping extravaganza (initially meant to give New York City's economy a boost), is back for a second year, with more parties, celebrity shoulders to rub up against, music, charity tie-ins, sales, deals, and of course ・ fashion.
With more than 1,000 events happening in New York alone, as well as across the U.S. and in other cities all over the world, figuring out what you want to do on this special evening can be tough ・ so many shops and parties, so little time. You know your favorite brands and artists, but if you need to choose, we've come up with a list of some of the more innovative events integrating social media to really put you ahead of the crowd. If you plan on making your way around New York this evening, check out the guide below.
Map Your Night
There are over 1,000 retailers across all five boroughs of New York taking part in FNO. What you want to do and see and buy can be easily determined by visiting the event's official site and checking out the event listings. Here you'll find an interactive map, where you can search for specific neighborhoods, retail categories and specific event types. So if you want to hit a block party with celebrity DJs, giveaways and other projects in Greenwich Village, you'll find the Teen Vogue and ASOS.com event, which you can then add to your night out. Once you've figured out where you want to roam, you can share your map on Facebook and Twitter or e-mail your plans to specific friends, and hope that your different tastes in fashion won't keep you from meeting up.
Mobile Fashion
For iPhone users, FNO gets a little easier to navigate after downloading LUSTR, the official app for Fashion's Night Out. The app gives you access to event information and allows you to search for events the same way the official site's interactive map does. Once you've chosen your destination, you can check in and post your whereabouts to Facebook, Twitter andFoursquare. Tag the app's official partnered retailers ・ DVF, Jimmy Choo, Tory Burch, J. Mendel, Henri Bendel and Judith Ripka ・ as a favorite, and be entered to win various fashionable goodies.
The app will also give you a list of sales and deals that are close to you when you allow it to find your location, making it much easier to decide what events to attend and which you might want to skip.
Max Mara is launching its first iPhone/iPad app for the 'S Max Mara Cube collection calledDecode the Cube. Fashion's Night Out is the launch date for the app, with iPad terminals set up for guests to try the app and enter to win a Cube jacket. Guests will also be asked to try on the actual clothes and mix and match and style it their own personal way. Max Mara hopes that guests will share photos of themselves dressed from head to toe in the designs on Facebook and Twitter.
Multimedia Integrated Events
Fashion and tech mix once again as Diane von Furstenberg offers the DVF and HP Experience Lounge ・ a multimedia event that will transform the Washington Street store into an "interactive fashion playground." Hosted by fashion blogRefinery29, you'll see fashion installations and a "Fall Favorites" photo booth featuring DVF items handpicked by Refinery29 editors and displayed for shoppers to use while browsing their favorite looks. The photos can be printed and then posted to Facebook or streamed live into the lounge on social feed monitors which will allow guests to interact with each other, the fashion community and DVF. Plus, you might see celebs Olivia Palmero and Molly Sims, and listen to beats by DJ Elisa Sendaoui.
Tonight from 6 to 9 p.m., hair salon Frederik Fekkai at Henri Bendel's presents an interactive red carpet. Guests become the celebs by selecting from five award-winning Marchesa designs. The hair team at Fekkai will recreate these looks and a personal stylist will dress you to the nines. For $75, you get a red carpet keepsake photo print and a digital photo sent via e-mail or text ready to be uploaded to Facebook and Twitter so you can show off your look. Bonus ・ all proceeds go to the NYC AIDS Fund in The New York Community Trust.
Yves Saint Laurent has partnered with online style community Polyvore to launch YSL's latest Edition 24 Collection. FNO marks the beginning of the YSL sponsored Polyvore "Community Challenge." The contest asks members to "employ virtual styling to explore the art of travel using the Edition 24 Collection." The network of trendsetters have already created more than 20 million "sets" of digital collages of clothing, accessories and other products. They are shared between members on the site, as well as on the big social networks and the Internet at large. The challenge is to do the same with YSL's new collection.
The contest lasts for eight days and is open to Polyvore members as well as the public. The winning set of photos, chosen by YSL, will be handed YSL's new fall bag, the Multy.
Can't Make It? Livestream It
You won't make it to every event; it's just not possible. Or maybe you can't make it at all. If so, don't despair. Livestream is bringing you three different events, allowing you to enjoy FNO from the comfort of your laptop screen. At Nine Westyou can check out a musical performance by Joss Stone. On Juicy Couture's channel, follow designer Erin Fetherston as she offers shoppers style tips. Then, tune in for a live performance by Janelle Monae over at Ralph Lauren.
There are many more events offering awesome sales, performances and exciting chances to see the latest fashions. Make sure to head over to the Fashion's Night Out site, or follow along onTwitter with the hashtag #FNO to get the real-time scoop on the evening.
Let us know in the comments below about your favorite FNO event.