StyleSpy with Katrina Szish

I've covered 23 -- count 'em -- 23 seasons of New York Fashion Week, and this time (the 24th) I'm going to be insanely organized.  No more rifling through a messy tote bag searching for the next show invitation or pretending gum is an adequate meal.

Besides planning all of my outfits ahead of time, down to every last earring  (which is essential with those 4:45 am call-times), I've also put together a survival kit that I can easily toss into my handbag/tote du jour.

The essentials:

1.  Clear plastic binder sleeves (from Staples) for easy access to invitations

2.  Cle de Peau stick concealer for speedy touch-ups

3.  My new Canon G9 digital camera which does snaps at an amazing speed and does great things in low light conditions  (yay!  better StyleSpy pix!)

4.  Aristo Wellness bars:  These new energy bars are packed with Omega-3's and anti-oxidants but not with calories (140) or sugar (6g).  And -- sit down for this one -- they don't taste like chocolate chalk

5.  Hint water:  This fruit-infused fruit water has no calories, carbs, or additives and comes in 13 yummy flavors.

6.  My Smythson agenda, complete with a petite silver pencil and blank pages for notetaking, plus slots for credit cards and IDs which means I won't have to lug around my bulky wallet.

7.  Gel shoe inserts: Stylist Tara Swennen swears by them (her faves are Airplus-for-Her Steppies) -- and I'd like to avoid swearing at my aching feet -- so we have a match.

8.  An oversized tote (like this white patent embellished one from Gustto) and my trusty Prada ballet flats for daily stiletto relief...and walking

InStyle is teaming up with Fox 5's "Good Day New York" to bring New Yorkers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at New York Fashion Week...live!

Tune in Friday (tomorrow), February 1st at 8:09am for a live, behind-the-scenes look at Nautica.  We'll be back Monday, February 4th; and Wednesday through Friday, February 6th-8th at approximately 7:45am and 8:45am each morning for designer and celeb interviews, plus the latest news from Bryant Park, reported by yours truly.

And, of course, don't forget to check out InStyle.com (including StyleSpy) and MyFoxNY.com for up-to-the-minute coverage of all the fashion fabulosity.

P.S.

I will also be co-hosting Fox 5's Fashion Week wrap-up show with the lovely Toni Senecal...more details to come!

I suffer from hair sabotage syndrome.

My natural hair is straight, medium blonde, fine texture, but decently thick.  Yet I always feel the need to mess with Mother Nature.

I have been platinum several times (most recently this summer)...

Channeling Gwen with Hannah Byun, designer of Hansel From Basel hosiery

Golden blonde...

Summer of 2006, weeks before the most recent short circuit

Strawberry blonde, red, brown and jet black (twice...don't ask)...

By Norman Jean Roy, 2001

I've had an asymmetrical bob (it was the 80s)...

1986 -- the other side was shaved!

A bob with bangs...

Spring 2004, on my honeymoon (guess where we went?)

A bob with no bangs...

Spring 2007

...and a buzz cut (in a last-ditch attempt to get rid of the black; all photographic evidence has been confiscated). 

Not to mention all the awkward growing-out stages in between.

I tend to spend years growing it out to its most perfect natural state, only to ruin it all with a single snip of the scissors.  I usually chop it after seeing a picture of Linda Evangelista, Mia Farrow, Twiggy or the latest model to shock the fashion industry by lopping her luscious locks (Anja Rubik, below, was my most recent muse).

Image from Polki.pl

Summer 2007

I'm an all or nothing person, so in-between lengths or safe styles are never satisfying. 

Dramatic hair changes make me feel independent, strong, untethered, rebellious...for about an hour.  And then I want my real hair back, and the cycle starts again.

I am currently mid-cycle.  I have waaaaayyyyy too many layers, which makes me feel like I'm in purgatory. 

Long layers are one thing, but for some reason scissor-happy hands always want to hack away, leaving me with cropped, choppy layers.

But as of today, I'm taking back my hair.  I will no longer nod "yes" when I really mean "absolutely not" as the shears come towards my head.  I will learn, finally, that photo shoot hair rarely translates into real life hair.  I will resist the urge to shock friends, family and co-workers with a seasonal hair hacking (I am already hearing cheers up and down the East Coast).

Today I am entrusting my hacked-up head to the capable hands of Adel at Louis Licari (Louis himself brought my sad, weakened, bleached out summer locks back to life).  Adel is more than a skilled stylist:  He's also a hair extension guru. 

I have never had extensions, but if there ever was a time to sit still for hours on end without fidgeting, it's now.

Not only will Adel limit my stay in layer purgatory, but he will shape my new head of hair into the Next Big Hair Trend for a Fox5 Fashion Week trend segment...now that may sound as if I'm going back to my old ways, but I have a pretty good hunch that the Next Big Hair Trend is going to be all about longer, sleeker, more natural locks.

If I can't be naturally natural, faux-natural suits me just fine -- especially if the words "choppy layers" are no longer part of my hair vocabulary.

Sorry, Twiggy!

Check back during Fashion Week for the big reveal, and set your DVRs to record Fox5's "Good Day New York" next week, where you'll get to watch the long and the short of it.

Stars sure did shine at the SAGs...

Photo: Wireimage
Debra Messing in Oscar de la Renta with Christina Applegate in Elie Saab.  Check out InStyle.com's entire gallery from last night's red carpet.

...but now it's time to focus, people!  Style Spy hits New York Fashion Week in 4 days.  Yep, the fabulous fashion fandango starts this Friday, February 1st.

Tracy Reese runway, Fall 2007 collection, snapped by moi

Turns out the Red Carpet Countdown is EXTREMELY well-timed...

Despite recent speed bumps, Alicia has gotten me back on track.  Daily workouts, no whining allowed (well, maybe a little).  She also shared HER speedy-slimming secret for those times when time is of the essence (and ten days of the Master Cleanse is just way too much to bear):  oatmeal for breakfast, a normal healthy lunch (salad with grilled chicken, for example), and a protein shake for dinner.  Fruit or nuts for snacking.  Done!  Simple, healthy and surprisingly effective.

Baby Phat runway, Fall 2007 collection

Instead of silently swearing to (at?) myself while watching lithe limbs slither down the catwalk that I WILL get thee to the gym, I will be silently thanking Complete Body Development for whipping my bod into shape.  And you better believe I'll be wearing something cute!  A belted Proenza minidress, perhaps? 

Photo from ProenzaSchouler.com

Funny, I no longer care that TV cameras make you look 10 pounds heavier.  And that's a good thing, because I'll be reporting live from Bryant Park for Fox5's "Good Day New York" just about every day of Fashion Week.

In Britney Spears' seat before the Fall 2007 Baby Phat show

I'm ready.  Are you??

Stay tuned to Style Spy for a week's worth of rockin' outfits, TV clips, behind-the-scenes hijinks and more...

Designers were starstruck at the Spring 2008 shows, and it had nothing to do with the A-list celebs stead in the front rows.

Bearing the celestial motif, dresses, sweaters, jewelry and more raided the runways.

Photo: Karl Prouse/Catwalking/Getty

At first glance the constellations struck me as gimmicky (especially when there were sequins involved), but at second glance my eyes adjusted to the glare (perhaps my Lucky Charms obsession is partially to blame?), and the sparkles induced an unexpected craving (in the form of this Yves Saint Laurent dress, for example).

STOP. 
Before proceeding, download "STARRY-EYED SURPRISE" by Paul Oakenfold onto your Ipod, and give yourself a spritz of Thierry Mugler's Angel perfume.

Now you may continue.

Fashion All-Star Karl Lagerfeld worked stars into his collection for Chanel (stars even decorated the surface of the runway), as well as his namesake label. 

Photo: Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty

Photo: Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty

An out-of-this-world bangle at Karl Lagerfeld.

Photo: Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty

Alexander McQueen presented Olympics-inspired stars in his youthful McQ collection in downtown Manhattan.

Biasion Studio/WireImage

And I spied these baubles backstage at Anna Sui.

But why wait till Spring to shop for stars?

Here, some INSTANT GRATIFICATION...

MARC BY MARC JACOBS WATCH NECKLACE

GET IT NOW at ELuxury.com, $125

SONIA BY SONIA RYKIEL STAR CARDIGAN

GET IT NOW at MadisonLosAngeles.com, $350

Tiffany Stars Multi-drop Diamond and Platinum Earrings

GET IT NOW at Tiffany.com, $9000

SCENES FROM DIANE VON FURSTENBERG

The legendary designer chats with me backstage about her Spring '08 collection, which she says is about "escape."  While von Furstenberg had exotic, volcanic travel destinations in mind for the clothes, she admitted that she simply does yoga to escape.  Check out her show invitation below.

Alek Wek -- supermodel, author and designer -- chatted with us backstage and then walked in the show.

Who says the skinny jeans trend is over? Definitely not the models who walked the runways during New York Fashion Week.  When they're not wearing the latest designer fashions, they're wearing pin-thin denim, in gray, black or classic indigo.

AT THE WALK-THROUGH FOR CALVIN KLEIN...

...PREPPING FOR ZAC POSEN

Backstage with It-designer, media darling, CFDA award winner and all-around impressive guy: ZAC POSEN

Daytime neutrals, bold-colored gowns and asymmetrical necklines (a HUGE trend all week) made an impact in Posen's collection, which he described in the show program as "An homage to early American settlers and their insistence on simplicity and craft." (See video clips from the collection and hear from Zac right here on instyle.com).

Brian Atwood designed the shoes for the show (note the killer heel and metallic detailing), and I found a pair backstage after the show that just happened to be my size.

Kind of like being in a candy store (there were edible confections, too -- scroll down to drool).  I snapped these just before the show. 

Yummy BAUBLES...

Luscious LUCITE-HEELED SHOES...

and the designer herself, decked out in BOLD BANGLES AND BIG RINGS!

Anna introduced her FLIGHT OF FANCY perfume...



...amidst trays of colorful petit-fours.

Gift bags filled with make-up (I got a tiny pot of sparkly cream blush that I can attach to my keychain), a groovy t shirt and a sample of the fragrance awaited showgoers.  Ever hear the phrase "the calm before the storm"?  Well, you're looking at it...these are the rows of empty seats moments before hundreds of guests arrive.  See our video coverage here!

Yesterday I applauded Oscar de la Renta for having the best show production of New York Fashion Week.  Well, the Marc Jacobs show last night (it started at 11pm, two hours after the scheduled start time of 9pm), definitely wins the award for most creative production...and most creative clothes.   Take a peek....

Marc did everything in reverse.  He took his bow before the show started.  Next he sent the models down the runway in a single line, as is typical for a fashion show finale.  Then, each model walked individually as numbers projected on big screens counted the looks, backwards of course, starting from 56 and ending with zero -- and an empty runway.