I'm a little late on this, but the fashionista in me got excited and needed to share.

Word on the street is that Vera Wang will be the next Dancing with the Stars Contestant. ABC is not talking, but the new season will start September 23 with a three hour extravaganza.

Read it all here.

I think that will be fabulous. Shoot if Lil Kim can dance, Vera sure can. And maybe then I'll be over my True Blood obsession and ready to look for a new show.

Do you think Ms. Wang will make a good Dancing contestant?

Photo courtesy of Emporio Armani

Here is a bit of yummy fashion news: 

Giorgio Armani announced today that his friend and international sporting icon David Beckham was his new spokesman  and unveiled the worldwide exclusive of the new Emporio Armani Underwear Fall / Winter 2009-10 campaign at Selfridges Oxford Street in London.

Look at that man in his skivvies! Delicious.

This ad might have Calvin Klein beat. I'm a big fan of boxer briefs (All men should wear them.) The hair may not work, but the tattoos do. Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle in England? Ok. I'll buy it.  Ladies, what do you think?  And, I'm not even a David Beckham fan.

From the UK. What do we think about this look?

So, Mirror Image readers: What do we think about THIS Michelle Obama outfit when the first lady was sightseeing late Monday in London. I'm not really feeling the tiered tunic,  but I can see how it can be pretty. And what do we think of the double cardigan look? What's your take? Waiting to see if I can find out who designed it... Any ideas?

photo by Elizabeth Wellington. My view from the second floor Here we see Boyds doubling as Bergdorf Goodman for The Best and The Brightest being filmed here in Philadelphia.

Hours after armed men burst in to Boyds and stole $300,000 in jewelry from Govberg, the show went on and a film crew turned the Philadelphia-based high end department store into Bergdorf Goodman.  The Best and The Brightest staring Neil Patrick Harris (who wasn't in town yet) and Bonnie Summerville (who we watched walk up to a bag and gasp at the sticker shock about half a dozen times)  is being filmed in Philadelphia. Boyds didn't just double as the luxury department store, it was also a high end cheese shop. From the mezzanine, the circles of cheese DiBrunos provided looked delectable. With Philadelphia trying to become a major player in providing clothing and space for films, Boyds is trying to make a name for itself. The boutique was responsible for most of Jamie Foxx's wardobe when he filmed Law Abiding Citizen in January. We'll stay tuned to see what other movies will be a part of Boyds future. Do you think Philly has a shot at being the next movie capital of the world?

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It looks like Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is taking a page out of Michelle Obama tailored page during this recent trip to Central America. Clinton hasn't done anything too fashionably shocking - like wear a dress. But her pantsuit choices - fire engine red, cobalt blue and this morning's cerulean sky shade  - are a much better fit than say the orange doozy she wore late last summer at the end of the Democratic National Convention. And is Ms. Clinton growing her hair out a bit too? Glad to see our new Secretary of State erring on the side of femininity these days. What do you think of Ms. Clinton's suit choices? 

Elizabeth Wellington. Vanilla Beane, 89, pictured here with her swanky hat. The milliner is designing a hat for Dorothy Height to wear to her annual Uncommon Height event. This year Oprah is being honored.

On Sunday, the National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers presented their annual The Art of Fashion Show at Drexelbrook Caterers. What an event! These women didn't play. About 15 designers showed collections to an audience of more than 500 people that included everything from lingerie that could be worn outside  to sexy fishtail dresses to fur coats to church hats.

Speaking of church hats, I met a delightful woman named Vanilla Beane. Beane, 89, is known throughout Washington, D.C. (She has a store in the North West) for her amazing confections. She has designed hats for both of former DC Mayor, Marion Berry's wives, several judge's wives and local plays.  The hats sparkle on the hat rack and sizzle on pressed heads. In fact, she is designing a hat - all she knows right now is that it's lavender - for Civil Rights icon, Dorothy Height. Height, 97,  will wear the hat to the National Council of Negro Women's annual Uncommon Height Award on Thursday. This year Oprah is the recipient. Will the hat look like the one pictured here? Not sure, Beane said. "Ms. Height likes hats that are closer to the head but she likes sparkle." We know it's going to be beautiful. Does anybody out there own a  Vanilla Beane confection?  Did anyone go to the NAFAD show? What did you think? 

Photo by Elizabeth Wellington. Derek Warburton at Barney's Coop party Wednesday night. Warburton is in town filming his on-line shopping show, Derek Loves Shopping.

Wednesday night the new Barneys New York Coop was brimming with all who was fashion in Philly from Tuesday Gordon of boutique, Joan Shepp to film diva Sharon Pinkenson to bigwig with the state and soon to be television show host Toni Crawford Major. Also there was Steven Ward a local hottie and host of the VH1 show Matchmakers and Reuben Harley, known for putting local sportswear company Mitchell & Ness on the map.

Fashion publicists Peter Breslow, David Neff and Nicole Cashman were in the well dressed house, in a fitted brown T, sharp pinstripes and delicate florals, respectively.  Greeting everyone was sure soon to be a force in the fashion industry, Candace Shane, the Coop's store manager.  Barneys held the party with Philly Style Magazine. Thanks for the invite,  John Colabelli.

I spent most of my time chatting with Kate Egan about fashion, crystals and life. The Los Angeles native and owner of very cool jewelry boutique, Egan Day. While sipping on summer cocktails - gin and tonics and this mohito-like but amazingly more tasty concoction.  We were surrounded by clothes. Beautiful, wonderful clothes a bowed-dress from Diane von Furstenberg, a billowing,  fire engine red Michael Kors frock,  skinny pants and walls and walls of jeans.

But for all the fashionistas and all the clothes, I met an emerging fashion personality, Derek Warburton from New York.  Warburton is in town filming episodes of his on-line fashion show, Derek Loves Shopping. The flamboyantly dressed personal stylist -right down to the Comme des Garcons hat pin he used to secure his fedora - will be filming at local style destinations: Lost & Found, Joan Shepp, Petulia's Folly, Leehe Fai, Knit Wit, Plage Tahiti and Matthew Izzo.  The first time I saw him was under the Bryant Park Tents in February where he was wowing the crowd. Warburton has decided to put the spotlight on boutiques which, he says, are taking such a hit during the economic recession. He might just make it happen.

Have you been to the Barneys Coop yet? What do you think?

I'm advocating pantyhose this summer. Where do you fall in the pantyhose debate?

Last summer I wrote a column about how pantyhose were a relic of the past.

It's amazing how fast fashions change.

I'm thinking that this year, I'm more of a proponent of hose. Here are my reasons:

1. Pantyhose really do finish an outfit, especially this year's neutral shades. There is something about a sheened leg on a taupe skirt paired with a bone shoe that's updated, ladylike and hot.

2. Pantyhose hold it on all again and give you a smooth look. These neutral tones have a tendency to show lumps and bumps Pantyhose give you support camouflaging even the smallest jiggle.

3. A little sheen can add even more sparkle to your day time look.

That said, one must be careful that your pantyhose looks don't make you look outdated.  For example that ankle-length Town Dress you bought at Old Navy earlier this year does NOT require pantyhose. You will be hot and how can you show off a pedicure with hose? You should generally go pantyhose-less with most sundresses, in fact.  These are fun looks that don't require reinforced toes. Speaking of reinforced toes, you should never sport them with your hose, unless you are wearing a closed toe shoe.

If you are wearing hose with that bone pencil skirts, your hose should be the exact color of your skin-tone. One shade off can make your updated, chic look ashy.  And you don't want that. I'm also a big proponent of ultra sheer. Ultra sheer hose will always give you that wanted sheen.

Lastly, I think drug store hose are just as good as ultra-expensive brands. Either which way, I just get one wear out of them $1.99 vs. $12, you decide.

What do you all think of pantyhose? Will you wear them more this summer? Or, are you a perpetual fan of the bare leg? Did you ever stop wearing pantyhose?

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Isaac Mizrahi is a funny guy. Nice. Charming. Sense of humor. Loves fashion. Not afraid to turn a tote bag into a hat.

The curly-headed designer was in town Thursday for Daisy Days, the annual high fashion fundraiser for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. More than 640 ladies soaked in all that Mizrahi. He is the creative director for Liz Clairborne, but he is best known as the pioneer for democratizing fashion with his Target line that brought high end labels to the masses kicking off the chic can be cheap trend.

Mizahi's latest fashion advice? This year it's not about spending a lot of money, it's about choosing pieces that surprise. The best way to do that, Mizrahi said is with color and comfort. We like that idea. But we still aren't sure about the hats. For a more complete report, check out today's Philadelphia Inquirer.

Don't forget to set your DVR for Bravo's Project Runway replacement, The Fashion Show. The reality fashion show starts next Wednesday and stars Mizrahi, Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child and Fern Malils, vice president at IMG, the company that produces New York Fashion Week.