Take a big yoga breath of fire because we're about to start Fashion Week in the Big Apple. I know it's Labor Day weekend and most of us will be squeezing in our "last things to do before the summer ends" list, but it's also OK for you to stay in, rest up, and plan what you're going to wear to those oh-so-fab runway shows and parties. If you can't get into the tent shows, finagle your way into one of these five events.

1. You won't have to cat fight or bribe your way into this show. PAPER Magazine has curated an art show in the window of Barneys through the month of September featuring the fashion illustrations of Creative Growth, an organization that works with the mentally disabled (see photo above).

2. For a pairing of music and fashion check out the Fashion Rocks concert at Radio City on Thursday (get tix).

3. To kick off Fashion Week with fellow fashion bloggers, Papierdoll, Fashiontribes, Glam and H&M are throwing a party at Te Cesan. Check out the invitation here.

4. You may wanna pull out the pow-wow outfit for this one, the Imitation of Christ runway show will be held at Snitch on Tuesday followed by a live performance by A.R.E. Weapons at midnight.

5. Tonight, Etsy will host its monthly Trunk Show/Art Party featuring a green shopping extravaganza!

(Photo courtesy of Paper Magazine)

Name:Verrinia
Lives: Couch surfing until scoring a place in the Bushwick/Williamsburg area
Spotted: Ancient Playground, Central Park

Hey, where did you get that cute dress? From my sister's closet, but it's an H&M dress!

Where else do you like to shop? Besides H&M, I love Urban Outfitters, the Delias catalog, Forever 21 and the occasional good find at Macy's.

Will you be following any New York fashion designers during fashion week? Yes! I love Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen, Betsey Johnson, Phillip Lim and many others.

Where can we find you hanging out? I love going to shows--McCarren Pool is great, The Cake Shop, oh and my favorite, Union Hall. They have a bocci ball court!

What are your plans for the labor day weekend? To not labor at all and just sleep!

Have you seen the new Nike Vintage collection? The line is made up of shoes that look like they've been saved from your high school's 1977 track team, except that they don't smell like you just ran 800 meters in them. Not only are they in vintage colors, they also have been artificially aged to look older, which you might think is kind of stupid, and rightly so. One blogger at psfk certainly agrees with you, you being the hypothetical reader who hates these shoes.

But as a former track and cross-country runner who watched both "Prefontaine" and "Without Limits" many times, I have to say I love them. Yes, artificially aging shoes is kind of lame. But look at that Oregon Waffle on the top left. If I saw that pair of shoes in a vintage store my head would explode, but sadly I don't have that good of luck, so I'm glad I can head over to Recon/Nort or Niketown to pick up a pair.

Thom Browne's new Black Fleece collection for Brooks Brothers is out. Can someone loan me $3,000? [Racked]

The, like, totally awesome fashion at the Teen Choice Awards, ROFL! [Stylesightings]

Jodhpurs--fun to say, even more fun to wear! [Style Bubble]

Which of these oh-so-hip sunglasses will fit your beautiful face? [Cool Hunting]

Last year around this time, Fashion Geek's Keith Wagstaff wrote a fun little piece on the men's party blouse. Nice to see the Onion do a companion piece on the party sweater, if you will. A choice quote:

The mannequin had on a pair of jeans with a couple small rips in the denim, and a button-down white shirt that wasn't tucked in. Now, you see these two pieces of clothing on their own and you think, "This guy's a d*ckhead." But throw in that navy blue V-neck, and suddenly we got an interesting f**king dichotomy going on. Did this guy wake up, throw on some clothes, and just happen to look awesome? Or—or—is he about to go out to a bar and be the envy of everyone who is too dressed up or not dressed up enough? Either way, the guy's golden. He cares, but he doesn't. Two levels.

And just like that, I can't wait for the fall bar scene to get into full swing ...

Jumelle Sale
Through Aug 31st
at Jumelle boutique in Williamsburg

Time to elbow your way onto the L train bound for Bedford Avenue and squeeze your way through crowds of Europeans, hipsters and editorial assistants, all to check out the Jumelle End-Of-Summer Sale, where you can find clothes from Fashion Geek fave Mociun, Grey Ant and Alexander Wang at up to 75 percent off.

Also, don't forget to browse the rest of our NYC sample sales.

Yes, it is the apocalypse. The company that makes Crocs will launch its own "plastic inspired" fashion line, not to mention someone wore Crocs with their wedding dress! Ahhhh!

In New York Fashion Week news: Ralph Lauren will be the first ever to stage a runway show in Central Park's Conservatory Garden. The proceeds for his black-tie afterparty will be donated to the park. While Miss Sixty will show for the first time under the tents, designers Dennis Bassco and Stephanie Schur will sit out this fall and London designers Preen have moved to the Big Apple.

Meanwhile, Nicole Miller and Stella McCartney battle accusations from animal rights activists. Nicole spoke out Friday that her collections starting in spring 2008 will be fur-free while Stella, a vegetarian, has denied the charges.

Are we shocked that Kate Moss's latest Topshop line is being accused of using "slave-labor" or that distressed denim is affecting the environment and a whole city?

(Photo courtesy of Shoewawa.)

Note: The entire August 26, 2007, the Fiery Furnaces at Socrates Sculpture park photo album is here.

 If ever there was a band poorly described by the catch-all category of "indie rock," the Fiery Furnaces are it. Led by brother and sister duo Matt and Eleanor Friedberger, the band crafts strange, eclectic songs that have alternately been hailed as genius, kick-ass, and "difficult." Hence, it was fitting that they played a one-off show at the Socrates Sculpture Park on Sunday amid a collection of modern installation art.

Though there were many stylish people in the crowd who seemed to be seeking a replacement for the McCarren Pool parties, there was also a decent number of Queens locals drawn by the appeal of a free outdoor concert in their neighborhood. Kids, dogs, and picnic lunches made for a laid-back vibe, and I was happy to note that unlike the ADD-driven check-out fests in Williamsburg, everyone seemed to be giving the band their full attention, bopping along when the time signature would allow. One adorable little girl even got to bang on the drums after the show was over. Onlookers cheered, much to the future rock star's delight.

 
I've been following Brooklyn local Caitlin Mociun since last fall, when she showed a collection of the most brilliant printed tights and dresses. A RISD graduate in textile design, Mociun claims that she is stronger in textile design than fashion design, but I disagree. Her garments are both beautiful and innovative in cut and conception. This season, she's back with an array of printed fashions inspired by Dadaism, old family photos and her travels throughout Asia and Europe. Her simple silhouettes defy the Western emphasis on the body, and her prints are a combination of fantasy and natural wonderment. Mociun also practices green design and uses organic cotton and bamboo in her garments. Snag a must-have for  fall from her latest collection at Jumelle, Bird, or Honey in the Rough.

Whenever I go back to visit my parents in sunny California, I find myself in need of gifts for my niece and parents. Yesterday I stopped by a new East Village boutique that fulfills all of these needs and more. The Pink Olive Boutique specializes in "baby, gift and getaway" products, meaning cute onesies with phrases like "Gucci Coo" and "Burpberry" on them, candles, soaps, stationery and clothing like Michael Stars T-shirts and vintage dresses.

The store is the very definition of homey: exposed brick everywhere, cluttered gifts and friendly owner Grace Kang behind the counter. A former buyer for Barney’s, Kang has also assembled a cute, feminine collection of vintage bags and dresses, plus quirky jewelry from local designer Erica Weiner. If you happen to be in the East Village and think one can never have too many scented candles, you should definitely stop by this store.