So I just got this email from Urban Outfitters announcing the grand opening of the retail chain's first Brooklyn location on March 13. The first 300 customers get Brooklyn-themed totes and 10 percent of the first week's sales go to BAM.

The message of the email is clear: Brooklyn is cool, therefore so is Urban Outfitters. Why, it's the home of Jay-Z, Coney Island, and the pixelated Mike Tyson from "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!" Also, the L train, which goes nowhere near Atlantic Avenue and Court Street. If only the Notorious B.I.G. were alive to see this glorious development.

Brooklyn already has an Urban Outfitters; it's called Brooklyn Industries. Anyway, here is Urban Outfitters' tribute to Brooklyn in possibly the least essential audio slide show ever.   

Tonight's show featured a free copy of Cheap Trick's latest album "Rockford," plus the band hung out at the afterparty at Kiss & Fly (which I did not attend, because what am I, some kind of machine built to continously booze and dance ... some kind of, I don't know, party machine?) So, did the clothes rock as hard as Rick Nielsen's guitar technique? The answer is yes.

Suits with oversized, high-peaked lapels, Edwardian-style shirts and coats with stand-up collars brought forth images of a rock 'n' roll Lestat which, in case you are wondering, is a good thing. Don't think it was costumey though; the collection would look as appropriate in an office as it would in a rock club. Check out John Varvatos at the label's Soho boutique.

It seems like it's not just presidential candidates who are thinking about a recession. Both shows I've attended have had a strange, somber mood.

First, Duckie Brown. The scene: The music is pumping through the crowd before the show, getting louder and louder, until it reaches an electronic climax and then ... nothing. The entire show is held in silence. Just the whispers of a confused crowd and the clicking of cameras.

The collection was much more conservative than seasons past. No gold-sequined sweatshirts, no comically oversized jackets or models wearing wigs. Just black and gray. The collection was very attractive, however, just not in the usual hip-hop flamboyant way; very classic pieces given a youthful touch, like nylon jackets and cashmere hoodies. 

So everyone knows that Fashion Week starts this weekend, but did you know that there is also an event called the ... um... Super Bowl? I'll be rooting for the Giants in between fashion shows, and I'll also be rooting against the Patriots for a very specific reason--and it's not Spygate.

Back in the Vince Lombardi days, coaches dressed like professionals. Look at ol' Vince: sharp coat, snappy hat, serious glasses. He looks like a man who studies his football, who spends hours upon hours preparing for games. He looks like a man who could draw up a brilliant play and then answer a question about tax returns.

Now look at Belichick. The only thing he looks like he's prepared to do is watch a "Law & Order" marathon on TNT. I mean, it's not like NFL coaches today are going grace the cover of "Vogue" anytime soon, but most at least wear an athletic jacket and some slacks. Belichick's standard uniform of rumpled sweats makes him look like he's about to crack open a bag of Doritos instead of be the first coach to have a perfect season since Don Shula.

Granted, he is one of the most succesful coaches in NFL history, so I guess he can do whatever he wants. It still wouldn't hurt him to visit some of New York's fine men's shops.

Every once in awhile, I get a PR email that forces a dilemma. Do I write about their horrible product, mocking it but at the same time giving it publicity? Or do I let it die in the depths of my inbox?

I decided to blog about it, but instead of providing a link to their website, I'll link to Hot Chicks with Douchebags. Take that, lame LA T-shirt company!

First up is the "F**ck Me, I'm a Hedge Fund Manager" T-shirt. Give it to your favorite finance professional, and he won't have to keep giving obvious hints as to his profession or "accidentally" drop his work ID out of his wallet when hitting on a girl at Dorrian's. I believe that's called efficiency.

Next is the "My Other Jet is a Bigger Jet" shirt. I think it's safe to say anyone who actually owned a jet would be wearing something other than a novelty T-shirt they bought over the internet.

Finally, there is the "Don't Front, You're From the Suburbs" shirt. What better way to show your disdain for tacky suburbanites than wearing a tacky T-shirt bearing that very sentiment? There's a reason why the Red States hate us, and this is it.

Bravo, unnamed T-shirt company. Bravo.

Name: Spencer
Spotted: St. Marks and 3rd Ave.
Lives: Kew Gardens, Queens

Hey! Where are you off to? A holiday work meeting.

Hopefully there'll be an open bar of some sort. Where do you work? Ahh, no open bar but free pizza from Viva Cafe, which is just as good! I work at Mavi Jeans but really want to do fashion journalism.

Awesome. Do you have any particular magazines in mind? I love Paper, Nylon and Vogue, but it would be great to start my own zine.

Tell me about your outfit? I got the jeans at Mavi, the shoes at David Z or some shop off of Broadway, the sweater from Urban Outfitters and the bag from H&M.

Where are you hanging out these days? House parties, bars and clubs. The High Voltage party at Annex is always a good time.

As the leaves and outdoor seating disappear from the city, it's time to face a hard truth--you are going to be wearing a winter coat every day for the next three or four months. You don't have to settle for the same generic pea coat seen all over the streets of Midtown. This Mala Brajkovic coat (above) from Elizabeth Charles has a fun, feminine look to it, just one of many attractive coats from Aussie or Kiwi designers at this West Village boutique.

Some other good options? A.P.C. is a great place for chic, alpaca fur-trimmed coats for men and women, while Tokio7's consignment collection means big-name designers for low prices. Check out all of our winter coat suggestions in our "Winter Wear" feature.

I know we're all bummed that Philip Lim didn't win the CFDA award this year. Lim, along with Vena Cava, Erin Fetherson and Threeasfour, were included as some of the favorites among New York designers, but who would have guessed that the underdog Gregory Rogan, who specializes in eco-conscious clothing, would take the $200,000 prize? Rogan (who has a store in Tribeca) owns three lines and maintains that looking good is just as important as being ecologically minded. While some blogs are shocked that Rogan won (see Papermag's rant), I think Vogue and CFDA's choice is huge and sends out a message to the consumer that eco-conscious clothing is inevitably the smart and trendy thing to do in fashion. Now, only if they can figure out how to make organic cotton cheaper everyone could be eco-chic!

(Photos Courtesy of Rogan)

Clockwise: Steven Alan, 3.1 Phillip Lim, APC, Honey in the Rough

Before you go vote in the primary elections, why not vote for your favorite boutique in our Best of Citysearch polls? You can vote for your fave vintage shop, gourmet store, bookstore, home decor spot and much more. Let your voice be heard!

1. Head over to the Lincoln Center where Bravo will be hosting a sneak peak fashion show of Project Runway Season Four.

2. Francophiles should consider checking out the long list of fashion events at the French Institute this month including the YSL double feature film on Tuesday.

3. Head over to Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall next week for a no fuss, no list and no models or clothing hologram fashion show promoting Target's Fall/Winter line.

4. Hit up Parson's new lecture and discussion series Rethinking Fashion: Challenges and Solutions in Sustainability.

5. Who can resist shopping, right? Check out our list of sale events, including a sample sale at one of our favorite menswear boutiques, BBlessing.

(Photo Courtesy of Bravo)