Have a drink, but pay full price for fashions

The economic downturn proved that the fashion-obsessed won't necessarily buy hot clothes just because they're in the stores.

So tonight, to help us feel better about making often-thought-of-as-frivolous purchases, Vogue editor Anna Wintour will host Fashion's Night Out, a worldwide party - participants will be shopping in the United States, France, Italy, Taiwan, and Russia - to get recession-weary shoppers back in the stores. In the Philadelphia region, the King of Prussia mall - the only mall in the world to do so - will host the evening, starting at 6 p.m.

If the world's fashion czarina says it's OK to shop, then it must be the right thing to do.

"It's a global initiative to promote retail, restore consumer confidence, and celebrate fashion," said Patrick O'Connell, spokesman for Vogue magazine. "If people aren't shopping, many people are at risk of losing their jobs. We wanted this event to be a connection between the consumer and the fashion industry."

The main stage for Fashion's Night Out is New York City, where more than 800 retailers will be providing cocktails, entertainment, celebrity appearances, and free-with-purchase deals to entice shoppers. Wintour and designer Michael Kors will be appearing at the Macy's in Queens, where they will sign official Fashion's Night Out T-shirts. Forty percent of the proceeds from the T-shirt sales will be donated to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

Close to 800 stores in cities including Los Angeles and Chicago will be participating as well.

The idea is to get people to take advantage of the season's fall fashions while the goods are at full price. (Last fall, in a rush to sell off merchandise after the market plunged, high-end stores deeply discounted their selections, establishing a sales culture that shoppers have come to expect all season long.)

"We are in line with the idea of going back to promoting high-quality items at the most competitive prices," said Tyler Shaffer, a King of Prussia spokesman.

Time will tell whether people need more than a stiff drink and free perfume samples to be convinced that purchasing at full price is an altruistic measure.

Still, more than 80 retailers at King of Prussia will keep their doors open and the cocktails flowing. That includes Lily Pulitzer - who will showcase the brand's original shift - Wet Seal, and Arden B.

As part of the fanfare, 12 vintage gowns that were worn by Princess Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, and Vivien Leigh will be on display in the Lord & Taylor court, Bloomingdale's court, and Neiman Marcus court.

In the Nordstrom court, there also will be four gaming consoles set up - two Microsoft Xboxes and two Nintendo Wiis - for demonstration, including the just-released video game The Beatles: Rock Band.

Neiman Marcus will launch its Beauty Event with on-site spa demonstrations and a Tokyo Eyelash Bar, where you can try on false eyelashes ranging from sparkly ones to feathery looks. And there will be a networking reception open to the public - especially shoe aficionados - hosted by local financial planner Al Heaton at Neiman's shoe boutique.

"Fashion is involved in all of our lives," said Denelle Drake, spokeswoman for Neiman Marcus in King of Prussia, who was instrumental in getting the King of Prussia mall on board for the event. "Building a relationship with the consumer is more important than ever."

The good cheer is spreading beyond King of Prussia mall. Per Lei in Media will host an event with a live DJ, makeovers by Laura Mercier, and gift bags filled with goodies from Trina Turk, Tibi, and Badgley Mischka.

As shopping returns to more of a special occasion than a weekly pastime, it's become necessary for designers and upscale retailers to come down from their 6-inch heels and walk beside the women who carry their shoes in totes. Unlike New York Fashion Week, which also is starting today, participants don't need tickets or invitations to get in.

Tonight, Rittenhouse Row will host its fall gathering. The event, which is in its fifth year, features more than 20 boutiques and salons who will partner with about 30 local restaurants and lounges for more shopping and, of course, cocktails.

But the Rittenhouse Row gathering, says executive director Corie Moskow, isn't as shopping-focused as the Vogue-sponsored event.

"The hope is the attendees here will feel welcome and that Rittenhouse Row will seem accessible to them," said Moskow. Rittenhouse Row, Moskow said, debated whether to participate in Fashion's Night Out but decided against it, wanting to remain independent. "We didn't want people to feel pressured to shop."

Of course, promoting shopping in any venue these days - especially when the nation's unemployment rate is upwards of 9.5 percent - can be a dicey game. The fashion industry is betting that tonight's event could be the beginning of a winning streak.