Gown

The environment is in danger and global warming threatens, but you're only one person, so what can you do to make a difference? JJ Biel-Goebel, board president of Urban Green Partnership (UGP), says you can do a lot, and the partnership has come together with sponsors such as SCA Americas, Golden Blossom Honey, and Whole Foods to dedicate an entire free festival to showing you how. GreenFest Philly will begin at 11 a.m. Sunday and last until 6 p.m. on South Street, chosen for its attraction to a diverse and passionate Philadelphia crowd.

COVER YOUR EYES, Vera Wang, 'cause here comes the bride - and there goes her expensive silk wedding gown. Into an outdoor water fountain. Or onto a beach to get covered with sand and surf. Or how about against a wall at the Eastern State Penitentiary? So much for a dress getting marred by just a bit of icing from smooshing cake into the groom's face during the reception. Some brides are going all out and completely trashing their dresses. In other words, after walking down an aisle, an adventurous bride might jump into a swimming pool so she can be captured floating - gown, veil and all - on her back against a bright-blue backdrop.

My eldest daughter has picked out her wedding dress, and I have to say it's a big load off my mind. You never want to delay such an important decision until the last minute. Sure, she probably could have waited for, say, 20 years - she's 6 - but when the perfect dress comes along, a girl doesn't dare miss it. Other pesky wedding-day details, such as choosing a groom, have to take a backseat. Jin Yu's choice is a creamy off-the-shoulder number called Cinderella - it looks like it sounds.

Actresses skipped necklaces and posed on the Kodak Theatre's red carpet on their way into the 79th annual Oscar ceremony last night in blush-colored and jewel-toned Grecian-styled and strapless gowns. This is not surprising, as these looks dominated this year's red-carpet season. But last night's bare necks drew even more attention to designer detail, which was a combination of sexy, off-the-shoulder tops, basket-weave bodices, and full skirts fashioned from layers of ruffles and tulle.

It's a rare sight in Philadelphia: so many gowns fashioned by so many of the world's top designers - Oscar de la Renta, Monique Lhuillier, Roberto Cavalli, Reem Acra - all appearing under one roof. But on Saturday, 2,400 of the city's absolutely, positively, fabulously dressed elite filled the Academy of Music and Park Hyatt at the Bellevue. The array of mostly strapless, fishtailed confections glittered under the Broad Street lights. Because this year marked the Academy's 150th anniversary, women went all out with their fashion choices, many ordering couture gowns more than a year in advance.

A hodgepodge of swells and just plain folks crossed paths on Broad Street last night to take part in a rare confluence of royal gala and homespun entertainment. With the city's nightlife enlivened by two big events - the 150th Anniversary Academy Ball and Concert with Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, at the Academy of Music, and a live broadcast of Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion at the Kimmel Center - couples in white tie and sweeping ball gowns mingled with people in down jackets and fleece hats.

The start of the red-carpet season showed that current styles in evening wear such as jewel-toned Grecian and frothy white gowns flatter curvy women. During Monday night's Golden Globes, full-figured winners Jennifer Hudson, who donned a soft, navy-blue short-sleeved dress by Vera Wang, and America Ferrera, in a deep purple, cap-sleeved Brian Reyes gown, looked fabulous in the goddess-style tucks and upper-torso gathers. Other Grecian-style hits included Salma Hayek's flowing white Dior by John Galliano (she just oozed nectar and ambrosia)

In Suite 31A of the Waldorf-Astoria, Gillian Sleight is deciding what brides will wear next spring. Could it be the Ines Di Santo "Mar" dress - strapless silk peau de soie with beaded appliques at the bust? "Gillian, I think this is a must," says Veronica Di Santo, the designer's daughter. Could it be "Beth," another Di Santo strapless - silk gazar with feathers and pickups? "That's pretty, but I don't think it's us," says Sleight, 59, manager at the upscale Marlton boutique Bridal Garden.

Usually, the Emmy Awards show isn't the kind of must-see event that sparks either eveningwear trends for the prom-and-bridesmaid set or watercooler recaps ad nauseam. So, not unexpectedly, the fashions spotted at Sunday night's celebration of prime-time TV were pretty tame. The gowns followed the style established this year at the Oscars: tailored and structured, in bold monochromatic shades. Yet a plethora of purple and black and lace overlays made one wonder: Was Prince the muse?