How to spend $5,000 in two days

Whew! Two days of shopping and $5,000 later, and I have nothing to show for it! The What Not to Wear folks won't let me wear any of my stuff for at least another day, so it's back to the drab, worn-out, plain Jane stuff I brought. I didn't bring very many clothes, mainly because they didn't leave me that much when they raided my closet a few weeks ago, and I am so tired of what's in my suitcase! Tomorrow is my last day in the studio (and my last day in New York :(), and I don't have a clue what I'm going to wear!

So, today: Hosts Stacy London and Clinton Kelly shopped with me for awhile and gave a thumbs up or thumbs down on what I bought yesterday. I ended up having to return about $500 worth of stuff that just didn't please them like I thought, but in general, I did a pretty good job. Better than "contributers" usually do, they told me. Stacy and Clinton helped me pick out an incredible engagement dress that I'm just dying to show off. I think the happiest moment of my day was when one of Clinton's hair/makeup guys walked past me and had to do a double take. "Honey, you look hot!" he said. It feels good to take people off guard like that.

How's this for fashion reality TV coincidence? While we were at H&M (again) today, we ran into Chris, one of the designers on this season's Project Runway! Let's just hope tonight's not the night he gets cut on the show! (Don't worry, he didn't reveal any details about the show, but as of last week, he was still in.) Chris was a really nice guy, and you could definitely tell he was getting a little tired of the constant recognition on the streets and in the stores. After we chatted with him and cheesily asked for our photos, Sandra, my What Not to Wear assistant, told me to get used to getting recognized from the show. I wonder if that'll actually happen, and if it does, how I'll react to it. Chris didn't seem too impressed that I was going to be on a fashion reality show, just like him. Oh, well. I really like his designs and hope he does well on the program.

Tomorrow's my last day in New York, and though I absolutely love visiting here, I'm really starting to miss Austin. Not just Ian and Julian, but the people, their attitudes, the laid-back way of going about life. And for God's sake, the MUSIC!

The first day I shopped, I heard ABBA's "Dancing Queen" TWICE at TWO different stores! I laughed out loud when I heard it the first time and almost had to leave the second store when it followed us there. At another store I was at yesterday, I heard one honky tonk song, and I just knew they were playing it in that sort of ironic hipster sort of way. When I tried to explain how awesome the song was to the What Not to Wear crew that was with me, they all looked at me with these blank stares. Even though every single one of them was wearing boots, they just didn't get it. I have the privilege of listening to commercial-filled Top 40 radio at every single eat-on-the-run deli I stop at, and each night when I get back to my hotel, the cleaning person has lovingly left the radio on for me so that Maroon 5 or this Colbie Caillat person can welcome me home from my long day. New Yorkers may have the fashion, but they certainly could use a music lesson or two from somebody, anybody, back home. How's that Carrie Rodriguez song go? "Get me back to Austin, oh damn I miss that town."

But I can't really dis too much on New York City. Being here brings back all kinds of cherished memories of previous trips. But this trip might end up being the most memorable yet. And now, after all these hours and dollars spent shopping, I've got a killer wardrobe to prove it.

Tomorrow is hair and makeup. I met Nick, the hair stylist, for a quick consultation today, but I have no idea what he's got planned. I guess there are surprises in store for all of us!