If you're like most office-dwelling beings, you're probably going to get your TGIF on at some out-of-doors drinking scenarios in T-minus 53 minutes or so. (How obvs Is it that I don't know how the "T-minus" thing works?) If you happen to be within reach of Cha Taquería (305 NW 21st) at 7 tonight, consider parking your margarita money there for a fashion show with gear from NW shops like Mabel & Zora, Haberdashers, Lucia Apparel, Popina Swimwear, plus jewelry from Lolabelle. Bottoms up!

Tonight is the finale of Nolita's denim swap benefit, culminating in a celebration of denim, beer, and cowboy/girl gear titled, "Bottles, Butts, & Boots." You can still bring in your old pairs of jeans (in good condition, please) for a 20% discount on a replacement pair from the store's notoriously bad-ass selection, plus enter the raffle for prizes of the wearable and drinkable varieties. And don't forget your Western-wear, because there's a prize for Best Costume, too! The 21+ festivities begin at 5:30 pm this evening, with food and drink, good old country music, and of course, denim gorging. Tickets are $10 at the door, and all proceeds go toward the cause. Yee-haw.

Today is DAY 1 of Nolita's denim swap, which is an easy-as-pie way to clear the cobwebs out your closet, and get a discount on a brand new pair of spankin' jeans for summer. Here's the steeze: Now until the 29th of May, you can bring in your old (in good condition, though, no busted crotches or anything) jeans and get 20% off a brand new pair from their huge selection for men and women (Proportion of Blu, Citizens of Humanity, Seven, Dunderdon, etc). Your old ones will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters, and if you buy some raffle tix ($20 for a pack of 4), you'll be entered to win a free pair, with all raffle proceeds also going to the mentoring organization. The whole thing culminates with the "Bottles, Butts & Boots" party on May 29th at the store, a western-themed event with drawings from Widmer Brewing, snacks 'n' bevvies, a prize for best western outfit, and some good old country music. Yeeehaw.

Just as an aside, if you have some old jeans that aren't in good enough condition, you should figure out how to do this with them...

...because I just found these on the internets while Google imaging for "denim" and I kind of love them. Just saying.

Hey, I didn't come up with the nickname, he did. He's Andrew Christian, one of the contestants on the new Bravo show they've installed to make up for the loss of Project Runway, impotently titled The Fashion Show. The first episode aired on Thursday to a resounding "meh," and while I can't muster the effort to actually watch the premier, I've been listening to it over my headphones as I multi-task three-to-five other things in the meantime, from which I've gathered 1) that host/judge Isaac Mizrahi is no Tim Gunn; 2) a long-in-coming recollection of who host/judge Kelly Rowland even is; and 3) there's a much-discussed assertion that harem pants are a "must-have". It's mostly just aping PR, but you already knew that. A light comb through the internets for anyone who cares a poop about this show led me to this succinct paragraph in the NYT's review:

Isaac Mizrahi is the host and lead judge instead of Heidi Klum, which is a little like giving the Grace Kelly role in “To Catch a Thief” to Rosie O’Donnell. There is no avuncular Tim Gunn acting as mentor to the 15 designers; instead Mr. Mizrahi and his co-host, Kelly Rowland, formerly of Destiny’s Child, inspect the workroom where the designers are frantically cutting and basting. They don’t hand out helpful tips or encouraging words; mainly they exchange eye rolls and dismissive comments. (Mr. Gunn’s exhortation, “Make it work,” became famous; Mr. Mizrahi leaves the room with a less inspiring motto, “Keep pluggin’.”)

Anyway, I wouldn't bring this up at all, except that A) we're in Project Runway limbo, which means some fiends will be taking this TV methadone as a desperate substitute for the real thing, and B) Andrew "the Panty Christ" Christian is making a personal appearance this Saturday at the downtown location of Under U for Men (which carries his skivvies), which by my calculations means that someone who reads this will care. Unless, you know, you watch this and realize that no. No, you don't care. I'll leave it to your discretion.

Still care? Okay, then you need to stop by either the downtown or Bridgeport Village store prior to Saturday for a free wristband (limit four per person) that will get you into the meet 'n' greet (they are keeping the time loosey-goosey, but "no later than 3 pm" is the word), plus a mysterious fashion show event to follow, on which I am awaiting details. Please contain yourself until I am able to update with that information.

UPDATE! The fashion show is 9 pm at Boxxes (1035 SW Stark). Expect to see many hot men in their underwear...