RSVPs: Nikki Blonsky, Jaime Pressly, Tim Gunn...
When: Jan. 8
Where: Boulevard3
Believe it or not, Hollywood women aren't all superskinny or size 0. Tonight’s Slim-Fast Style Your Slim party, hosted by Rachel Hunter and Project Runway’s Tim Gunn, is all about celebrating women of every size. The evening features a fashion show, but instead of professional models, real women who’ve lost weight will be walking the runway.
On the red carpet, an impossibly svelte Stacy Keibler surprises me with her own size confession. “I’m a 6, which I think is pretty normal,” she says. (I think it's normal too, but remember in The Devil Wears Prada where Anne Hathaway’s character gets ridiculed by everyone for being a dreaded size 6?)
“But some people see me and think I’m tinier, because I’m really tall, but I work so hard to stay this size.” Stacy swears she does cardio every day, along with weight training, pilates and hiking to keep her figure fabulous—and still she doesn’t leave home without her Spanx!
Hollywood newcomer Nikki Blonsky tells me she’s perfectly fine with her fuller figure. “People tell me all the time ‘I think you should lose weight’ or ‘No, you should stay the way you are’,” she dishes. “The only opinion that really matters at the end of the day is your own. I’m happy with me. I’ve never been so happy in my life, and why start changing things now?” Hey, if I just won a Critic’s Choice Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe, I wouldn’t change anything either! The one thing Nikki can’t resist passing up? “My mom’s chicken parm and pasta,” she says. “It’s so good. I could eat it all day!”
Disses, Drinks and Dish: Although Jaime Pressly worked out a ton after giving birth to get her body back, this babe still knows how to splurge. “I had a Big Mac yesterday,” she confesses. “I’m an old southern girl. I like Big Macs, whatever! I like Whoppers, too. Once in a while, everyone needs to indulge and eat, and that’s why you work out.” One photog asks for another picture of Jaime just as former WWE wrestler Chyna Doll is arriving. Jaime politely tries to pose without blocking her, but the photographer yells, “Don’t worry, she’s not important!” for all of us (and Chyna) to hear. Ouch.
As everyone starts heading inside, I notice Jennie Garth ducking out through a side entrance. Wonder where she's hurrying off to before the show has even started? Inside Boulevard3, waitresses are circulating with cocktails. I stop to ask what one frothy concoction is. Turns out it's a Slim-Fast martini, made with chocolate Slim-Fast, pomegranate liquor and vodka. It sounds suspicious but actually tastes decent.Real Life to Runway: The lights dim as Gunn and Hunter join Macy Gray (who’s in charge of the turntables tonight) in the deejay booth. Tim takes the mic and introduces each woman as she walks the runway, telling the crowd about her background and how much weight she has lost. The models, who were selected from all over the country, are sporting fashion by Chloe Dao. There are students, single moms and even grandmoms strutting their stuff.
Some are members of Dress for Success, a nonprofit organization that helps disadvantaged women with their careers. One woman working the catwalk dropped more than 200 pounds, which is like losing a whole person (or two Olsen twins)! Kardashian checks out the show with choreographer Robin Antin, while Pressly sits to the left of the stage, cheering and clapping for each walking success story. Clearly, women supporting other women trying to lose weight is always in style.