Who wore it best? Tell us in the comments!Photo: Getty Images
Jessica Simpson arrived at the Accessories Council Ace Awards at Cipriani-42nd Street to the ultimate nightmare! She was wearing the same sequined leopard frock as the evening’s host, and it was Deborah Norville! Uncool. She huddled in the foyer for a confab with her mother. “Should I go home and change?” Jessica asked, according to a spy who was standing nearby. “Just change in the bathroom stall,” counseled Simpson the Elder. “Are you kidding?” Jessica retorted. “I’m going home!” That’s right, honey, you’re not in Texas anymore. Jessica began stomping toward the door, but was pulled back — either by a rush of self-confidence or a wise PR person — and moments later was marching down the red carpet and presenting an award to the CEO of Macy’s. It was the right thing to do, even according to her erstwhile teen-pop rival, Mandy Moore, who says that in the same situation, “I don’t think I’d be embarrassed. Hopefully, we’d be rocking it in different ways.” Yeah, and they were, because, by the way, Deborah Norville is 49. If anyone was freaking out, you’d think it would be her. But her calm reaction was met with approval by none other than the King of Zen, Marc Jacobs. “If the dress is what determines the individual, then the individual should work more on their character and what they choose to wear,” he said. “You know what I mean?”
—Amy Odell
