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Donna Martin Graduates, Goes to Betsey Johnson

Betsey congrats Donna on finally giving it up to David.Photo: Getty Images

Considering we’re such die-hard Beverly Hills, 90210 lovers, it was almost too perfect that the marquee guest at Betsey Johnson’s prom-themed fashion show was none other than Tori Spelling herself, (in)famous for the time her alter-ego Donna Martin almost didn’t graduate because she got drunk on champers at prom. Even Tori’s shoulder-length blonde hair and dark roots seemed like a tribute to those glory days many years, countless bottles of bronzer, and several cup sizes ago.

Sadly, Tori did nothing at this event that necessitated getting dragged to the principal’s office nor did she incite a student riot; she actually looked cute and super Betsey-appropriate in her hot-pink skirt. We do, however, wish some authority figure or other could wipe the smarmy expression off husband Dean McDermott’s face. Even in his Very Seriously Trying Not to Look Like a Gold-Digging Slime spectacles, Dean came off a tad oily and smug, while his wife appeared nervously on her best behavior with a tight-lipped smile and crossed ankles — as if she were afraid to kick back and get comfortable lest it yield an unflattering photo.

Which is a shame, because if any presentation at Fashion Week encourages relaxing and getting carried away, Betsey’s is it. Always one of our very favorites for the frothy fun, pageantry, and attitude, this one put the designer’s spin on prom fashion from the fifties to the aughts while singers JoJo and Mya bopped their feet to remixed hits from across the decades. The former seemed a little lost during the early going — she is practically a fetus, after all — while Mya had herself wrapped herself in a tight, black satin dress that looks exactly like what we wore to our ninth-grade formal. She bravely rocked curly hair despite the wet weather and wore a delighted grin the entire time. Although, if we were rubbing elbows with America’s sexiest noted fashion photographer, Nigel Barker, we’d be beaming too. If we weren’t felled by heart palpitations first. Nigel rather cutely got into the spirit of things by wearing a shiny blue flower pinned to his lapel, as if it were a boutonniere. And almost every model loosened up and added some cheeky flair to her walk, with the exception of a pouty and somewhat cross-looking Lydia Hearst. Perhaps the Über-slight socialite allowed herself a rice grain backstage before the show and then became furious with her own lack of restraint.

Leigh Lezark and the MisShapes also scored seats at the four-person tables lining the runway, and, of course, so did badass-about-town L.L. Cool J. There isn’t a seat in town his ass hasn’t graced, or so it feels, and to his credit he always pays rapt attention to what he’s seeing. We hope this means he’ll show up at the Grammys next year in bloomers plucked straight off Betsey’s runway. Hey, anything for fashion, right? —The Fug Girls

View a slideshow of the Betsey Johnson collection.
Watch video of the Betsey Johnson show.

Donna Martin Graduates, Goes to Betsey Johnson