By Sarah Nicole Prickett

Photo by Sarah Nicole Prickett.
We’re getting tipsy, and it has nothing to do with St. Patrick: it’s bubbly, not beer, to celebrate Day One of L’Oréal Fashion Week. In Nathan Phillips Square, the tents are back and 10,000 square feet bigger—all the better to accommodate those outsize egos and handbags to match (it is the fashion industry, after all).
If you’re going, pack your own big bag with stylish survival gear: digital camera, pad and pen for scribbling runway notes (or nabbing Coca Rocha‘s autograph), dark chocolate, even darker lipstick, a bottle of water (Prosecco can be so dehydrating) and—most importantly—a schedule of the shows. After the jump, we tell you what not to skip.

Monday (today): Project Runway winner Evan Biddell presents “Sustainably Sexy Global Warriors” at 2 p.m.; Montreal new-romantics Nadya Toto and Denis Gagnon blow us side-by-side Francophone kisses at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively; and whisper has it the Misshapes are deejaying the Joe Fresh Style afterparty at 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday: At 3 p.m., Vancouver’s Evan and Dean make a bid to replace Dean and Dan (Dsquared) as Canada’s favourite designer duo (our fingers are crossed); NADA, at 7:30 p.m., is always a favourite, as is Joeffer Caoc at 9:30 p.m.; and lest girls have all the fun, Philip Sparks closes the day with his natty menswear.
Wednesday: Off-site, TFI New Labels finalist Ashley Rowe presents the sophomore season of Miss Rowe; Andy The-Anh and David Dixon go head-to-head in the “glammest gowns” category, showing at 8 and 9 p.m. respectively; and at 9:30 p.m., we decide if Greta Constantine is a good enough reason to go to Circa.
Thursday: Another much-anticipated sophomore showing, this time from Nada Yousif at 5 p.m.; the legendary Paul Hardy presents his semi-couture creations at 7 p.m.; and the ever-lovely Kendra Francis shows Franke (on site, finally) at 8:30 p.m.
And even if you’re not going, you don’t have to miss a single air kiss: just stay tuned for our dish on the daily.