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Hanging with friends this weekend? Get your small talk inspiration from some of the week’s biggest stories!

1. Jennifer Aniston debuted her giant engagement ring, then diverted attention by booking a hair deal.
2. The Halloween countdown is on. Here’s some fun beauty ideas and (naturally) celebrities picking pumpkins.
3. Christina Aguilera launched Red Sin and Britney Spears launched Twisted Fantasy fragrances. Nice to see the battle continues.
4. Brrr, it’s cold out there! That means Kate Middleton’s collection of great coats is back!
5. The beginning of the end of Gossip Girl started this week. See the clothes!
6. Catch up on your DVR: The Vampire Diaries and Nashville premiered this week.
7. YES! Breakfast at Tiffany’s is headed to Broadway.
8. The bride wore… yellow? Amber Tamblyn channeled Liz Taylor.

Last night’s annual amfAR Inspiration Gala left us inspired! The event raised $10.3 million to benefit the Foundation for AIDS Research, as well as honor Kevin Huvane, HIV/AIDS activist and longtime agent to stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, who flew to the west coast to congratulate him herself. “He’s really become a leader in this community in a lot of ways,” Parker said of Huvane at the event, held at Milk Studios in Los Angeles. “Especially for the young people around him in an organization that he’s helped to build—it’s so inspiring.” Guests included Octavia Spencer, chairman of the amfAR Kenneth Cole, Chelsea Handler, Kate Hudson, and Katy Perry, who gave special performance of some of her firework-starting songs. Click through to learn more about last night’s gala and see more photos from this week’s hottest parties.

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Shoe lovers, the Brian Atwood New York flagship boutique is open for business! With its arched entryway (carved from a single piece of marble), custom satin seating and mirrored walls, 655 Madison Avenue is a shopper’s dream. “I wanted a closed environment, sort of like a Faberge egg—to give just a little hint of what’s inside from the outside,” he told Instyle.com as he gave us a tour of the Manhattan space. “Then when you come in you have a chic haven for women who love shoes and handbags to just come and go crazy.” The designer collaborated with decorator William Sofield of Studio Sofield on the luxurious interior. “There’s that balance of very Old Hollywood glamour with gorgeous sexiness,” said Atwood. Adding to the unique experience, all the shoes in the designer collection—including exclusive store styles—will have a 655 Madison Avenue metal plaque on the soles (left). We’re ready to run over in our stilettos, how about you?

Plus, see the celebrities who love Brian Atwood.

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In Smashed, Mary Elizabeth Winstead puts herself on the map in a breakout role as Kate Hannah, an alcoholic whose relationship is put to the test when she decides to get sober. Aaron Paul, fresh off his Emmy win for Breaking Bad, is equally compelling as her husband, Charlie. “It’s so funny because her and I didn’t know each other before the film and we hung out just a few times before shooting,” Paul told InStyle.com during the Toronto International Film Festival. “She always looks so beautiful and elegant—it’s quite opposite of Kate.” It’s true: Winstead had to transform for her on-screen appearance, with clothing as broken-down as her character. “The wardrobe stands out quite a bit,” said Winstead. “People tend to comment on it after they see the film. [My character] doesn’t really care about what she looks like because all she cares about is drinking and having fun and getting drunk. It was liberating to look that crazy.” Their chemistry helped, too. “It’s very funny at times but also, as a character, she reaches a lot of lows, so there was a lot of dark, gritty stuff to go through,” added Winstead. “It was a great gift to have Aaron on set because he was such a light, happy, loving presence all the time amidst a really dark story.” Break out your tissues for this engrossing, compulsively watchable portrait of addiction that’s as sad as it is beautiful.

Plus, see all the fall movies we want to see.

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