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Jan 17 2012 08:30 AM ET

Victoria Justice Helps Teens in Need Get Prom-Perfect

Victoria Justice Amanda Schwab/Startraks

Following in the footsteps of Ashley Greene, Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice is channeling her charitable side as the spokesperson for the 2012 Donate My Dress campaign. Designed to help less fortunate teens get special occasion dresses for their proms, Sweet 16 parties and Quinceañeras, the campaign encourages girls to donate gently used dresses to their local chapters.

“I’m really excited to be a part of the Donate My Dress organization,” Justice said in a release. “Prom can be really expensive; this program is an easy way for girls everywhere to get involved and help other girls in need.”

Justice is donating a dress of her own — the Jill Stuart mini she wore to the 2010 MTV Video Music awards (left) — and hoping others follow suit. Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Brittany Snow have donated some of their special occasion dresses in the past, too.

Dec 21 2011 01:30 PM ET

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Wilmer Valderrama’s New Gigs: T-shirt Designer — and Philanthropist

Wilmer Valderrama T-shirt
Courtesy Wilmer Valderrama

Wilmer Valderrama is putting his laidback style to use, helping change the world one T-shirt at a time. The self-proclaimed “black T-shirt guy” sits on the board of advisors at This Shirt Helps, a new clothing brand that aims to give back in the style of TOMS Shoes.

“It’s one of those really feel-good brands that I think could really, really help,” Valderrama tells PEOPLE. “The common goal is to create a somewhat global-helping approach to business.”

Proceeds from every T-shirt sold at ThisShirtHelps.com go toward the buyer’s choice of charitable act: to the ASPCA save a single animal; to provide clean water for one year via Waves 4 Water; allowing Plant with Purpose to plant three trees; or funding one month of school via Pencils of Promise.

“I’m one of those guys who’s like, ‘OK, what is the money really gonna go toward?’” says Valderrama of the brand’s decision to show contributions in measurable amounts of help provided per shirt purchased, rather than percentages of profit donated. But there’s a method to the madness.

Dec 19 2011 01:30 PM ET

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How to Bring Bethenny Frankel, Mary-Kate and Ashley Into Your Home

Bethenny Frankel Skinny Girl Vase
Courtesy Swarovski; Inset: Jason Kempin/WireImage

It’s not just another celebrity sale: the ‘Goddess Adorned’ auction features fancy vases decorated with love by stars like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Bethenny Frankel, Melissa Joan Hart and more. But just like your typical celebrity auction, funds raised benefit a very worthy cause: Housing Works, a charity working hard to eradicate homelessness.

The stars involved each received a limited-edition Gaia vase by Harry Allen, then used sparkling Swarovski Elements to personalize the vessels. Frankel used black and red crystals to give a “chic” representation of her Skinnygirl brand (left); the Olsens put their design skills to use by making a miniature blazer from Italian-sourced fabrics and pairing it with a feminine skirt to “dress” their vase; and Hart made a play on her last name, covering hers in deep red breaking hearts.

Check out all 15 vases — and place some bids! — on shop.housingworks.com through Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 10 p.m. ET.

SHOP THE BEST GIFTS FROM CELEBRITY DESIGNERS

Dec 19 2011 12:00 PM ET

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Miley Cyrus Helps Her Big Bro Design T-shirts

Miley Cyrus T-shirt
Courtesy S.M.H.P.

Someone’s a good little sister! Miley Cyrus recently gave big bro Trace a hand, helping him create a T-shirt for his two-year-old Southern Made Hollywood Paid clothing line.

“We decided to create a shirt that represented my line, with some of Miley’s style added to it,” Trace said in a release. “The two of us had been talking about doing this for a while — it was just about getting the right design.”

Trace came up with the idea for the artwork, basing it on his sis. “I wanted to think of something that really reminded me of [her],” he said. So he chose to feature a dream catcher, reminiscent of Miley’s biggest tattoo, and an image he has tattooed on his body, as well. “It was something we were always around since childhood, because of the influence from our dad,” he shared.

The addition of a peace sign and Miley’s autograph complete the shirt. “It just felt appropriate to somehow incorporate,” Trace said of his sister’s signature.

Dec 15 2011 09:00 AM ET

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How to Score Dresses Worn By Courteney Cox and Kourtney Kardashian

Courteney Cox Dress Auction
Matt Sayles/AP; John Shearer/WireImage

We can’t afford the off-the-runway Prabal, Prada and Pucci our favorite stars wear to red-carpet events, but what if they were available secondhand? Now you’re talking! The Real Real, an online consignment shop, is selling dozens of high-fashion dresses and accessories worn by celebrities, and 85 percent of proceeds from sales will benefit a great cause.

The sale starts Thursday at 10 a.m. ET, and includes Diane von Furstenberg from Jennifer Garner, a Rachel Zoe collection gown, Haute Hippie from Kourtney Kardashian, a Rebecca Taylor dress from 90210‘s Shenae Grimes (above, right) and a Alessandro Dell’Acqua number from Courteney Cox (above, left). “I love the fit and color of this dress,” Cox tells PEOPLE. “I loved wearing it.”

Other goodies include a Dolce & Gabbana clutch donated by Miley Cyrus, a gown Chris Benz designed for Glee‘s Dianna Agron, two Tory Burch handbags and a Monique Lhuillier blouse from Jamie-Lynn Sigler — plus much more.

Dec 07 2011 03:00 PM ET

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Hey Dolls! Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj Barbies Auctioned for Charity

Barbie Katy Perry Nicki Minaj
Splash News Online

OK, so you can’t win a cupcake-covered Katy Perry or wig-wearing Nicki Minaj to have in your home, but you can nab miniature versions of the superstars in a new charitybuzz.com auction, running through Monday, Dec. 19.

The lovely ladies were each recently turned into Barbie dolls, and their mini-mes are part of a fundraiser for the L.A.-based charity Project Angel Food, which provides nutritious meals to men and women affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Dec 06 2011 06:00 PM ET

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Chanel Iman Guards a Million-Dollar Perfume Bottle in N.Y.C.

Chanel Iman Golden Delicious
Slaven Vlasic/Getty

And you think your job is tough! Flanked by four hunky guys, model Chanel Iman hit the streets of New York on Monday carrying some very precious cargo: a million-dollar bottle of DKNY’s new fragrance, Golden Delicious. OK, so maybe it’s not that tough of a job. But who better to guard the goods than the DKNY fragrance spokesmodel?

“It was fun,” she told PEOPLE of the task. “I had no idea that it was a whole production — as a model, you never know what you’re getting into.”

What Iman, the face of DKNY’s Be Delicious, was getting into was promoting the sale of the million-dollar scent, which is actually a bottle of Golden Delicious designed by jeweler Martin Katz and covered in 2,909 rare jewels from around the world, including 2,700 brilliant white diamonds, 183 yellow sapphires and one 2.43-carat yellow canary diamond.