No, really.

And others watch the Academy Awards just to see designer clothes - Valentino, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Dina Bar-El - paraded down the red carpet by film stars and celebrities "without portfolio," aka those famous for being famous.

But no one in Salt Lake City or its environs scrutinizes the haute couture more carefully than Azita K-Nejad, owner of Ypsilon in Trolley Square, her daughter Roxy Shabestari, and Sally Allgood at Glide Deluxe, which offers "red-carpet looks at reality prices."

The same goes for the Golden Globes, Emmys and Grammys.

"Famous designers often give dresses to the celebrities to make sure the dress receives attention. Retail prices can be in the thousands. I have more than 20 designers who interpret the best styles and can have them for my shop by next season," K-Nejad said, adding Ypsilon dress prices usually top out at about $600.

Among the hundreds of event dresses displayed around the shop is one made of draped silk satin with a plunging neckline, front and back, and cinched with a wide cummerbund held with a jeweled pin. It closely resembles a dress worn by Julia Roberts at the 2004 Academy Awards. But Roberts' dress, by Giorgio Armani, was champagne and the jewel was real. The biggest difference is the price.

"We really do not know the retail price of the Roberts dress, but the one that resembles it is about $500," K-Nejad said.

Shabestari has a leopard-print halter dress that looks a lot like one worn by Gwen Stefani at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards in Miami. Shabestari's frock is about $125.

The shop buys only three or four of the same dresses and keeps a list of who is wearing what and where she is going. After the first event, the wearer is on her own.

"Our idea is that the quality and style of the dress is such that you should be able to keep it [and wear it] for 10 years," K-Nejad said.

While a customer can get a gown similar to one seen at 2006 red-carpet events, you won't see dresses from this year's award parties until next season.

"It takes about six months to go from runway, or red carpet, to a shop like ours. But it will be ready for next season," Shabestari said. She points out that recent New York Fashion Week styles are not for spring or summer, but will be on the racks for fall.

At Glide Deluxe, Allgood concentrates on big style for small prices.

"I buy 'overstocks.' They can come from any store. Sometimes dresses are left over because they are the wrong color. Some have a tear or a spot. I put those on the bargain rack," she said.

And there are bargains. A net prom dress with a rhinestone-studded bodice that retails for $400 can be found on the rack for less than $200. Someone with a good eye for style can buy a knockout dress off the rack for $25.

Are these dresses in the height of fashion? Maybe. Maybe not.

In Allgood's opinion, "Salt Lake City seems to be about four years behind the East and West coasts."

But if you see a must-have-now dress and do not want to wait to buy it in a shop, there are a couple of options.

Do you know the difference between fabrics that drape and fabrics that will hold a shape? Understand the words "selvage edge" and "cut on the bias"? If so, you can make your own dress.

Fashion Affair fabric shop, in Salt Lake City, is filled with exciting designer fabrics and handmade laces, Lena Mitchell says. "Sewing is very popular." And the shop has a mailing list of about 600 sewing enthusiasts who agree.

But if you are not one of them, you can have an expert seamstress make the dress for you. Penny Perkins of Penelope's, Salt Lake City, was in the fabric shop with Marley White recently selecting fabric and lace for the dress White will wear to her sister's wedding.

"Brides-to-be often come to me with photographs of a dream dress," Perkins said, matching gold fabric to the lace that will overlay White's dress. Perkins is able to create a gown from a photo, or even combine the skirt of one dress with the bodice of another, to make an original.

"The important thing is the material. You have to know what will drape, what will hold shape."

And while Perkins specializes in bridal gowns, she makes dresses for all occasions. Even red-carpet events.

A word to the fashion-wise: Before you give in to a yen to dress like Paris, Britney, Lindsay or even Camilla Parker Bowles, you should know that they are on fashion critic Richard Blackwell's famous Worst Dressed List.

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* JUDY MAGID can be contacted at magid@sltrib.com or 801-257-8608. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@sltrib.com.