Avril Goes Commando

Paris Hilton and Avril Lavigne surprised onlookers recently by acting like best buddies at a nightclub, with Avril shocking bystanders by announcing she'd copied Paris's famous habit of going commando.

"I have no underwear on!" screamed Avril as she and Paris hit the dance floor at the launch party for Club Goa in LA.

While Avril sported trousers instead of the short skirts Paris favoured at the height of her undie-free era, the pop-grunge singer's dance floor declaration still had fellow club-goers wondering just what could have brought these two party gals together.

As Paris's renewed partying spree continues, she is keen to drag others into her world alongside her.

But few onlookers expected rich heiress Paris, 26, to bond with grunge princess Avril, 23, whose polished but gritty style contrasts with Paris's bubbly personality and love of girlie pink clothes.

The budding friendship is especially surprising given the long-standing feud between the two blondes, who famously fell out in 2004 when Avril began dating rocker Deryck Whibley, now her husband, less than a year after he dated Paris.

The row was still simmering away earlier this year, when Avril made a thinly veiled swipe at Paris by publicly slamming "people who are famous who haven't done anything".

"They're just famous for being at Hollywood clubs or for dating people," Avril sniped, adding, "Really, I feel kind of bad for them."

But the war of words seemed all but forgotten as the two kicked up their heels at the LA venue and bonded over drinks.

According to insiders, Avril hopes her friendship with the outgoing blonde socialite will improve her own spiralling public image. With fans recently turning on the Canadian pop star for her late appearances on stage and surly attitude, Avril knows it's time she did some repair work, and thinks befriending Paris may be the perfect strategy.

"She's aware of the backlash," says a source, "and thinks people like Paris are well received."

Suspicions were also raised after Avril started trying to curry favour with Paris's good friend, actress Elisha Cuthbert, after a chance meeting at a party made her realise how popular Elisha is.

"Now, she's been calling Elisha nonstop trying to meet up," says a source.