Fall Forecast: Loafers

In stride with the enduring menswear-inspired fashion trend, loafers are one of the must-have shoes as we step into fall. Master the art of androgyny with a pair of perfectly prep, classic loafers. And if you’re not keen on cross-dressing, opt for a high heeled loafer — it’s a sexy, clever way to dip your toes into the gentleman’s trend without giving up your feminine wiles.

The Flat Loafer

One of the must-have shoes for autumn is the flat loafer. It’s so much more than you remember; the iconic low heel penny loafer — complete with a vamp strap ready to store your spare change — is just one of the many ways to rock the loafer look this season.

The Classic Loafer

If you long for a completely classic, moccasin-style loafer, slip on a pair of slip-ons replete with tassels, medallions, metal straps (à la Gucci loafers) or inserts for charming (but rather useless) one cent pieces. Tory Burch’s Pennie Low Heel Loafers epitomize the sophisticated yet laid-back feel of the quintessential penny loafer.  These paradoxically casual dress shoes go with just about anything: they’re cute with  peg-leg or capri pants, look ready to sail with a pair of Bermuda shorts, and have an upwardly mobile yuppie-chic feel when worn with a simple straight skirt and twinset. For a more modern look, pair classic penny loafers with skinny jeans or short shorts with opaque tights.

Slipper Shaped Loafer

Jeffrey Campbell, usually known for his daring and outlandish styles, has scaled down the drama in the Elegant, an easy, day-to-night slip-on patent leather loafer that exudes class and style. This polished bedroom slipper shaped loafer is a more tailored alternative to the ballet flat that works hard during the day and dresses up easily for night-time looks.

Oxford Style Loafer

We also love Jeffrey Campbell’s take on the prep school loafer in the menswear cutie aptly named the Uniform shoe. This lace-up, nearly flat oxford-style loafer add a touch of  scholarly class great with everything from boyfriend jeans, to jumpers and dresses, with or without tights.

Loafers with Chunky Platform Heels

Get down to business in a penny loafer with a chunky, stacked platform heel. Ramp up the basic loafer with a practical and sexy block heel for a feminized, dressier version of the menswear aesthetic. Adding the heel means you can wear these loafers with all of your favorite business causal looks, from fluid trousers to curve-loving pencil skirts.

The sculptural silhouette of the Lidia Suede High Heel Loafers by Jean-Michel Cazabat lands these sky high pumps at the top of our list of favorite girly loafers. The suede with contrasted leather trim and top-stitched seam detailing give these shoes a vintage feel that mixes so well with modern workwear.

Get Classic with a Kick

If you’re feeling fashion forward and funky, style your block-heeled penny loafers with pencil skirt or trouser shorts and instead of stockings, step into a pair of business socks. Keep in mind that this look is only for the sartorially brave, and not something you’d attempt to wear at most workplaces.

Stiletto Loafers

The narrower the heel, the sexier the shoe. And thanks to designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Nicholas Kirkwood, loafers have never been sexier. YSL’s Tribute Suede Slingback Loafer Pumps are totally splurge-worthy with their loafer-inspired tasseled front, sumptuous platform and sexy stiletto spike. And for a sultry but still work-friendly shoe, we love Nicholas Kirkwood’s Leather Moccasin-Inspired Platform Pumps: there’s a hefty nod to menswear in the loafer detailing, but the slender 5-inch heel, island platform and nude color will make your legs appear to go on forever!

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Ballet Flats: Practical Style

The flat shoe attack has redesigned the ballet-inspired slipper; with shoe designers like Tory Burch leading way, the trend has unleashed a pretty ballet flat that combines good sense with incredible style.

The ever-adorable ballet slipper stepped outside the mirrored walls of the dance studio several seasons ago, pounding the pavement in satiny styles tied up in a bow. The fabulous flat shoe then tossed aside the classic shape for trendier takes on the ballerina silhouette, giving the toe a point and the body every costume it could handle.

But this time around, after not missing a beat since its arrival, the ballet flat has placed the satin and the bows back under the spotlight where they belong. The girlier the better with this shoe, so let the glitz, shine, stripes and polka dots grab you by the hand and twirl you in.

Ballet Flat Style

Unlike the pencil-thin stiletto that gives your butt a lift and your legs a slim, the ballet flat isn’t a fail-safe flatterer. This heel-free shoe has the potential to shrink and squash your frame when paired with the wrong ensemble, but thankfully only a few items fall into the steer-clear category. Everything else in your closet will love to be linked to your sweet skimmers, from knee-kissing skirts to Bermuda shorts, creating a polished look that’s as carefree as your toesies.

Flat Shoe Fashion

Few on-trend shoes give you both non-stop comfort and ceaseless style, so indulge in this miniature foot saver. Start the day by leaving your sensible pumps in the closet and slip on a sleek pair of ballet flats with your tailored suit, cuffed capri or knee-length skirt, sticking to slippers in clean styles and luxurious, rich fabrics. Without the added height of a heel, an ensemble that finishes up with a flat shoe needs to lengthen the body, so keep your silhouette lean with straight-cut trousers, a-line or pencil skirts, and slender cropped pants.

At night, step into a pair of ballet flats that have a glow of their own. Remember those racy, heated metallics that shook up last season? They’ve fallen from your handbag to your feet, emerging as high-shine ballet flats in gorgeous golds, beautiful bronzes and glossy, romantic fabrics. Wear these little jewels with today’s favorite shapeless shifts and a-line tents, keeping your hem at or above the knee. A slim capri loves the ballet flat – look for styles that finish about a hand’s length below your knee. Also try wearing ballet flats with long, cuffed shorts, but if you’re doing denim, make it dark, and make it a straight cut.

Espadrilles, Moccasins & Birkenstocks

Not brave enough to teeter in towering needle spike shoes à la Kardashian sisters?

Never fear, this season’s hottest trends are a stiletto-phobic’s footwear fantasy: high heels you can wear without falling over, and flat shoes you can wear without looking like a Granola Queen.

Yes, that’s right, comfort is actually in; the wedge sect and the moccasin camp are gaining ground. This season, you can even wear Birkenstock sandals and still make the fashion cut.

The Rise of the Espadrille

Whether you choose one of Tory Burch’s modern take on the classic Basque-inspired canvas espadrille with a rope-adorned sole, the newer wedge shapes topped by satiny fabric and ribbons laced fancifully around your ankles, or opt for a stylized, updated interpretation of the sliced style fashioned from metallic leather straps, you can count on the espadrille to offer a dose of comfort and style.

Wedge shoes are sweet with the other trend-setters of the summer, including 1940s-style print circular, prairie, and tiered boho skirts — and they’re great at grounding capris and cropped pants.

Get Down In Moccasins

Taking a cue from Indian motifs, embroidered and beaded moccasin shoes and sandals are hitting the streets in dazzlingly bright hues. Hand-stitched slip-ons soothe the sole with exotic flare, combining down-to-earth comfort with glamorous trimmings of satin, sequins, beads, lace and shimmery glitter. Ladies with a penchant for heights can also hunt down the nouveau moccasin, decked out with a sharply pointed toe and elevated (albeit not to the Himalayas) with a delicate kitten heel.

Beauty and the Birkenstock

No, hell hasn’t frozen over. And no — you aren’t hallucinating. Even Birkenstocks weigh in on the Chic Scale this season, as the über practical, pseudo-orthopedic sole has been reborn and embellished in the ethnic eye-candy that has completely stolen the show this season.

Okay, it’s still not exactly a sexy shoe, but who’d have though the word stylish would ever be used in the same paragraph as a Birkenstock sandal? While this look is a perplexing yet pleasing interpretation of the ultimate in Plain Jane of footwear, it seems to have caught on: along with (and often fused with) the beach-lover’s flip-flop thong, the Birkenstock-type sandal can be spotted on a league of Glitterati and Fashionistas who are anything but granola.

Fancy-schmancy rules. Being over-done is near impossible. Under the continued reign of boho chic, even the most practical of us can enjoy the plumage of the season in comfort.

Christian Louboutin Dillian Flower Pumps

What a fabulous shoe to wear while kicking up your heels at a summer wedding!

These gorgeous red Christian Louboutin Dillian Flower Pumps are the perfect floral accessory to add a little “look-at-me” punch to your little black dress.

 

Over the Knee Boots

Just in time for the frigid weather of fall and winter, over the knee boots are showing up on runways, in the streets, and on the legs of women everywhere.

Slouched, suede, patent, foldable, fabric, stretchy, platforms, pointy-toed, round-toed, flat-heeled, stilettos, wedges and chunky-heeled, over the knee boots are being stomped in every style and color imaginable.

Some critics say that over the knee boots scream “hooker.” Granted, Julia Roberts was sporting a pair of shiny, black, over the knee, stiletto-heeled boots as a working girl in the movie Pretty Woman, but that was 1990 and this is now.

Unlike the Pretty Woman, we’re not pairing the over the knee boots with salacious 1908s spandex getups. Instead, modern women are rocking over the knee boots with tasteful, modest, modern staples.

What to Wear with Over The Knee Boots

Whether wearing the high-heeled or flat-footed variety, fashionistas are wearing these towering, knee-capping boots with everything from dresses and skirts, to leggings, skinny jeans, jeggings and slim-fitting trousers.

What Not to Wear with Over The Knee Boots

Be sure never to wear high, over the knee boots with loose-fitting pants; don’t pair these boots with flare-legged pants, boot-cut denim, wide-leg trousers, bell bottoms, or the newly popular boyfriend-cut jeans.

Wearer Beware

The over the knee boots trend isn’t for everyone; you need a strong sense of personal style and the ability to sense when you’ve crossed a line of taste and appropriateness. You must also carry yourself with confidence and your very best posture. As a general word of warning, understand that over the knee boots are not for every woman or every body type.

Shorter Women Beware

Taller women can get away with the look much easier than shorter ladies; since the tall boots can actually make petite women look shorter and stocky – like a child playing in her mother’s boots — if they’re not very careful with proportions.

Be Wary of Stiletto Heeled Over The Knee Boots

Despite the fact that over the knee boots are all the rage this season, the stiletto variety may not be appropriate in all situations. You might want to reconsider wearing these boots when going on a job interview, or say, meeting your main squeeze’s parents for the first time.

Flat Heeled Over The Knee Boots

To take the edge off these boots — and neutralize the sexiness factor of over the knee boots — opt for a flat-heeled style, transforming the look into a more equestrian or foxhunt style.

Folded Over The Knee Boots

Another appealing feature of over the knee boots is that many of them can be folded down over the knee, for a “Puss in Boots” look. It may not be everyone, but it’s definitely a unique style that’s trend-right.

Stylish (Warming) Winter Accessories

The weather outside is getting frightfully cold, which means it’s time to pull out the winter gear. But let’s be honest, getting toasty with hats, mitts, gloves, scarves, ear muffs, mini capes, stoles, shawls can really weigh down your style.

Take it from a Canadian girl who knows, the solution to the overload is to keep your cold weather accessories lean and simple.

Winter gear may seem more functional than anything else, but this doesn’t mean you can’t be fashion forward when dressing for the weather.

Go Glam with Real Fur (or Faux Fur) Accessories

Fur Hats

Go faux fur or real fur on anything from hats to boots and say goodbye to the chills. If you dare to be bold, the look-at-me glam of a full fur Cossack fur hat or Russian hat is just right for you. These hats look best on a tall frame, and require a lot of personality.

Fur Capes, Stoles, Muffs & Shawls

Fur mini capes, shawls and stoles are the perfect way to bundle up indoors without wearing mitts around the office. Pair these fantastic fur pieces with simple, sleek lines. Tied with a fat, silk ribbon, mini capes and stoles look good over almost anything. Warm up a dainty cocktail dress with an oversized stole, or pair jeans and fitted top with a sassy mini cape. Whatever fur accessory you’re wearing is going to be the focal point of your ensemble, so remember to keep whatever you have on underneath elegant and simple.

Fur Boots

To warm up your toes you’ve got oodles of options in the realm of fur. This fall’s boot trend loves fur and so do we. The slouchy moccasin boot this season tops my list of favorite furry footwear, but these too need to be outfitted accordingly. Tone down the rest of your attire if you plan on sporting any fur. Keep your footwear fur exclusive to knee-high boots. This includes fur cuffs, lining, and creatively placed accents. Avoid ankle-high boots with fur, and especially steer clear of the all-over fuzzy yeti boots.

Winter Hats

When it comes to headwear, every face shape, hair length, and even head shape, looks different under a hat. The best way to determine which hat look is best for you: plant yourself next to the hat rack at your favorite shopping destination and just start trying them on. Hat trends for this coming season are anything but ordinary. Styles range from simple tweed fedoras, to an adorable bonnet-meets-poor-boy cap.

• For extremely cold weather, pick a warm, wool hat or an hear-hugging fur-lined trapper hat. When it comes to wool hats, avoid pompoms but do pick something with a little bit of fun. Crocheted appliqués give a timeless elegance to an otherwise boring little toque. And if you’re going to get a trapper hat, splurge and invest in a quality design that will last you a lifetime of winters.

• Berets are another cozy option. Be a little more creative than the wooly original, and grab yourself a beret in more luxurious textures such as tweed or herringbone.

• The ageless fedoras and poor boys are still topping hat racks everywhere so why not join in?

• If you’re searching for a hat that looks good on almost everyone, look no further than the fedora. With its stiff shape and flattering brim, it’s hard not to look good. You’ll find fedoras in felt, short fur, tweed, herringbone and houndstooth.

• The poor boy cap is popping up this season in its most adorable form, if you ask me. This little cap, which has a shorter brim that frames your face like a bonnet, looks best in tweed with velvet accents.

Keep Your Fingers & Hands Warm: Gloves & Mittens

• To keep your digits warm, opt for either mittens or gloves in a sleek fit. Frumpy hand-wear takes away from the rest of your ensemble.
• The leather driving glove is a classic option that always looks elegant. To update this stylish hand-hugger, grab a pair in this season’s favorite color – purple – or go for a cropped design that fastens with a snap at the back of the wrist.
• Gloves and mitts are allowed to have a little fun, so chose a funky pattern with a little bit of sass. Subtle animal prints, seasonal snow flakes, and the classic argyle will all spruce up your hands, but always keep moderation in mind.

If you’re going to go funky with the hand-wear, avoid taking it over the top with too-matching mitt/glove and hat pairs. Those blue-striped, fuzzy gloves with a coordinating pom-pommed toque may look appealing, but no one’s going to take you seriously if you look half your age. Keep your accessories in the same family (color, texture or style), but avoid cloning your gear from head to toe.

When getting yourself ready to step out into chilly weather, remember simplicity is your key to success. Think lean: your winter accessories are essentially there to provide you with a little added warmth, so there’s no need to drown yourself in bulky layers.

4 Tests to Tell Faux Fur from Real Fur

With the resurgence of real fur and faux fur in the fashion industry — and wherever you stand on the ethical side of the industry —  it’s important that consumers be able to tell the difference between faux fur coats, trim and accessories and their real fur counterparts.

With the exception of some  “fast fashion” collars, boot trims or glove linings made from real fur, price point is usually a good indicator of real versus fake fur, with the faux being priced far below real fur.

Aside from the typical disparity in price, here are some hands-on tests you can perform to determine whether or not your new or vintage garment is  made from genuine fur:

Faux Fur vs Real Fur: Touch Test

Feel the difference by rolling the hairs between finger and thumb…

• Real Fur: Feels smooth and soft, easily rolls between the fingers.
• Faux Fur: Feels coarse

Faux Fur vs Real Fur: Visual Test

Look at collars with long-haired fur and blow on the hairs so they divide…

• Real Fur: Is usually made up of several layers of thin, almost curly hairs which form a dense under-wool, through which the longer hairs stick out; the base is leather.

• Faux Fur: Is simpler in structure, individual hairs are often the same length and even in color.

Faux Fur vs Real Fur: Pinch Test

Pinch with a pin through the base…

• Real Fur: The leather resists, and the pin is hard to push through.
• Faux Fur: Pin easily goes through the cloth base.

Faux Fur vs Real Fur: Burn Test

Carefully pull a few hairs from the fur and hold them to a flame…

• Real Fur: Singes like a human hair and smells similar.
• Faux Fur: Melts like plastic, smells like burnt plastic, and also forms small plastics balls at the ends that feel hard between finger and thumb.

 

Havaianas Flip Flops

T[/dropap]he title “World’s Best Flip Flop” are pretty big shoes to fill, but these simple, inexpensive flip flops lives up to it.

Sported by celebrities everywhere — including Ashlee Simpson and Reese Witherspoon — cushy and comfy, with sublime padding, ergonomic shape and a non-irritating thong, the Havaianas Rubber Flip Flops are truly the best in the world.

Designed and manufactured by Sao Paulo Alpargatas S.A., the secret behind these rubber thongs is the top-secret rubber recipe created exclusively by Alpargatas which makes them soft as marshmallows, light, and highly durable. Available in a rainbow of colors (and even customizable designs) starting at $18 a pair, no one should have to do without this famous indulgence.