Baby It's Cold Outside!

Temps are dropping, snow is covering the ground, and time to break out your cold weather boots.  Now that Fall temps have arrived (although in Chicago it's really hard to tell what with the 60+ degree weather we have been having as of late) shearling, suede, leather and rubber are the key fabrications of choice for footwear.

Fall/Winter footwear should not only provide warmth and protection against the elements but most importantly doing so in style.  The following are my top 6 picks that will keep you stylish & warm:

Ash Shoes
Where: http://rstyle.me/irns7yjnkw

House of Harlow
Where: http://rstyle.me/irnrgjjnkw

Marc by Marc Jacobs
Where: http://rstyle.me/ipjqt9jnkw

Matt Benson
Where: http://rstyle.me/irniehjnkw

Monika Chiang
Where: www.monikachiang.com

Salvatore Ferragamo
Where: http://rstyle.me/h36h36jnkw

Edgy Cut-Outs... for your Feet!

Today's warm 70+ degree temps have thinking ahead to spring.  I know, I know it's too pre-mature because they will eventually drop but it's too late.  Once you hop on the shoe-gazing train it's ridiculously hard to get off and especially when one big trend kept popping up: Edgy Cut-Outs.

Sprinkled all over the Spring 2013 runways were various versions of an edgy cut-out.  Check out my favorites  from the runways pictured below:

Alexander Wang

Altuzarra

Jimmy Choo

Proenza Schouler

Salvatore Ferragamo

Tom Ford

Versace

[Chicago Fashion Event] AKIRA Chicago's 10th Annual Fall Fashion Show!

Every year for the last 10 years AKIRA Chicago  has wow'd the Chicago fashion scene with their stellar fashion productions.  It's no hidden secret that it's one of city's best fashion parties to look forward too every year.  This year's fashion show themed 'Metropolitan' will feature 5 distinctly different runway shows that will highlight what to wear to work, to lunch, to dinner, out on the town, etc.  As a regular on the "L" Train it's so refreshing to see how AKIRA Chicago will interpret fashions of the modern city chic.  This Saturday, September 22nd is the last day to snag a ticket (purchase here).

 Now, if you are like me the next important question is "What am I going to wear to AKIRA Chicago's 10th Annual fashion show?"  This question is usually followed by another set of questions that I can answer for you with one simple answer: start with your what's going to be on your feet.  Fall's biggest footwear trend is all about the bootie.  Keeping this in mind I decided to strictly focus on this silhouette when I went to visit AKIRA Chicago's Bucktown location on North Avenue.

Perusing the entire store looking for the 'one' for what seemed like hours I narrowed in on these 3 Michael Antonio booties (pictured below).  All three equally represent key fall trends: glitter & shine, jewel tone hues, and embellishments & adornments.

After much deliberation and a great consultation from the ladies at AKIRA Chicago, I finally settled in on the black velvet 'Maple'.  I'm a huge fan of a a great stacked heel and anytime metal is infused as an adornment it's almost always a done deal.  I mean seriously, once I noticed the metal my swoon-o-meter was slightly beginning to ding and then it was officially over once I finally settled in and began to take notice of the boots amazing details.  Buckles, holographic snake skin foiled platform and heel & suede--my swoon-o-meter was off the charts!

See what other amazing finds I discovered at AKIRA Chicago on my visit.  Definitely start here in assembling your ensemble for the 'Metropolitan' Fall Fashion Show :

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.  All of my comments and this review are completely my own opinion and no one else.

[Chicago Fashion Event] Foot Fete with Akira at the InFashion Lounge at Water Tower Place!

Last Friday I had the very cool opportunity to participate in Akira's, "Foot Fete" fashion event that was held at Water Tower Place's InFashion Lounge.  While summer technically still has a few weeks left, now is the time to begin planning out your fall wardrobe.  So with the event's central focus all about Akira's Top 4 Footwear Silhouettes (i.e. wedge sneakers, pumps, booties, and the floating heel) for this fall season, it was a definite must.  The extremely refreshing perspective though was the approach that Water Tower Place's InFashion Lounge had to the presentation of the fashions.

For the few individuals who were able to snag a free RSVP ticket to the event, they got the rare opportunity to not only attend but participate in an intimate fashion preview.  Akira presented their top footwear silhouettes for fall while showcasing fun and fashion forward ensembles that paired well with each shoe style.  Myself and Akira's footwear buyer, Sadie Strausbaugh were the drivers of the fashion conversation, but due to the amazing setting of the InFashion Lounge attendees were able to chime in and interact immediately with questions, comments, and swoons.

Check out my pics from the event & get prepared for the upcoming fall season with Akira's one stop shop!

Current Shoe Obsession: Alaia Color Blocked Studded Sandals!

*Photo Credit: Net-a-porter

Alaia nailed the epitome of perfection with these color blocked studded sandals.  I've recently become obsessed with these sandals that I've literally ogled these on a number of different occassions day dreaming of every single outfit that they would pair perfectly with and yes you guessed right, everything in my closet would l   These beauties are crafted of the finest materials and made with fashion love by hand-if you snickered at the thought of fashion love, well then you've never tried on a pair of custom made footwear that feel as if they have been moulded to fit your feet perfectly.

What are your thoughts? Do these fit the bill of 'drool worthy'?

Are you in the Flat Pack?

Left to right: Marc Jacobs, Haider Ackermann, Christopher Kane and Paul Smith Spring 2012

While the high street and catwalks are still swamped with skyscraper heels, some designers - and a group of celebrity style icons - are fighting for the right to be flat and proud.

The heels-or-flats debate may always divide opinion, but there is no denying that the right flat shoe has become a must-have item for even the most trend-conscious customer, thanks in no small part to the 'Flat Pack' --a host of style-savvy starlets like Kristen Stewart who like to keep their feet quite literally on the ground.

Leader of the Pack is undoubtedly Alexa Chung, the flat shoe's biggest celebrity ambassador and face of Italian plimsoll brand, Superga. If her love of brogues, loafers and pumps wasn't why the public voted her their 'Style Icon' for the second year running at the 2011 British Fashion Awards, then it certainly didn't do her any harm.

Flanking Miss Chung, Flat Pack regular Agyness Deyn's androgynous look has lent itself to lace-ups and boyfriend boots, while Fearne Cotton has lately favored Spatz-inspired loafers and purple Joker-chic treads. Bringing up the rear, Olivia Palermo has taken to stepping out in patent silver Derby shoes, whilst Gwen Stefani, Pixie Lott and Kelly Osbourne have all been leaving the heels at home and earning their Flat Pack stripes. Even rapper Nicki Minaj went against type and put aside her pop star platforms in favor of metallic hi-tops at the recent American Music Awards.

Designers, too, are embracing the fact not every woman is willing, or indeed able, to trot their way through the day, SJP-style, on six-inch spikes, as shown by the array of flats that strolled comfortably down the catwalks of the spring/summer shows.

Christopher Kane's acclaimed collection of flower-speckled shifts and skirts was accompanied by rubber-soled sandals with embroidered and jewel-encrusted straps. Elsewhere, Marc Jacobs showed two-tone loafers in his Twenties-tinged collection and came over a little Sporty Spice with multi-colored hi-tops for his diffusion line. Paul Smith's bright yellow and turquoise loafers were no less colorful than his classic tailoring and Acne's oversized tassels made theirs just as dramatic.

The foremost flat for spring, however, must be Haider Ackermann's brogue-clog hybrid. Presented in all manner of rich colors and intricate prints, there's a broque for every girl.

Expect to see them on the Flat Pack's feet come spring. Will you be joining them?