Hello fellow fashionistas,

*Sigh*, fall… when all the thick September issues of fashion magazines come out, when all the designers show their latest and greatest, and when the stores get in all the new lines and accessories…in other words it’s the time of year when I’m broke!

Collections this year ranged from the frivolous to the fabulous, with many key pieces that can enhance anyone’s personal style. It has been a particularly good year for fashion with lots of old favorites like wedges, flats and gold metallic sandals being brought new life by great pieces such as skinny jeans, wide trousers, and the mini.

That’s one of the problems this year- there are soooo many great trends that its hard to figure out what to wear and what to pair it with. That’s why I hit the books (well the magazines and websites) and came up with the top five shoe trends this fall, and I even give you ideas of what you can wear with them (now isn’t that nice of me!)

I took the guess out of getting gorgeous…

Platforms

Sexy. Edgy. Glamorous. Platforms are the biggest look of the season (and they just so happen to be my favorite!). Best thing is that there are so many great styles that you can wear them with almost any of this fall’s trends.

For the office try a loafer platform, even though they are a high heel, you should still be able to find a comfortable pair of these shoes because they generally have a thicker heel (easier walking), and a closed toe (so you can easily hide a nice thick insole). For a sleek professional look, try pairing them with a wide leg trouser with matching jacket, or a tweed suit with a pencil skirt and a tie neck blouse.

Take a walk on the wild side- crocodile print is back! One of my all time favorites, crocodile print can be a seriously sexy look, especially when paired with a high heel, and a peek-toe! Beware, these shoes aren’t for the tame at heart, they hint of the wild woman inside all of us, and should be worn accordingly. Try these with a pencil skirt for a glamorous Marilyn Monroe type look, or take it on the town with sexy sweater dress!

Finally, embody a look full of a classic elegance long forgotten. A black suede platform and a women’s tuxedo would compliment each other perfectly. Although considered to be quite masculine, somehow this look is totally feminine. This combination brings back old Hollywood glamour epitomized by stars like Marlene Dietrich and Carole Lombard. Now, you can try being comfortable and sexy too!

Flats

These cute little shoes pack a big punch in style and flair. Popularized by stars like Audrey Hepburn, these shoes have a lot of appeal.. They may not be as innocent looking these days, but they are an easy on the go comfortable way of adding that perfect finishing touch to your outfit. Another exciting aspect is that they can help the feet look smaller (a big plus for me!)

You want to look for a suede, or a patent leather flat that has accents such as buckles, or small bows, preferably in a bright color like red, or a leopard print.

Any of these styles would look great with a pair of skinny jeans or stove pipe pants (skinny pants). Try some purple flats with a gray shirt or sweater dress, a tie neck blouse, and some black leggings. Want a more casual look? Go for red flats, with some black stove pipe pants a textured sweater and pea coat. Also a pair of leopard print flats would dress up a black mini skirt with black leggings.

These shoes are very versatile, you can try them with almost anything. Whatever feels comfortable to you is what will look best!

Mary Janes

Although this shoe usually brings to mind cute little schoolgirls with their plaid uniforms and berets, this season’s shoes are much more naughty schoolgirl than nice. Yes, the mary jane has been redefined! It’s now a sexy shoe that’s paired with great new styles that have no resemblance whatsoever to your childhood uniform.

For a romantic look, try some rust color mary-janes with a pair of cream color wide trouser pants and a Victorian blouse with puffy sleeves. A gray tweed suit with a hint of green or teal in the design would be complimented perfectly by a pair of dark teal wedge mary-janes. Also try a pair of black wedges with some black tights, a textured sweater and a mini skirt.

Jewel Tone Sandals and Pumps

Sapphire, ruby, and emerald oh my! Okay, so this years color trends dictate that during the day you want to stick to black, charcoal and other grays, navy, creams, and some white, red, and maybe a little green, but at night you can go glam with jewel tones! I have to admit, as slimming as black is, I love bright rich colors too! At night wear these with a jewel tone dress, either full length for a formal affair, or try a bell skirt dress for a semi-formal look, and always pair with a clutch!

Boots

I lopped these under one heading because you’re likely not going to need to wear them for at least another six weeks. As we get ever closer to the white fluffy stuff, you want to make sure to keep an eye out for good deals and new styles (which there will be a ton of coming out soon)