Cheryl Shops

ShandiWatch
I knew I was tired yesterday, but this takes the cake: Reader Diane e-mailed me this morning to say that this story, a link to which I published yesterday, had a huge-ass picture of my favorite last-season America's Next Top Model contestant, Shandi Sullivan, in it, and I didn't even notice. So, everyone click on the link and look at Shandi! She looks great, doesn't she? Apparently the picture was taken at an "Apprentice viewing party" (Shandi didn't walk in the show that was actually in the episode), which got me thinking, maybe Shandi has been signed with Trump's modeling agency. A little Googling later, I discovered that Shandi has signed with IMG...the very agency that represents ANTM winner Yoanna. (I also came across much catty message board gossip saying that Yoanna is a diva/bitch, lives in a $4,000/month apartment in NYC, and has the richest doctor in Jacksonville, Florida, as a father.) So, yay Shandi! But, umm, has anyone seen her at the Empire State Building Walgreens lately?

Daily digest
WWD: Tom Ford/Domenico De Sole stalwart Giacomo Santucci to resign from Gucci (meaning: trouble ahead); and my favorite Queer Eye guy Kyan Douglas will be a L'Oreal spokesman.

NYT: In what is hopefully the last article on the spring shows for awhile, Cathy Horyn provides a spring fashion summary; she also, amusingly, delivers a bitch-slap to YSL.

IHT: Suzy Menkes on designers and the Rococo influence ("Rococo," by the way, is an extremely fun word to say).

Slate: The inevitable poncho backlash has arrived.

The Daily: Fashionista fave store Intermix to debut a fragrance whose bottle bears an uncanny resemblance to Chanel Chance; speaking of which, in honor of the Chanel boutique's reopening on Thursday, Karl Lagerfeld has created three limited-edition pieces (a bag, a jacket, and a blouse), and only 555 of each are available; the Fendi Vanity bag is the new Fendi Baguette; Chaiken is 10 years old (that makes me feel old); brow-fattening pomade; and an interview with New Zealand designer Karen Walker.

Lookonline.com: More praise for Alber Elbaz's collection for Lanvin.

Daily Candy: Former Cheryl Shops website of the week NYC General Store's vintage shopping service.

The week in shopping
Sale of the week: One of my favorite jewelry stores, Boucher, has incredibly delicate, feminine jewelry, made from colorful semiprecious and precious stones, for 15%-30% off. Through 10/24; noon-8, noon-6 Sun.; 9 Ninth Ave. (next door to Pastis).

For the girlie girls, Leigh Bantivoglio and Rebecca Taylor are taking 65% off their lingerie and clothing, respectively (now $25-$120). 10/20-10/21; 10-7; Loft Eleven, 336 W. 37th St., 11th fl.

I have never actually been there, but I've heard excellent things about Duty Free Apparel, which stocks current-season handbags and accessories from Prada, Gucci, Marc Jacobs and the like, for 20%-50% off. This week they're having a sample sale, so get out the claws, ladies. 10/19-10/26; 10-6 (closed Sat.-Mon.); 204 W 35th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 2nd fl.

This drool-worthy sample sale features Seven for All Mankind, James Perse, Yanuk, Joe's, Joie, Marc Jacobs, Theory, Tahari, Three Dots, H. Starlet and more, in all sizes, for 50%-90% off (Seven jeans are now $50). Sadly, it's cash only. Through 10/24; 10:30-7; 415 W. Broadway (Spring & Prince Sts.).

Tufi Duek's sexy Brazilian fashions are up to 70% off. 10/19-10/21; 9:30-7; 530 Broadway (at Spring St.), 10th fl.

Every pregnant woman's best friend, Liz Lange makes flattering, chic maternitywear, which is now up to 80% off. 10/20-10/21; 8-6:30; 347 W. 36th St., 5th fl.

For the German businesswoman in you, Escada accessories, sportswear, eveningwear, samples, and stock are at least 80% off. 10/20-10/23; noon-8 Wed., 10-5 Thurs., 10-8 Fri., 10-6 Sat.; the Metropolitan Pavilion, 110 W. 19th St.

Because a girl can never have enough rugs, Lamontage's colorful, one-of-a-kind floor coverings are $25-$2,500. 10/20-10/29; 10-5, noon-5 Sat., closed Sun.; 210 11th Ave. (at 24th St.), 7th fl.

Sexy and luxurious Bruno Magli shoes in all sizes are $79 (two for $120, normally $375-$550) and boots are $99 (two for $160, normally $550-$1,300) at this cash-only sale. Through 10/24; 11-10; 23 W. 8th St. (5th & 6th Aves.).

For the fancy diner in your life, Christofle's and Haviland's luxe porcelain dinnerware, flatware, and crystal are up to 70% off. Through 10/20; 9-6:30; Parsons School of Design, 560 7th Ave. (at 40th St.), 2nd fl.

Get free shipping at Benefit when you enter code FSHG through 10/20.

This week's sale at Lord & Taylor? The boot sale! Click here for a coupon.

Starting Tuesday, Loehmann's has the shoe event and the men's event going on.

Get free shipping on an $85 order at Old Navy when you enter code FALL8504, and check out the sale section.

Get free shipping on all George Nelson clocks at Oriac through 10/31.

This Thursday at Bergdorf Goodman, if you're a cardholder, get triple miles, and if you're not, get a card and get 1,000 bonus points for signing up. Plus, meet hairstylist Oscar Blandi, dermatologist Howard Sobel, and more.

This week at the Shop at Style.com, designers Stella McCartney, Marni, and more, via Yoox.

eLuxury.com is having a fall sale, featuring James Jeans, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Earl Jeans, and more.

Click here to shop Newport News' secret sale through 10/21.

Daily digest
WWD: An interesting article on where baby boomers like to shop (hey, it's Chico's and Talbot's--my mom's favorites!); the new Madison Avenue Judith Leiber flagship store; the scoop on Daisy Fluentes for Kohl's accessories; ponytail-accommodating Girl 32 hats; what we all need, another fancy jewelry store on Madison Avenue; and the unorthodox marriage of cartoon characters and lingerie.

NYT: Cathy Horyn on Tom Ford's second act; and, oh god, moon boots are back.

NYP: The inevitable tweed backlash, plus thoughtful analysis on why trendsetters abandon the trends they start, and tips on how to wear tweed thoughtfully; in this installment of how to not look fat, back fat; and where to shop for hipster babies.

WaPo: Where to shop for vintage T-shirts.

The Daily: The dude who was on last week's Apprentice now has a booming fashion career; a report from New Zealand fashion week (who knew?); and the Tom tome (second item).

Hintmag.com: An interview with super-influential British editor Katie Grand.

Weekend shopping
It's a slow news day today, so I'm going straight to the sales.
Johnson's cool-girl clothes are $50-$125. Cash only. 10/16-10/17; noon-6; 195 Chrystie St., 5th fl.

If you're in need of a new rug (and who isn't?), Lâle has vibrant, hand-woven Turkish rugs for 60% off (now $120-$1,520). Through 10/17; noon-8; 200 Mott St.

Don't forget Find Outlet's fall sample sale featuring Mint, Walter, and Joy vs. Happiness for 50% off. Through 10/17; noon-7; 361 W. 17th St. (8th & 9th Aves.).

At home-accessories site Rubber-Ducky, get $10 off a $100 order when you enter code FALL10, $20 off a $200 order when you enter code FALL20, or $30 off a $300 order when you enter code FALL30 through 11/15.

Take 15% off all outerwear at American Eagle when you enter code 56874514 at checkout through 10/26.

Take 15% off all online exclusives (this includes the designer collections) at La Redoute when you enter code 1651-36985-344 at checkout through 10/22.

This is a sweet deal, but you have to spend $150 first: Get a 19-piece bath and body sampler set (filled with exotic, high-end products from Kai, Molton Brown, Yu-be, and others) and a coupon for $10 off your next $75 purchase at Beautyhabit (a former Cheryl Shops website of the week) when you enter code BUBBLES through 10/31.

Click here to see all Beauty.com gifts with purchase.

Shop at Club Monaco tomorrow, 10/16, and get a free gift with your $50 purchase.

America's Next Top Model recap
Oh, the cattiness. Women can be catty and competitive to begin with, but throw them together in an apartment where they're openly competing for something and they turn into stone cold bitches. Eva, who's clearly lacking in self-esteem, started making disparaging comments about how Amanda is blind; Amanda accused Eva of stealing her laundry and her money and her crystals (oh, how hippie-dippie...); Ann took Eva's side, of course; Jennipher bumped into Ann and didn't say "excuse me"...Oh, the drama. But once Amanda found her crystals (she had forgotten she had hid them so no one would steal them), her karma or whatever improved, she apologized to Eva, and all was well. Phew! The girls learned how to walk from J. Alexander (always an entertaining segment), with assistance from last year's winner, Yoanna. They then walked in a Heatherette "fashion show" later that night. Eva, the best natural walker, won; Norelle totally wiped out, but strangely enough, it didn't even come up in the evaluations at the end--I guess it happens to everyone. Then the girls did a photo shoot for Lee jeans where they wore jeans, hair extensions, and not a whole lot else. Norelle flashed her boobies (that's my kind of girl!) and Republican Kristi felt uncomfortable being naked (big surprise). Also, Jay Manuel was wearing some sort of weird leather gay biker outfit. Thank god he's a makeup artist and not a stylist. Inevitably, Kristi and her big-ass chin got the boot for looking so uncomfortable at the photo shoot. I have a feeling the days are numbered for Jennipher and Kelle: Jennipher wrote "ANTM" on her butt during the evaluation, which didn't go over so well with the judges, and neither girl photographs particularly well. The preview for next week alludes to "Kelle feeling the pressure," so I bet she's the next to go. And speaking of next week, Janice shows the girls how to pose in swimsuits. Should be highly entertaining...

Daily digest
WWD: An interesting story on the high-waisted vs. low-waisted debate; in the okaaaaay department, a line of denim inspired by Nordic folklore; my former employer Wet Seal might sell Arden B. to pay off debt; and new knitwear line Krisa.

NYDN: Tidbits; and sales.

VV: Lynn Yaeger on brooches.

The Daily: Bath products for socialites, by socialites; and designer Oliver Helden.

Lookonline.com: The 10 best looks from the New York spring collections.

Website of the week
Last week I got the Alloy catalogue in the mail. From what I remembered, Alloy was for skater-girls--kind of like how Delia*s used to be before it went more mainstream. Anyway, Alloy has also changed its tune--it's definitely a lot more girly, which sucks for the punky teens out there, but is great for chicks like me who raid teen catalogues for cool, cheap accessories. Before I start listing the goods, a cautionary note: There are clothes, of course, at Alloy, but they are for junior sizes, meaning middle-school and high school girls. Unless you are built like a 14-year-old, I suggest staying away from the clothes; if you must, take a look at the size chart before buying. That said, I think the accessories are the best part of teen-oriented websites like this, because they're trendy, cheap, and supercute--and because they're so cheap, you won't feel bad if you wear them only a few times. You can shop by category, by style, or by brand; I'll be sticking to accessories, shoes, jewelry, and such, although the style "preppy rocker" is pretty amusing--Hilary Duff is clearly the inspiration for that. Anyway, onto cute accessories: I love the rich colors of this twill and satin clutch; this zipper clutch is pretty badass; at $24, the faux fur shrug is an unbelievable deal; the braided belt reminds me of Chloe by Stella McCartney, circa the horse collection; I have shoes that would match perfectly with this Cameron Diaz-esque metallic bow belt; and I must have this sequin stretch belt, another excellent deal at $12. Shoe-wise, for the Ugg lovers, they have a kaleidoscope of Emu boots; I like the casual-looking frontier boots; of course, I'm down with anything that has a butterfly on it; these satin beaded slides are a step up from the Chinese slippers you can buy on the street (and are more suitable for nighttime), and these Twinkle flats are totally adorable; the high-roller pumps are a bit kooky, but have this season's ubiquitous round toe; and, the best shoe find of all: a slightly lower-heeled version of my beloved Miu Miu mocasin pumps (oops, I just broke my vow never to mention them again). Jewelry-wise, I like this metallic flower pin; this flower cuff bracelet is very Sarah Jessica Parker; and prim Coco Chanel-y pearl necklace. Shipping for all this cool loot is free on orders over $75; and if you don't want to buy it all at once, you can save the items you like to your wish list. And, for your inner teen, you can read Alloy's online magazine to your heart's content. Oh my god! Lindsay Lohan is so cool!

Daily digest
The Daily: Reports from the final day of Paris shows; a final installment of fashion editor porn; Gap introduces a credit card you can use at Gap, Banana, and Old Navy, and you get a $10 coupon for every $200 you spend!; and Laura Helene bridal atelier, for those of you who think bridal dresses aren't expensive enough.

Style.com: A preview (and pictures!) of the Karl Lagerfeld for H&M collection; Candy Pratts Price does art deco; a dorky yet cool watch; and Italian beauty icon Marchesa Casati.

Daily Candy: A T-shirt that gives back.

The week in shopping
So, I had been working on the week in shopping for 45 minutes when my computer decided to crash, and I lost everything. So, in the interest of saving time, sales are going to be somewhat abbreviated. Here we go.

Sale of the week: Aubade's incredibly sexy French lingerie and swimwear are on sale (bras are $25, undies are $20). 10/13-10/15; 11-7, 11-6 Fri.; 40 E. 34th St. (at Madison), ste. 607.

It's sale time at Hollywould: Get 40% off all pre-fall shoes. 198 Elizabeth (Prince & Spring Sts.).

Find Outlet's fall sample sale starts at noon on 10/14 and features Walter, Mint, Hudson jeans, and more. 361 W. 17th St. (8th & 9th Aves.).

This week Clothingline has this season's Free People collection for 60% off (includes sweaters, tops, skirts, and more). Through 10/15; see website for hours; 261 W. 36th (7th & 8th Aves.), 2nd fl.

Hey, San Franciscans (that means Melissa)! Lucky you, you get your very own Billion Dollar Babes sale this weekend! But, of course, you must RSVP to get in. 10/16; 8-6; Dogpatch Studios, 991 Tennesse St., San Francisco.

If you are one of the five ladies in the world who hasn't yet bought a poncho (or if you want to add to your ever-growing collection), Pink Mascara is offering 15% off all Suss & Murielle ponchos through 10/20 when you enter code FALLPONCHOS.

At Prescriptives, get free shipping through 10/31 when you buy Super Line Corrector Lifting Day Cream or Firming Night Cream (a percentage of sales go to breast cancer research), plus get a free sample of Skin Renewal Cream, Super Line Preventer + Lip Shine, or Calyx perfume.

Select outerwear is 20% off at Delia*s, and get free shipping on orders over $25 when you enter code DRFW225.

Get free shipping through 10/14 at LeSportsac.

Saks' Key to the Cure shopping event is 10/14-10/17. They've done away with the nice 25% off deal (you make a donation, you get a discount coupon), but Thursday (10/14) is one of the days where you spend at least $250 and get a gift card (usually 10% of what you spent, in $25 increments). And, of course, a portion of all proceeds will be donated to breast cancer research.

Items are up to 70% off at Crate & Barrel's online outlet.

Get free shipping on regularly priced boots through 11/1 at Nordstrom.

Last week, Gabay's got a shipment of shoes, featuring Manolo Blahnik, Chanel, Jimmy Choo, and others, for 60% off. I'm guessing it's been totally obliterated by now. Sorry.

Beneift has a special online-only Glosses set; get free shipping through 10/13 when you enter code FSGS.

The Wonderbra is 10 years old, so through the end of this week, get any Wonderbra for $19.94 and any undies for $7.99 at recent Cheryl Shops website of the week Figleaves.com.

For the Chicago people, head over to Isabella Fine Lingerie, mention you got an e-mail, and get 15% off your purchase (sorry, not available online). 1101 W. Webster, Chicago.

Through 10/15, all outerwear is 20% off at another former Cheryl Shops website of the week, Vintage Cool Things.

Get 15% off at Newport News through midnight tonight (10/12) when you enter code 629 at checkout.

Victoria's Secret is having a sweater sale, with prices starting at $29. Plus, get free shipping on all orders over $100.

Loehmann's has even more designer arrivals, due in stores 10/13, plus if you have "insider points," you have to use them by 10/18. Hurry scurry!

Get a free psychic reading and, more importantly, 20% off at Club Monaco at 5th and 20th on 10/13 from 6-8. Call 1-800-992-3907 to RSVP.

This week at the Shop at Style.com, Furla bags, Dooney & Bourke bags, M+J Savitt jewelry, H2O Plus skincare (my former employer), Francesca Giobbi shoes, and MD Skincare.

Urban Outfitters is having a fall sale for one week only, with items up to 75% off.

Daily digest
WWD: In what is hopefully the final batch of Paris reviews, Lanvin, Sonia Rykiel, Antonio Marras, Cacharel, and Martin Margiela, and Paco Rabanne, Guy Laroche, Veronique Leroy, Cher Michel Klein, and Jean Louis Scherrer. Plus, what the buyers thought; Paris runway beauty trends; and the Upper West Side retail bonanza.

NYT: Cathy Horyn of course goes nuts for Lanvin, pans YSL; and the spring verdict: Pretty is in.

IHT: Suzy Menkes pretty much feels the same way about Lanvin and YSL; plus, Akris, Guy Laroche, Collette Dinnigan, Marcel Marongiu, Tsumori Chisato, and Blaak. Plus: American designers in Paris.

The Daily: More Paris reports; and, for cult members, Kabbalah candles.

Elle.com: Awesome hats; and complete runway collections.

Daily Candy: A sign the apocalypse is upon us: the $800 haircut.

America's Next Top Model recap
Due to presidential debates and stupid-ass baseball playoffs, Ameria's Next Top Model was not shown in the NYC metropolitan area until Saturday night, which was when I finally saw it. (I made MW watch it with me, and it was 60 minutes of sheer torture for him. Tee-hee.) So it was the big makeover episode and, as always, there were mixed results. I love Norelle's new girly bob (and the braces removal), Toccara's and Kellie's weaves, Nicole's short red hair, and Jennipher's shorter, lighter 'do (they hacked off at least a foot). In the not-so-much department, however, they gave Ann some very New Jersey ash-blonde highlights, they gave Yaya a crazy 'fro (ten bucks says that at some point they tell her she's "too ethnic"), and they gave Amanda this butt-ugly yellow weave that thank god she's too blind to see correctly (she thinks it's gorgeous, the poor girl). The girls were given an education in makeup application, then were tested on how well they could apply it in a limo in 10 minutes, en route to a party. My girl Norelle won! Yay Norelle! Then the girls had a makeup-free photo shoot, where they were "modeling" hand cream. At the elimination, we were showed the retouched photo and the unretouched photo, and the girls were judged on both--i.e., the final product vs. how much retouching they needed. Now, I realize the winner of this contest gets a contract with Cover Girl, so they don't want someone with bad skin, terrible eye bags, scars, etc. And Tyra said, "Retouching is expensive," which I can assure you is quite true. However, you can save a hell of a lot of money by putting makeup on the models! Yes, makeup can't fix everything, but, coupled with good lighting, it can save you a lot of time on the Photoshopping. So, I thought that was really ridiculous. Anyway, Julie, the Indian chick, got the boot for admitting what she really wanted was to have her own clothing line. This pissed me off for several reasons, the most obvious of which being, what an ass-backwards route to take! If you want to design and manufacture clothing, go to friggin' fashion school! If I were a contestant who really wanted to be a model but got cut in an earlier round, I'd be pissed. And on another level, I thought Julie was just very pretty, and I thought it was cool that they had an Indian girl in the competition. Well, so much for that.

Next week (or, rather, Wednesday--thankfully the show is on at 8, before the debate starts), the girls learn how to walk with J. Alexander (always entertaining), and last year's winner Yoanna makes an appearance. She's not Shandi, but she'll do.

Daily digest
WWD: Lots of reviews (the spring fashion shows are finally over)! Raves for Chanel, mixed for Louis Vuitton, and pans for YSL; design masters Alexander McQueen, Valentino, John Galliano, and Rochas; weird combination Chloe, Lacroix, Hermes, and Nina Ricci; artsy designers Akris, Hussen Chalayan, Y3, and Rick Owens; and from Friday, Stella McCartney (her first totally positive review ever, it seems), Dries Van Noten, Celine, and Veronique Branquinho; lesser-knowns Martin Grant, Loewe, Andrew Gn, and Loulou de la Falaise; and a huge multidesigner roundup.

NYT: Cathy Horyn goes gaga over the weekend's collections, and over Dries van Noten. Plus: crazy hair.

NYP: Need a break from fashion shows? The working woman's Post covers more practical matters like fall-trend dos and don'ts; fall coats; how to not look fat in jeans; and sales.

IHT: Suzy Menkes on luxury at Vuitton, Hermes, McQueen, and Rochas; a new femininity at Galliano, Chloe, etc.; the Chanel circus; the Mediterranean influence at several shows; a semi-good review for Stella McCartney; and Celine. Plus: Still somewhat new to capitalism, Russians discover high-end makeup; and the new maternity clothes.

WaPo: Robin Givhan on the Paris collections.

The Daily: A runway report on Hussein Chalayan; fashion editor reports from Thursday and Friday; and Brit home designer Kelly Hoppen.

Daily Candy: Cris cashmere sweaters.

Cheryl Shops is a year old!
With all of the craziness happening at my real job, I missed my own anniversary! Cheryl Shops' first post was on October 8, 2003, and to paraphrase Virginia Slims, it's come a long way, baby. In the coming year, look for new features, a redesigned website (with--gasp!--pictures!), and more of the regular features. If you have any comments, please post them in the "comments" section or, if you're shy, e-mail me. Thanks for your support!

Sorry!
My sincerest apologies for the lack of posts in the latter part of this week. The proverbial whip is being cracked upon my booty at work, so I've had to buckle down and slave over the next issue. But I will be back to make up for it next week. Thanks for your patience.

Daily digest
WWD: Reviews for Helmut Lang, Jean Paul Gaultier, Lagerfeld Gallery, and Emanuel Ungaro, weirdos Viktor & Rolf, and Costume National, Sophia Kokosalaki, and Givenchy; two new premium denim lines; a preview of Roberto Menichetti's first collection for Celine; Paper Denim & Cloth to expand; and Italian shirts by Fourtys.

NYDN: Designers try their hand at home collections; and sales.

IHT: Suzy Menkes on the Grecian influence at Helmut Lang and others; feminine styles prevail at Viktor & Rolf, Gaultier, Comme des Garcons, and more; and trends in fabrics.

WaPo: Robin Givhan sees lotsa volume in Paris; and in case you've been living in a cave until recently, tweed is in for fall.

The Daily: A runway report from Dries van Noten; more fashion editor porn; more on the new Rodeo Drive LV store; more editors' reports from Paris; and the coolest Mr. Potato Head ever.

Coming soon
*Cheryl Shops...the Neiman Marcus holiday catalogue

*October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month; what to buy to support the cause.

*ANTM recap (to be posted tomorrow!)

Daily digest
WWD: It's time for Paris Fashion Week reviews! (And then, finally, the spring shows will be over.) Dior's John Galliano gave a refreshingly antics-free show; praise for avant-garde designers Balenciaga, Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garçons, and Junya Watanabe; and Undercover, Vivienne Westwood, Marithé & François Girbaud, Azzaro, and AF Vandevorst. Plus: Business-success stories on Chloe and Dolce & Gabbana; why there are no A-list celebrities at the European shows; Laundry to roll out a bridesmaid line; and the new Rodeo Drive Louis Vuitton store.

NYT: Cathy Horyn praises Dior, Balenciaga, Comme des Garcons, and more; and Paris and the fashion virus.

IHT: Suzy Menkes on Dior, Balenciaga, et al.; plus, short takes on Vivienne Westwood, A.F. Vandevorst, Lutz, and Christian Wijnants. And: Luxury marketing; new stores in Paris; and IHT jumps on the old-school sneakers bandwagon.

WaPo: Robin Givhan on sex and Milan fashion; and what to expect from simple spa procedures.

The Daily: Reports from Balenciaga and Comme des Garcons, and Yoji Yamamoto; top fashion editors give Paris reports; fashion-editor porn; and $1 E.L.F. goodies.

Lookonline.com: Praise for Nicholas Ghesquiere at Balenciaga.

Style.com: Beauty products new in stores; the best blow-dryer money can buy; and, of course, complete spring runway shows.

Daily Candy: New trend: chatelaines by Charm School.

Website of the week
Last week, I lamented being not so jazzed about clothes. This is still the case as of now, but rarely am I not jazzed about shoes. In fact, all that's on my fall shopping list so far is shoes (in case you were wondering, equestrian boots, slouchy boots a la Vivienne Westwood's Pirate boots, round-toe mary janes, and round-toe boots). So instead of extolling the virtues of shoe shopping (come on, you all know how sublime it is), I simply present Office, a British chain that, fortunately, ships to the U.S. (unlike Topshop, my absolute favorite British store). Now, the exchange rate is not totally favorable and shipping is 20 pounds (about $35), but a lot of the shoes here are so unique and fashion-forward, the extra expense is worth it. (And, hey, if you buy four or five pairs, $35 for shipping doesn't seem that bad.) Office carries its own brand, as well as Camper, Birkenstock (the trendier styles), Ted Baker, Fly London, Rocket Dog, and Irregular Choice (a kickass brand you can also find at Urban Outfitters, except Office has styles not available here), plus they have a huge sneaker section for the kicks-fetishists out there. Shoes are organized simply by style: ankle boots, knee boots, low heels, medium heels, high heels, sandals, wedding, and sports. My (many) favorites: These Irregular Choice Rocketboy boots have a retro cartoon graphic on the side for making a statement, but the very-this-season round toe makes them practical under a pair of jeans, too. Fly London's Wedge heel boots are a comfortable height, with interesting embroidery on the toe. These Satin ballet slippers are so girly and, at 15 pounds (about $27), quite a bargain (ballet-slipper-wise, I also like the leather Twister). These Seychelles Punch Loop Buckle pumps look like Sigerson Morrison, but are way cheaper. The Prairie pump is a bit springy for now, but the black is practical for fall. And speaking of spring, these Paco Gill snakeskin Mary Janes will take you right into spring a la Dolce & Gabbana. And I am drooling over the Velma bar shoes--words cannot describe how cool these are. Seriously, I could say something good about 90% of the shoes here. I think I'm going to start a letter-writing campaign, to bring Office to the U.S. (maybe they can convince Topshop too). Who's in?

Daily digest
WWD: A business-oriented story on how Prada will develop Helmut Lang as a brand; el-cheapola E.L.F. cosmetics to gain wide distribution; and designers' visions.

NYT: Cathy Horyn on the very talented Alber Elbaz of Lanvin; and Jude Law, and shopping for vintage costume jewelry at the flea market.

IHT: Suzy Menkes on Milan accessories.

The Daily: At press time, The Daily's website was not cooperating. But there was a review of the Vivienne Westwood show and some miracle oil. I'll link to them tomorrow instead.

MUG: Two retail misses (2nd item).

Defamer: In the fuglier than Uggs vein, the Regina boot (also covered in Go Fug Yourself).