> PICK OF THE WEEK
Even the most restrained and responsible savers among us consider a pair of new shoes each fall. This is the moment of blank pages and there is no better way to craft your new story than with fresh footwear. There are many runway trends to consider, but some of them are more practical than others.
For instance, later in the season as leaves start to pile up, you will probably yearn for a (beautiful but largely impractical) pair of long, butter-soft leather boots that go so far up over the knee as to graze the bottom of a miniskirt. There is also plenty of fabulous ’70s-style patchwork and python skin on offer, plus a craft convention’s worth of beading and other embellishments stuck on befringed shoes and boots.
There is even dyed fur for all manner of foot-covering shapes, both cloddy and sleek under the fuzz. Then there is the conservative counterbalance, where simple black Chelsea boots offer minimalist gravitas. Somewhere in the middle lies the loafer trend: sensible, yes, but playful when you add a little shine, as in this Nicholas Kirkwood pointy-toed flat, $485. Available at Holt Renfrew. Metallics are a huge trend, for shimmering and iridescent clothing, for largescale costume neck pieces, breastplates and bracelet cuffs and of course for the wild world of accessories.
This loafer comes in both silver and gold and both work with pretty much anything. In a season of black, white and grey, a shiny shoe will keep your mood from verging on the dour.