14 Glamorous Fall Shoes and Boots

Fall brings out the glamour in all of us. And one of the easiest ways to add a little glam is by updating your shoes. They'll make your old outfits totally pop and will have you feeling instantly glamorous. Below are 14 Fall options that'll update your wardrobe:


Lucky Brand 'Candice' Textured Boot $198.95 Nordstrom


Boutique 9 'Charissa' Boot $285.00 Nine West


Boutique 9 'Mila' $199.99 Nine West



'Renee' Peep-Toe Wedge $98.00 Banana Republic



Bombazin Platform Sandal $89.00 Nine West



Boutique 9 'Jayleen' Satin Pump $149.00 Nine West



Charles by Charles David 'Prissy' Platform Sandal
$149.95 Nordstrom



Janalynn Satin Pump $79.00 Nine West



Enzo Angiolini 'Merryann' Pump $79.95 Nordstrom



Keysor Platform Sandal $89.00 Nine West



N.Y.L.A. 'Maysal' Boot $169.95 Nordstrom



Eliza Slouch High-Heel Boot $198.00 Banana Republic



Colin Stuart 'The Devon' Convertible Boot
$149.00 Victoria's Secret


Elois Block High-Heel Boot $198.00 Banana Republic

What I'm Reading Now: The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

If you love reading books such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings then might like The Alchemyst (The Secrets of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel) by Michael Scott. This the first in the series and it's quite good. It sucks you in the moment you start reading it. The author perfectly weave together history, mythology and modern times.

About the book:

He Holds the Secret That Can End the World.

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly seven hundred years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.

The records show that he died in 1418.
But his tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects--the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world.

That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophi and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true.
And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

Retailers to Give Thousands of New Winter Coats to Underprivileged Elementary School Students

The Keeping Kids Warm Program to Donate 10,000 Coats Nationwide

BALTIMORE, Nov. 3 -- In an effort to make the winter season warmer for underprivileged children, the Keeping Kids Warm® program is donating new winter coats to 3 schools in the city of Baltimore. The Keeping Kids Warm program is supported by the Charming Shoppes, Inc. family of brands, Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, and Catherines. Baltimore Coat Distributions will take place at Dr. Bernard Harris Elementary School on November 4th; Alexander Hamilton Elementary School on November 5th; and at Eutaw-Marshburn Elementary School on November 5th. All events begin at 9:30am.

Starting this October, employees volunteer to organize coat distributions, order and pack coats, and present them in person to children in their communities. Each child chooses a brand new, warm winter coat and winter accessories.

"To see our associates come together to give back to local children in need is very rewarding," says Jim Fogarty, President and Chief Executive Officer of Charming Shoppes, Inc. "Our family of brands are in the business of profiting from the sale of clothing, so giving back to the communities we serve by clothing those in need is a natural extension. We also appreciate the support we receive from our vendor base, which assists in the smooth execution of our program," says Jim Fogarty.

This is the Keeping Kids Warm program's 14th year. To date, the retailers have donated nearly 115,000 winter coats to elementary students all over America in such cities as Minneapolis, Cleveland, Chicago, Columbus, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Syracuse, Newark and many others. This fall, Keeping Kids Warm will visit close to 20 schools and give away nearly 10,000 coats. At the end of this season, the program will have donated close to 125,000 coats in 75 communities across the country, a truly inspiring accomplishment.

The press are invited to attend the Baltimore Coat Presentation Day events at Dr. Bernard Harris Elementary School located at 1400 North Caroline Street; Alexander Hamilton Elementary School located at 800 Poplar Grove Street; and Eutaw-Marshburn Elementary School located at 624 Eutaw Place.

About Keeping Kids Warm:

Keeping Kids Warm is an endeavor of CSI Charities, Inc., a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, and Catherines operate under the parent company Charming Shoppes, Inc. Charming Shoppes operates more than 2,200 retail apparel stores in 48 states. The Charming Shoppes family of brands offers the latest styles for in apparel, accessories, and footwear for women of all sizes. For more information on Charming Shoppes, Inc., please visit www.charmingshoppes.com. For more information about Lane Bryant, please visit www.lanebryant.com. For more information about Fashion Bug, please visit www.fashionbug.com. For more information about Catherines, please visit www.catherines.com.

My Life: Bored with Extreme Shoes

Shoe shown: Report Signature Suede Lattice 'Percy' Platform Pumps $132.00 Bluefly.com

Any one else really bored with the shoes that are currently out there. I can't wait for this "ugly" shoe trend to hurry up and go away. I like statement shoes but it's getting ridiculous with all the extra details (studs, extreme platforms, multiple straps and zippers, etc). It reminds me of when the big bag trend was getting out of control and they had every detail they could think of on a bag. However, Spring fashion looks promising.

Fashion wise, I haven't really seen anything that really stands out. But I've been stocking up on fall staple pieces (with all the good sales). I did buy a pair of really great boots. I also found an amazing soft throw to curl up on the sofa with a good book. I'm not really a snuggie person, so I like to buy a nice warm throw for the fall and winter.

How was your Halloween weekend? I had fun, I went to a friend's Halloween party. It's surprising that how creative people can get with their costumes. I also saw a lot of vampires (I can't wait for the vamp trend to die down, I'm a bit tired of seeing vampires). I passed out a bit of candy before I left. I remember how fun it was to trick or treat when I little.

Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 Last Minute Halloween Costumes

by Style and Focus Lifestyle PR

You have no idea what costume to wear for Halloween. One thing is you don't want to spend a lot of money for one night. Here are a few suggestions to creating a costume at the last minute. No matter what you end up wearing I hope you have a Happy Halloween.


1. Daphne or Velma from Scooby-Doo:

These are two of the easiest to put together. For Daphne: Find a purple dress and accessorize it with a light purple headband, a cute handbag, a scarf and cute shoes. For Velma: eye glasses, an orange top or light weight turtle neck with a red mini skirt, orange knee high sock and mary jane's. Maybe you could talk a couple of guy friends into dressing up as Freddy and Shaggy.


2. Lois Lane:

A skirt suit with a cami or button down and heels. Just make up a press pass that features: "Daily Planet Reporter Lois Lane" on it. Accessorize with a pen, cell phone, and small note pad.


3. Hippie:

There's something in your closet that can double as a hippie costume. Accessorize it with headbands, necklaces, bracelets, fringe boots, etc.


4. Magician:

Pair a ladies black tuxedo jacket (with tails) with a fitted vest, bow tie and black shorts or black fitness shorts. No tuxedo jacket, no problem just wear a white button down with a fitted black vest and a bow tie. Accessorize with fishnets, a top hat, a magic wand, a pair of white gloves and pair of black heels or knee high boots. Most items can be found in the costume aisles at Target, Wal-mart, etc.


5. Sexy Spy:

For the sexy spy pair a sleek body suit with a utility belt, boots and sun glasses. You can find CSI type gadgets in the toy department or toy stores.

Fall Party Food: Mini Pies and Fall Leaf Cake

I absolutely love the fall season because of all the delectable desserts and savory comfort food. This is also the time of year when we're either invited to parties or hosting our own. For those who don't have time or dread entering the kitchen there are amazing treats on the web. As well as, delicious treats at your local supermarket or pastry shop.

Pumpkin and Apple Mini Pies $46.00 Williams-Sonoma Exclusive (williams-sonoma.com)
includes 12 pies (6 of each flavor)



Fall Leaf Pumpkin Cake $140.00 Dean & Deluca (deandeluca.com)