This Autumn season is for purple lovers. The writing was on the wall towards the end of the Spring 2007 season when glimpses of vivid violet started appearing in very small doses amongst the multitudes of black, white, red, yellow and cobalt items in stores. I distinctly remember seeing a magnificent, bright purple suede Prada ballet flat at Nordstrom in May. It stood out like a sore thumb and this was a sign. When top designers introduce “a new colour” into their collections at the end of a season, fashion buyers often test a few items of that new colour in stores almost immediately. This is precisely what happened to “it” colours like yellow and cobalt a few seasons ago. The early experiments make it possible to spot future colour trends. This was the basis of my hunch about purple being big for Autumn and sure enough, it’s by far the most popular jewel tone. There’s purple clothing everywhere at the moment.

This particular shade of blue-purple is the colour that reminds me most of my Flashdance 80’s fashion days. I personally like it best with magenta, warm mustard yellow, grey and black (but not all at once). Love it or loath it, purple is the “it” colour this season and its richness has certainly spiced up Autumn’s traditionally dark palette. If head-to-toe in this royal hue is a little too much for you, sport a shoe or handbag in purple instead.

Naturalizer footwear is known for it’s comfort and fit rather than it’s aesthetic appeal. Traditional walking shoes with bulky rubber soles, round toes and topstitching were the norm until recently when designs become more feminine and refined. I popped into a Naturalizer store in Chicago last week and was delighted with what I saw. Alongside their usual casual and conservative styles, was a wonderful assortment of trendy 2-inch heeled pumps, boots and funky flats that you could walk around in with ease all day. The best part about this news is the price points. You’re looking at anything from $39 to $69 for a pair of shoes and $60 -$130 for a pair of boots. Naturalizer certainly gives Taryn Rose a run for her money at more than $450 a pop! Has affordable fashion and comfort become a reality?

A selection of Naturalizer’s hot new Autumn arrivals. I came home with a pair of the flat Mary Janes in black and cream patent (same style as the picture on the top right above). They are my new “8-hour” Autumn shoe.

Stylists and image consultants often swear by the fact that you’ll lengthen your legs by wearing the same colour shoes and legwear. While I agree with this style tip, as a strict rule it can get boring, especially if your daily dress is business casual. Contrasting the colour of your footwear with your pants or jeans is striking and makes an outfit pop.

I believe that lengthening your legs has more to do with the fit and length of your pants, and the style of your shoes. If your pants are bootcut, flared or wide (not skinny), and they skim the surface of the ground when you wear heels, you’ll achieve that long lean vertical line despite the colour of your shoes. And pointy toed peds will elongate this line even further .

By all means sport an alternative colour shoe to your legwear if you fancy that idea. You don’t need to have long slim gams to pull off the look if you adhere to other important leg-lengthening rules. Adding contrasting and eye-catching shoes to a classic ensemble is a perfect way to keep your look hip when current trends aren’t your cup of tea.

We’ve just got back from five fabulous days in Chicago where friends of ours got married beneath the stars at the Adler Planetarium. Magical wedding moments, delectable food, splendid architecture and spectacular shopping made for a great getaway and we enjoyed every moment.

The Magnificent Mile is Chicago’s most fashionable street and the place to be if you have shopping time to spare. The ultra wide boulevard is lined with exclusive designer shops like Burberry, Salvatore Ferragamo and Gucci that stand side by side more affordable chain stores like Guess, Mango, French Connection, Eddie Bauer, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and the Gap. Department stores like Saks, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom were beautiful and well worth a browse (schedule and pocket permitting).

I had my favourites amongst the overwhelming choice of retailers along the Mile:

• The brand new 3-story-high Hugo Boss store was a highlight. I’m a true Boss fan when it comes to a modern, understated and perfectly tailored look for gents and the shopping experience here was sublime.
• French Canadian store Carriere specializes in unique career wear suiting and I loved the finish of these garments. Classic button down shirts and jackets with insanely funky design detailing tickled my fancy.
• With their keen prices, good old H&M seldom disappoints and remains the best place to get a cheap fashion fix.

Off the Mile along State Street is the most lavish Macy’s I’ve ever seen. Originally a Chicago department store called Marshall Field’s, the store takes up the entire block and reminds me of world renown Parisian department store Galleries Lafayette. The stores most unexpected interior feature is it’s pretty Tiffany Mosaic Dome. There is also an adorable doggie section that boasts a range of elaborate doggie day beds, one of which we nearly flew home with us.

My impression of Chicago is a positive one. Hot and humid weather conditions made dresses, city walk shorts, swing tops and peep-toed shoes an urban uniform amongst locals. Dress codes sizzled at night as glitzy, alluring mini dresses matched with the highest of heels became standard evening attire. I saw a high style quotient in the short time that I was there and enjoyed taking in the view.

The Magnificent Mile.