Hats are a must have in fall, for head warmth and adding another dimension to your looks.  We have two classic styles; wool and felted rabbit, which are excellent for warming your crown and offering varied styles for consideration.  Fall 2011 has loads of brim styles, colors and style additions; there are 18 styles below.. which one is your favorite?

In the world of wool, some in color as Otte’s wide and H&M’s purple, Hollywood Trading Co’s red,  Brixton’s pecan cloche, Tory Burch’s navy and others in standard blacks and greys.  We have the wider brim fedoras as Borsilano’s, Sportmax’s and Christy’s grey.  As always, the wider the brim, the more dramatic the look; try a Brixton’s Bison or [my favorite], MM6 by Maison Martin Margiela’s grey ombré.

For those who prefer rabbit felt over woolen, you shall not be left out of the excitement!  There are two smaller caps that warrent some attention; Anthony Peto’s trilby and Givenchy’s cap with wee felted ears.  The Peto and La Cerise Sur Le Chapeau pieces are on sale; making them both quite reasonably priced.  Eugenia Kim’s feather circled piece is my personal favorite of the wider brims, though Etro’s red, Vanessa Bruno’s khaki, Marc Jacobs’ brown and another Eugenia Kim – the Gabriella.

If you’re wondering how to wear hats, layer them on a highly layered fall look.  For warmer days, small knits and shorts with tights and thick, loose sweaters over woolen trousers and riding boots as two basic looks to draw from.  Add a wrap of tied fabric or perhaps a feather around a hat you already have to breathe new life into it, if you’re not feeling like buying a new piece.

All over and partial sequin coverage is once again returning, and we’re seeing better quality sequin work and more creative uses.  You can get anything covered in sequin sheen nowadays; loose gym-like shorts as Gryphon’s, a sweatshirt of patterned sequin’s like Topshop’s heart pullover, or the basics [only shiny], like Ashish’s t-shirt dress, Vince’s cropped sequin top or Kate Spade’s covered Westward Runaway duffle.

As Fall 2011 begins pouring in, keep your eyes peeled for new sequin pieces; all over coverage, spotty patterns and multi colored – we will have a new crop of all of these.

Waxed cotton is an excellent textile for fall; it’s a bit heavier, gives a leather-like sheen and works during damp seasons.  Waxed cotton has been rather common in the accessory world [as we see from J.Crew's Takeaway tote] and occassionally in denim [currently seen on Rag & Bone's legging jean], though has now crossed over to clothing.

McQ’s pieces have a very goth tinged feel, what with the six zipper dress and cropped buckle trousers.  Topshop’s waxed cape is a definite favorite (scope the corduroy collar!), though Belstaff’s leather and waxed cotton Expy jacket is luxuriously detailed.

Spice Girls, Party Monster, whatever your game there are plenty of platform sneakers going around for those brave (and short) enough to wear them.

I can’t say I’ll be lacing these Jeffrey Campbell Sporty sneaks on my own feet, but they’re a spitting image of Macaulay Culkin in a party monster themed shoot by Terry Richardson in 2008.

Vancouver Fashion Week has always been a mess, which is why editors of clout and many of the public do not wish to partake in the semi annual debacle.

Apparently in preperation for another season of suck, VFW is making a valiant social media promotion attempt at street style shooting.  These are photos of folks dressed to represent VFW, and I have to say I agree, because many of them are terrible.

My favorite is the “Pinup Mix-Up” whose gut appears to have runneth over.  In my opinion, this is a mix-up of a whole different kind than what VFW is referring to.

Most of the others are decently put together, if not boring, which is no shock when it comes to Vancouver’s style scene.  Concerning the VFW Facebook, view if you dare.. who knows what else will surface on this thing before November.

Concerning Vancouver’s fashion weeks, this piece from 2009 is still relevant concerning failures of both VFW and BCFW.

Leather backpacks aren’t only great for students hauling goods to and from school, but cyclists, transit takers.. pretty much everyone can use one of these babies.

For the strappier set, Olivia Harris by Joy Gryson’s black (which is also 40% off), brown Leaders in Leather and Joe’s Jeans’ Columbus bag (also on sale).  For an inbetweener  look, Alexander Wang’s Marti is available in multiple colors; other than Net-A-Porter’s blue we’ve got chartreuse ($339 on sale), light grey ($595 on sale), white and standard black.

In the world of minimalism, The Madly’s leather backpack is an earthy option, while Marc Jacobs’ Classic Q is a city favorite.  The MJ style is a favorite for it’s chianti red, which is definitely a style standout.

Prada’s espadrille platform brogues have been on everyone’s hot list, but not everyone that fancies this new flat can go down the nearly $800 route.  For the rest of us, we [thankfully] have the high street, which has latched onto this style like a rabid beast. Like their brands, they range in height, color and how the espadrille style has been interpreted (or lack thereof). Let’s begin!

First off is Jeffrey Campbell’s Ad Long triplets; they are the tallest and most daring of the group, available in nude/red, black/white and brown/orange.  For the girlies looking to add the most height and get the most confused looks, the JC route is definitely the option for you.  A close second is Modekungen’s green Creepy, though be warned they are the only pair below that aren’t real leather.

The in betweeners are definitely Asos’ Monroe collection.  I’m loving how daring the pink style is, though that may be a bit Pepto for the masses.  For a more subdued look the brown is definitely a blender, though if you like to get clown shit crazy, the mixed metallic is a best bet.

We’ll finish off with Topshop’s Kingston duo, the safest yet most wearable of the entire group.  While these do not feature any espadrille roping (a pro for some of us), they do feature a single color platform as a standout. There is the brown/green or more standout-ish black/pink – either way, these are the mots FW11 ready if you’re one of those who like to buy ahead of the seasonal change.

For those as unstable as myself while walking in a heel, we know we need stability, but we don’t always want a flat or wedge.  For those in between days, thick heels are best – the chunkier the better.

For our particular tastes, we have the first few chunksters off the FW11 production conveyor belts; the floral Jeffrey Campbell Rumble Fab, Cheap Monday Angle Low and Topshop’s Psychic studded booties.  These booties not only vary in heel style, but textile and detailing.  These are a decent projection of what we can expect in the coming month as to FW11; hold onto your hats, people.. it’s going to be a great season.

This isn’t exactly a new trend; more like it’s hanging in for the long haul.  I’m a great lover of the bike boot in all of its incarnations; plain Jane, studded and all leather all the time.  A well made motorcycle boot will not only last years, but will actually be cool the entire time.. how many pieces you own can boast that?!

We’ll start off with the studded brigade; Hollywood Trading Co’s short Motor and the grey reissue of the much loved studded Trash boot.  For the more minimalistic crew, Jimmy Choo’s suede Yen, Mentor’s black leather, Giuseppe Zanotti’s pebbled style (also 45% off), Fiorentini and Baker’s short Eli and Moma’s outer zip biker are all excellent candidates.  Burberry’s shearling lined boots are technically last season, though if you’re into prepping for winter, these are an excellent buy.

Spiked and studded loafers get me far too excited, so when I saw new designs popping up under designer and high street labels, I caught a bit of a flutter.  These are all black leather pieces, with appropriate detailing – let’s go!

When it comes to the designer vault, we find the second wave of Christian Louboutin’s loafer, the bigger spiked Rolling. While not exactly priced for the average buyer, these are clearly the highest quality, most durable flat of this kind you can find at the moment. Alternatively, Giacomorelli’s style run about half the price, and evokes memories of Louboutin’s original Rollerball.

For the high street, we have Steve Madden’s Melter in black or silver studding, which I can confirm look much better in person than they do in the photograph.  My favorite pair of all due to style and price are Unif’s Hellraiser, available in mens sizing as well.  The Unifs are made from lambskin, and fully beefed with all over spikes for $165 US.. what’s not to love?!

All velvet everything; it’s a snippet goth, more than a bit eccentric and it’s going to be all over FW11.  Velvet was a fabric I cursed as a child; I once had an aunt give me a velvet pullover for a gift, and I nearly cursed it (I couldn’t get past the concept why anyone would want to be fuzzy).  Now in my 25th year, I’m praising velvet.. that’s a large style arc, people.  To celebrate how fickle fashion taste is, let’s join together and celebrate velvet.

We’ll start with the footwear. Dr Martens’ velvet boot is not a new style, though never seemed to catch on last fall when they were released.  Topshop has their 90s inspired Artwork boot with the block heel, which in itself is going to be on fire in fall months.

Migrating to accessories, Tarina Tarantino’s crystal studded bow is such an easily added piece to any look and especially great for those not into being overtly velvety.  Of course the team at Alexander McQueen has converted their Union Jack clutch into a velvet version; the McQueen clutches are like the Jeffrey Campbell Lita of the luxury world.

For clothing, Genereal Pants has a number of choice, affordable velvet pieces.  Their Ballerina dress is what I chose to feature, though there are a number of other pieces available, including a $60 velvet bustier and $120 hot pants.  Last of all is the uniform fabulous Versace blazer, which reminds me of something you would see in a fantasy film.  It’s also on sale from just over $1,800, so if you’re loving that statement piece, the time to buy is now!

3.1 Phillip Lim has come up with some devilishly fantastic bike jackets in the past year, with a standout definitely being the contrast sleeve leather bike jacket.  Topshop has done themselves a bit of a tribute version, this one for $300, versus the $955 of the original.

Not bad, though definitely missing the detail of the Lim that made it so delicious.  I’m still into it, though.. I hope they knock off the leopard biker, too.

Amy Winehouse had a whiskey voice and a unique sense of urban style.  I’m choosing to remember her through her clothing; the below pieces are two of her more recognizable looks.

Amy was all about the Fred Perry, so much in fact that we can recall her creating her own range of Fred Perry clothing.  On the right we have a classic white FP polo, paired with acid wash French Connection Smyrna jeans, a pair of nude Repetto ballet flats and [of course] the classic Winehouse addition – a head wrap scarf, this one from Miss Selfridge.

The other look is ripped from a performance photo; it’s much more rockabilly versus prepster.  Start with a basic T by Alexander Wang tank and tuck into red Topshop denim hot pants with a thick Alexander McQueen belt over the thank.  Layer with a leather Selene bike jacket and finish with a pair of simple white leather loafers from Topshop.

For an extended throwback to the, say, 1800s is in the bag if you’re into crest and seal jewelry. If you’ve never heard of Pyrrha, it’s time to get acquainted.  They’re locally designed and created in Vancouver, and sell internationally in many top boutiques and feature genuine vintage seals and crests found in Europe.

For more high street pricing, Asos’ Heraldic Crest necklace is only $18, or we have Waxing Poetic’s letter rings and Fallon’s more modern Veruca crest ring.  You can’t deny there’s something here to accent any outfit!

Braces (or as North Americans say, suspenders) are always a hot ticket item for the swaggering gentleman, but more often the style of the original harness is adjusted to fit a more feminine look.  This isn’t meant to say the boys are exempt, but pieces like Scartissue’s braded and bowed braces are definitely something not everyone could pull off.

For more androgynous leather styles, Orciani’s suspenders are a strong look, but can be worn in many ways due to their use of thick and thin leather strips. Dsquared’s calskin pieces are definitely a strong look; these definitely evoke a traditional men’s suspender and would be more difficult (but not impossible) to style with womenswear without looking too masculine (unless that’s what you’re going for).

The other evening, I had an excellent conversation with a friend and Editor in Chief of a fairly well known Canadian fashion and lifestyle magazine concerning the seeming expiry of the ability of PR and other marketing methods to acquire [as much] free marketing within the blog community.  I’m not speaking of hobby blogs; I’m referring to online publications that have decent readership and can back them up with analytics.

When the numbers are low, it’s much easier to take these little editorial suggestions from PR boutiques and self marketing groups as story concepts brought to your email on a silver platter.  If you follow the lead of these groups [assuming you are into the products they are pushing], you can push out more content in less time, spend less of your time sourcing stories and feel more productive, but at a cost.

This is content being pushed to nearly every blogger; it is not unique and often provides verbage as to point you were to take your post.  If you take such leads, your page has the chance to become overtly corporate, and lose the unique feel of a freelance content destination.

When the focus shifts and readership and content responses increase, and you have leverage.  In this online age, individuals are being recognized as credible content sources (whether the individual is or is not isn’t up for debate), and with such comes the slew of products and companies wishing to be spotlighted on your blog.

The question really is what are you willing to do for free?

With blogs, the choice to monetize can be a long time coming, or a choice that is thrust upon you before enough time is had to truly mull over what this means for the website.  It’s a sticky wicket deciding which route to take when you’re considering money; monetizing a blog does change the underlying feel of the website, whether such changes are overt or not.  If you do take the monetization route, we know one hundred percent of content cannot be monetized; there must be a blend of sponsored content with the non.

More often, I see bloggers opting to ask brands to pay up.  Products you could have featured on a similar space for free four years ago are now being invoiced; price sheets are ready-made without having to scramble one together and many have a ready-made media kit.

Whether you charge for it or not, taking a corporate lead on a story is sponsoring content; it is up to you whether you apply brakes and request payment before such stories are published.

So, what are you willing to do for free?  Do you think the era of blogs as free marketing tools is past?

Luxury retail giant Dolce & Gabbana has just released their online store, and despite the brand playing catch up with the online buying environment concept, someone at D&G was really eating their Wheaties when design plans were hammered out.

With every item on the D&G online shop, you have the option to share via Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr – quite an impressive, forward thinking option.  The design of the e-store has a few design flaws, though the social media addition is a definite positive step in the right direction.

After some quality issues with a Rebecca Minkoff bag I purchased for my mom, I was pretty annoyed.  As usual, I took to Twitter first, and had a very fast response from the RM team.  They first asked what was wrong, then had me send them details in an email as 140 character’s really didn’t cut it.

Along with this little surprise the RM team sent me, along with a hand written note that said to call them anytime regarding any Minkoff related questions.  Despite my earlier difficulties, the brand has wow’d me with this customer service.. suffice to say this has completely humiliated the Alexander Wang team, since they ignored my numerous tweets and emails questioning their quality.

Dalmatian print will definitely be enjoying a massive upsurge this fall, and with the FW11 pieces already arriving we can see that from the small parts of collection available, much will be in dalmatian print.  Burberry has certainly grabbed attentions with their hats and dyed dalmatian print fur trimmings, while Topshop Unique took the high street by storm with their coats, trims and stoles.

Sonia by Sonia Rykiel has a handful of pieces featuring the doggie print; namely the zippy mini skirt and her printed blouse.  Burberry’s mink hat is one of the first pieces to be released from their collection, while Topshop’s shopper and Rootote’s printed tote appeal to the more budget conscious trendsters.

Skeleton accessories have been quite in vogue in the last few years, though none have intrigued me quite so much as Sakdidet Road’s brass bracelet.  Shoppers can grab the bracelet below at Harvey Nichols, or at Canadian retailer Oldgold Boutique after they restock (they price the piece at $75 CA).