When it comes to a supreme fall wedge,look no further than your team of friendly neturals.  Whether they’re wedge pumps like Steve Madden’s Pammyy or a bootie, these shades and styles are going to be object number one for trendsters in the coming fall season.

We’ve certainly got a decent range in design and pricing; Dolce Vita’s Peyton and Asos’ Ariel are both under $120.  Eighty Twenty’s Adair is also affordable (and unique), though you could go with Steve Madden’s Maybeth if you’re more into functional minimalism.

When it comes to the designer world, Opening Ceremony has two designs lasting from previous seasons that are still trend current and happen to be on sale; enter the Margot wedge and the Stefania 1.  For current season deliciousness, Jil Sander and LD Tuttle‘s styles are formidable to say the least, though you’ll certainly be paying for the pleasure.

I love a good, bold ring, and as it’s the Summer of Goth, intense rings are par the course.  These are a smattering of different favorites; spikes, cross, skulls and a zipper – everything we’ve come to love from our accessory boxes over the last few years from designer inspirations.

Zipper jewelry can be trite, though a wee zipper ring is just subtle enough to pass even the most stuffy of scoffers.  In the same realm is the spike collection, represented well by Wendy Nichol silver spike and Joomi Lim’s hematite piece.  For perfect minimalism, look to Pamela Love’s cross ring, while macabre fans will enjoy both the lower key Zoe & Morgan Stacking Flowers and Ollipop’s Mexican inspired Bone Queen piece.

Four years and countless sock re-designs after the original Prada SS07 double color [footless] socks were released, we see yet another version destined to be a favorite - Hunter’s Balmoral knee style.

These are far more practical than the original footless style, though need not be pigeon holed as welly socks.  These are excellent summer layering pieces just waiting to be burst forth from their packaging.

At $30 per pair they aren’t the cheapest sockies on the block, though they can certainly be taken from hotter days to cooler ones with ease.

The whirlwind promotion for the Friends of Naturalizer charity event has come to a close, with the public citing preference for international charity WaterCan by a landslide 43%.

WaterCan has been gifted with a $20,000 donation by Naturalizer as the winner, with runner up charities Boys And Girls Clubs and WWF with $1,000 donations respectively.

Thanks for supporting a great cause, and remember that all three of these charitable outfits deserve continued donation as they are all worthy causes.

For those that suffer with a perpetual flush, sensitivity or even redness due to a breakout, kindly roll your eyes slightly to the left.. this is your new favorite product.

This is Dermalogica’s new redness relief cream, which is so new in fact that it’s not publicly available until May 2011.  This is a naturally green tinted cream (no artificial colorants or fragrances) that you apply to your afflicted areas, which completely absorbs and works brilliantly to combat that redness. It also provides a bonus SPF 20 line of protection just in time for summer.

It absorbs within about five minutes after application, and there is no hint of green left – only a lesser red area where applied.  Makeup can be applied afterwards quite easily and does not destroy the effect as the tint is already absorbed into your skin.

I love this product, and I know you will too.

With my last visit to the Dermalogica HQ in Vancouver, I also learned about FITE, their micro loan program designed to empower women across the world.  With every donation, you get to see the profile of a woman who is benefitting from your financial donation.  Check it out!

It’s Vittoria, who turned out to be a fellow tweeter (yay!).  She’s won April’s $200 gift code from Shopbop, and is using it towards a pair of new sunglasses; I’ve heavily suggested Karen Walker’s pieces.

That’s not all..

Since the Shopbop promotion is running all spring and summer, we’ve got more $200 gift code prizes to give away – one every month.  We’ve also got a contest with Oak NYC coming up in a few days.. stay tuned!!

2011 is already a unique year in my universe, and I feel like things are going to alter vastly for many people around the world.  We don’t know what crap is going to be tossed our way, but the year is already upon us and it’s time to get pretty, ugly, fabulous and remember what does and doesn’t count.

This is going to be a brilliant year for creativity and bliss, and I can’t wait to roll out some new bits and bites via demiCouture.  Happy first day of January and happy New Year.  It’s 2011, and I’m strangely but solidly optimistic.

BRING IT ON.

It’s time to get like Sophia Loren and Lee Remick of the 1960s, and get turb-a-licious.  Just like things in the ’60s were turb friendly, so is the end of 2010 – are you ready for it?

So far we’ve seen very loud designs; crushed velvet from Lily Lewis for Topshop ($34), all over sequin by Kokin ($455) and knitted styles like Alice Hannah’s ($35).

For springtime think aheaders, Missoni’s boho wrap style is a style many brands will be reflecting in their collections.  They truly remind me of Chloé’s 2006 desert romp ads, don’t you think?

Resort collections, the ultimate display of excessive spending ability for two reasons: one being you are prepared to throw down big money for summer items that will be outdated by the actual summer, and two being you’re likely going to wear said items on a laughably expensive holiday jaunt.

Resort collections are the ultimate ‘fuck you’ to the average consumer, and during the daily dollar crunch (not to mention the additional holiday pinch) just rubs me especially badly.  In the meantime, I’ll just be perusing Net-A-Porter’s new ins, wishing I was hopping off to some tropical resort where the locals feed me copious amounts of unlimited food and liquor.  </end rant>

If you’re still paying attention to Balmain, and a few people are, you’ll already be acquainted with this little delight: the torn sequin dress from the SS11 collection.  Originally tagged at $25,078 US , this frock of dreams is now included within Luisa Via Roma’s end of season sale.

The dress is now 60% off, which brings the price of the piece down to a rather measly $10,031 (€7,645).  If you’re in the mood, this is one piece I would be all over like white on rice.

Lament with me!

Ion Magazine, larry. designs and myself are very excited to present tonight’s COMPASS[ION] event at Guilt & Co [Googlemap].  The event is a fundraiser to provide new clothing to street kids through Covenant House, and enjoy the delightful designs of larry. and view works by 4 photographers (including myself) featuring larry. scarves.

If you cannot donate new (items must still be retail tagged) pieces, there will be a marvelous gift table featuring larry. items, PARTS by Heather and postcard sets of myself and others’ photographs of the larry. range.  Guilt is right below Chill Winston in Gastown, so you’ve got no reason to pop in for a drink or two and hang out with all of us!

Also featured will be 13 short performances by some ace local musicians; a handful of them I know well so I can vouch for their skillz.

Be sure to RSVP on Crackbook, and get there early.. it’s going to be a packed house!

For those curious as to what the photos will be like, check out this preview video created during the shoot a few weeks back.

COMPASS[ION] from Liz Van Allen Cairns on Vimeo.

Doc Martens sent me a pair of Blakes a while back, only sent them in the wrong size.  Somehow I ended up with a size 42 (too big), so now you’re [potentially] going to win over my loss.  I’m selling them for $70.  I kick lowballers in the junk, so cheap bastards need not bother.

WANT THEM? EMAIL ME!!

Facts:

-Boots are new (never worn) in box
-Size 42 (women’s 11, men’s 9)
-Side zipper for easy on/off
-Retails $125 US+

Only available if you’re in Vancouver, because I’m not posting these buggers.

Gastown’s One Of A Few & Vancouver’s Lily & Jae are holding a Christmas shopping party just in time for holiday gifting preparation. There will be discounts (your chance to acquire a card worth 15-50% off your purchase), gifts for the first 10 guests to arrive and DJ spins by Sincerely Hana.  Don’t forget to RSVP on Crackbook!

When: December 9th, 5-9PM
Where: One Of A Few [Googlemap]

demiCouture’s favorite street wear label Dimepiece is holding a warehouse sale, which equals selected items in their webstore at 20-70% off.

The sale runs from October 21-25, which is tomorrow.. git on in there!

In one of the most recent Criminal Minds episodes, I noticed that Kristen Vangsness, who plays Garcia, is sporting a neon rad pair of Kirk Originals eyeglasses.

I can’t be positively certain, but the frames Kristen is wearing appear to be the Seb shape, in turquoise and yellow.  I tried these on myself when designer Jason Kirk was visiting Gastown’s Bruce Eyewear a few months back, and they are positively intense!

These Kirk Originals come in a variety of colors (I’ve got the purple Dusty frames coming to me soon), so check out the whole collection of Sculptures – guaranteed you’ll find a pair you love.

There are few favorites more loved by across the gender lines than Alexander Wang‘s.  His accessories are perfectly androgynous, and the lusty Diego bag has just gotten a kick start for FW10 in a textured green leather.

The piece is a bit more pricey than the original Diego colors (this one is $1,000 CA; roughly $968 US at the moment), but with all specially colored pieces comes with a bit of that extra love.  I know I’m hitting the Diego within the next month, though I’ll probably stick with the $825 black version.

It may be an unlikely pairing, but Valentino, the last emperor himself, has signed up to create a capsule collection for The Gap.

Just like H&M x Lanvin, the Valentino plus Gap collection will launch this November, but not in North America – only select Gap locations in Italy, Paris and London will receive the collection.

I can sure smell an eBay blow-up for this one.

Insert an OAK poncho in heather grey, and you have the picture. Grim. (Also goes along with this tweet)

Look out Upper Eastsiders, Lady Gaga is in full force for her sister’s high school grad!

She was present at the Convent of the Sacred Heart graduation ceremony in intense lace, plus Chanel’s takeaway box bag.  While one can’t imagine her sister would expect anything less, but Gaga must have totally stolen the show by only being there.

OH – anyone else notice she’s flipping the photog the bird while texting on her mobile? Hah!

Pink Tartan is one of demiCouture’s favorite Canadian designed brands, and now you can catch a piece of Pink for serious discounts.

demiCouture picks include the rose sequin tank ($193; from $419), rosette skirt ($192; from $418), Ginny tennis skirt ($205; from $432), Shannon pencil skirt ($213; from $438), pink Bengaline tennis dress ($204; from $430) and the striped wrap dress in creme and black ($187; from $413)

Items are available in a wide variance of sizes, from XS – XL.

Beyond the Rack is a private sale shopping experience… get your invite to BTR here!