Need some sparkle for your wintry festivities? These pretty eBay bargains caught my fancy. Happy holiday bidding!

Get gorgeous in Suart Weiztman All a Glow black velvet pumps (sz 6, starting at $60)  decked with this shiny ring of jewels.

Stand tall in brown velvet hidden platform booties (sz 8, staring at $21, from boutique MakeMeChic) with golden studs.

Glisten in gold metallic Soutache J Renee pumps (sz 9, starting at $15, from boutique The Enchanted Closet).

Red velvet isn’t only for Santa with these sequined burgundy pumps (sz 8, starting at $10, from boutique The Shop of Shoes).

Patent leather boots and booties are here to stay for another season, so make sure you pack  a punch with at least one pair in a bold cherry red.

These Marc Jacobs patent leather boots caught my eye recently, a post break-up mood booster that are sure to accompany me for a few low-key parties and events this season. It was pretty easy to say bye to the recent beau when I took these eye-catching boots for a test drive (walk?). The kitten heel makes them a super-comfortable pair for all-day wear, and the slightly upturned toe gives me a break from my lineup of pointed toe (and often painful) pumps and boots of the season.

These boots have a little Brit-rock chic in them, a simple but luxurious pair of gleaming boots that will brighten up any gray day this season and pep up a neutral-colored outfit in a flash. I’m pairing these with dark wide-leg denim jeans, black pants and black skirts this season for a fresh and flirty look that’s party worthy but also not over-the-top. Try these on for size if you’re nursing a broken heart or just need looking for a fresh new addition to the shoe closet. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Designed for the hopeless romantic, these Giuseppe Zanotti booties are the perfect addition to the vintage-lovin’ gal’s wardrobe.

What’s interesting about these boots is that they have an open-toe design and are a classic Edwardian-style lace-up shoe all in one. A classic, traditional style complete with a regal floral pattern embossed throughout, these no-nonsense shoes offer plenty of vintage appeal with a chic and sophisticated design.

The 3 ¾” heel is just high enough to  flatter your figure in a simple black dress or dress pants this season, and the glossy finish is sure to attract mucho attention. Parties, soirees, or any time you want to play dress up, these are a great pick for any vintage fashion enthusiast looking for a new look for the season.

It happens over brunch on Sunday morning, in the locker room after yoga, by drunk-dial at 3am, and via text, causing me to ignore the red hand and walk blindly into traffic: I find out about an upcoming event. It could be a house party, or a dinner party, or a fondue night, or some fabulous gala that requires a gown. Whatever it is, once I get word of it, my mind jumps immediately to what I’m going to wear. Of course, there are endless contributing factors to consider. The most basic are the occasion, its venue and of course, the season. Some of the more minute considerations however, include, who else will attend, if there will be dancing, and whether or not I’ll be drinking red wine. (Its stains have notoriously ruined dresses forever.)

Occasionally, I hear of the event and an outfit that I own and have been meaning to wear pops into my head straightaway. It’s perfect and I’m golden, despite the fact that I’ve almost been hit by a taxi.  More often though, I have to spend a good half hour-who am I kidding? An hour and a half-trying on clothes and shoes and scarves and bracelets to construct the perfect look for the party. Once in a great while, I hear of the event and the perfect outfit simply appears. I know what it looks like and how to accessorize. It will be flattering and flawless. The only problem is that I’ve invented this outfit-it’s merely a product of my imagination. I might own a few pieces of the look, but I certainly don’t own the majority of it.

At this point I should say, “Well, that would be nice.  Too bad it doesn’t exist.” Instead, I start taking a mental inventory of all the stores in the area, who carries and what, and hours of operation. The quest begins: building the nonexistent look. If it’s made of separates, the task is easier, but the journey is long. If I’ve designed a dress in my head, the mission is in serious risk of ending in failure, through no fault of my own. I’ll take a second to brag here.  If it exists, I will find it. E-mail me!

I find that when I’m going crazy to build a look, the thing I am most thankful for is my shoe wardrobe. A shoe wardrobe full of staples will never let you down. Here are some I think every girl should own so when she’s built the perfect outfit, she can rush home from the stores, just in time to get ready in a hurry, and the shoes will be waiting in her closet to complete the ensemble.

The Black Patent Flat (All Black for Barefoot Tess Banded Flat)

The Corso Como Rachel II

The Accent Flat (Barefoot Tess Edie)

The Metallic Party Shoe (Gwyneth Princess Heel)

Speak up! What are your favorite staples?

And speaking of dreaming up styles, are there any that you’d like BFT to carry? Tell me what’s missing!

Every party-going gal needs at least one blinged-out outfit this season, and what better way to turn up the bling than with a pair of diamond-studded sandals? Okay, they’re not real diamonds, but these glistening Giuseppe Zanotti slides serve up plenty of bling factor with the star-studded straps. The smooth leather slides are designed with a string of sparkling crystal accents and the 3 ½” heel makes for a comforting change from the usual stiletto. They’re the type of shoe you can party the night away in, but also use for dressing up a gown or dress for a gala.

Sleek, sophisticated and elegant, these head-turning sandals will make you the woman of the hour with their simple, high-impact design. You can ramp up the jewel factor by adding a gleaming anklet to the mix. Hold onto these for the seasons to come – they’re a great investment pair for all types of special occasions this year, and beyond.

I’m taking a little vacation this weekend – I’m going on a cruise!

Early next week, I’m leaving on a press trip to China, and while that promises to be tons of fun – I am eager to embark with a little R&R time under my belt.

So, tomorrow, I shall be taking part in the launch cruise of brand-new Carnival Dream, and I needed sassy yet professional shoes to wear to the naming ceremony. It’s a bit of a conundrum, my vocation: A lot of my activities are fun, and festive, but I am still a professional going to work, and representing my brand (um, that would be me).

After the deeply important decisions were out of the way — and by that, I mean my outfit and my pedicure — the perfect shoes fell into my lap. Accompanying me to the ship’s naming ceremony – which, by the way, I will be live-Tweeting from -I will be wearing my hot new Dannika by Limelight sandals from Rack Room Shoes for $34.99.

The color is ridiculously hot, and the satiny finish gives an touch of class while still full of edge. All aboard! I am so ready for my mai tai.

I heart Halloween. Seriously, it’s not every night you get to dress up like a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader without eliciting haughty stares in San Francisco.

This year one of the only parties worth the hype was Vintage 415’s sold-out Stay Puft soiree at Yoshi’s, benefiting the CPMC SimSurg Education Center. Good music. Good crowd. Good costumes. Both floors were swarming with glitzy show girls, temptresses from the Garden of Eden, military men, and (my favorite) one very clever Alan and scene-stealing baby Carlos from the movie The Hangover.

Getting to Yoshi’s and back again in one collective group was half the adventure (it always is). Naturally, we learned plenty of lessons along the way. If you’ll be rocking cheerleader costumes next Halloween, savor these nuggets of wisdom:

1. Do the math before deciding how high your heels should be: 6 hours x 4 girls x 10 toes each adds up to some serious whimpering at the end of the night. Don’t spend much money on snow white boots—especially since they’ll be stained with other people’s drinks by midnight. Make like a genius (me) and slip a pair of white tube socks over your boots and poke the heel out with scissors.

2. For dinner, head to Mamacita to stuff your tiny white shorts with chips and guac and whatever those delicious pink shots were, and remember that Brazen Head serves desert until 2 pm. Something in that carrot cake and fallen angel cake relieves sore little piggies from a night of abuse.

3. Appoint a squad leader to “do the honors” when you’re approached by unsavory suitors dressed like creepy characters from A Clockwork Orange. One cheer that comes to mind: “U-G-L-Y you ain’t got no al-i-bi.” Or bust out with your own rendition of “I Kissed A Ghoul And I Liked It.”

4. Plan to take a cab everywhere, preferably with a male escort dressed as a very convincing police officer. Light-reflecting pom-poms make it exponentially easier to hail a cab out from under the noses of wealthy old socialites, which come first in this city every other night of the year.

5. If you desire to be seen before the promoted parties kick off, skip the house parties to “strut the nut” (Chestnut, that is). Busting a spontaneous move from outside the window at the Mac store can provide endless entertainment. Good luck getting the very serious, non-costumed computer shoppers to look up from the display merchandise.

6. Think before dancing with a man dressed like an injured superhero. Neck and knee braces mean Velcro, which equate to shredded nylon stockings. This goes without saying: always carry a back-up pair in your bra. The fact that I also managed to fit my trusty notepad and pen, blackberry, lipstick, gloss, cash and driver’s license is worthy of its own blog, no?

7. Don’t be fooled: You can’t be completely convinced you did Halloween “right” until the following morning at The Grove when you hear the tales from the parties you never made it to, or run into friends who slept in their makeup and are still going strong, striaght out of Night Of The Living Dead.

Despite being in Beyonce and Lady Gaga overload from Halloween weekend, bold shoes with are here to stay for another season, and the heels are only getting higher and higher, giving you a chance to really strut your stuff. These irresistible patent leather Pucci sandals are designed with a mesh textile accent and a super-skinny metallic stiletto heel.

The gleaming golden base gives your look that extra punch of sass, and the super-high heel will let you show off your Beyonce-inspired moves in high style.  Just be warned – you might need some practice to balance on the pencil-thin mile high heels.

And yes, you can still wear white this winter. These glossy patent leather sandals have enough gold in them to make them a party-ready shoe for any event. Provocative, sexy and craving as much attention as you can handle, these are the party shoes to spice up any cold winter night with. Hit the dance floor in a short skirt or dress and these swoon-worthy shoes to make your unforgettable fashion statement.

 When I think of bankers, my pea brain conjures up a very straight-laced image of tailored suits, briefcases, and proper black loafers: think the guys from the Fidelity Fiduciary song in Mary Poppins. 

Imagine the shock, wonder, and amazement I experienced yesterday when I was at the bank and  my favorite teller, Ben, told me that he was wearing boots, platform boots, to work today! I was in a rush, so sadly I didn’t have time to ask for a full description of his footwear. I’m hoping to find some banking matters to tend to today, so I can catch a glimpse (and hopefully a photo) of his Halloween heels. I’m really hoping they look something like these gold sparkly platforms.

Needless to say, any company that understands shoes need not be serious–especially around Halloween–is a place I want to do business!  

P.S. It never ceases to fascinate me how some guys actually manage to walk (or run!) quite well in heels, yet I still see young ladies that can’t seem to walk without wobbling…

A beautiful, brilliant friend is throwing a masquerade ball for Halloween this year. Guests will be donning grand dresses and suits with masks that spark the imagination. Best of all, it’s a surprisingly pressure-free way to dress up.

If you’re stressing over an original, cool and sexy costume concept without crossing the slutty line (we like to stay just shy) start with that dress in your closet–the one you sigh over every week but only had the chance to wear once (No, we are not counting the time you put it on to eat ice cream and watch 27 Dresses). Then run out for some coordinating shoes at Payless and hit the nearest Hallowen pop-up store or make your own matching mask. Soon you’ll be masquerading as your spectactular self.

Here are some looks to inspire your inner mistress.

Refined in Red

Pair this red lacey creation with ladylike d’orsay rosettes and admirers will come running.

Dark and Daring

Gentlemen callers will swoon over a decadent swan in satin t-strap sandals.

Prim Pierrot

You may look like a sad clown, but these oxfords will keep you happy.

Golden Goddess

Perhaps “Style Goddess” is a better title for any lady donning this golden Venetian mask and the Christian Siriano for Payless Carolina Pump.