When you think about booties it may conjure up the little knitted numbers Aunt Suzy made for you before you could spit out the words "fashion faux pas" or maybe those old house slippers gathering dustballs underneath your bed. Withhold the "fashion don't" for just a sec, because I'm talking about the booties with the dreamy heel and leather detailing minus the Minnetonka fringe (no offense to our hippie contingent) and Ugg label. You've probably heard them called ankle boots, but isn't bootie a better word? Check out my favorite booties for the season and be sure to pick up those cutesy lace Shirley Temple ankle socks to go with them. (BCB Girls $133.95, Frye Boots $251.95, Miss Sixty $253.95 and Lumiani $219.95)

(Photos Courtesy Zappos Shoes)

Don't mind me as I wax poetic about 80s rap and fashion, but I gotta tell ya, Run-D.M.C., Slick Rick, gold chains and Adidas zip-up jackets will forever hold a soft spot in my heart. As with every generation, fashion will always reinterpret old trends and the gold chain has been a hot number on everyone's fashion must-have list this year. While Rev Run, D.M.C. and Jam Master Jay sported a single heavy chain usually decorated with some kind of luxury car medallion (photo, above), the ladies of today are gushing for the layers of multiple smaller chains (photos, below) easily worn with any ensemble. Check out Dirty Librarian Chains and Crunchy Jewels (great names, btw) who are some of my favorite gold chain designers.

(Photos Courtesy of Urbnet, Dirtylibrarianchains and Crunchyjewels)

Have you seen the new Nike Vintage collection? The line is made up of shoes that look like they've been saved from your high school's 1977 track team, except that they don't smell like you just ran 800 meters in them. Not only are they in vintage colors, they also have been artificially aged to look older, which you might think is kind of stupid, and rightly so. One blogger at psfk certainly agrees with you, you being the hypothetical reader who hates these shoes.

But as a former track and cross-country runner who watched both "Prefontaine" and "Without Limits" many times, I have to say I love them. Yes, artificially aging shoes is kind of lame. But look at that Oregon Waffle on the top left. If I saw that pair of shoes in a vintage store my head would explode, but sadly I don't have that good of luck, so I'm glad I can head over to Recon/Nort or Niketown to pick up a pair.

As much as I love flip-flops, sun dresses and shorts, the fall fashion season is one of my favorites. From thin sweaters to loose scarves and boots worn with shorts, fall fashion in New York is learning how to layer fashion from every season. After picking up the 840-page September Vogue (check out New York Times review of the magazine here) and scouring the websites for the "top looks," I've decided these are the five fall trends I'll be following.

1. Sweaters are always a necessity for the cold weather, but chunky knits will be big this fall. Pick up a sweater coat like this one (photo, above left) by Richard Chai at TSE Cashmere.
2. Things are suiting up this fall. Pick up a traditional tailored suit or a relaxed knit ensemble like this one (photo, above center) from Nina Ricci.
3. Gray is everywhere next season, in every shade or form. This gray Neil Barrett coat (photo, above right) would be a wonderful addition to any wardrobe.

4. Add a bit of detail to your clothes this Fall by picking up something with embroidery or sequins, or by exploring a bold or colorful print. This Chole dress (photo, above left) has just the right amount detail to stand out. 
5. Don't bother with an elaborate hair-do this fall, it's all about hats! Pick up something small and shinny with feathers for the evening or a simple knit beret like this one (photo, bottom left) from Marc by Marc Jacobs for the day.

(Photos courtesy of Style)

Are you one of those people who has resolved to work out more this year but worry that those sweatpants from 8th grade will not make it past January? Before taking advantage of the various specials offered by New York City gyms, check out these local shops for accessories to avoid any fashion-related mishaps.

Who said spandex wasn't couture? Head over to the Adidas Performance store for Stella McCartney's fall/winter collection, featuring versatile workout items you can wear outside the gym.

Need a little encouragement while running? For the iPod heads: Run over to Niketown and grab the latest innovation, the Nike iPod Sport Kit, a fitness system that wirelessly connects your iPod Nano to your shoe and talks trash to you when you slowing down--now that's genius! The kit also serves as a pedometer and regulates your music choice with regards to your running pace.

The non-gym members who like to climb trees should head over to Patagonia, the perfect one-stop shop for a pair of fly-fishing shoes, a rock climbing hoodie and some Alpine hiking socks--and 1 percent of your sale goes to grassroots environmental groups.

If this doesn't help you get motivated, just remember that swimsuit season is only a couple of months away.

Day four of our gift guide, and we're finally seeing price levels for "important" people. Check back tomorrow for $80 ideas--for someone even more important!

"Cheap customization" can pretty much be considered an oxymoron. Yet a personal touch is what makes so many gifts, and often we have no choice but to order a photo mug. This year, things can be different for the bejeweled ones in your life--just head to piercing boutique LeRoi on Rivington Street.

For a miniscule mark-up, the shop can set unusual stones in the backing of your choice to make a completely custom nose, ear or belly ring. The owner, by trade a jeweler who also runs a wholesale jewelry business, has access to many stones other shops don't (think gems like smokey quartz, garnet and opal). Bring in drawings and they can even carve a stud or charm of your own design. The cost is just about $20 more than the price of a comparative piece of already-made jewelry. So your specially carved nose ring? That'll set you back just $60.

Maybe someone you know is interested in getting pierced. You'll notice immediately that is this not the typical, seedy shop--it looks more like a hip, high-end jewelry store with a comfy waiting area, chic gothic overtones and, most importantly, a private piercing room.

LeRoi is located at 80 Rivington Street--and open late, daily until 9pm.

I make it a tradition to hit the Union Square holiday market every year in the hopes that I'll find that perfect, unique handmade gift that someone on my holiday list just can't live without. That never happens, but the ideal lives on. Here are my two favorites from this year's market:

The first is a bag made from recycled materials at the L.M. Designs booth. The second is a pink rooster-style hat from the Nirvanna booth. The hat is kind of horrible, and, despite breaking the new rules of winterwear, I couldn't help but loving it. Still, after browsing this year's myriad booths, I was reminded that my favorite part of the Union Square holiday market isn't the clothing, but the outdoor soup stand--plenty of warm goodness to choose from and no worrying about whether your nephew-in-law will snub your heartfelt present.

We all know that New York has a bazillion cool sneaker stores. But beyond buying a vintage, rare or exclusive pair of Adidas or Nikes at the popular Alife Rivington Club, check out the latest collaboration between fashion designer Alexander McQueen and Puma, sold at Bloomingdales, Barneys and Puma Black. The futuristic women's and men's shoe collection is stylized, sleek and typical of the McQueen aesthetic, but is it any better than the regular Puma collection--or, is it just a way to connect two seemingly disparate big names?

(Photo courtesy of Revolveclothing)

Once in a while it's nice to break away from our retail addictions and escape to some of New York's finest museums, even if it is for a fashion exhibit with a nice little gift shop. On display now until February 19, The Museum of the City of New York explores the world of hip-hop and black culture and their enormous influence on contemporary and historic fashion. From photos during the Harlem Renaissance to a collection of designer Nike high-tops to a Run-D.M.C. music video, Black Style Now is a multimedia exhibit that focuses on black style makers and their inspiration from street fashion and hip-hop.

If that doesn't sound fashion-forward enough for you, the exhibit also displays outfits from the wardrobes of Lil' Kim, Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Beyoncé, L.L. Cool J and other celebs, including a case full of "blinging" accessories, inspiring your inner fashion diva to finally get that Paul Wall "grill"!

Check out the show and let us know what you think.

A rendezvous between the beautiful and incredibly talented Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) and Karl Lagerfeld could result in the chanteuse modeling Chanel jewelry. [TMZ]

The usual formula is celebrities + fashion design = hideous abominations. It looks like this indie-film actress found a way to beat the odds. [Gen Art]

The sweaterdress--chic or dowdy? You decide. [Omiru]